Hola Colombia
From CAD $5,215
Guarantee
Group Tour
Easy
Rating
Experience Overview
Looking to explore all the colours of Colombia? From bustling cities, to lush coffee plantation towns, charming cobble-stoned retreats, and idyllic beaches, this 12 day trip brings you the very best of this vibrant country. Whether you're kicking back in your hacienda in the 'coffee zone', wandering the Caribbean coastline of Cartagena or soaking up some natural beauty in Tayrona National Park, there's no better way to explore Colombia in all its glory. Say hola to the adventure of a lifetime.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 11 Breakfast (B)
- 3 Dinner (D)
FAQs
- Bogotá: What can I expect when travelling in Colombia? Flexibility is key when you’re travelling in Latin America. The itinerary will give you a good idea of what your trip is gonna look like. But routes, schedules, hotels & modes of transportation may be subject to change without prior notice because of local circumstances or events beyond Contiki’s control.
- Mexico City: Which currency should I bring? You’ll need to bring USD cash with you, as it’s the only way to pay for the Free Time Add-Ons on this trip. You’ll receive the cost of each option in your Welcome Email. Plus, we recommend you bring Visa and/or Master Card (American Express or Discover cards aren’t widely accepted).
- Filandia: Can I get access to an ATM when in Colombia? It depends on where you’re travelling to. Colombia has lots of ATMs (just be careful of those sneaky fees). But you’re better off carrying cash when visiting rural places.
- Bogotá: Is it customary to tip in Colombia? You’ll usually receive a 10% service charge on your restaurant bill. But tipping isn’t a requirement. Either way, if you’re pleased with your service, a tip will always be appreciated! We recommend tipping 12% of the total bill. Note: Tips aren’t included for local guides and drivers in Colombia
- Bogotá: What should I pack for my trip? You’ll be able to buy a lot of things at an affordable price once you arrive. But we’d suggest you bring: • Summer clothes: shorts and lightweight tops essential for keeping cool. • Warm overcoat: there’ll be colder parts of your trip, even in summertime. • Good walking socks & shoes: keep comfy on any terrain. • Sturdy backpack: one you don’t mind getting dusty too! Weather in Colombia is unpredictable, so it's please make sure you have these items with you too: - Teva-style sandals (thongs or flip-flop sandals are not suitable for hikes) - Swimming (bathing) suit & towel - Light to medium fleece jacket - Gore-Tex (or similar) rain jacket - Shorts, T-shirts, Long pants, Long-sleeve shirt, Hat or cap - Sunglasses (preferably polarised) - Socks (athletic style socks for walking & hiking) - First aid & medication - aloe vera gel, sunblock or sunscreen of the highest SPF possible, insect repellent, hand sanitiser or gel, moisturising cream, pain relief (e.g. aspirin etc for headaches or muscle pain) motion sickness medication - Water bottle - ideal for hikes in the hot sun and around the jungle. - Plastic Ziplock bags (to protect valuables from drizzle, rain, salt water & sand)
- Iguassu Falls: How much luggage can I bring? You can bring 1 hand luggage + 1 suitcase or backpack per person. Internal flights are included in this trip (your Trip Manager will have your tickets ready for you). Each traveller is allowed 1 checked bag & 1 carry-on bag/personal item (eg: small backpack/handbag or laptop bag). Our suitcase restriction above means that the checked bag will be within the limitation for this flight. The carry-on bag must not exceed 114 cm (45”). Extra or overweight bags will incur a fee by the airline which is the traveller’s responsibility. Fees range from US$25.00-US$100.00.
- Salento: Will I need vaccinations prior to travelling? Please check the latest travel info from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention if you're travelling to Colombia. We also recommend that you consult your local health clinic or doctor for more details.
- Bogotá: What is the weather like in Colombia? Colombia’s climate is mostly tropical. But altitude changes everything! Andean cities are cooler, Bogotá is subtropical, and the highest peaks have a cold mountain climate. Temperatures stay consistent year-round, ranging from 87°F (31°C) in lowlands to 55°F (13°C) in cooler regions. So pack accordingly!
