Highlights of Ecuador & Colombia Tour

ECUADOR:

Day 1 (not included)

Free day

Welcome to Quito Airport (UIO)! We recommend resting at Hotel San Francisco de Quito.

Day 2 (not included)

Free day, ideas to do by yourself

• 9:00 am: Arrive in Quito and check into your hotel.
• 10:00 am: Visit the historic center of Quito, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk around the charming streets and admire the colonial-era architecture of buildings such as the Cathedral of Quito and the Church of the Society of Jesus.
• 12:00 pm: Have lunch at a local restaurant (We recommend: https://www.delallama.net/) 😋
• 1:00 pm: Take a cable car ride to the top of Pichincha Volcano for a panoramic view of the city.
• 3:00 pm: Visit the Middle of the World monument, which marks the location of the equator, and take part in the experiments that demonstrate the effects of being on the equator.
• 6:00 pm: Have dinner at a local restaurant (We recommend: https://zazuquito.com/) 🍴
  

Day 3 (not included)

Free day, ideas to do by yourself

• 8:00 am: Take a day trip to the Otavalo Indian Market, known for its textiles and crafts.
• 12:00 pm: Have lunch at a local restaurant.
• 1:00 pm: Visit the Basilica del Voto Nacional, a Gothic-style church that offers an excellent view of the city from its tower.
• 3:00 pm: Visit the Mitad del Mundo Museum, which gives information about Ecuador's history and culture.
• 5:00 pm: Relax at Parque La Carolina.
• 7:00 pm: Have dinner at a local restaurant.
• 8:00 pm: Return to your hotel to rest and pack for the next day's transfer. 😴

We hope you have a great time in Ecuador! Don't hesitate to contact us if you need any assistance. ✨

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Day 4 - Transfer In

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Private Transfer ($80) - 2 hours

• 8:00 am: Check out from your hotel and start your 4-hour drive to Santa Lucia Lodge.
• 10:00 am: Arrive at the ecolodge Santa Lucia Lodge, check-in, and have lunch.

Public Transportation - Alternative

Alternatively, you could take the bus from Quito (bus company: Minas, bus terminal: La Ofelia) to Nanegal. From here we can bring you to the trailhead and back to Nanegal for $15 (one-way). A bus ticket is $2.90 per person and the ride takes about two hours. Unfortunately, during the week, the bus schedule is very tourist-unfriendly. The first bus leaves at 12:00 pm, so you'd be in Nanegal around 2 pm and at the trailhead 2.45 pm. Considering it's a climb of about two hours to reach the lodge, you'd arrive very late. For the way back, the last bus from Nanegal to Quito passes through Nanegal around 9:30 am.

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Santa Lucia Lodge - 4D/ 3N (can be 3D/2N)

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The eco-lodge and its cabins are located in the heart of a montane rain forest on top of a mountain, offering stunning views at 1.900 meters above sea level. Our reserve covers an area of 730 hectares: 80% of it is a pristine montane rain forest. It is located in one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth: the Chocó Andean Hotspot.

Important: We recommend arriving between 8 am – 11 am.

• Arrival by car at the entrance of the main trail where our guide is waiting for you. They will give you a short explanation about the hike from the parking spot to the lodge.
• Guided hike of about two hours through the mature secondary forest (about 2.5 km long, 500 meters uphill – approx. 2 hours)
• There is a good chance of observing many bird and invertebrate species.
• Welcome, introduction, and check-in.
• Lunch in our dining room with spectacular panoramic views.
• 3:00 pm - Hike along the self-guided trail: This walk through mature secondary forest offers a good chance to have a close look at cloud forest flora and fauna and includes a visit to our orchid garden, where, depending on the season, you can find flowers of up to 30 species.
• 7:00 pm - Dinner
• A good night's sleep in one of our comfortable private cabins.

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Day 5

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• 4:00 am - Visit of the Cock-of-the-Rock Lek (a place where the males of that species display their mating ritual).
• Box breakfast in the forest.
• Return to the lodge through vast primary forest and along the mountain ridge. This is a good chance for bird observation (11 km in total – approx. 5 hours).
• Rest.
• 1:00 pm - Lunch in our dining room with spectacular panoramic views.
• 2:00 pm - Preparation of "Quimbolitos”: You have the chance to prepare this typical and very tasty little gem with our kitchen staff.
• 7:00 pm - Dinner.

