Please note the tour price reflected on the brochure is subject to change. Due to seasonality, and taxes prices of the tour are subject to change without due notice. Please consult with the operator directly for the recent price.
8 Day Classic Colombia
Overview
Highlights (Bullets)
- Discover Medellin in the beautiful Aburra Valley, named the "City of Eternal Spring"
- Stay in magical Cartagena, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site - a true cultural treasure!
- Tour Cartagena's Colonial District, view Bolivar Park, Santo Domingo Church and the Gold Museum
- Stand before the impressive collection of pre-Columbian gold pieces at the Gold Museum
- Visit La Candelaria District renowned for its perfectly preserved Colonial architecture
- View the paintings and sculptures of Fernando Botero, the famed Colombian artist
Short Description
3 Medellin, 2 Cartagena, 2 Bogota
Destinations
N/AActivities & Interests
N/AItinerary
DAY 1, Friday - Depart for Colombia
DAY 2, Saturday - Medellín City Tour
DAY 3, Sunday - Full Day in Medellín
DAY 4, Monday - Flight to Cartagena
DAY 5, Tuesday - Full Day in Cartagena
DAY 6, Wednesday - Flight to Bogota
DAY 7, Thursday - Bogota City Tour
DAY 8, Friday - Depart Colombia ▲ Due to the high elevation, travel in the Colombian highlands may cause some passengers to experience the temporary effects of altitude sickness. If you have any concerns about traveling to higher than your accustomed elevation, please consult your healthcare provider. |
Availability
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655 Gate 1 Travel Travel Reviews & Ratings
8 Day Classic Colombia
Company Reviews
We loved Gate1 until our flight that we booked through them was cancelled. We have gone on 5 trips and loved them all but we learned the hard way about their policy. They own the flight until the flight. If flight is cancelled, they simply cancel the flig
One of the best !!!!
We have been traveling with Gate1Travel many times and always enjoyed its tour guides. Not always the cheapest but the best customer service! Henry Maaravi (Israel tour guide) was the best so far! We also know many others have traveled with Gate1Travel and were impressed with the quality of the resources provided.
Horiabel can not reach the company.
I’ve taken many trips over the years…
TRAVELING WITH GATE1 IS NOT FOR THE…
Our first mishap was a trip planned to Portugal with a non-stop flight from Newark, New Jersey to Portugal. The airlines pulled the plug on the direct flight and Gate1 found another flight with stopover in Germany before traveling on to Portugal. I avoid any stops when traveling overseas. It increases the chance of being stuck in a country where you change planes, so I refused the offer of a trip around the world before reaching Portugal. Gate1 did not find another direct flight for me and told me my money was NON-REFUNDABLE. To avoid losing my money I booked a trip to Ecuador instead.
Gate1 charged me an additional $100 to book the trip to Ecuador because it was to a different destination. After booking to Ecuador, 2 days before departure, an earthquake shook Ecuador. Gate1 did not send out any information to let us know what the status of the trip was, total silence on their part. The earthquake occurred on a Saturday and the departure date is on a Monday.
We were leaving our house on Sunday to fly to Miami a day before our flight to Ecuador. I received no communications from them on what the status of the trip was in light of the earthquake. W didn't now whether to proceed or stay home.
We called Gate1and found lines busy multiple times with high call volume. In the absence of any communication from Gate1 we cancelled our flights to Miami. We paid for airfare from North Carolina and booked a hotel in Miami.
We lost money on the hotel reservation and had to pay for the stay anyway. I finally got Gate1 on the phone Sunday noon only to find out that the trip was still on as far as they were concerned. They could/should have communicated that to us without our having to call them to find out. We had cancelled the flight to Miami and the hotel by now. My husband and I discussed the safety concerns and decided to cancel.
Gate 1 suggested I rebook our flight to Miami on the same day of travel. There was no way we could make it to Charlotte, NC. (2.5-hour drive from our house) and get to the airport in time to catch the last flight to Miami. Gate1 then tried to convince me to book a flight from Asheville to Miami with a 2.5-hour layover in Atlanta arriving in Miami at 1 AM in the morning. I do not have any faith in making connecting flights on time with airlines anymore. A million things can go wrong and prevent a connection. Not to mention that the airfare would have cost us over $1,200.00 to book at the last minute. We had already spent $897.00 for airfare.
The agent then told me if I could find and book a flight by 5:30 she would hold our trip. I called back at 5:07 pm and Gate1 was closed. I decided the situation could not be salvaged and cancelled the trip. You may get your money back if Gate1 cancels the trip. You get nothing if you cancel the trip close to the departure date.
Gate1 told me that my money for the trip is non-refundable because I cancelled the trip. Ok. I get that. However, Gate1 was very lax in communicating with customers in an emergency where a natural disaster has occurred in a country, they planned to take customers to. Had they sent out an email regarding the status of the trip, we could have made a more informed decision, but we were left in the dark to speculate the worst and made our decision based on lack of information from Gate1
After Gate1’s failure to communicate promptly about the situation in Ecuador, they put all the responsibility and stress on me to rectify the problem. They waited until the last minute to say whether the trip was a go and left us hanging on wondering what was happening, and what to do.