- Iguassu Falls: Is tap water safe to drink? Drinking tap water isn’t recommend. So, please stick to bottled water (even when brushing your teeth). There will be plenty of opportunities to purchase bottled water during the trip.
- Bogotá: Is there any trip specific information I need to know? Contiki sometimes uses ground handlers or third parties to assist with the full or partial operation of our products. The ground handler for this trip is SAT Colombia.
- Iguassu Falls: What is the role of the Trip Manager? Your Trip Manager brings the group together with all the info, fun facts and food recommendations you'll ever need. Plus, they’ll ensure everything runs smoothly and address any issues. They’ll be there with you throughout the trip and will be your go-to person if you need anything. They’ll also fill you in on the cultural and historical context of the places you visit with some informal talks when relevant.
Included Experience
- Bogotá: It’s not everyday you see a cathedral built in the deep tunnels of a salt mine. Backlit with fluorescent hues. Immense.
- Bogotá: Glide into coffee country! Where you can drink the freshest espresso and eat the best chocolate, surrounded by lush mountains and valleys.
- Combia: Learn more about the famous bean behind your Flat White habit. It’s your chance to discover how coffee is grown and harvested.
- Combia: Hike through the rolling hills and valleys, past the world’s tallest palm trees, filled with squawking parrots (total photo op!).
- Combia: The rolling hills of coffee plantations. Rainbow-coloured houses. Views of the Andes. Giant palm trees. You won’t know what to see first!
- Combia: Get set for some more fun and more coffee as we jump on a flight to Medellin.
- Medellín: Stroll around the ‘City of Eternal Spring’ with an expert guide and explore the notorious Comuna 13 – once the most dangerous suburb in the world.
- Santa Marta: Get set for some fun and plenty of coffee. It’s time to glide into this lively, beachfront Colombian city.
- This breathtaking corner of the world is filled with tropical jungle, turquoise coves, sparkling lagoons and white-sand beaches.
Trip Details
Product Code: 17015
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+, Luxury
Tour Operator:
Contiki (CA)
Supplier Code: 326.1373A
Starts: Bogota, Colombia
Finishes: Cartagena, Colombia
Duration: 12 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $5,215 ($435 /day)
Itinerary
Arriving this afternoon in the bustling hub of Bogota, you'll meet your Contiki crew. Get to know your fellow travelers on a free night in the city, start your exploring tonight, or wait for tomorrow. Either way, the next 12 days are going to be epic.
Accommodation: Hotel Morrison 84 (or similar)
We'll get out and about bright and early this morning, first hitting up the famous Salt Cathedral. Then this afternoon you've got plenty of options, maybe going up the Monte Serrat Cable Car? Or if heights aren't your thing, a grafitti workshop checking out the city's famous street art, showcasing artistic interpretations of the country's past and present. Your Trip Manager will get you orientated in the city, so you're comfortable exploring solo. whether that's a visit to the Botero Museum, lunch at the Mercado La Concordia sampling the local cuisine, or checking out Park 93.
Accommodation: Hotel Morrison 84 (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Today we say goodbye to the hustle and bustle of Bogota and take a speedy internal flight. Welcome to the gorgeous Zona Cafetera (coffee zone). We're here to experience more of the coffee zone, which, as well as producing some of the tastiest, most iconic coffee in the world, is also arguably one of the most beautiful regions in Colombia. A visit to a coffee farm is a no-brainer, and we don't disappoint. Learn the A-Z of this invigorating bean on an included tour of an authentic coffee plantation and have a chance to pick and taste ripe berries or buy some world-class roasted beans for yourself. Tonight's accom is going to be a special one, a hacienda out in the coffee region!
Accommodation: Hacienda Combia (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning it's time to get our hike on. Heading out to the Cocora Valley is the perfect opportunity to get some amazing views. Next stop is a visit to Salento, where you've got a chance to explore and grab some lunch. Maybe trying out the local game of Tejo is on your agenda? And Salento is the perfect place to try your luck.
Accommodation: Hacienda Combia (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Rise and Shine – today we make our way to Medellin. The second city of Colombia, Medellín has transformed itself perhaps more than any other city in the world. Though its violent, tumultuous past is well-known, today the city is modern, innovative, and culturally rich. Named the “City of Eternal Spring” because of its nearly perfect weather, you'll find parks, plazas and a café culture where you can sit and soak in all those rays and historic vibes.
