Itinerary - Colombia 360°: Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena, and the Wonders of Tayrona Park

Round trip flights are not included in the package, so you can choose from where and when you want to fly. This is to give you maximum freedom of choice!

Let's dive into the lively Latin beat of Bogotá to kickstart our adventure! These first hours in Colombia are perfect for bonding and discovering this captivating country that's bound to win us over by the trip's end!

We're geared up and ready to explore Bogotá! What better way to start than by ascending to the heights of Cerro de Monserrate via the cable car? Despite the altitude challenge, the breathtaking view of the sprawling city nestled in the valley makes it all worthwhile – the perfect beginning to our Bogotá discovery!

In the afternoon, we venture into La Candelaria, the heart of Bogotá's history, centred around Bolivar Square. Meandering through its narrow streets, we marvel at the grand colonial architecture and the vibrant murals by renowned South American street artists, now a major draw. Here, we encounter the renowned Gold Museum, offering insights into pre-Columbian Colombian history, and the Botero Museum, celebrating the works of Colombia's most illustrious artist.

We wake up early in the morning because our adventure doesn't wait: we reach the airport and take the first internal flight of this trip, heading to Salento , one of the oldest towns in Quindio , one of the 32 departments into which the Colombian territory is divided. We drop off our backpacks at the facility and are ready to explore the surroundings: Salento is immersed in splendid green mountains where coffee plantations grow luxuriantly. We find a small restaurant where we can have something to eat for lunch and then we are ready to discover all the secrets of the most famous drink in these parts: coffee!

Salento and the nearby Filandia and Armenia base their economy on the production of coffee: we are in fact in the Cafetera area of Colombia, the most famous when it comes to this drink. So how do we spend our afternoon here? Obviously visiting a coffee farm to discover all the secrets of its production, from harvesting to tasting the local Arabica. Our guide will accompany us through the plantations, explaining when is the right time to harvest the precious beans, and then we will relax with the locals and with a good cup of coffee!

Ready to see the tallest wax palms in the world? This morning we immerse ourselves in Colombian nature and we do it by exploring the Cocora Valley , which is located 15 km east of Salento and extends to the slopes of the Parque Natural de los Nevados. As soon as we arrive in the park, the very tall palms that dominate the landscape will immediately catch our eye: they can reach up to 60 meters in height and are also the national tree of Colombia . We can explore the valley on foot, on horseback or on board the historic Colombian jeeps, called Willy - we will cross forests and rivers, and if we are attentive we might even be able to spot the hummingbirds that live in these parts.

After lunch we have the tour of Salento, it is the perfect time to discover a little more about this town. Here we can find many shops of artesanias colombiana that sell local handicraft products. Of course, it is only the fourth day, but it is not too early to buy some travel souvenirs, right? When we realize that it is almost sunset time , we move to the Mirador, from where we can admire a view of Salento and the surrounding area - and then we go back to the center for dinner!

We wake up early because today we have a flight to Medellin . We arrive around lunchtime: we are in the city of Pablo Escobar, which almost everyone associates with the scenes of Narcos... but in reality it has much more to offer. Named by Time magazine as the most innovative in the world in 2013, Medallo, as its inhabitants affectionately call it, is the symbol of Colombia that is reborn and looks forward .

In two days we will have the opportunity to explore Medellin far and wide, riding the metro, the cable car, the tram, means of transport that have become symbols of the city's innovation. This afternoon, however, we will dedicate ourselves to an obligatory stop: a walking tour of Comuna 13 , once a very violent barrio perched on the mountain, today made more touristic by a system of open-air escalators , unique in its kind, built by the Municipality to facilitate the mobility of its inhabitants. It will be incredible to see with our own eyes how this neighborhood has been revalued after years of abandonment: it is the magic of Medellin!

Here we have the opportunity to support a local social project dedicated to the children of the Comuna, so that they can enrich their education, be safe and have an alternative to the poverty that characterizes this area. The founder will tell us about her project and we will have the opportunity to be an active part of the center, playing soccer with the children she welcomes or simply spending time with them. If we want to open our hearts and minds, this activity could affect us more than we expect!

