Off the beaten track Tour

17 days / 16 nights

Duration

Between 20°C and 35°C

Temperature

Discovering the country’s hidden treasures

Strong points

All year round

Dates

MEDELLIN – GUATAPE – JARDIN – SALAMINA – SALENTO – FILANDIA – BOGOTA – GUATAVITA – IGUAQUE – RAQUIRA – SANTA MARTA – TAYRONAKA – CAMARONES – CARTHAGÈNE

On this tour, discover Colombia off the beaten track. Colombia is a country full of many tourist attractions, but in general, most tourists choose to visit the most popular destinations ignoring many paradises and hidden treasures offered by a country with as much biodiversity as Colombia. This tour will reveal the treasures of this beautiful country with its impressive landscapes and stories. Do you want to know Colombia’s secrets, hidden treasures and mysterious places?
The Colombia Off the beaten track Tour is a fully customizable travel idea. It is ideal for anyone who wants to mix culture, entertainment and adventure. Our team is made up of French-speaking Colombians, expert travellers to the country and we will create an exceptional experience for you.
Contact us for any modification or question about the stay! We would be very happy to discuss this with you.

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Highlights of the Colombia circuit off the beaten track tour

Discover Medellin and its transformation

Visit Jardin and Salamina, the hidden treasures of the region

Discover a place steeped in history and legends, the sacred lake of Guatavita

Take a hike to the Iguaque Sanctuary

Meet the Wayuu natives and visit the Guajira desert

Observe tropical birds in the Tayronaka Reserve

Compare the country’s different landscapes, from the high mountains, the desert and heavenly beaches, to the tropical forest and the green and fertile hills of the Andean region

Stages of the trip

Day 1: Departure to Colombia

Day 2: Visit to Medellín, the most innovative city

Day 3: Excursion to Guatape and Peñol

Day 4: Departure to Jardin, Colombia’s heritage

Day 5: Departure to Salamina

Day 6: Guided tour of Salamina and the Samaria Forest

Day 7: Visit of the unmissable village of Salento

Day 8: Visit to the historic centre of Bogotá

Day 9: Visit of the mysterious lagoon of Guatavita

Day 10: Hiking to the Iguaque Sanctuary

Day 11: Departure to Santa Marta, the first city built by the Spanish in America

Day 12: Day of exchange and sharing with the Kogi indigenous people in Tayronaka

Day 13: Exchange with the Wayuuu natives and discover the pink flamingos

Day 14: Arrival in Cartagena de Indias

Day 15: Cartagena and cooking workshop in the mangroves of the Virgin Mary’s Marsh

Day 16: Free day in Cartagena

Day 17: Last hours in Cartagena and flight back to France

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Map

The Colombia off the beaten track tour is a travel idea and is fully customizable.

Day 1: Departure for Colombia

The D-Day has finally arrived. Departure from France to Colombia. With more than 3 million inhabitants, Medellin is the 2nd largest city in Colombia. It is also considered to be the fashion capital of this country.

Arrival in Colombia
Reception at the airport and transfer to your hotel
Night in Medellin in the most lively and exclusive area of the city

Day 2: The transformation of Medellín

Since 2002, the city’s various mayors have invested heavily in education and transport. In 2013, the city was awarded the “Most Innovative City” prize.

After breakfast, go on a half-day guided tour of the city
Visit the most emblematic places in the city such as Plaza Botero
You will have the opportunity to take the innovative public transport system, the cable car
Discuss with the city’s inhabitants and experience a unique cultural exchange
Night in Medellin in the most lively and exclusive area of the city

Day 3: Peñol and Guatapé

Discover the famous Peñol Boulder in Guatapé. Enjoy the dozens of islets that form a magnificent ensemble!

Typical breakfast, after leaving for an excursion to Peñol Boulder
Climb the steps from this beautiful spot to the top of the rock to enjoy a breathtaking view of the Guatapé dam.
Typical lunch of the region
Continuation of the journey to the village of Guatapé́ for a walk in its colourful alleys
Boat trip on the lake/dam
Return to your hotel
Night in Medellin in the most lively and exclusive area of the city

Day 4 : Jardín

Located in the southwest of Antioquia, Jardín is considered the most beautiful village in the department and this charming locality is listed as a Colombian heritage site.

