Classic Colombia

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Classic Colombia

Duration

17 Days / 16 Nights

Package Type

https://cms.vaexpeditions.com/media/images/package_type/museum.svg

Traditional

Activity Level

Activity Level

Moderate

Wildlife expectation

Physical Difficulty

Wildlife expectation

Cultural rating

Wildlife expectation

Wildlife expectation

Specialist

Travel specialist

Claire
Contact Us

Colombia is a relatively new destination to travel in South America. The country has undergone social reconstruction after the control of the drugs barons in the 80s and now this incredible country is much more accessible to tourists. The country is blessed with incredible Caribbean beaches, magnificent biodiversity, and a culturally rich society that attracts more and more travellers every year. This 17 day classic itinerary will allow you to experience all of the country at its most stunning and beautiful best! Visit now while this is still and relatively undiscovered destination.

Special features of our 17 day Classic Colombia Tour: 

Type of Tourism:  Nature, History, Culture, Classic, Archaeology

Places to Visit:  Bogota, San Agustin, Popayan, Cali, Coffee triangle, Medellin, Cartagena, Tayrona National Park.

Duration:  17 Days and 16 Nights. 

Type of Service: group tours. 

Accommodation:  4 star hotels and lodges at every destination that you will visit. These hotels had been carefully chosen and we can guarantee that you will feel comfortable and your every need catered for! 

DAY BY DAY SCHEDULE

Today you will arrive to The El Dorado airport in Bogotá. Your driver will be waiting to collect you and take you to the hotel.

    Today, we will head out on a half-day visit to Bogota's historical centre, also known as La Candelaria. This historical suburb is of great significance to the country ́ due to its cultural heritage and its stunning Spanish colonial architecture. The city’s main Plaza is the Plaza de Bolivar, where Simon Bolivar's statue is found.  The plaza was originally used for civil and military purposes The Cathedral found on the eastern side of the plaza, is constructed on the same spot where the first-ever church was built in 1539. ...

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      After breakfast, we will head to the local airport for our flight to Neiva, then on to the town of Villa Vieja to the Paleontology Museum. We will then continue through the impressive Tatacoa Desert formed by years of erosion. We will arrive at our final destination of San Agustín, appreciating along the way, the extensive floodplains of the Magdalena River valley.  

        After breakfast, we will head to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of The San Agustín Archeological Park. Here we can see the enormous stone statues and the impressive raised plateaus, specifically built to observe the stone monuments and passing over sacred grounds. We will walk on to the ceremonial Fuente de Lavapatas before heading up the hill to the Lavapatas terrace, with its remarkable views over the surrounding countryside. We will also visit the small museum. In the afternoon, we will head to the wonderful Colombian massi...

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          After breakfast, we will drive to Popayán, the capital of the department of Cauca. The spectacular scenery will accompany us on the journey, with the Andean mountains and high-altitude plains. We will spend the evening in Popayán.

            Today we will visit the historical centre of Popayan founded in 1537. All around the Parque Caldas, we can appreciate the main religious and government buildings, as well as the Torre del Reloj, considered one of the main sites in the city. We will then head towards the Puente de Humilladero, built in 1873 to allow access from the city centre to El Callejón, the Iglesia de Santo Domingo, a baroque style church designed by the Spanish architect Antonio García, the Iglesia de San Francisco, considered the most beautiful b...

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              After breakfast, we will visit  the most important historical and cultural sights of Cali, such as the 19th-century Municipal theatre of Enrique Buenaventura, the Casa Proartes, the Centro Cultural and the Museo de Oro Calima. We will then head to Cali’s historical San Antonio district's viewpoint and for a stunning view of the city. Next, we will head to The Iglesia San Antonio, home to some well-preserved artwork and impressive wooden sculptures. Then we will head to the Iglesia Sebastián de Belalcazar and the Igl...

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                Today we will head out to the coffee plantations along the steep hills of Pereira. The scenery is formed by this green carpet of coffee plants that spread out as far as the eye can see, only interrupted by the occasional Finca and beautiful heliconia flowers. 

                We will head to the San Alberto, a coffee estate located near the town of Buenavista Quindío. The tour begins with an introductory talk about coffee, its preparation, toasting, characteristics, quality and the properties that make the best coffee. We will co...

