Colombia: Culture, Coffee & Caribbean
Overview
Highlights
- Discover the diverse wonders of Colombia: culture, history and natural beauty
- Explore Bogotá’s highlights with a street food tour and visit to the Gold Museum
- Walk through tropical forest and along wild beaches in Tayrona National Park
- Wander colonial Cartagena and sip rum in a tasting experience
- Stay in a remote hacienda in the coffee region
- Marvel at the UNESCO-listed stone carvings and tombs of San Agustín
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Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Min Group Size
Max Group Size
Trip includes
- All breakfasts
- All accommodation
- All transport and listed activities
- Tour leader throughout
- Domestic flights (Bogota to Neiva; Pereira to Santa Marta)
Itinerary
Welcome to Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, sat high on a plateau in the Andes. There’s plenty packed into this trip, but today we settle in and rest, ready for the adventures ahead. Aim to arrive at the hotel this afternoon/evening (arrival in the early hours of the...
Following our welcome briefing, in which we meet our tour leader and go over the trip, we get to know the city with a walking street food tour in the early afternoon. On our adventure, we sample the flavours of Colombia’s different regions at market stalls, snack bar...
This morning, we take the cable car up Monserrate (10,340ft/3,152m), a mountain from which there is a spectacular view of the city and surrounding plateau, allowing us to orientate ourselves in this vast metropolis. Our day continues as we head out of the city and vi...
Early this morning, we are driven to Bogotá Airport and fly for an hour south to the city of Neiva, the capital of the Huila department and much lower in altitude and warmer than Bogotá. From Neiva Airport, we drive to the Tatacoa Desert, about an hour away, an ochre...
We start the day with a short drive to the Unesco-listed San Agustín Archaeological Park, a vast complex housing an extraordinary and mysterious collection of pre-Columbian stone figures and tombs. The park is nestled amid lush hillsides and picturesque forests, which...
We spend today exploring the countryside around San Agustín. We start with the Estrecho del Río Magdalena – here the mighty Magdalena River passes through a section of rocks only 7.2ft (2.2m) wide. The landscape around the river is exceptionally picturesque. Only a fe...
A scenic drive today takes us from San Agustín to Popayán – an 85mi (140km) journey that takes around four hours (including two hours on unpaved roads). Shortly after leaving San Agustín, we make a side trip to Alto de los Ídolos Archaeological Park. After San Agustín...
We drive about 3 hours from Popayán to Cali this morning. Modern, cosmopolitan Cali is a tropical metropolis with a zest for life and an historic quarter with beautifully restored colonial buildings, numerous parks and tree-lined boulevards. On our city tour, we visi...
We drive for three-four hours this morning heading into the countryside and coffee region, where we stay for two nights in a hacienda with a coffee plantation. On arrival, we have a tour to learn all about the coffee cultivation, harvesting and production process. We...
We start our day with a drive to the Cocora Valley, home to Quindío wax palm trees – the national tree of Colombia – which can stretch up to 195ft (60m) tall, making them the tallest palms in the world. This is an area of picturesque cloud forest and we have time for ...
We are driven to Pereira or Armenia airport this morning and fly to Santa Marta, a city on the Caribbean coast. There is usually a change of plane in Bogotá. On arrival in Santa Marta, we are driven east to our hotel near Palomino about 1hr 30min away. Accommodation: Finca la Jorará (or similar) – please see accommodation section for more information
We leave our hotel in the morning and drive a short way along the Caribbean coast to El Zaino, the main entrance to Tayrona National Natural Park. Beginning the walk with our local guide, we reach Cañaveral beach, a wild and beautiful place, and from the top of a smal...
We start the day with a cultural exchange with an Arhuaco community. The Arhuaco are one of the many indigenous groups in Colombia, and mostly live in the coastal mountains of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The Arhuaco grow coffee and sugar and raise animals. From...
