Bogota is the capital city of Colombia. Bogota's famous colonial neighbourhood of La Candelaria contains most of the historic sites, museums, ancient churches and central government buildings. Practically every street corner in La Candelaria marks some important event in Colombian history and most buildings retain their colonial architecture and charm.
Visit Two Spectacular Cities of ColombiaThis Colombia tour will give you the opportunity to have an in-depth encounter with Bogota, Colombia's capital, and the spectacular city of Cartagena. Start off by visiting some of the most important museums and landmarks in Bogota’s historic area. Then visit the spectacular Salt Cathedral built inside the extensive caves of an old salt mine and the lake that gave rise to the legend of El Dorado. Get to know a completely different part of Colombia by travelling to famous Cartagena, a city with a tropical atmosphere and vibrant colours around every corner. Learn more about this romantic city along the Caribbean Sea, canoe to a traditional fishing village, dance salsa and fall in love with its colonial charm. EXPERIENCE TYPE History, Culture & Local Traditions |
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Tour Highlights
Bogota
Explore the beating heart of Colombia's capital city
Visit a Spectacular Architectural Masterpiece
The small town of Zipaquira is famous for its salt mines and for the Salt Cathedral now built inside the network of monumental chambers and tunnels that were left behind when commercial mining operations ceased. This cathedral is unlike any other in the world, in terms of its innovative architecture. It was opened in 1995 and represents an eclectic mix of religion and architecture to maximise protection from the ever-present risks of working in a mine. The walk-through Stations of the Cross in the mine are a poignant representation of Jesus' last steps, and they culminate in a three-part cavernous subterranean cathedral.
Cartagena
Get lost in the romantic atmosphere of Cartagena
Located on the Caribbean coast, Cartagena de Indias is one of the most fascinating, romantic and beautiful colonial cities in Latin America. This UNESCO World Heritage site is full of history, colourful streets and great people, making it a fairy tale city of romance.
Learn how to fish with locals in La Boquilla
La Boquilla is a small fishing village located about 7 km north of Cartagena. The town sits on the northern tip of a narrow peninsula, bordered by the sea on one side and the Ciénaga de Tesca on the other. We will canoe through a mangrove forest and learn about the history and culture of this fishing town while mastering local fishing techniques using a net and crab traps.
What to Expect
Detailed Itinerary
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DAY 1 Join tour in Bogota
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:
DAY 2 Historic tour in Bogota and coffee tasting
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 largest 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 at the historic neighbourhood of La Candelaria and we will capture spectacular panoramic views of the city from the top of Cerro de Monserrate.
Just to have the perfect ending to our historic tour in Bogota, we will go to a local roasting coffee plant to learn how to taste and differentiate the quality and flavours of different coffees, just like an expert coffee taster.
Note: Gold Museum is closed on Mondays and Botero Museum is closed on Tuesdays.
Overnight: Bogota Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 3 Day Trip to Zipaquira and Guatavita
During this unique Bogota day tour, we will visit the beautiful Zipaquira Salt Cathedral and Lake Guatavita. There are lots of things to do in Bogota, Colombia, but not many experiences in the area can compete with the stunning architecture of the Salt Cathedral and the fascinating history of Lake Guatavita.
First, we will explore Lake Guatavita and you will learn about the rituals performed by the ancient Muisca people that gave rise to the legend of El Dorado. Immerse yourself in the lake's mystic atmosphere while soaking in the beautiful surroundings of majestic mountains and bright-green pastures. Then, we will go to Zipaquira to visit the spectacular Salt Cathedral built inside the extensive caves of an old salt mine. This cathedral is a true testimony to the miners' faith in a higher power and one of the most notable achievements of Colombian architecture. Your expert guide will explain the symbolism found around every corner. At the end of the tour, we will go back to your hotel.
Overnight: Bogota Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 4 Travel to Cartagena and City Tour
In the morning, we will go to the airport for your flight to Cartagena. Upon arrival in Cartagena, we will transfer you to the hotel.
In the afternoon, we will have the opportunity to visit the old city and the iconic Castillo San Felipe, the largest and strongest fortress ever built by the Spaniards in any of their colonies. The castle was built on top of the San Lazaro hill and defended the city from many attacks including a British siege in 1741. We will finish the tour at the famous Café del Mar to admire the spectacular sunset over the Caribbean Sea while having a refreshing cocktail.
Overnight: Cartagena Meal Plan: Breakfast
DAY 5 Fishing in La Boquilla
In the morning, we will go to La Boquilla, a small fishing village located 7km north of Cartagena. La Boquilla sits on the northern tip of a narrow peninsula, bordered by the sea on one side and the Ciénaga de Tesca on the other.
At La Boquilla, we will take a trip in a wooden canoe across the mangroves in La Cienga de Tesca. During this trip, we will be able to see some native and migratory birds and learn about the flora and other fauna found in this ecosystem. After this trip, we will visit the town to learn about their traditions, we will visit the main places in the town like the cemetery, the main street and the cultural house. We will also talk to a traditional fishing family to learn about their fishing activities, their tools, and their stories from the sea. We will have a traditional lunch at the village. We will go back to Cartagena around 2 pm.
Overnight: Cartagena Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 6 Salsa class and dinner
In the evening, we will go to a salsa class to learn one of the most popular rhythms in Colombia. After the salsa class, your tour guide will take you to the restaurant where you will eat dinner, then you will have the rest of the night on your own to either go back to the hotel or enjoy Cartagena’s nightlife.
Overnight: Cartagena Meal Plan: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 7 End of the tour in Cartagena
The tour ends today. At the time requested, we will transfer you to the airport.
Note: Hotel check out before 12 pm
Overnight: - Meal Plan: Breakfast
Accommodation
Bogota
Hotel Hamilton
Hotel Hamilton Court is located in the Zona Rosa of Bogota, where you will find various options of restaurants, cafes, bars, shopping centres and clubs. It is not far from the city centre and is also close to the Zona G (Gourmet zone). The hotel offers air-conditioned rooms with modern furnishings and free WiFi access throughout the hotel. Guests of the hotel can relax in the sauna or visit the gym. The hotel also has a restaurant and a business centre.
Cartagena
Hotel Casa de la Fe
Casa La Fe is located in Cartagena's historic centre in a charming republican house decorated with flowering plants. Its rooftop pool and sun terrace overlooks the scenic city skyline. The classical rooms at Casa La Fe have restored republican tiled floors and hand-crafted furniture. All rooms feature air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and satellite TV. An a la carte breakfast is served daily, and may be enjoyed in the pretty central courtyard featuring a vertical garden and ornamental furniture. Coffee is available 24-hours a day.
Essential Information
What's Included
- Airport transfers
- 6 nights' accommodation (double occupancy)
- Domestic flights: Bogota - Cartagena (Avianca) - Direct Flight
- Luggage allowance Avianca: 1 bag of maximum 23 kg - Cabin: 1 bag of maximum 10 kg
- Meals as defined in the itinerary
- Private ground transport
- Local English-speaking tour guides
- Entry tickets to all tourist attractions mentioned in the itinerary
What's Not Included
- International flights
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Tips and other discretionary expenses
- Early check in or late check out
- Travel Insurance
Flexible Terms
Flexible Booking Terms
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.