Just came back from this wonderful tour of this lovely country. The tour was very well organised... Taki Payazidis, 2018 See more reviews
When I told people I was going to Colombia for a holiday the reaction was always the same -... Anne Grabham, 2018 See more reviews
Wow. Just returned from an amazing trip and can't believe how much we did in the time.... Andy Davies, 2018 See more reviews
I along with my wife went for the Discover Colombia package and it was a marvelous experience... Sujan Azad Parikh, 2018 See more reviews
This Tour travels firstly to Bogota and then to other areas of Colombia some of which are a... Barry Cooper, 2018 See more reviews
Colombia was a pleasant surprise. The people are friendly and the accommodation and food are of a... Derek Gott, 2016 See more reviews
This trip is ideal for someone caught up in the western world with bad media coverage. Colombia... Anonymous, 2013 See more reviews
The trip was varied and Colombia is a great country, but you need to be flexible and... Anonymous, 2013 See more reviews
Well organised and varied trip which encompasses the highlights of Colombia. Colombia is not at... Anonymous, 2013 See more reviews
Itinerary Include flights Expand all Day 1 Depart London Day 2 Free morning; afternoon tour of La Candelaria district. Passengers on our Avianca group flight will have flown overnight and arrived today in the early hours of the morning. The morning is free to rest and in the afternoon the group will meet up in the hotel lobby before setting out with the tour leader on a walking tour of La Candelaria district where the hotel is located. Today we'll have an introduction to Bogota and Colombia in general, with the walking tour including a visit to the much celebrated Gold Museum. Accommodation: Hotel Augusta or similar Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 3 Morning walking tour including Monserrate viewpoint; free afternoon. This morning we'll have breakfast in the hotel and then set off once more to continue exploring this fascinating capital city. We'll visit the museum exhibiting works from famous Colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero, and then get a cable car up to Monserrate viewpoint high above the city. Back down in the city, we learn about the diverse cultures of Colombia whilst visiting the Paloquemao market. This afternoon is free for you to do as you please - you may wish to visit one of the artisanal markets, go on a graffiti tour, or do a cookery class. Your tour leader will be on hand to give advice and assistance. Accommodation: Hotel Augusta or similar Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 4 To Villa de Leyva via the salt cathedral in Zipaquira. We leave Bogota this morning and drive northwards for about an hour and a half to Zipaquira, where we'll visit the unique Salt Cathedral. This subterranean cathedral was carved out of the salt bedrock in an old salt mine. We will have a guided tour, following the carved stations of the cross to reach the main part of the cathedral, which has the capacity for over 8000 worshippers. Continuing onwards by road, we should arrive at the beautiful colonial town of Villa de Leyva in the late afternoon. Accommodation: Hotel Meson de Los Virreyes or similar Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 5 Walking tour of Villa de Leyva; visit fossil museum. This morning we will have a walking tour of Villa de Leyva, taking in the main plaza and the most important and significant colonial buildings, and get an insight into the town's history and the local culture. We will also go to the Fossil Museum, home to an incredibly well preserved 12-metre long fossilised Kronosaurus discovered by a local farmer. The afternoon has been left free for further exploration of the town's cobbled streets and craft shops, or to simply relax in the laid-back cafes and restaurants. Accommodation: Hotel Meson de Los Virreyes or similar Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 6 Fly to the 'Coffee Zone'; travel to Salento. We drive back to Bogota (approx. 4hrs depending upon traffic) today to catch a short flight to Armenia, in the heart of Colombia's 'Coffee Zone'. From here it’s a fairly short drive (approx. 1 hour) to the quaint town of Salento, a municipality in the north eastern part of the department of Quindío. This colourful and picturesque mountain town boasts a number of fine houses built in the traditional architectural style from the region. Surrounded by distant snow-capped mountains, Salento has a very special feel, and this evening we recommend visiting one of the music bars around the main town plaza. Accommodation: Hotel Salento Real or similar Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 7 Walk amid the wax palm trees of Cocora Valley. Today we'll board 'Jeep Willys' to drive out on the scenic route to the wonderful Cocora Valley. Part of the wider Parque Nacional Los Nevados, Cocora Valley is located in the central Andean range, just outside of Salento. The valley has a unique landscape and has been regarded by Colombia