Arrive in El Dorado International Airport, Bogota, Colombia’s vibrant capital. You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure, taking some time to relax and prepare for the adventure ahead.

Bogota as a city, reflects the myriad cultures and values of Colombia; it is the beating heart of its nation and an engaging and enchanting place to explore, and today you will discover its sights and rhythms. Begin at La Plaza de Mercado Paloquemao, one of Bogota’s biggest produce markets. Browse stalls heaving under the weight of traditional products and local foods and flowers before stopping for a tasting of some of Colombia’s delicious native fruits. Continue to the historic centre, La Candelaria, and wander the Plaza de Bolivar, admiring the grand colonial architecture and stopping by the impressive cathedral. Visit the Botero Museum with its collection of fine art before admiring the shiny artefacts of the pre-eminent Gold Museum. Enjoy some local delicacies for lunch before riding the cable car up to the Santuario de Monserrate, a monastery perched high on a mountain in the centre of Bogota, where you will enjoy spectacular views over the city. Sightseeing today will last approximately 8 hours.

Travel 01h30 minutes outside of Bogota, to one of Colombia’s most unusual attractions; the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira. Built 200 metres below ground in a former salt mine and beautifully illuminated, this cavernous space is considered an outstanding example of modern Colombian architecture. Enjoy a traditional lunch before returning to Bogota. Sightseeing will last 6 hours before you board your 1hour flight to Pereira where on arrival you will transfer 15 minutes to your hotel.

Head 1h30 into the Central Mountains and the beautiful landscapes of the Valle de Cocora, a lush valley surrounded by high hills. Part of the Parque Nacional de los Nevados, you’ll set out on an easy 1 hour hike through a wax palm forest to learn about the diverse range of flora and fauna that calls it home, including the Quindío wax palm, Colombia’s national tree. Then it’s time for a typical lunch before an afternoon in the traditional towns of Salento and Filandia, both full of colourful colonial architecture and handicraft shops. Pay a visit to a workshop where they weave the stems of the bejucos plant to make the baskets used to harvest coffee beans – while here, one of the professional basket weavers will teach you how that weaving is done and let you have a try! Sightseeing today will last approximately 8 hours. Appropriate dress/shoes: We suggest bringing a rain jacket and walking shoes.

Nestled in the foothills of the Andes, Pereira is part of the Colombia’s ‘Coffee Axis’ and the UNESCO-listed ‘Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia’ – where better to learn all about cultivating, harvesting, and producing coffee? Spend the morning out exploring the landscapes of the coffee estates and pay a visit to a typical hacienda where you’ll enjoy a tour. Start with an introductory talk before getting out onto the plantations to learn about the production process, finishing with a tasting session, guided by a master taster. Sightseeing today lasts 5 hours.

This morning after breakfast, transfer 15 minutes to the airport for your 40-minute flight to the hillside city of Medellin. On arrival you will be met and transferred to a local restaurant for lunch. You have the rest of the afternoon at leisure to explore your surroundings, before dinner this evening.

Colombia’s second largest city Medellin, set in a valley and backed by mountains, is a leafy, progressive, and innovative metropolis. Spend the day seeing the city’s sights while learning of its turbulent history and how it has transformed since the death of the notorious Pablo Escobar. Board the Metro Cable to San Javier and head to Comuna 13. Here you’ll learn to play the rhythms and patterns of batucada led by instructors of the Afro-Colombian community with percussion instruments made from recycled materials. After, there will be a brief introduction to a local project Las Berracas that empowers women who are victims of violence to improve their community. There’ll be a cooking demonstration and a typical lunch to enjoy while here. Visit Cerro Nutibara and its ‘Pueblito Paisa’ for some history and panoramic views before exploring Berrio Park and admiring the sculptures of Colombian artist Fernando Botero at Plaza Botero. Sightseeing lasts 8 hours today. The Metro Cable to San Javier takes approximately 25 minutes, which you will have to queue for prior to boarding. Hopefully this won't take long as each cabin accommodates 6 - 8 people.

Travel out of the city to explore the surrounding region. Stop at La Piedra del Peñol, a towering rock monolith that was once worshipped by the local indigenous community. The approximate 700-step climb to the top is optional, but those who do it will be rewarded with views across a huge reservoir created by a hydroelectric dam built in the 1970s. Continue to the town of Guatape where you’ll wander the streets lined with vividly coloured buildings. Return to Medellin. Touring today lasts 8 hours.

Depart Medellin and fly 1h15 minutes to the Caribbean seaside city of Santa Marta. In the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, whose peaks can be seen from the beach, Santa Marta was founded in 1525, making it one of South America’s oldest cities. On arrival, you’ll explore the beautiful old colonial district before heading out of the city to the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino to view the beautiful gardens. End the day with a scenic tour of the bays of Rodadero and the fishing village of Taganga. Sightseeing here lasts 4 hours. Santa Marta can be very hot so wear light comfortable clothing.

Explore the exotic coastline of the Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona today, winding through tropical forest before arriving at the ‘Sea of the Seven Waves’, a natural viewpoint from which to enjoy the beautiful landscapes. Walk a short way along a stretch of golden sand backed by lush rainforest to reach the boat which will take you on a 10-minute trip over to Playa Cristal, a beach of extraordinary beauty where you can take a refreshing dip. Touring takes 7 hours today. Please wear comfortable shoes and light clothing, and we suggest you pack mosquito repellent. Today will be an early start to avoid crowds and the heat of the sun. Please note that the boat trip is a shared service with other travellers.

Travel by road this morning from Santa Marta to the Caribbean port of Cartagena, taking 4 hours, where the afternoon will be spent exploring the city and its vibrant historic centre. Part of the walking tour, covering 1,5km, will be seven stops to help you discover Cartagena’s typical, and delicious food, with tastings of different snacks and drinks prepared by local chefs at their street stalls. Sightseeing today is approximately 3 hours.

Cartagena is Colombia’s most popular destination. Vibrant, colourful, and home to a beautifully preserved, UNESCO World Heritage-listed old town, it’s easy to see why! This morning, your tour will start with panoramic views from the Monasterio and Iglesia de La Popa. Continue to San Felipe Fortress, used to defend the city from pirates and the Convent and Church of San Pedro Claver in the Ciudad Vieja (old town). Then, browse the wares of the artisan centre housed in the Bovedas. Lunch is at a local restaurant and will be followed by a rum tasting session, where you will have a guided tasting of a range of rum flavours, over a 2-hour period. Now that you’re excellently lubricated, embrace the local rhythms with a 1-hour salsa dancing class, a popular form of entertainment and exercise in Colombia! Touring todays lasts approximately 8 hours. To reach the la Popa Convent, groups will be divided in two, as big buses are not allowed to enter this site.

Head to the fishing village of La Boquilla, where the community of Afro-Colombian fishermen are keeping their traditions alive! Through the playing of drums, you’ll learn about age-old folk music and the rhythms of this minority community, as well as the history of the drums themselves. Later, take to Cartagena’s tropical waters by catamaran for a glorious 2 hour sunset cruise before a farewell dinner at a restaurant at the heart of the old walled city. Here you’ll enjoy a mix of culture and music and traditional gastronomy – the perfect way to say goodbye.

After breakfast you will be transferred to Rafael Núñez International Airport, Cartagena, Colombia for your flight home.