Breakfast
Morning transfer to Jardin, Antioquia. Enjoy the flowery landscapes that the region offers you
Arrival and installation in your hotel, the best in the village
Quiet afternoon in this wonderful village full of trees and parks
Night in Jardin

Day 5 : Salamina

Salamina is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Colombia. The houses with their sculpted doors and terraced balconies, painted in bright colours and decorated with flowerpots, make this city a show worth admiring.

Breakfast
Transfer to Salamina
Arrival and installation in your hotel
Afternoon free to stroll around the village
Night in Salamina in a magnificent charming hotel

Day 6: Salamina and the Samaria Forest

After breakfast, visit Salamina, the charming village of the golden age of coffee and included in Colombia’s heritage list.
Its magnificent alleys will take you back in time
Discover the fantastic San Félix and the Samaria Valley to stroll among the magnificent wax palm trees!
These trees, which seem to defy the sky, rise to a height of more than 70 metres
Night in Salamina in a magnificent charming hotel

Day 7: Filandia and the trapiche

The coffee region is full of picturesque and multicoloured villages and majestic valleys that enclose a wide variety of plants and animals.

After breakfast, transfer to the coffee region
Discover the magnificent village of Filandia. The architecture, the surrounding landscape and the friendliness of the premises make Filandia one of the most authentic villages in the entire coffee region.
Tasting of the panela, a typical Colombian product extracted from sugar cane and very rich in nutrients.
It is consumed at breakfast and dinner, especially in cold climates.
Visit of a trapiche, a traditional mill used to extract sugar cane juices for the production of Panela. This artisanal method makes it possible to create a 100% natural product.
Enjoy the gastronomic experience of the restaurant “Helena Adentro”.
Departure to Salento, known as the village with 1000 colours and one of the most beautiful villages in Colombia
Overnight in Pereira in a magnificent charming hotel

Day 8: Bogotá, 2,600 meters closer to the stars

Discover Bogota, the capital of Colombia, which is after La Paz and Quito, the 3rd highest capital in the world.

Breakfast (breakfast)
Departure by plane to the capital of the country
Tour of the historic city centre with the Plaza Bolívar, central square of Bogotá, bordered by the presidential palace known as the Palacio de Nariño, the Palace of Justice, etc.
Discovery of the Gold Museum, which houses 35,000 gold objects decorated with precious stones
Stroll in the Candelaria, the heart of the city’s historic centre, dotted with Spanish colonial-style villas
Discovery of the Colombian emerald market
Emerald is a typical Colombian gemstone, 37% of the world’s emeralds are produced in Colombia.
Traders are waiting in the street for gemstone buyers in complete safety. It’s a fascinating cultural exchange
This is not a trick to buy emeralds but rather to learn about the informality of certain professions in Colombia.
Night in Bogota

Day 9: Guatavita Lagoon

Discover a place steeped in history and legends, the Guatavita lagoon, a sacred lake for the pre-Columbian civilization of the Chibcha Indians

Breakfast
Departure to the lagoon of Guatavita, a place steeped in history and legends that was a sacred lake for the pre-Columbian civilization of the Chibcha Indians. Enjoy the mystical atmosphere that dominates this place
There they performed ceremonies in which the Cacique, (chief of the tribe), immersed himself in the water covered with gold, and then allowed the gold to spread into the lake
Precious and golden objects were also thrown into the depths by the villagers and it is from these rituals that the legend of the Eldorado was born
Continuation of the journey to Villa de Leyva, a small town known for its colonial architecture and its role in the history of Colombian independence
Night in Villa de Leyva

Day 10: The Iguaqan Sanctuary

According to the legend of the Muisca natives, Lake Iguaque is the birthplace of humanity. This is where the goddess Bachue came out of the lake with a small child in her arms. Once the child became a man, they got married and had many children. They thus populated the land. They then converted into 2 large snakes and entered the lake.