as a sanctuary for its national tree; the Wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense). The tall Palms cover the valley, which is now protected and declared as a monument to protect both the tree itself and also the endemic species that depend on it. The spectacular valley is great for walking as well as taking photos from some of the viewpoints. We'll do a two hour walk, and if anyone prefers not to walk on the rough terrain then there are a couple of cafes' in which to wait and enjoy a freshly prepared coffee. Accommodation: Hotel Salento Real or similar Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 8 Coffee tour; orchid farm visit; fly to the port city of Cartagena. This morning we visit a coffee plantation near the town of Chinchina (approx. 1.5 hours drive), where we will find out about the whole production process from seedling to cup, as well as learning about the plantations themselves and the many workers who rely on coffee for their livelihoods. Naturally, we will have the chance to sample some of this glorious coffee. We will also visit a nearby Orchid Farm before going to the airport in Pereira and catching a flight to Cartagena via Bogota. Upon arrival we'll transfer straight to our characterful hotel in the vibrant Getsemani district, part of the historic centre and close to the walled city. Accommodation: Hotel Casa Mara or similar Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 9 Walking tour of Cartagena old town. Today we explore the beautiful colonial centre of Cartagena on foot, wandering through narrow streets and colourful plazas to discover some of the city's historical gems, including the Puerta del Reloj (clock tower gate), Plaza de los Coches, Plaza Bolivar, and the church of San Pedro Claver. After a break for lunch and an escape from the heat of the day, we resume our tour of the city this afternoon with a visit to San Felipe Fortress. San Felipe dominates the old town and is the largest Spanish fort in the Americas, and its solid construction allowed Colombian forces to successfully defend the city against frequent attacks in the 17th and 18th centuries. Tonight is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the lively nightlife of this Caribbean gem of a city. Accommodation: Hotel Casa Mara or similar Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 10 Morning mangrove canoe tour; free afternoon. In the morning we will transfer by vehicle to La Boquilla fishing village about 20 minutes outside of Cartagena. After an introduction from a local guide, we will board canoes along with local guides who will take us on a 1 hour ride around the tropical mangroves of Ciénaga de La Virgen. Along the way our guides will explain the endemic birdlife and talk about the way of life for people who live here. Once the canoe ride is over you will have some time to visit the village and then we'll head back to Cartagena. If you prefer to stay at the beach in La Boquilla, you could do this and take a taxi back later on. This afternoon has been left free for further exploration of the city or simply soaking up the atmosphere by sitting in a shaded plaza. Tonight we'll enjoy our third and final night in Cartagena. Accommodation: Hotel Casa Mara or similar Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 11 Morning at leisure; transfer to Palomino on the Caribbean coast. We leave Cartagena behind early this morning as we set off on a long journey eastwards and follow the coastline in the direction of Santa Marta, passing Tayrona National Park and then onwards to our next destination Palomino. We should arrive late afternoon and check in to the hotel opposite a peaceful Caribbean beach in time for sunset. Accommodation: Finca La Jorara EcoHotel or similar Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 12 Free day to relax on the beach; optional day visit to Tayrona N.P. A full day to relax on the beach or at the hotel and enjoy the tranquil setting. There are some hiking trails in the area around the hotel that can easily be followed. Alternatively you may choose to do an optional excursion to explore and hike within the nearby Tayrona National Park. Please ask your tour leader and they will help you to arrange it. (Minimum 3 participantants required in order to run this excursion) Accommodation: Finca La Jorara EcoHotel or similar Standard Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 13 Transfer to Santa Marta; fly to Bogota; trip ends. Our final morning, we transfer to Santa Marta to catch our flight to Bogota which will arrive in time for the evening flight to London. If not travelling on the international group flight please be aware that you will probably not be back in Bogota till at least 17:00. The land only portion of the trip ends upon returning to Bogota. Meals included: Breakfast Day 14 Arrive London.
Colombia Citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most European countries do not require a visa and will be granted a 90-day entry permit on arrival. Please ensure you have at least 3 blank pages in your passport.
