Colombia Itineraries
Classic Colombia
historic cities, the coffee-growing region and wild, untouched beaches
This 14 day itinerary explores Colombia’s historic cities, the coffee-growing region and ends on the beautiful beaches of the Caribbean coast.
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Itinerary summary
Bogotá - gold in the Andes
Days 1-2: The first two nights are spent in Bogotá, Colombia's Andean capital. The Museo del Oro (Gold Museum) houses over thirty thousand gold artefacts, making it one of the largest collections in the world. The capital's old town, La Candelaria, has colourful colonial buildings and some wonderful parks and plazas.
Coffee and Parks
Days 3-5: Fly to Pereira in the coffee region for three nights at a hacienda. The coffee region is spread over the central spine of the Andes, and includes several parks and national reserves. Enjoy hikes in the area, learn about the coffee process and visit the stunning Cocora Valley.
The City of Flowers
Days 6-7: Fly to the city of Medellín, made infamous by the exploits of Pablo Escobar, but has left the dark days well behind and invested hugely in redevelopment, and making the city a centre of culture. Stay two nights and visit the city, the huge rock at El Peñol and the traditional town of Guatape.
Romantic Cartagena
Days 8-10: Fly to Cartagena de Indias for three nights. As a major port during the sixteenth century, the walled city was often plundered by pirates and buccaneers, including Sir Francis Drake in 1586. In response to these attacks the Spaniards built a series of forts and walls around what is now the old city - now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Nearby, the Islas del Rosario make for a popular day trip, with good snorkelling.
Rainforest and wild beaches
Days 11-14: A four hour drive east along the Caribbean coast takes you to Santa Marta, the final resting place of Simón Bolívar. An hour's drive east is the Tayrona National Park, with stunning beaches and tropical forest reaching the ocean. Stay just outside of the park - the perfect place to relax for the next three nights. Driven back to Santa Marta on the final day for a flight to Bogotá and onward connections.
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Accommodation options
In the following section you will see our suggested options for possible accommodation.
The estimated flight cost included in this itinerary (assuming international flights from the UK plus any internal flights that are necessary) is £1,300 per person.
Standard - £4,550
Alfiz
- a beautiful boutique hotel with a wonderful library of Gabriel Garcia Marquez novels, very helpful and friendly staff and in a perfect position for exploring colonial Cartagena on foot.
Hacienca Venecia
- a traditional coffee finca, one of the largest in the region, which has been in the same family for over 120 years - the hacienda dates back to the 19th century and is full of charm with authentic furnishings.
Hacienda San José
- a charming hacienda dating back to the 19th century full of antiques, surrounded by beautiful gardens and perfect for exploring the part of coffee triangle around Pereira.
Patio del Mundo
- a boutique hotel with just 7 rooms in the El Poblado district of Medellin - a real escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Price and validity notes
We have tried to give you as accurate an idea of prices as possible, including meals where appropriate (but not when there are good local options so you don't pay for a meal that you might not want), accommodation, transfers, and any tours we have included.
All prices are per person based on two people sharing a room and are intended as a guide (local high or low seasons can cause some variation). All prices were correct when published but may vary with exchange rate fluctuations, fuel surcharges, or changes in the general economic situation.