Breakfast
Leave from Villa de Leyva to discover this magical and breathtaking place
The sanctuary of Iguaque is a páramo, i. e. a unique ecosystem of the high plateaus of the tropics
Enjoy a hike in this sanctuary and the unique landscapes of this ecosystem
Return to the hotel
Night in Villa de Leyva

Day 11: Raquira and Santa Marta

You will leave this beautiful region to discover the first city built by the Spanish in South America: Santa Marta

After breakfast transport to the airport
On the way, discover the colourful village of Raquira, nationally renowned for its traditional terracotta products. Raquira was already known for the quality of its products since the time of s Muiscas, long before the arrival of the Spaniards
Continuation of the trip to Bogota to fly to the Caribbean region
Arrival and installation in your hotel
Night in Santa Marta

Day 12: The Don Diego River

Tayrona Park is home to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the highest coastal massif in the world with a peak at an altitude of 5,775 metres and only 42 km from the sea. You will have the (unforgettable?) experience of descending the crystal clear waters of the Don Diego River until its spectacular arrival in the sea.

Breakfast
Day of discovery of the magnificent landscape of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in the Tayronaka nature reserve
Meet the Kogi, an Amerindian tribe living in the Park’s reserves in the mid-mountain region
Exchanges with them about their way of understanding nature and life
Typical lunch
Descent from the crystal clear waters of the Don Diego River to its spectacular arrival in the sea by buoy
Bird and howler monkey watching
Night in Palomino

Day 13: The magnificent Guajira Desert

Wake up early in the morning to start discovering the beautiful Guajira region

Breakfast then transfer to the city of Riohacha and Camarones
The flamingo is a species of bird known for its pink plumage, tapered legs and long neck.
Once in the sanctuary, take a trip in a small boat to observe these amazing birds
Continuing to the city of Uribia, considered the capital of indigenous culture in Colombia, you will meet the Wayuu, one of the most important communities in South America
You will discover their culture, traditions, myths and legends
Presentation of their typical dance, the Yonna
Night in Palomino

Day 14: The Pearl of the Caribbean

You will leave this beautiful region to discover the Fantastic, the Pearl of the Caribbean: Cartagena de Indias.

After breakfast, transfer to the city of Cartagena
Settling in your hotel
Afternoon free to stroll around this beautiful region
Overnight at the hotel, a magnificent colonial house

Day 15: La Boquilla, the fishing village

Participate in a typical cooking workshop with local women

Breakfast
Transfer to the village of Boquilla, located on the edge of the Virgin Mary’s marsh
They will teach you local recipes based on fish, rice, coconut, etc.
Share your table with these women for a fascinating cultural exchange
Prepare your own lunch with fresh ingredients
In the afternoon, visit the mangroves of the Virgin Mary’s Marsh
Travel through the mangrove tunnels, visit the 2 main lakes and watch the birds return to their nests
Return to Cartagena
Afternoon free time
Night in Cartagena.

Day 16: Cartagena

Cartagena de Indias had a key role in the administration of the Spanish empire as well as in the slave trade. Filled with historical monuments and anecdotes of all kinds, the city will not leave you indifferent.

Breakfast
Last hours in this magnificent region, take advantage of the free day to stroll or rest
In the night, return to Medellin
Night in Medellin

Day 17: Return to France

After breakfast, transfer to the airport to catch your flight back to France

THIS PRICE INCLUDES

THIS PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE

Domestic flights on regular airline
Accommodation 16 nights in a double room 3 * hotels with breakfast
The meals specified in the itinerary
Visits and activities indicated in the French-language private service program except day 10 (shared service)
All land transport private service without guide with Hispanic driver
24/7 telephone support
Estimated rate per person and based on 4 participants

International flights
Personal spending.
Tips and gratuities.
Drinks
Meals not mentioned in the programme.
Visits, excursions, taxes and activities not mentioned in the itinerary.
Colombian VAT for accommodation (foreigners who are not resident in Colombia are exempt)*
Insurance