Colombia There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Yellow Fever. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Zika fever is a mosquito‐borne viral disease and a known risk in places visited on this trip. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, we therefore strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Hotels 12 nights hotels with en suite facilities. This trip offers a good standard of accommodation throughout the trip. We'll spend 12 nights in hotels with en suite facilities that are located in interesting areas, for example in Bogota we stay in the historic 'Candelaria' district and in Cartagena within the 'Getsemani' district. Some of the hotels have swimming pools. The final two nights feature a beach hotel on the Caribbean Coast, the perfect way to end the trip! Please note this is an EcoHotel which does not provide hot water.
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Reviewed September 2018 Taki Payazidis Trip: Discover Colombia Wonderful Tour Just came back from this wonderful tour of this lovely country. The tour was very well organised and diverse in it's content. All the places we visited and the activities were different which made it all the more enjoyable. Colombia is a very big country which meant that there were a couple of long days travelling with internal flights but that was to be expected. I loved this tour and would recommend. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Salt Cathedral, Coffee tour, Cartagena.
Reviewed September 2018 Anne Grabham Trip: Discover Colombia A fabulous trip! When I told people I was going to Colombia for a holiday the reaction was always the same - Really?? Isn't it dangerous? What do you want to go there for? It's a shame that a country gets a dodgy reputation and, in the case of Colombia, a totally unjustified reputation. Wherever we went people were friendly, we felt completely safe and at ease and the scenery was stunning. I'm sure there may be areas of the country which aren't so good for tourists to visit but this is surely the case in most countries. The trip is a wonderful mixture of culture, sightseeing and walking and with plenty of free time to explore further on your own and spend time in cafes watching the fascinating street life. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? There were so many highlights but for me Villa de Leyva was very special. It's main square (apparently the largest public square in Colombia) had no huge statue and/or water feature in its centre as you would expect from a square of this size (just a very small statue) and was also completely unevenly cobbled all over. Surrounded on all four sides by low rise, white washed buildings, with a beautiful backdrop of green mountains behind, gave it a very special quality and made it quite clear that this was a Latin American town not a European one. When 6 men on horseback unexpectedly appeared in the square, galloped round two sides and out again it made it just perfect! Guitarists abound in cafes and on street corners adding to the atmosphere. Bogota was a surprise. I was expecting it to be a fairly nondescript city, just used as a starting point for the trip, but it was a real delight. The old city was fascinating to explore with beautiful buildings, interesting museums and lively street life. The Cocora Valley was stunning - a really beautiful area. Cartegena we knew would be lovely and it certainly didn't disappoint. Oh, and the Salt Cathedral! Simply amazing! What did you think of your group leader? Juan Carlos was friendly and very knowledgeable about his country. He suggested some good places to eat and in Cartegena introduced us to Colombian street food which not only was delicious but also extremely good value! He was particularly helpful to me when my suitcase failed to turn up at the start of the trip. I wasn't reunited with it until three days before the end of the holiday but Juan Carlos spent a lot of time emailing and telephoning people trying to locate it for me. He helped me fill in endless forms and accompanied me to the airport to pick it up when it finally appeared. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Wear long trousers and use insect repellent in the coffee plantation! We had a great time picking coffee and exploring the plantation but I was badly bitten! Is there anything else you would like to add? Colombia is a beautiful country - lush and green, with stunning scenery. The towns are so pretty with their colourfully painted houses and the people are friendly and welcoming. I would have liked to have seen more of the country, a three week trip would have been great.
Reviewed September 2018 Andy Davies Trip: Discover Colombia Fantastic Diverse Tour Wow. Just returned from an amazing trip and can't believe how much we did in the time. Colombia is colourful, very friendly and safe. Juan Carlos was a great guide and he looked after our wonderful group very well indeed. A lot of travel but in a country so vast not unexpected. Huge variation in climate from cold in Bogota to steamy and humid near the Caribbean. Fantastic food and lots of options Fabulous safe experience and my third trip to South America; don't hesitate just go! Recommend you go one day early to recover from the trip; Exodus arranged this for me and it worked like clockwork. I am planning to return to Colombia independently next year based on this experience. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Sitting at the orchid farm eating lunch whilst dozens of hummingbirds were feeding right next to us. Last group meal on the beach with a bonfire and Latino music with the waves almost lapping our feet! The colour of the buildings and awesome food. What did you think of your group leader? Juan Carlos was great. Very professional and intelligent kind man who really went out of his way for me several times. He needs to work on his table tennis though :) Do you have any advice for potential travellers? See above. Book a day early to recover from the flights. We started at 8am and some people had only arrived at the hotel at 4.30am. Bring mosquito spray for the coffee plantation tour. Is there anything else you would like to add? Fabulous experience from booking to return.