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                  After breakfast, we will head out on a visit to the Cocora valley, located in the central mountains of the department of Quindío. This valley forms part of the Parque Nacional de Los Nevados and is the ideal place to marvel at the “Quindian wax palm”, the national tree of Colombia. This tree can reach a massive 60 metres high and is the home of a number of bird species, such as the hummingbird and the endangered palm parrot.

                  We can get to the valley either by hiking or on horseback and we will head into the...

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                    Today we will leave early for our next destination, the famous city of Medellin.

                      After breakfast, we will head out on a specialist “Social Transformation” Tour to visit the places that best represent the social transformation that has taken place in Medellín. The tour will show parts of Medellín from the 1980s, when the city was one of the most dangerous in the world, to the current day today including many social projects that transformed the city to what it is today. Back in the early 90s, the search for the infamous Pablo Escobar was underway and the reign of “El Patrón&r...

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                        Today we will take a flight to Cartagena. Our driver will be waiting at the  airport to take us to the hotel.

                          Today, we will head out on a tour of the city, to witness its fabulous views from the Monasterio and Iglesia de La Popa. Constructed in 1606, this church and monastery are located above the city, offering a panoramic view over the city, the coast and port, one of the most important in the Caribbean. We will then head to the San Felipe Fortress, erected in honour of the poet, Don Luis Carlos López, from the city. It was built on San Lázaro hill to defend the city from pirate attacks back in colonial times. We will learn ...

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                            After breakfast, we will head to the beautiful islands of the Rosario National park for the day. We will admire the islands' impressive landscapes with their crystal clear waters and gentle breezes. You will enjoy some free time on the beach to take in the spectacular scenery and kick back and relax. Islabela is the perfect place to enjoy the spectacular beach, delicious cocktails and a beautiful view. This island is surrounded by coral reefs and crystal clear waters, which create the habitat of a great variety of marine fauna and is...

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                              After breakfast, we will head to the breath-taking Tayrona National Park, where pristine nature, diverse flora and fauna, sandy beaches, jungle trails, rough waves, tall palm trees and lots of sunshine, make this unique park an incredible place to visit.

                                Free day to relax on the beach or enjoy the many different activities on offer. The perfect place to spend your final evening on this classic tour.

                                  Today is our final day of this 17 day itinerary. After breakfast, we will head to Santa Marta airport to take our flight to Bogota, which marks the end of this amazing adventure! 


                                    WHAT'S INCLUDED

                                    • Daily breakfast & meals listed in the itinerary
                                    • Private transfers & excursions with English speaking guide.
                                    • Accommodation in 4* and 5 * hotels.

                                    WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

                                    • Extra expenses not indicated in the itinerary.
                                    • Internal Flights
                                    • Airport Tax
                                    • Tips and gratuities.
                                    • Travel Insurance

                                    Trip Preparation & FAQS

                                    You can check our safety protocols in the following link: https://www.colombia.travel/en/covid-19-information

                                    We do not include travel or health insurance and we strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance for any unexpected circumstances. This is not obligatory, however. An full travel insurance policy that covers cancellations and delays as well as medical insurance.

                                    We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure that you are up-to-date with the recommended vaccinations when traveling to the destination.

                                    We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure what medications you will need to bring to the destination. Pharmacies and drugstores are common in all cities, however, it is not certain that you will be able to find a specific drug that you can find in your country of origin.

                                    As in any city in the world, there can be pickpockets in crowded places. We suggest being vigilant at all times, but if you are in a group you will always be safer.

                                    We do not include the cost of any domestic or international flight in any of our programs. These services must be booked independently by each guest.

                                    Yes, hotels will charge the cost of a double room as standard, so a single supplement will be charged if you are traveling alone.

                                    VA Expeditions is supported by Valencia Travel, a company with more than 12 years of foundation with a solid financial position. We have insurance from the insurance company La Positiva, that supports us and protects our guests from any eventuality at the destination, covering our guests for more than 5 million US dollars.

                                    Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.

                                    Yes, in addition to multi-day programs, we offer half-day experiences and excursions without overnight, which you can purchase as additional services. In case you wish to purchase one of these services, you can ask your guide, the transfer representative or your sales representative to provide you with the support you need.

                                    Yes, you can add additional or optional services to your regular tour. We appreciate contacting your sales representative for any changes you wish to make.

                                    Yes, you can travel with children and we have many activities to do as a family, however, depending on your itinerary, some experiences can be a bit demanding for young children. As a recommendation, we suggest that you ask your sales consultant if the tour you wish to book is suitable for children.

