visit great communities and natural landscapes!This adventure will cover the Southern Andes and the Amazon jungle of Colombia. You will explore areas of Colombia that were not possible to visit before, such as the departments of Putumayo and Nariño. These areas were highly affected by narcotraffic and violence for many years. Nowadays, it is possible to travel there and witness the region's transformation while exploring its incredible natural landscapes. We will visit farmers and indigenous communities to learn about their daily activities and the challenges faced during the difficult times. We will see what they are doing now and how sustainable tourism is helping them to find a better future. A great Colombia vacation for those who want to sock up in Colombian culture and participate in sustainable tourism! EXPERIENCE TYPE Eco-tourism, Hiking, Wildlife, Local Communities and History |
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La Candelaria is Bogota’s historic area where you will find all the famous museums and attractions. It is an eclectic neighbourhood with a mix of historic and modern buildings, surrounded by colourful graffiti murals. Next to La Candelaria, is Egipto, a favela with a turbulent past and a positive demonstration of how street art and tourism is helping them to find better opportunities for their families.
Colombia is famous for its coffee, so what better place to learn everything there is to know about coffee than in Colombia! During this tour, you will see each step of the coffee cultivation process – from understanding how to identify ripe coffee cherries and harvesting them to pulping, drying and brewing the beans. Last but not least, you will get to taste the coffee after roasting the beans the old fashioned way.
During this tour, you will visit various eco-friendly farms in the area to learn about their day-to-day life and the different organic farming systems they use to protect the ecosystem. You will see how some farmers have moved from illicit crops to cocoa cultivation. Have lunch at their farms to taste traditional dishes cooked in a wood-fired oven.
Explore another area of the Amazon jungle in Colombia. Hike across the Amazon rainforest to visit various waterfalls and natural swimming pools. Witness the difference between the rainforest in lower altitudes compares to the one next to the Andes. The part of the Amazon region next to the Andes is called a transition zone. The forests located in higher altitudes in this zone have ecological characteristics of both the Andes and the Amazon, making it incredibly biodiverse.
Las Lajas Sanctuary is one of the most beautiful churches in Colombia and perhap in the world. Las Lajas Sanctuary is located in Ipiales, a small town in the southern Colombian Department of Nariño. The church sits on a 130 feet tall bridge over the Guáitara river, and it is often called a jewel of engineering.
The Las Lajas Sanctuary is famous for its stunning architecture and a series of legends involving the appearance of the Holy Virgin and a mysterious mural of which nobody knows the origins.
Located in the southwestern region of the Colombian Andes, La Cocha is the country's second-largest natural body of freshwater and one of the most spectacular lakes in Colombia. It is located 2,800 meters above sea level and has been recognised as a wetland of international importance under the RAMSAR convention. The lake is surrounded by natural reserves maintained by native farming communities.
Isla Corota, in the middle of the lake, is Colombia’s smallest national natural park. It is home to various species of herons, hummingbirds, and butterflies.
This beautiful colonial city, known as the “White City of Colombia” for its chalk-white buildings, is also considered the religious capital of Colombia due to the largest number of churches per capita. Popayan is also famous for its gastronomy and the magnificent Holy Week celebrations. UNESCO declared the incredible and unique celebrations a masterpiece of the oral and intangible patrimony of humanity.
UNESCO also declared Popayan as the first city of gastronomy thanks to its variety of food and meaning to the intangible patrimony of Colombian culture. Its gastronomy maintains traditional food preparation methods that have been passed down orally for generations.
This picturesque mountain town is known as the centre of the Guambiano region. The Guambainos are considered one of the most traditional indigenous groups in Colombia. They live in the villages surrounding Silvia. Every Tuesday, they come to the central plaza in Silvia to sell their products.
The Guambainos still wear their traditional clothes: colourful long dresses, ponchos and scarves. The women wear stunning white necklaces. It will be an incredible spectacle of the local culture and colourful fruits and handicrafts.
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.
Note: Hotel check in after 3 pm
Overnight: Bogota Meal Plan: None
This unique tour will begin in La Candelaria, one of the most historical places in Bogota. The area has a bohemian ambience and a mix of colonial and modern architecture. We will see some of the most iconic historical places while learning about the city's history. We will walk from Plaza de Bolivar, the current main square, to Chorro de Quevedo, the first official square in Bogota. You will have the chance to admire the colourful graffiti adorning the walls and the quirky shops.