Accommodation: Hotel Estelar Blue (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Put your walking shoes on today as we have a full day of adventuring ahead of us. Using Medellin's efficient public transport system, we'll tour the city via metro, cable car and on-foot. Along the way we'll check out Plaza Botera, Santo Domino and Communa 13, as well as the bustling local market. As the sultry evening draws in, anyone for Salsa lessons?
Accommodation: Hotel Estelar Blue (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Now that you know Medellin so well, it's your day to do your own thing! Check out Arvi Park for a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city (easy on public transport) or stay local and wander the city - the Museo de Antioquia or Casa de la Memoria are equally impressive. For an incredible day getaway, take a day trip to Guatapé, a vibrant, cute and impossibly colourful disney-like town. Climb the 650+ stairs for peerless vistas of the surrounding landscapes, or just wander the colourful town - trying the regional badeja paisa, and a cerveza, naturally.
Accommodation: Hotel Estelar Blue (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Adios Medellin! Our flight today takes us to Santa Marta. Upon arrival in Santa Marta there's a walking tour calling your name. Check out sites like the 17th Century Hacienda, La Quinta de San Pedro Alejandro, the place where Simon Bolivar (the revolutionary who lead Latin America to Independence from Spain) famously died. We'll then walk the historic city centre, before a free night for dinner. Empanadas anyone?
Accommodation: Best Western Plus (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Strap on your hiking shoes and lather on the sunscreen, because today we're visiting the spectacular Tayrona National Park. Famed for its stunning white sand beaches, lush green jungle and turquoise waters framed by the iconic Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, this place is simply unmissable. Our hike, the Pueblito Trail, winds through the jungle (eyes peeled for monkeys, parrots and the ever-elusive jaguar) to a small indigenous community, before snaking up to Cabo San Juan beach. Here you can jump in the crystalline waters to cool off.
Accommodation: Best Western Plus (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Rise and shine, folks. We’ll start today with a scenic drive from Santa Marta to Cartagena – with an orientation tour waiting for us on the other side. On arrival, we'll head straight to the fortress Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas. Built strategically by the Spanish in 1536 on the hills of San Lazaro, it dominates the landscape whether you approach on land or by sea. Today, there's no need to defend against pirates and foreign invaders, but the awe-inspiring fortress still sparks the imagination, offering dreamy views of the city below.
Accommodation: Hotel Casa Mara (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning you’re free to explore Cartagena on your own or with your Contiki crew. Whether you go for the colonial era buildings, the coral reefs or both, make sure you save energy for this afternoon’s optional cruise. What could be better than touring the Bay of Cartagena by water, Cuba Libre in hand courtesy of the open bar on board? Afterwards, we’re back on land… only to be swept off our feet again at a local salsa dance class. In the afternoon we'll head to the walls of the Old City, where we'll have an authentic dinner at Cafe del Mar and watch the sunset. Pure bliss.
Accommodation: Hotel Casa Mara (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
And with that, we’ll go from Hola Colombia to Astalavista Colombia. We’ve cruised, we’ve danced… and we now have a coach load of new travel buds from all over the world to plan many adventures with for years to come. Every cloud…
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Contiki (CA)
Contiki is a New Zealand-based tour company that caters to 18 to 35-year-olds, offering over 350 different tours in over 75 countries in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.[1] It is a subsidiary of The Travel Corporation. Its tours historically had a reputation for partying;[2][3] however, it also operates wellness trips culturally immersive experiences that focus less on alcohol, which are more popular with Generation Z.[4] The company owns lodging facilities in Europe, including the Chateau De Cruix, a 16th century castle in the Beaujolais wine region, and the Gasthof Schoneck in the Austrian Tyrol. The name "Contiki" comes from the portmanteau 'Con' from the word 'Continent' and 'Tiki'; from the Māori referring to the first man, often symbolised as a pendant known as hei-tiki. It can also be attributed to the New Zealand slang 'Tiki-tour' describing taking a longer route to a destination in order to explore.[5]
In Business Since 1931
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