Reviewed May 2018 Sujan Azad Parikh Trip: Discover Colombia Amazing Experiience and am Awesome Group Leader I along with my wife went for the Discover Colombia package and it was a marvelous experience which we will chersih forever. Starting from the journey to reaching the place, sightseeing, food, accomodation, everything was just the way we wanted and we didn't had to compromise on anything. We loved the way we were shown around the country and definitely would love to go once again with Exodus. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The moment when we two suddenly wandered off from the group and couldn't find them. Hilarious but that was an exciting moment. What did you think of your group leader? Dedicated, professional, friendly and very supportive. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? None. Is there anything else you would like to add? No
Reviewed March 2018 Barry Cooper Trip: Discover Colombia An Interesting visit to a diverse Country This Tour travels firstly to Bogota and then to other areas of Colombia some of which are a considerable distance from the capital so there are several internal flights using the National Airline Avianca and always on modern Airbus aircraft. Colombia is a vast country which is only now emerging from a long period of unrest and consequently some areas of the Country are still not considered safe to visit. The areas visited on this Tours are safe and give an excellent impression of Colombia from the Colonial architecture of Villa de Leyva to the busy city of Cartagena and the rural landscape around Salento. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? This is an impossible question when the trip is made up of so many interesting moments and I wish Exodus would rename it for this review.. Bogota is a busy Capital City and the graffiti decorating so many buildings is interesting and often works of art in themselves, the journey by Jeep Willy into the Cocora Valley culminating in a sight of a condor something very rare in this part of Colombia, and lastly the old city of Cartagena very busy with cruise ships calling but vibrant What did you think of your group leader? Unusually, we had two leaders, Juan Carlos and Andreas. Andreas was in training and his friendly approachable disposition complemented Juan Carlos's efficient leading so we were superbly led Nothing was too much trouble for either leader and they were always they to help and support. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? This is a busy tour and you arrive in Bogota Airport at 0400 and you start the City sightseeing at 0900 so if you can arrive a day earlier, it would be less tiring. Is there anything else you would like to add? I linked this tour with Discover Costa Rica and the two two complimented one another. Colombia was Historical and cultural whereas Costa Rica was Natural History. If the dates fit and you have the time, I can recommend this arrangement.
Reviewed March 2016 Stella Pilsworth Trip: Discover Colombia Discover Colombia A wonderful introduction to a complex country. The colour and architecture of the historic towns we visited was was fascinating and vibrant. The people were welcoming and friendly and Tayrona National Park and coastline was just beautiful. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Cartagena was the place I wanted to see and I wasn't disappointed. Hearing the horses hooves clopping around the old town at night as they took the carriages through the beautiful narrow streets was lovely. What did you think of your group leader? Friendly and agreeable but he certainly needed more experience. He was out of his depth with a group of 15 or so seasoned travellers. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? You do need to be reasonably fit to keep up with the group and participate in the long walks. Also the last day involves a hike out of Tayrona to get the coach and it is a long journey back home before you can shower unless you book an extra night in Bogota.
Reviewed March 2016 Derek Gott Trip: Discover Colombia Discover Colombia Colombia was a pleasant surprise. The people are friendly and the accommodation and food are of a good standard. We visited a variety of interesting places ranging from the cool highlands to the heat of the Caribbean coast. We has a comfortable air conditioned bus and travelling, once we escaped the traffic jams in Bogota was easy. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? It was all new to me . I particularly enjoyed visiting Villa de Leyva, the coffee zone, Cartagena and Tayrona N.P. What did you think of your group leader? Gabriel is a pleasant friendly lad. He admitted he was still learning but we all liked him. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? It helps if you have an elementary knowledge of Spanish if you go off on your own.Be careful after dark as there are a lot of uneven pavements in the towns. Take care of you valuables.