From Chorro de Quevedo, we will walk to La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Egipto, the entrance point into the Egipto neighbourhood. During our visit to Egipto, we will be accompanied by members of this incredible community that have worked during the last few years to create new opportunities for their community. They will talk about their inspiring journey to leave behind a criminal life in the gangs to start doing street art and tourism.
Overnight: Bogota Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
Around 6:30 am, we will begin our adventure by heading to a small town called Tibacuy, located 2 hours outside Bogota. Near Tibacuy, we will visit a local community of farmers who produce their own coffee.
You will get the chance to visit four different farms and learn one specific part of the coffee-making process at each farm. You won't only learn about the coffee-making process but also why the production of coffee is essential in this specific region of Colombia.
At one of the farms, we will also go back in time to learn about the indigenous Panche people who inhabited the area before the Spanish conquest. We will see some petroglyphs found by the local families. These petroglyphs haven't been thoroughly studied by the experts yet, but it would be fascinating to hear how locals found them and what these symbols could mean.
You spend time with the families, learn about their day to day life, have lunch at their house and try some delicious homemade snacks. We are sure you won't look at your daily cup of coffee the same after this experience!
Overnight: Bogota Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
Today, we will fly to Villagarzon in the department of Putumayo. Putumayo is part of the Amazon region. The biodiversity and natural landscapes of this region of Colombia are incredibly unspoiled.
Upon arrival in Villagarzon, we will visit the family on a local eco-friendly farm to learn about their day-to-day life and the different organic farming systems they use to protect the ecosystem. We also enjoy some of the traditional dishes of this region of Colombia.
In the afternoon, we will visit a spectacular waterfall called La Mohana. This waterfall is a place to recharge your energy and get in contact with mother nature. You will also see the typical fauna and flora found in this part of the Amazon region.
Overnight: Villagarzon Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today, we will be hiking across the Amazon rainforest to visit various incredible waterfalls and natural swimming pools found in this area. One of the highest waterfalls is called “The end of the World”. These falls are about 75 meters high. We will go to the top of the waterfall to see the spectacular landscape of the Amazon jungle.
Overnight: Villagarzon Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
As this part of the Amazon jungle is next to the Andean region, it is called the Amazon foothills. This area is a transition zone from the Amazon jungle to higher altitudes in the Andes. The forests here have ecological characteristics of both the Andes and the Amazon, which means this area is considered a site of interest for biological conservation and research.
We will have the opportunity to visit a local farm in the Amazonian foothills. The family living there will talk about their daily life and the challenges they faced during the difficult times of violence and narcotraffic reported in the area 10 years ago. Then, we will navigate along the Agua Negra river (Black Water river) to observe birds and all the fauna and flora found in this region of Colombia. We will also have a demonstration of the traditional dishes in the region and how they are cooked in a wood-fired oven for lunch.
In the afternoon, we will visit another community to learn about the traditional use of fruits and herbs to treat health problems. After finishing this adventure, we will go to Puerto Asis.
Overnight: Puerto Asis Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We will visit another community to see how they moved from illicit crops to cocoa cultivation. We will learn everything related to cacao culture from its cultivation, harvest, and transformation into cocoa-based products.
Overnight: Puerto Asis Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
Today, we will take a flight to Ipiales in the Andean region to visit the spectacular Sanctuary of Las Lajas, one of the most exceptional churches in the world. It was built atop a bridge spanning a gorge below the village of Las Lajas. We will spend the night in Ipiales.
Overnight: Tuquerres Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
We will visit the indigenous community Muellamues. During this visit, community members will tell us some of the most significant aspects of their life and traditions, including their government system, history, cosmology, and rituals. We will also have an interactive experience to learn how to make some traditional crafts.
After visiting the community, we will spend a couple of hours hiking around the Chimangual area. This particular area of Colombia is volcanic with spectacular landscapes. Some of the main volcanos that can be observed from there are Chile, Cumbal and Azufral. We will be over 3,000 meters of altitude, so it will be possible to see the fauna and flora found in the paramo ecosystem. We will also see some of the natural hot springs located in this area. After this hiking adventure, we will go to Turquerres, one of the main cities in the area, to spend the night there.
Overnight: Tuquerres Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
Today, we will go to La Cocha lake in the Andean region. This lake sits at 2,800 meters above sea level and is the second largest lake in Colombia. It is also one of the most beautiful lakes in Colombia and one of the Andean water reserves that make up the birthplace of the majestic Amazon River.