Day 2 in Medellin and we are really spoiled for choice on what to do first! Near the Museo de Antioquia, there is another area not to be missed, especially for lovers of architecture and shopping: it is the pedestrian area Carabobo . Here shops, stalls, musicians color the street that begins in Plaza Botero and ends with the doors of the Edificios Vásquez y Carré, in Plaza de las Luces.

Many other points of interest in the city are located in the surrounding area: the Parque Explora, the Palacio Nacional, the San Vicente de Paúl university hospital, and the La Alpujarra Administrative Centre.

Then there is Ciudad del Rio , the city park and meeting place for young people, which surrounds the MAMM , the Museum of Modern Art; the Parque de los Deseos , a popular meeting place, which gives access to the beautiful University of Antioquia, the wonderful Jardin Botanico , and the interactive science museum Parque Explora.

Or we can spend the whole day in the beautiful Guatapé , also known for being the most colorful city in all of Colombia . Not too far away is also the famous El Peñón de Guatapé, also called Piedra del Peñol , a granite monolith that is a national monument: to get to the top there are quite a few steps to do, but apparently the view is one of the most beautiful in the whole country, and since we are here… let’s get going!

So today we can customize the day based on our interests together with our group!

Whatever our choice, for the evening we are in Medellin and we can experience a bit of its nightlife first hand. Are we dancing?

Time to say goodbye to Medellin and continue with our journey to discover Colombia: this morning too the alarm clock is set early because we have a flight to catch - Santa Marta, here we come! We leave the hinterland behind us and finally see the ocean! In fact, from Santa Marta, where we arrive with our flight, we have a transfer that takes us to the entrance of the Tayrona National Park , a true Colombian paradise, where we will spend two nights... in a tent ! More local than this...

Tayrona Park is very large: it includes about 120 km2 of protected territory and 30 km2 of marine waters rich in corals. Our campsite is very close to the sea, so we have the whole afternoon to enjoy this paradise.

On the second day, we can explore the surroundings with a trek. We came here to immerse ourselves in the peace of nature, so the impact of man here is reduced to a minimum so as not to ruin the balance of the park. We will have to adapt to it and its inhabitants (we are talking about plants and animals, yes, even insects) - these nights will be even more magical, since we will sleep under the starry sky in tents. Ready to overcome your limits and live two days that you will never forget?

In the morning we will take a bus to Cartagena through Santa Marta. It will be strange to return to city life after our nights in the park, but the journey must continue! We spend the day in Cartagena , the jewel in the crown of the Caribbean coast.

In this city you can breathe an atmosphere of "dolce far niente" and we definitely need it after crazy adventures and internal flights. We have the afternoon to discover every corner of this city and let ourselves be enchanted by its streets full of colorful houses, buy some souvenirs to bring to friends or for ourselves and taste some typical dishes: the local cuisine is one of the best in the country!

We are free to spend the morning as we please. So let's enjoy the city, set off to explore the various neighborhoods, pick up some souvenirs or head to one of the nearby beaches for a dip in the sea.

But whatever we do, we'll move slowly: this is the Caribbean, after all!

In the afternoon, and in our quest to get into the skin of this fascinating city, we could take a guided tour of the Getsemaní neighborhood, or a salsa lesson ! No one is born a dancer and we are all companions in this adventure: let's have fun!

It's our second day in Cartagena, so let's make it special. Today is the day we can finally hit the open sea with a full-day trip to the beautiful Rosario Islands , the 31 islands that make up the Corales del Rosario National Natural Park, a precious set of ecosystems, inhabited mainly by coral reefs, colorful fish, crustaceans and other species.

With the launch we will reach one of these islands, where we will enjoy a day of rest, sunbathing, enjoying the sea and enjoying a drink on the beach.

If we want adventure and adrenaline, there is no shortage of water sports , as well as the possibility of snorkeling and discovering the sea from this new point of view.

We return to Cartagena to prepare to enjoy the atmosphere of the Colombian nights. Between exotic flavors, colorful cocktails and fun dances, it will be an unforgettable evening!

Check-out and goodbye – until your next WeRoad adventure!