We have a full day in Cartagena, a city jam-packed with stories, fascinating sites and colonial architecture. We begin with a visit to the church of San Pedro Clavér and the Castillo de San Felipe, a massive fortress where legends and secrets are hidden in its stone v...
Our adventure ends in Cartagena this morning. If you’d like more time in this beautiful, intoxicating city, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.
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Dates & Availability
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The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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Tour Operator
It is all about adventure. That is what Exodus was founded upon and what the company is still all about. Discovering countries, cultures, environments, cities, mountain ranges, deserts, coasts and jungles; exploring this amazing planet we all live on.
At Exodus, we know what makes you tick when it comes to holidays. It’s a desire shared by so many others. A yearning to visit new places and come home with a real sense of what they’re all about. This means delving into local traditions, cultures, cuisine, lifestyles – anything that contributes to its unique identity. At the same time, we always remember that we are only guests. So we travel courteously and respectfully, in smaller groups to minimise our impact, to ensure that every Exodus holiday is a beneficial experience for everyone involved.
This is a philosophy we take with us around the world, helping you reach some incredible destinations on 500 itineraries across over 90 separate countries. We also strive to provide as much flexibility and choice as we possibly can, making it simple for you to experience a very different holiday.
Exodus started life on 4 February 1974 when two friends got together to provide an overland truck to travel to the Minaret of Jam, deep in the heart of the Hindu Kush, the most inaccessible of the world’s great monuments.
All our office staff have a passion for travel and adventure, and between us we’ve notched up experience that spans 171 different countries. That’s not all. In their former lives, our team members have been professional archaeologists, wildlife guides, overland drivers, mountain leaders, diving and ski specialists and mountain bike gurus – so no-one is better placed to create tours that appeal to a wide range of specialist interests.
Their care in putting all the details in place really shines through too. Extensive planning, research, fact-finding and training are a sign of our commitment to providing a holiday where your enjoyment, value for money and safety come first. It’s a telling reason why we remain one of the leading worldwide adventure tour companies. It is no exaggeration to say that our tour leaders can make a world of difference to the enjoyment of your holiday – so we choose them carefully. The result is that, in 2013, 93% of our clients stated that their leader exceeded their expectations. Where possible, we train and employ local leaders because they can provide invaluable insights that enrich the trip. What’s more, this investment in local staff really helps us benefit both them and their community.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- Travel insurance
- Single accommodation (available on request)
- Visas or vaccinations
- Optional dance class in Cali
Accommodation
The cancellation policies of this trip when booked through Travelstride are determined by the stated policies of the tour operator - Exodus Travels.
If you or any other member of your party decides to cancel a confirmed booking you must notify Travelstride in writing. Your notice of cancellation will only take effect when it is received in writing by Travelstride and will be effective from the date on which we receive it.
If You Cancel Your Holiday
You, or any member of your party, may cancel your travel arrangements at any time. Written notification from the lead name or your travel agent must be received at our offices.
Since we incur costs in canceling your travel arrangements, you will have to pay cancellation charges as follows (see also the exceptions below):
- More than 42 days - No cancellation fee. Deposit can be transferred to a new booking departing within 2 years of date of travel of original booking. Any remaining balance will be refundedThis excludes all non-refundable costs as set out in clause 4 above (for example international and domestic flights and local services).
- Between 41 and 21 days (inclusive) - No cancellation fee. Balance and deposit can be transferred to a new booking departing within 2 years of date of travel of original bookingThis excludes all non-refundable costs as further explained in clause 4 above (for example international and domestic flights and local services).
- Between 20 and 15 days (inclusive) - 80% of the holiday cost
- 14 days or less; or failure to join the holiday (inclusive) - 100% of the holiday cost
Certain trips may involve different cancellation charges; you will be advised if this is applicable to your holiday during the booking process.For Polar holidays, the following cancellation charges will be made for all Polar holidays. Period before departure in which you notify us:
Cancelation charge
- More than 133 days - Deposit only
- 133 days or less (or failure to join the holiday) (inclusive) - 100% of the holiday cost
Notes (i) Your deposit is non-refundable, even if the cancellation charge calculated is lower than the deposit amount paid; (ii) If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges; (iii) certain travel arrangements may be subject to higher cancellation charges and could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements from the moment the booking is confirmed.
