Colombia Experience
Discover Colombia’s soul—from Andean peaks to Caribbean shores—on a private journey through its most iconic regions. This immersive expedition reveals the country’s cultural and natural richness as you explore Bogotá, the Coffee Cultural Landscape, and Cartagena in one seamless, handcrafted itinerary.
Begin in Bogotá, where colonial architecture, contemporary art, and bustling markets coexist in the Andean capital. Then descend into the lush hills of Colombia’s Coffee Region, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape of towering wax palms, sustainable farms, and slow-paced tradition.
Your adventure concludes in Cartagena, the Caribbean jewel of walled cities and Afro-Colombian culture. Here, you’ll canoe through mangroves, stroll historic streets filled with vibrant art and music, and connect with Colombia’s literary legacy.
Designed for private travelers seeking comfort, depth, and genuine encounters, this journey invites you to experience Colombia not just as a place—but as a living story.
Highlights of Your Colombia Expedition:
- Bogotá’s Historic Core: Explore La Candelaria, the Gold Museum, and Botero’s iconic art on a privately guided walking tour.
- Market-to-Table Experience: Visit Paloquemao Market, taste exotic fruits, and cook a traditional Colombian meal with a local chef.
- Andean Hummingbirds: Spot up to 18 species—including the Sword-billed Hummingbird—at a high-altitude sanctuary near Bogotá.
- Coffee Cultural Landscape: Stroll Salento’s vibrant streets, meet local artisans, and enjoy premium coffee in Colombia’s UNESCO region.
Cocora Valley Hike: Walk among towering wax palms in the misty Cocora cloud forest—home to Colombia’s national tree.
Cartagena’s Literary Past: Discover the Walled City through the lens of Gabriel García Márquez and Colombia’s magical realism.
Aguardiente Tasting: Sample Colombia’s signature anise spirit in the Andes, learning about its cultural roots and regional varieties.
Mangroves & Drums: Canoe through La Boquilla’s mangroves and join an Afro-Caribbean drumming session that supports local youth.
“An extraordinary blend of culture, nature, and people. Colombia surprised me in the best way—I’d go back in a heartbeat.”
— James R.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions, please let us know. We are here to help you!
Itinerary in Brief
This is a detailed Colombia Experience expedition itinerary crafted for previous New Paths Expeditions travelers. To prepare the ideal experience for you, please get in touch with our destination specialist.
Day 1
Arrive in Bogota
Welcome to Bogotá, Colombia’s vibrant mountain capital nestled at 8,530 feet (2,600 meters) and framed by the lush Cerros Orientales. With its spring-like climate year-round, the city blends rich history, modern energy, and cultural diversity.
Bogotá is a melting pot of over 8 million people, shaped by centuries of colonial legacy and contemporary creativity. During your stay, explore its world-class museums—including the renowned Gold Museum—and discover a culinary scene where ancestral recipes are reimagined with local ingredients.
Wander through the colonial heart of La Candelaria, explore cobbled streets, vibrant markets, and contemporary art galleries. At night, Bogotá comes alive with rooftop bars, jazz lounges, and local eateries—inviting you to savor the rhythm of this dynamic, authentically Colombian city.
Overnight: B.O.G Hotel, Bogotá
Meals: None
Day 2
Bogota City Tour
Begin with a visit to Bogotá’s Gold Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of pre-Columbian gold. These ceremonial objects—crafted to honor deities like the Sun—bring the legend of El Dorado to life.
Continue with a guided walk through Bogotá’s historic heart. Along lively Seventh Avenue, enjoy a traditional Colombian lunch before exploring La Candelaria, known for its colorful colonial houses, cobbled streets, artist studios, and cafés.
At Plaza Bolívar, admire neoclassical and baroque landmarks including the National Capitol, Palace of Justice, and the Cathedral. Then visit the Botero Museum, where works by the Colombian master appear alongside Monet, Dalí, and Van Gogh.
End the morning with a funicular or cable car ride up Monserrate for sweeping views of the city. After lunch at the hilltop restaurant, return to your hotel for a restful afternoon.
