Tailor Made Colombia
Bogotá to Cartagena
Travel with your private party on this Luxury Tailor Made Journey, departing when you choose and with expert local guides leading the way; you can even customize the itinerary to your interests.
Explore the ethnic diversity and varied geography that shapes Colombia’s strong regional identity while traversing an exotic market in Bogotá; navigating salt mine tunnels, where a singular underground cathedral resides; and reflecting on the history of Cartagena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Highlights
- Discover diverse, dynamic Colombia, one of South America’s fastest-emerging travel destinations, on a fascinating private journey that ranges from cosmopolitan Bogotá to colonial Cartagena
- Explore Bogotá’s Paloquemao Market, sampling its bounty, and view the city’s impressive monuments and museums
- Visit the famed Salt Cathedral in Zipaquirá, learning how it was hewn from solid halite
- Learn about Colombia’s national tree, the wax palm, on a visit to misty Cocora National Park
- Enjoy three nights in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cartagena, where you tour the city’s monuments and indulge in a culinary walk inside its 500-year-old walled city
Pricing
Luxury private tour starting at $4,695* USD per person, based on double occupancy
9 Days – Bogotá to Cartagena
Included with this luxury Tailor Made Journey
- One-of-a-Kind Itinerary Designed for You
- Hand-Selected Luxury Accommodations
- Exclusive Insider-Access Opportunities and Inspiring Sightseeing
- English-Speaking Local Guides
- Airport Meet and Greet with Private Transfers
- Full Breakfast Daily
- Entrance Fees and Taxes
- 24/7 A&K On-Call Support
Day
Day 1
Location(s)
Bogotá
Meals
Description
Arrive in Bogotá, capital of Colombia, where you are met and transferred to your hotel. In this city of contrasts, skyscrapers stand side by side with old, single-story houses.
Accommodation: Sofitel Bogotá Victoria Regia (3 nights)
Day 2
Bogotá
Breakfast, Lunch
Accompanied by your private guide, wander through a local market, which brims with flowers, exotic fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, cheese and medicinal herbs. Bask in this authentic cultural experience, sampling exotic fruits and enjoying a small snack during your visit. Continue to the well-preserved colonial quarter of La Candelaria. Pause at Plaza de Bolivar, named for Simón Bolívar, who was instrumental in winning Colombia’s independence from Spain. View the Congress Palace, the Cardinal’s Palace, and the colonial churches of El Sagrario and San Agustin, all located in this impressive square. Ascend Cerro de Montserrat for spectacular vistas and explore possibly the world’s greatest collection of pre-Hispanic Indian gold crafts at the Museo del Oro. Finish your day at the Museo de Botero, where Colombian artist Fernando Botero displays his private art collection, including works from Picasso, Renoir, Dalí, Degas, Chagall, Matisse, Monet and Giacometti.
Day 3
Bogotá – Excursion to the Salt Cathedral
Breakfast, Lunch
Drive to the small colonial town of Zipaquirá and step inside the Salt Cathedral, where religious sculptures and cavernous pools are hewn from tunnels of a former salt mine, and learn about the extraordinary engineering that made it possible. Tour the town’s historic main plaza, seeing whitewashed houses decorated with the olive-green trim typical of local custom. Enjoy a traditional lunch and panoramic views, then return to Bogotá, stopping to visit the town of Usaquén. Walk its narrow, cobbled streets, observing the Spanish-colonial architecture of its houses and soaking in the Bohemian atmosphere. You may also have the opportunity to encounter local storytellers, artists and street musicians.
Day 4
Bogotá – Armenia
Breakfast, Lunch
Fly to Colombia’s best-known coffee production region, recently named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Join your guide for a tour of the renowned coffee plantation of Hacienda San Alberto to learn about the coffee production process from start to finish. Then, enjoy a tasting of locally grown coffees curated by experts. Also partake in a tasting of several of Colombia’s exotic fruits, savoring them both raw and as ingredients in cooked sweets and artisanal ice cream. Later, continue to Pereira and check in to your hotel.
Accommodation: Bio Habitat Hotel (2 nights)
Day 5
Armenia – Excursion to Cocora Valley
Breakfast, Lunch
Journey to the verdant Cocora Valley, home to the wax palm, Colombia’s protected national tree. Enjoy a canelazo cocktail and traditional smoked trout lunch. In Cocora National Park, visit the misty forest that serves as home to the tall, slender palm species, and learn about efforts to protect and conserve this ecosystem. Then, participate in the Ritual de la Palma, planting wax palms. Proceed to the town of Salento by Jeep, stopping for a caffè-latte demonstration at Café Jesús Martín. Tour the city, seeing its memorable buildings as well as the Calle Real, a main street lined with restaurants, bars and handicrafts shops.
Day 6
Armenia – Cartagena
Breakfast
Board a morning flight to Cartagena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you are met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of your day is at leisure.
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena (3 nights)
Day 7
Cartagena
Breakfast
Today, head to the 17th-century Convento de La Popa, built on the city’s highest point, to enjoy views of the city and the bay. Continue to Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, the strongest fortress ever constructed in a Spanish colony, and stop at Las Bóvedas; once a dungeon, it is now home to galleries and boutiques. Then, visit the Iglesia y Convento San Pedro de Claver, a convent founded in the early 17th century by San Ignacio de Loyola, and named for the canonized priest and human-rights champion, Peter Claver, considered the patron saint of slaves. Visit its Baroque church to view the fine stained-glass windows and high altar made of Italian marble.
Day 8
Cartagena
Breakfast
Set out on a culinary walking tour of Cartagena’s 500-year-old walled city, pausing to taste authentic local foods. As you stroll with your private guide, gain insight into the city’s history and culture, observing life as the locals live it. This evening, embark on a private boat ride around the bay of Cartagena, sipping a cocktail and watching the sunset.
Day 9
Cartagena
Breakfast
Transfer to the airport and board your homebound flight.
*Hotel rooms are subject to availability and are confirmed by the supplier at time of booking; they may be replaced by other hotel rooms of similar category at the sole discretion of the supplier.
Interested in the itinerary above? Click on the “START PLANNING” button below and reference “Tailor Made Colombia” in the form, or give us a call at 587.997.5969 to book.
An adventure designed specifically for you
Let us work with you to tailor a journey based on your travel style and interests. We can use the existing itinerary above as a foundation, or build one from scratch to create your ideal vacation. Connect with us to start the conversation.
Similar Trips
Journey through Sacred Valley to explore the ruins of Machu Picchu
8 day luxury private tour
Rio’s iconic sights, Iguazu Falls’ splendor & an intoxicating culture
10 day luxury private tour
A panorma of Bolivia’s finest: Lake Titicaca to Uyuni Salt Flats
10 day luxury private tour
*Prices are per person, based on double occupancy and subject to change and availability.