                                    We work with a maximum group size of 12 passengers for sustainability reasons and a more personaized experience.

                                    We suggest making your reservations at least one month before your trip in order to reserve the best hotels, transportation and services for your travel dates, however, in last minute cases, we can reserve up to 15 days in advance.

                                    We suggest consulting with your embassy to review any documents, tests or special visa you need for your trip.

                                    The official currency in Colombia is the Colombian peso (COP). In large cities there is a good chance that you will find ATMs or ATMs, however, we suggest that you do not rely entirely on this solution, as it may not be enabled to work with your bank.

                                    Yes, we cater for all special dietary requirements. Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any allergies or special dietary needs.

                                    As a sustainable travel company, we are in constant search of how we can improve the sustainability of our operations, that is why we carry out the following activities to generate a fair and sustainable development in our areas of operation: We are now in the process to get the certification of Travel Life to be more sustainable.  Travel Life is an internationally recognized, GSTC-Global Sustainable Tourism Council accredited training, management & certification program in sustainability in tourism. Travelife is a three-stage certification program for tour operators and travel agents: (1) Travelife Engaged; (2) Travelife Partner and (3) Travelife Certified. We are at stage 1 – Travelife Engaged. We are working to move forward to stage 2 - Travelife Partner.

                                    We have implemented different practices to be more sustainable, please find attached our sustainability Policy to know some of them.

                                    We promote activities like visits to social and environmental projects.

                                    Some experiences that we offer include a donation to support local communities.

                                    We decided to stop including single use plastic bottles in our transfers and excursions. We are now suggesting our clients to bring their own bottle of water, or we can include a bottle of water with a filter since it is not always possible to drink water from the tap in Colombia. When passengers arrive we share a list with the places they can refill the bottle according to the itinerary they have.

                                     

                                    Tips are not included in the cost of the tour. You should plan to tip 10% in restaurants and for your guided services, however, tipping is never required.

                                    Cultural norms vary within each Latin American country, even within each city within the country, however, we recommend the following measures to have a pleasant visit in each destination: Latin American culture in general tends to be closer and more informal than in others cultures, so there is usually always a friendly approach in all conversations, and going directly to the point could be considered offensive to some people. Personal space can be much shorter as well, but without being interpreted as sexual in nature.  The schedules are also usually more relaxed and informal, however, this is not the case of VA EXPEDITIONS, since we will always respect the hours indicated in your itinerary. This may be different for other appointments that you can book on your own at other locations.

                                    This depends on each itinerary, and will be indicated in the detail of the day. However, our itineraries always usually include free times to offer more flexibility to our guests. 

                                    For any emergency, we appreciate contacting the following number: +57 316 694 8013

                                    At VA Expeditions we believe that every action we take should generate a positive impact on the communities and the environment of our entire production chain, which is why we carry out various activities focused on this objective. For an example of our sustainable projects, visit the following link: https://valenciatravelcusco.com/archivos/socialprojectscolombia.pdf

                                    All our guests have 24/7 support for any type of emergency or eventuality. For emergencies you can contact the following number: +57 316 694 8013. For general inquiries, you can write to us at the following email: info@valenciatravelcusco.com 

                                    This depends on each itinerary, but generally is a ratio of one guide for every nine guests.

                                    This depends on the type of the type of Travel insurance that the passenger has. We recommend that you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy for better care and hospital facilities.

                                    The tours are carried out by an expert team that has determined the optimal times of visits to make the most of our guests' time, without rushing. All our programs are customizable, so if at any time at the destination you want to adjust the pace of the trip, you can ask your guide to reach a consensus with the whole group in case you need to make adjustments to the pace of the trip.

                                    Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.

                                    Yes, you can safely store any luggage at your hotel.

                                    For city tours, there are public bathrooms available, in remote destinations bathroom facilities are more sparse.

                                    In the mountains and remote places there is no Internet connection. Hotels and public places usually have WIFI available.

                                    In cities and tourist centers you will have good telephone reception. In remote areas, there may be no cell phone reception.

                                    It depends on each itinerary, we suggest you ask your travel advisor for the specific information of your program.

                                    We decided to stop including single use plastic bottles in our transfers and excursions. We are now suggesting our clients to bring their own bottle of water, or we can include a bottle of water with a filter since it is not always possible to drink water from the tap in Colombia. When passengers arrive we share a list with the places they can refill the bottle according to the itinerary they have.

                                    Thank you very much for your interest! You can follow us on our networks:

                                     

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