Overnight: B.O.G Hotel, Bogotá
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3
Paloquemao Markets Cooking Class & Hummingbird
Observatory
Start your day at Paloquemao Market, Bogotá’s culinary hub. Stroll vibrant aisles of tropical fruits, herbs, vegetables, and flowers with your local host, sampling exotic Andean produce and learning about Colombia’s regional food traditions.
Then head to a private kitchen for a hands-on cooking class. Guided by a professional chef, prepare a multi-course menu using the morning’s ingredients. Share a delicious lunch together, celebrating Colombia’s flavors and hospitality.
In the afternoon, travel to La Calera in the Andean highlands to visit a hummingbird sanctuary. Set amid cool forests and flowering gardens, spot up to 18 species—such as the Sword-billed Hummingbird, Blue-throated Starfrontlet, and Coppery-bellied Puffleg—as they flit and feed in this peaceful oasis.
Overnight: B.O.G Hotel, Bogotá
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4
Flight to the Coffee Region & Salento
Fly from Bogotá to Pereira and begin your journey into Colombia’s UNESCO-listed Coffee Cultural Landscape. A private transfer brings you to Salento, where you check in at Sazagua Cocora, a boutique lodge set amid lush countryside and mountain views.
After lunch at the hotel, explore Salento’s colonial streets on foot. Walk along Calle Real, lined with flower-filled balconies and artisan shops, and take in sweeping views of the Cocora Valley from the town’s scenic mirador.
Visit Café Jesús Martín, one of Colombia’s premier coffee houses, for a tasting and latte art demonstration. Then enjoy a guided Aguardiente tasting back at the lodge, learning about this beloved anise-flavored spirit and its cultural significance.
Dinner is followed by an introduction to Los Nevados National Natural Park—its glaciers, páramos, biodiversity, and importance to the Andean region—setting the stage for tomorrow’s Cocora Valley adventure.
Overnight: Sazagua Cocora, Salento
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Valle del Cocora & Coffee Tour
Begin your day with a quiet coffee and optional early birdwatching walk through the lodge’s private reserve, led by a local naturalist. Learn about the flora, fauna, and conservation of this biodiverse sanctuary.
After breakfast, visit Finca El Ocaso—one of Colombia’s most iconic coffee farms. Walk its scenic slopes, discover the journey from bean to cup, and enjoy a guided tasting that highlights the region’s unique flavor profiles. Lunch follows at a nearby countryside restaurant featuring local Coffee Triangle specialties.
In the afternoon, explore the stunning Cocora Valley, part of Los Nevados National Natural Park. Walk among towering wax palms—the tallest palms in the world—and learn about their ecological importance and the valley’s role as a vital watershed and habitat for endemic species.
Back at the lodge, unwind before joining a group conversation on Colombia’s transformation. Your guide shares stories of how local communities are moving beyond a history of conflict toward peacebuilding and cultural renewal.
Overnight: Sazagua Cocora, Salento
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 6
Filandia & Flight to Cartagena
Begin your last morning in the Coffee Region with an optional birdwatching walk in the misty cloud forest. Back at the lodge, enjoy a hearty breakfast featuring a live arepa-making demonstration—an introduction to Colombia’s beloved corn flatbread.
Check out and head to Filandia, one of the region’s most colorful towns. Stroll its vibrant streets, join a hands-on basketry workshop with local artisans, and sample regional street food around the lively plaza. For panoramic views, those interested may climb the scenic observation tower overlooking the coffee hills.
Lunch is served at Elena Adentro, a stylish restaurant known for its creative take on traditional flavors. Later, transfer to the airport for your flight to Cartagena.
Upon arrival on Colombia’s Caribbean coast, settle into your boutique hotel in the heart of the Walled City. This UNESCO World Heritage site is rich in history, with colonial streets, fortified walls, and Afro-Caribbean rhythms. Your evening is free to explore. Your guide can assist with dinner reservations at Cartagena’s top restaurants.
Overnight: Casa Don Luis, Cartagena
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 7
Cartagena City Tour
Start the day at Cartagena’s iconic Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, the largest Spanish fortress in the Americas. Explore its ramparts and tunnels while learning how it defended the city from pirate attacks.
