Expeditions discover colombia's culture tour

Arrive at any time. We will pick you up at the airport and drive you to your hotel in Bogota. Depending on the traffic, the drive from the airport takes around 30-45 minutes.

At the hotel, we will check again your itinerary to make sure everything is clear, help you with anything you may need and give you some practical information about Bogota and Colombia. Depending on the time of your arrival, you may have some time to start exploring the city on your own or just to relax. 

Bogotá is located at an altitude of 2,600 metres, so we recommend to take it easy during the first couple of days.

Overnight: Bogota
Meal Plan: None

Today, we will visit some of the most iconic places in Bogota's historic centre. We will have the chance to admire the world's most extensive collection of pre-Hispanic gold at the Gold Museum and check the artistic work of Fernando Botero, Colombia's most famous painter and sculptor, at the Museo Botero. We will glimpse the diversity of architectural styles on display in the historic neighbourhood of La Candelaria. We will capture spectacular panoramic city views from the top of Cerro de Monserrate.

To have the perfect ending to our tour in Bogota, we will spend some time playing tejo. This is a traditional Colombian sport with roots dating back to pre-Columbian times. It involves throwing a metal disc, known as a "tejo," at a target placed within a clay-covered box, aiming to hit small, gunpowder-filled packets called "mechas."  This Colombia’s national sport is play in a vibrant social setting that perfectly wraps up your immersion in local culture. We will also try “Chicha”, a traditional fermented beverage that originated during pre-Columbian times, where it played a vital role in the social, religious, and ceremonial life of the Indigenous groups

Note: Gold Museum is closed on Mondays and Botero Museum is closed on Tuesdays.

Overnight: Bogota
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, we will explore Lake Guatavita, a natural paradise and one of the most important Muisca sacred sites from pre-Columbian times. The lake is famous for the Legend of El Dorado, which refers to the treasures held deep inside the lake's waters. The mountains surrounding this site will amaze you as you climb to view the sparkling green lake. 

Afterwards, chow down on delicious Colombian food at a traditional restaurant. Then, we will visit an actual Muisca community centre in the nearby town of Sesquile. At the Sesquile settlement, you will see how today's Muiscas are trying to maintain their old traditions despite adopting modern life and technology. 

You will also travel through the splendid landscapes, stopping at the beautiful colonial towns of Guatavita and Sesquile. At the end of the day, we will return to your hotel.

Overnight: Bogota
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, you will fly from Bogota to Pitalito, a small town only 45 minutes from San Agustin. As there is only one flight per day and the departure time varies depending on the day of the week, you may have some time in the morning to explore more of Bogota. At the relevant time, we will transfer you to the airport in Bogota.

Upon arrival in Pitalito, we will pick you up from the airport to transfer you to the hotel in San Agustin. 

Overnight: San Agustin
Meal Plan: Breakfast

We will spend the morning at the main Archaeological park site. The park is an open-air exhibition of about 16 reconstructed funerary mound and hundreds of megalithic sculptures. We can also see related archaeological materials at the site´s museum.

The sculptures and monuments in the park have been traced back to the mythology of pre-Hispanic people that inhabited the area hundreds of years ago, and who were forced out of the area and into the Amazon and Orinoco regions of Colombia around 1400. The group practically disappeared at this time. The dates of the statues are uncertain, but they are believed to have been carved between 5–400 AD.

At the park, we will visit various sites including: Bosque de las Estatuas (The statues forest), the Mesita A, Mesita B, Mesita C, Alto de Lavapatas and Fuente de Lavapatas, a complex maze of pools and water channels hewn from bedrock carved with figures of animals and humans. It was used for religious ceremonies and bathing. 

After visiting the park, we will have time for lunch before going to El Tablon and La Chaquira. At El Tablon we will see other anthropomorphic statues. Then, we will hike to La Chaquira one of the most impressive sites, with deities carved into the sheer rock above the beautiful Río Magdalena gorge. 

Overnight: San Agustin
Meal Plan: Breakfast

The Magdalena river is the most important river of Colombia and the fifth-largest river basin in South America. It stretches from the Central and Easter Andes in the south of the country to the Caribbean Sea in the north. It runs up for nearly 949 miles (1,528 kilometres) and is home to many diverse ecosystems including forest, mountains, valleys and wetlands. As the source of the Magdalena River is not far from San Agustin, today, we will be able to visit the Magdalena Strait, where the river squeezes through a narrow canyon just under 3m (9.84 ft) in width. 

This region of Colombia, apart from being famous due to the archaeologic sites, it is also quite important for the   high-quality coffee. Therefore, after visiting the Magdalena Strait, we will go to a coffee farm to learn everything about harvesting and making coffee, from planting the coffee beans to the picking and roasting process. We will learn how to select and pick only the ripe coffee cherries and also how to taste and evaluate the coffee's quality, just like a coffee expert. 

Overnight: San Agustin
Meal Plan: Breakfast

Early in the morning, we will start a journey of approximately 4.5 hours towards the municipality of Inzá, where the archaeological park of Tierradentro is located. This spectacular archaeological park holds the largest concentration of pre-Columbian monumental shaft tombs with side chambers--known as hypogea—which were carved in the volcanic tuff below hilltops and mountain ridges. 

In the afternoon, we will visit the most interesting tombs in the Alto de Segovia. Some of these Tierradentro tombs are around 12 meters wide and buried up to 7 meters deep. They were carved directly into volcanic rock. Sadly, many tombs have been deteriorated over time due to grave-robbers looting in the past, but some still have visible red and black design motifs inside, which are thought to reproduce the internal decoration of houses from that time. They reveal the social complexity and cultural wealth of a pre-Hispanic society in the northern Andes. Sadly, the pre-Hispanic society that built these wonders has disappeared, but these tombs leave an important trace of their everyday life.