Reviewed December 2014 Stephen Devlin Trip: Discover Colombia Discover Colombia AAK My first group tour & my first time to South America. A well organised and interesting trip. Nice group of people from all over the UK and Europe from various backgrounds and age groups. Very informative site seeing tour with easy walks within national parks, coffee regions and city locations. Enough time on your own if needed to look around, yet always felt part of the group. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Salento in the coffee region. One of the most beautiful Village's and location I've travelled to. Small independent coffee grower tour that shows how a small family business survives in a very competitive global market. Very interesting, educational and enjoyable tour! What did you think of your group leader? Our group leader was fantastic Always on hand to answer questions or assist you when needed. Very informative and articulate Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Book the trip as soon as you can................. Don't book a hammock at the end of your trip in the Tayrona national park, people were bitten quite badly by insects. Upgrade to a Cabana instead.
Reviewed October 2013 Anonymous Trip: Discover Colombia DISCOVER COLOMBIA This trip is ideal for someone caught up in the western world with bad media coverage. Colombia is anything but dangerous and scary. This place stole my heart and this Exodus tour captured just a small portion of Colombia's natural beauty. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Being grounded in Bogota for 2 additional nights due to farming protests and roadblocks restricted us from travelling to Villa De Leyva, which enabled me to see, firsthand, the people's resistance against its own government. Waking up surrounded by mountains in Manizales at the Palestina Ecohotel left me breathless. Arriving in the Caribbean, in beautiful Cartagena and being welcomed by a wet, yet very warm tropical storm. The rain at no point could get in the way of this perfect city. Tayrona NP and the hammock experience ! Apart from the hammock not being the most comfortable bedding I’ve ever slept in, this experience is unforgettable - as you fall asleep to the sound of wildlife and nature. Topped off the following day by a swim at a pristine, secluded beach. Absolute paradise ! What did you think of your group leader? Juan really was perfect for this trip. He is so passionate about his country and is incredibly experienced. His local knowledge in all cities was the best I’d ever had on any tour. He knew the best restaurants (very well priced), hideouts and most importantly he knew where to find the best coffee. He became one of the group members early on yet remained aware of each group member's whereabouts at all times. There's no doubting our experience was made better with Juan leading the way !! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Remember, Colombia is only just opening up to tourists ! Be flexible for itinerary changes, lack of water pressure and on the odd occasion, no hot water (Mostly in the Caribbean areas) Take a wet proof jacket and a lot of sunscreen. The climate is very different from North to South. **IMPORTANT ADVICE** DO NOT go horse riding in the Cocora Valley !! This is the alternative to a 5 hour hike and not worth the risk even if you are an experienced rider. It is very wet, slippery, muddy, rocky and STEEP terrain. It's certainly not the best ground to fall on, let alone from a further 2 meters up !! (Pack hiking shoes) Is there anything else you would like to add? Although this tour doesn’t include places like Cali, Medellin, San Andres, Providencia, San Agustin, Popayan, the Amazon, Ciudad Perdida etc etc etc. it STILL offers so much !! Take some extra time and see more if you need to, or simply go back the following year. As they say over there, "The only risk is wanting to Stay !"
Reviewed September 2013 Anonymous Trip: Discover Colombia DISCOVER COLOMBIA The trip was varied and Colombia is a great country, but you need to be flexible and understanding to potential changes.We had a few issues due to strikes (by the farmers and lorry drivers) and a few flight delays, but the trip leader did everything he could to ensure our safety and that we were kept aware of the frequently changing situations which were out of the control of anyone. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The intensity of the electrical storms in the Coffee Region and Tayrona National Park. Colombia and it's people are lovely and there is wide variations between the different regions, it really is magical. What did you think of your group leader? Juan took a lot of time to ensure we are all OK and looked after. He did an amazing job at helping us at restuarants to ensure we all ordered what we wanted and had separate bills.Juan talked a lot about Colombia, it's people and cultures and was very knowledgeable. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be prepared to be flexible.
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