Continue to Getsemaní, a vibrant neighborhood filled with Afro-Caribbean murals, lively plazas, and colonial houses. Once a center of resistance, today it thrives with music, art, and cultural pride.
Then step into the Walled City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk through colonial streets that inspired Gabriel García Márquez, passing baroque churches, mansions, and literary landmarks.
Visit Plaza Santo Domingo with its Botero sculpture, leafy Plaza Bolívar beside the Palace of the Inquisition, and Plaza de los Coches, once central to the colonial slave trade.
Return to your hotel in the afternoon. The evening is free to enjoy Cartagena at your own pace, with your guide available for recommendations.
Overnight: Casa Don Luis, Cartagena
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8
La Boquilla: Culture, Nature & Community
Leave the Walled City for a powerful encounter in La Boquilla, an Afro-Colombian fishing village shaped by tradition and resilience.
At sunrise, board a hand-carved canoe for a peaceful journey through mangrove tunnels. Guided by local fishermen, learn about this unique ecosystem and witness traditional net-casting techniques used for generations. Birdlife like herons and egrets often appear along the way.
Later, join Batambora, a youth music collective, for a hands-on drumming workshop. Play tambora, alegre, maracas, and gaita, and experience rhythms rooted in resistance, joy, and community. Your participation supports their local music school.
Enjoy a homemade lunch of Caribbean specialties—fresh fish, coconut rice, plantains, and yuca—prepared by women from the community.
Return to Cartagena in the afternoon, carrying the rhythms and stories of Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
Overnight: Casa Don Luis, Cartagena
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9
Transfer to the Airport
This morning, transfer to Tayrona National Park, home to Colombia’s largest tropical dry forest and stunning Caribbean beaches. Search for the critically endangered Blue-billed Curassow, once nearly extinct, along with dry forest species like Lance-tailed Manakin, Barred Antshrike, and Buff-breasted Wren.
Watch the treetops for the Cotton-top Tamarin, a charismatic and critically endangered primate found only in Colombia. If time allows, visit El Calabazo to explore a Kogi settlement and the ancient ruins of Pueblito.
Return to Playa Koralia for an afternoon and evening at leisure.
Overnight at Playa Koralia. (B, L, D)
Lodgings
Bogota: The B.O.G. Hotel
A luxurious four-star hotel located in one of the best residential and social areas of the city, El Retiro neighborhood. It offers a reserved and upscale setting close to exclusive shopping centers, boutiques, green areas, and renowned restaurants and rooftop bars. The hotel provides an incredible experience with facilities such as a fitness center and two rooftop lounges with a 360° view of the city, along with two renowned on-site restaurants. With 94 strategically designed rooms, your hotel aims to provide tranquility and rest in an environment that combines luxury and nature.
Salento – Sazagua Cocora
Nestled in Colombia’s coffee region, this boutique hotel offers comfort, style, and a deep connection to nature. Surrounded by gardens and forest, Sazagua Cocora features elegant rooms, refined cuisine, and curated experiences that reflect the warmth and authenticity of the Andes. Ideal for slowing down and immersing yourself.
Cartagena – Casa Don Luis
Nestled in a peaceful corner of Cartagena’s Walled City, this refined colonial-style hotel offers stylish accommodations just steps from the city’s most iconic landmarks. With a rooftop terrace and understated elegance, it’s a perfect retreat after exploring the vibrant streets of the Caribbean coast.
When to go
This expedition is best enjoyed from December through March and July through September, when Colombia’s diverse ecosystems offer the most favorable conditions for travel. During these periods, Bogotá’s high-altitude climate remains cool and spring-like with reduced rainfall; the Coffee Region is fresh and lush, with clear skies ideal for exploring Salento, Cocora Valley, and coffee plantations; and Cartagena shines under warm Caribbean sun, with coastal breezes and minimal humidity—perfect for walking tours, mangrove excursions, and cultural encounters. These months provide the perfect balance of weather, light, and atmosphere to experience Colombia’s rich biodiversity, living traditions, and vibrant cities at their best.
QUESTIONS?
If you have any questions, please let us know. We are here to help you!
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