There are more than 50 natural reserves around La Cocha. One of the best reserves is El Encanto, which covers nearly 2.5 ha of paramo. We will visit this nature reserve to hike and observe some of the local bird species. We will also spend some time at La Corota Island, located in the middle of the lake.
Overnight: La Cocha Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
Today we will go to Popayan, known in Colombia as the "white city" because of its chalk-white building. This beautiful colonial city boasts the country's largest concentration of churches per capita. Church steeples dominate the town's skyline. Almost in every street corner, there is a different church to see. During Easter, thousands of people crowd the streets to watch or participate in the enormous religious processions and ceremonial celebrations happening throughout the most important week of the Catholic calendar.
The journey from La Cocha to Popayan will take approximately 5 hours.
Overnight: Popayan Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
Today we will visit Silvia, a picturesque mountain town known as the centre of the Guambiano region. The Guambainos are considered one of the most traditional indigenous groups in Colombia. They don't live in Silvia, but they all come in their traditional dresses to sell their fruit, vegetables, and handicrafts on Tuesdays.
After visiting Silvia, we will go to Guambia, where we will have the opportunity to visit a Guambiano indigenous community and talk to their Taita (tribe chief) to learn about their culture and traditions. At the end of this visit, we will go back to Popayan.
In the afternoon, we will have a walking tour to visit some of the most exciting places in the city's historic area. We will also go to the "Pueblito Patojo", a small replica of the city. It features tiny replicas of the city's most distinctive monuments, including the Humilladero Bridge, the Clock Tower, the Chapel of La Ermita, and the Small Bridge. Pueblito Patojo is located on the top of a hill, where we can get panoramic views of Popayan.
Note: The market is only on Tuesdays. So, to see the market and visit the community, this Colombia tour needs to start on Friday.
Overnight: Popayan Meal Plan: Breakfast
You will have the morning for your exploration. In the afternoon, we will go to the airport for a flight to Bogota.
Overnight: Bogota Meal Plan: Breakfast
The tour ends today. At the time requested, we will transfer you to the airport.
Overnight: Meal Plan: Breakfast
This hotel is located in La Candelaria, the historic area of Bogota. It is very close to places of interes such as: Gold Museum, Botero Museum and Monserrate. All rooms are equipped with an LCD TV, minibar and in-room safe. Bathrooms come with showers and bathroom amenities. The rooms are characterized by its wide spaces, with high ceilings, wooden floors, large windows and balconies to contemplate the beauty of the old La Candelaria neighbourhood.
This Hotel is the perfect spot to enjoy the peaceful and beautiful La Cocha lake. The rooms come with a fireplace and private bathrooms. They also have beautiful views overlooking the lake or the gardens. The Hotel also has a lovely restaurant where guests can enjoy the best regional dishes such as smoked trout.
Hotel La Plazuela is located in the historic area of Popayan, just a few steps from Caldas Park. The rooms of this 18th-century house are soundproofed and feature private bathrooms with showers and free WiFi.
American breakfast is served daily, and the restaurant offers a variety of fusion and regional dishes.
With the current situation around the world changing at an unprecedented pace, we understand that you may feel very anxious and hesitant about your future travel plans. Therefore, we have modified our booking conditions to give you more flexible options. You can now book your next holiday to Colombia, having the tranquillity of changing your dates without any extra cost, and even book a long trip with a small deposit.
We hope these flexible booking conditions give you the option to plan and dream about your next holiday.
Small deposit:
You can book this Colombia trip with only 50 GBP / 60 EUR / 65 USD per person. This deposit is not refundable.
Change departure dates:
Our flexible booking conditions will allow you to change the departure date without any additional fee. You can move the departure date to any time before the end of 2022.
If your initial departure date was to happen during a low holiday season and you wish to move it to departure during a high holiday season, please consider that the price of the tour could be higher due to higher tariffs from hotels and airlines. We will confirm and agree with the change in the price.
Note: High holiday seasons in Colombia are during Easter and from December 15th to January 19th.
Later payment:
We will require a full payment minimum 20 days before the departure date of the tour.
Cancellation Costs:
If you definitely need to cancel the tour after sending us the full payment (20 days before the departure date), we will refund 80% of the tour's cost.
These terms apply to bookings made from now on until further notice.
Please check the complete description of our terms and conditions.