I am done with Gate1. I will never use their service or recommend them to anyone. If things go well, you can probably have a good experience, but when things go wrong, their systems are designed to protect them, not you. They need to do a better job of communicating with customers at every juncture of the trip, especially when natural disasters occur in the area where they will be traveling to. Gate1 told me they had people on the ground in Ecuador who were keeping them informed of the situation. It would be nice if Gate1 can do the same for their customers
Very poor customer service of 4 trips…
Details
Optional Activities
Full Day Guatape & Piedra del Penol
Depart from Medellin this morning, on a scenic drive through the Eastern Highlands of Antioquia. Arrive at one of the area's top attractions, the Peñol Rock (La Piedra del Peñol), a 656 foot high monolith. You'll have the opportunity to climb more than 700 stairs to reach the top of this spectacular landmark and enjoy panoramic views of Guatapé Lake and the surrounding mountains. Continue with a visit to the town of Guatapé. Tour the iconic sites of the town like the historic church, town square and traditional colored streets. After lunch on your own, enjoy a boat ride on Lake Guatapé, one of the country's largest lakes. Time to stroll along the boardwalk and relax at one of the cafes. Return to the hotel in Medellin.
Entrance fees to the Peñol Boulder and boat ride on the lake are included.
Approximate tour duration is 10 hours.
OnDay : 3
Price : $85
Half Day Bird-watching at the Colombian National Aviary
Depart Cartagena and travel south for about an hour through the picturesque countryside to the Colombia National Aviary, which houses more than 1,750 birds, representing 135 species. It’s the second biggest aviary in Latin America, and sixth in the world. This fascinating place, with its unique flora and fauna, aims to educate and create awareness about the diversity of birds found in Colombia. Take a walking tour through the three ecosystems, tropical rainforest, seaboard and desert. At the end of the tour, enjoy a typical Colombian coffee before returning to Cartagena.
Approximate tour duration is 4 hours.
OnDay : 5
Price : $66
Half Day Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira
Drive north from Bogota towards Zipaquira. Traveling through the Sabana de Bogota, you'll see the many greenhouses used for the cultivation of carnations and roses, an important industry in this region. Next, arrive at the impressive Salt Cathedral, built within the tunnels of a salt mine at 500 feet beneath the surface, a true feat of engineering. Begin the tour in a tunnel that passes the 14 Stations of the Cross and continues to a lit dome. Later, see the enormous cross carved into the rock and the three naves of the Cathedral representing the birth, life and death of Christ. In the central nave is the main altar, with a huge salt cross created by the Colombian artist Carlos Enrique Rodriguez. After your visit stop by the Café, located in one of the underground tunnels to have a delicious Colombian coffee before returning to Bogota.
Approximate tour duration is 5 hours
OnDay : 6
Price : $56
Half Day Santa Elena
Depart for Santa Elena, a small colonial town high in a mountainside near Medellin. It is one of the most typical "Antioqueño" towns, where the "Silleteros" tradition, linked to the flower production of the area, was born. Tour the area where the well-known floral arrangements have become a famous symbol of Medellin. Explore a quaint family-run organic flower hacienda and immerse yourself in the euphoric sights and smells of the plants. Marvel at the spectacular flower sculptures and diverse species of plants. At the end of the tour, enjoy a typical Colombian coffee. Afterwards, return to the hotel in Medellin.
Approximate tour duration is 4 hours.
OnDay : 2
Price : $50
Monserrate Funicular Train Ride
Board the Funicular Train that takes you up to Monserrate Mountain. After a short hike, reach the top of Monserrate. At more than 10,000 feet above sea level, see outstanding views of downtown Bogota. Visit the 17th century church and the "El Señor Caído" shrine that welcomes pilgrims all year long.
*This Optional Tour is not recommended for people who have difficulty walking, fear of confined space or heights, or who have heart conditions.
Approximate tour duration is 2 hours.
OnDay : 7
Price : $29
Emerald Jewelry Workshop
Upon arrival, meet your main instructor and watch a video about Colombian emeralds to learn fascinating facts regarding these gemstones, including how they are mined and carved. Colombia is the world's largest producer of emeralds. A hands-on class follows, where you use 925 sterling silver wire and Colombian emeralds to create three pieces of jewelry, a pair of earrings, a bracelet and a ring. At the conclusion of the class you will receive a diploma and one piece of jewelry that you created.
Approximate tour duration is 3 hours.
OnDay : 5
Price : $25
Flight & Transport Inclusions
All internal ground transport
Group Size
Small Group - 24 max
Additional Information
Additional Information:
Land only price does not include arrival/departure transfers, but does include flights Medellin-Cartagena & Cartagena-Bogota.
Trip ID#:
gate1-CO-8DAFFCO-PKG-23
What's excluded
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