If You Change Your Booking
If, after our Booking Confirmation has been issued, you wish to change your travel arrangements in any way, for example your chosen departure date or accommodation, we will do our utmost to make these changes but it may not always be possible. Any request for changes to be made must be in writing from the lead name or your travel agent. You will be asked to pay an administration charge of $60, and any further cost we incur in making this alteration (including those charged by third party suppliers who provide the component parts of your booking). You should be aware that these costs could increase the closer to the departure date that changes are made and you should contact us as soon as possible. Note: Certain travel arrangements may not be changeable after a reservation has been made and any alteration request could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.
You can transfer your booking to another person, who satisfies all the conditions that apply to this booking, by giving us notice in writing at least 7 days before departure provided that the new lead passenger accepts the transfer and these Terms and Conditions. Both you and the new traveler are responsible for paying all costs we incur in making the transfer. Please bear in mind that certain airlines and other transport providers treat changes as a cancellation and charge accordingly, up to 100% of the cost for that part of the arrangement. Where applicable these charges will be passed on to you.
If We Cancel Your Booking
Exodus reserves the right to cancel an itinerary before departure for any reason whatsoever, including too few participants ,logistical problems, a Force Majeure Event (as defined in Section 8), or any other circumstances that may make operation of the trip inadvisable. All trip payments received will be promptly refunded, and this refund will be the limit of Exodus’s liability without any further obligation on Exodus’s part. Exodus is not responsible for any expenses incurred by trip members in preparing for the trip, including non-refundable or penalty-carrying airline tickets, special clothing, visa or passport fees, or other trip-related expenses.
If We Change Your Booking
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Changes to the price. We can change your holiday price after you’ve booked, only in certain circumstances. Changes in the price of the carriage of passengers resulting from changes to the cost of fuel or other power sources, the level of taxes or fees imposed by third parties including tourist taxes, landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports, or exchange rates mean that the price of your travel arrangements may change after you have booked.
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Changes other than the price. It is a term of your booking that we are able to make changes to any aspect of your booking. If the change is insignificant, we will ensure that you are notified about it. Examples of insignificant changes include alteration of your accommodation to another of the same or higher standard. If we are forced by circumstances beyond our control to alter significantly any of the main characteristics of the travel services that make up your package you will have the rights set out below.
2.1 - We will contact you and you will have the choice of accepting the change or having a refund of all monies paid. You can also accept an alternative holiday, where we offer one (we will refund any price difference if the alternative is of a lower value). We will tell you the procedure for making your choice. Please read any notification of changes carefully and respond promptly as if you do not respond to us within the timescale given your booking may be canceled.
2.2 - If you choose to accept a refund then that is the only liability we have and we will not be liable for any further sums, compensation or otherwise and you are advised to adequately insure yourselves against cancellation for any reason
Please note that insurance premiums and amendments charges are not refundable in any circumstances.
Once you have put down a deposit for a tour, you are unable to cancel and re-book within a promotional period and we reserve the right to amend the pricing on any new booking you make within that time. If you cancel a tour and book the same tour under a promotional code, we reserve the right to decline the booking.
Important Note: Certain arrangements may not be amended after they have been confirmed and any alteration or cancellation could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements in addition to the charge above.
If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges.
Where possible, we will deduct the cancellation charge(s) from any monies you have already paid to us.
For more additional details, see the booking conditions of TruTravels at the following web address: https://www.exodustravels.com/us/about-exodus/exodus-booking-conditions.
- Accommodation: 12 Classic nights (7 hotel, 3 lodge, 2 coffee hacienda), 2 Simple nights (eco-hotel)
- Some moderate walks (longest is three to four hours)
- Group normally 4 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
- Travel by internal flight and private minibus
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