The main entrance of the park is surrounded by the small indigenous resguardo of San Andrés de Pisimbalá, where you will spend the night. This resguardo has only one main street, a small church and a few houses. 

Overnight: Tierradentro
Meal Plan: Breakfast

After breakfast, we will start our journey towards the Tatacoa Desert, Colombia's second largest arid zone after the Guajira Peninsula. The total journey from Tierradentro is approximately 4.5 hours. We will stop on the way to admire the landscape and drink something.

Tatacoa Desert is located in Villavieja, a small town 45 minutes away from Neiva, the capital of the department of Huila. During our visit, we will see the stunning landscapes of the red desert (Cusco sector) and the surreal, moon-like terrain of the grey desert (Los Hoyos sector). 

The landscape of the red desert is adorned by amazing labyrinths carved by water and erosion. The rock's red colour also indicates its richness in iron. In this area, you can also visit the tree of wishes (El árbol de los deseos).  Local belief says that the person who finds a heart-shaped folded leaf and unfolds it without damaging it will be allowed to ask for a wish. 

When visiting the grey desert with its ashy-coloured stones interrupted by some green specks of vegetation, you will feel as if you were on the moon. In this sector, you will visit the Valley of Ghosts, the name given to the area where the stones have a strange similarity to supernatural entities rising from the soil.

At the end of this adventure, we will go to the hotel in Neiva.

Overnight: Neiva
Meal Plan: Breakfast

In the morning, we will go to Neiva airport for a flight to Santa Marta. Santa Marta is the oldest colonial city in South America. It is rich in history and well-preserved colonial architecture, with great restaurants, bars, and cafés. Santa Marta is also the home of the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, where the national hero Simon Bolivar died in 1830. 

There is no direct flight to Santa Marta, so you will have to connect in Bogota. Upon arrival in Santa Marta, we will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel.

Overnight: Santa Marta - Hotel close to Tayrona Park
Meal Plan: Breakfast

Today, we will spend the day at Tayrona National Natural Park, where we will see some of Colombia's most beautiful beaches. 

Around 8:30 am, we will start the trip to Tayrona Park, which will take only 15 minutes from your hotel to the main entrance of the park (El Zaino entrance). We will drive 10 min more from the entrance to the Cañaveral sector and from there, we will walk for about 1 hour across the forest until reaching the Arrecifes sector, where you will get great panoramic views of the park. Then, we will walk for 30 min more to reach the beaches Arenillas, La Piscina and El Cabo San Juan. You will have plenty of time to swim and relax on the beach. There are several restaurants and bars in the park where you can stop for lunch in the shade, relax, and admire the spectacular surroundings.

Around 3:30pm, we will start the journey back to the main entrance.

Note: Tayrona Park is usually closed from Feb 1st to 15th, Jun 1st to 15th and Oct 19th to Nov 2nd.

Overnight: Santa Marta - Hotel close to Tayrona Park
Meal Plan: Breakfast

Today, we will visit the community of Katanzama, an indigenous community that is part of the larger Arhuaco, Kogi, and Wiwa Indigenous groups of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The Kankuamo in Katanzama have a deep spiritual connection to their land, which they consider sacred and vital to their cultural identity. The community actively works to preserve their traditional way of life, including their language, customs, and ecological practices. During this visit, we will be receiving all the knowledge of this culture that still preserves its ancestral tradition.

Then we will go to Taironaka, a natural reserve located on the foothill of the Sierra Nevada, and home of a native Kogui community. We will learn about the Kogui culture and the Tayrona civilization, we will visit some remains of the terraces and aqueduct structures built by the Tayrona people during pre-Columbian times. At Taironaka, we will be able to appreciate the enormous variety of native fauna and flora. There will be a chance to swim and have some fun in the refreshing waters of the river Don Diego doing some tubing, which flows. At the end of this adventure, we will go to the hotel.

Overnight: Santa Marta - Hotel close to Tayrona Park
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch

Today we will travel to Cartagena by car; the total journey will take approximately 4.5 hours.  Cartagena de Indias, nestled along Colombia’s Caribbean coast, is a city that pulsates with a vibrant history and a lively cultural spirit.

As you step into the heart of Cartagena, the Ciudad Amurallada, you are immediately transported back to a bygone era, with its cobblestone streets, brightly coloured colonial buildings, and imposing stone walls that once protected the city from pirates and invaders. The air is filled with the aroma of local delicacies and the sounds of street performers, making every stroll an immersive experience.

Overnight: Cartagena
Meal Plan: Breakfast

After breakfast, we will pick you up at the hotel for a city tour covering the Castillo de San Felipe and the old city surrounded by the impressive walls built during the Spanish rule to protect the city against enemies and looters.

The Castle of San Felipe is the greatest and strongest fortress ever built by the Spaniards in any of their colonies. It was built on top of the San Lazaro hill and defended the city from many attacks including a British siege in 1741. The old city is the historic heart and soul of Cartagena. We will walk around its cobbled streets, visiting or passing by the main historical sites. 

You will have the afternoon to relax at the hotel or carry on exploring the old city, admire its architecture and immerse yourself in its romantic atmosphere.

Overnight: Cartagena
Meal Plan: Breakfast

You have the day to carry on exploring Cartagena on your own. You can wander around the cobble streets in the historic city, visit some colonial churches or go to Getsemani to see its colourful graffiti’s.

Overnight: Cartagena
Meal Plan: Breakfast

The tour ends today. At the time required, we will pick you up at the hotel for a transfer to the airport.

Overnight: -
Meal Plan: Breakfast