Day 6

• 7:00 am - Breakfast enjoying the spectacular views from our dining room
• 8:30 am - Walk to our sugar cane plantation: a short explanation of our conservation activities, sustainability, and research projects, including the camera trapping project and monitoring of the Andean Bear and other large mammals.
• Connection to the waterfall trail.
• Walk along the trail where you can see 3 different waterfalls and as a destination, you reach the river, where in season you can take a refreshing swim (7km in total – appr. 6 hours)
• Box lunch by the river
• Return to the lodge and rest
• 7:00 pm - Dinner
• A good night's sleep in one of our comfortable private cabins

Day 7 (not included the night)

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• 6:00 am - optional - Bird watching and observation of forest flora and fauna around the lodge and on the self-guided trail
• 7:00 am - Breakfast enjoying the spectacular views from our dining room
• 8:30 am - option 1: hike downhill on a trail that leads towards the Umachaca river passing through wonderfull primary forest and a former banana plantation until reaching the river.
• By the river, you have the chance to walk upstream where can enjoy a wonderful waterfall. After lunch in by the river, you'll follow an ancient pre-Incan trail where you will learn about the history of the region while enjoying a walk through primary forest with spectacular tree ferns and other attractions of our flora and fauna. The trail leads to a pasture that offers spectacular views on the river and the surrounding forests*(6km downhill – appr. 6 hours)*
• 10:30 - option 2: walk down the main trail on which you will keep observing more birds, insects while also enjoying various interesting aspects of our megadiverse flora (2.5km downhill – appr. 3 hours)
• Box lunch in the forest
• 2:00 pm - Departure

TRANSFER OUT (+ $100)

Direction to Quito, stay one night in the hotel of our choice.

Free afternoon and evening to relax

You could stay one night, we advise you to rest at Hotel San Francisco de Quito.

Day 8 - Free Day - Flight to Bogota (+$100-$200)

Arrive at Bogota Airport (BOG).

Check-In and Arrival, Bogotá

On the first day of the trip, our transport coordinator, will pick you up from the airport and drop you off at your hotel. He will provide you with the driver's name for the next day.

• Hotel in Bogota: to define

Day 9 - La Candelaria and Monserrate, Bogotá

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DURATION: 5-7 hours

On the first actual day of your trip, you will take our tour of La Candelaria in the historic center of Bogotá. The tour includes visits to Plaza de Bolivar, Casa de Nariño, Chorro de Quevedo, and two of the most important museums in the area - The Gold Museum and the Botero Museum. You will also enjoy local gastronomic experiences such as fruits, coffee, and a delicious typical lunch. Additionally, you will take the cable car up to Monserrate to observe the city from the top, visit the basilica, and its natural areas. The pickup time is scheduled at 08:30 am. After the end of the tour, you will return to your hotel.

• Tour guide: to define
• Hotel in Bogota: to define

Highlights

• Historical landmarks in downtown Bogota
• Top attractions, including the Botero Museum, Gold Museum, and Monserrate Hill (chosen according to length options)
• A tour around Zipaquira and Guatavita villages

Day 10

Zipaquirá and Guatavita, Bogotá

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DURATION: 10 hours

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Full-day adventure outside Bogota city
• Guided tour at the Salt Mine and Lake
• History lesson on indigenous cultures and its transition to Catholicism through salt
• Retelling of local legends, ancestral myths and indigenous folklore
• Tour around Zipaquira and Guatavita villages

On this day, you will visit the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, one of the wonders of Colombia and the Guatavita Lagoon, where the Legend of El Dorado is said to take place. For this, you will head north of the city, first to the town of Zipaquirá. You will go through the tunnels and roads of the salt mine, to see the only subway Catholic church in the world and its history. Then, you will go to the town of Guatavita and walk to the natural park of Guatavita and learn about its legends. You will enjoy a delicious traditional lunch and at the end of the day, you will return to your hotel.

• Pickup time : to define
• Tour guide:  to define
• Hotel in Bogota: to define

Day 11

Bogota, Villavieja and Tatacoa Desert

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You will start the day early. Your driver will take you directly to Villavieja (7-to-8-hour trip). After the check-in in the hotel, you will meet the local guide in Villavieja. You will visit the Paleontological Museum where a great variety of fossils found in the region are exhibited.

Then you will go to the Tatacoa Desert where we will visit the Hoyos and Ventanas sectors, considered the gray zone. Afterwards you will go to the Cuzco and Cardón sector, considered the red part. At night, you will visit the astronomical observatory where you will make a recognition of the sky under the direction of the astronomer.

• You will go back to the hotel around 20:00.
• The pickup time: to define
• Hotel: to define

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Day 12

Villavieja, Bogota departure to Pereira

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After breakfast, you will take a refreshing ride in motocanoa on the Magdalena River, enjoying the wildlife and the wonderful scenery that frames the river, you will pass through the turtle sector, to the house of Mohan. the Mohan's house. Optional recreational swim in the river.

After the check out, a driver will pick you up and take you back to Bogota’s international airport to take a flight to Pereira.

• Pick-up time to go back to Bogota : to define
• Flight Bogota- Pereira
• Hotel in Pereira Soratama

Day 13

Santa Rosa Hot Springs, Pereira.

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DURATION: 6 - 8 hours

The guide will pick you up in Soratama Hotel and you will visit the town of Santa Rosa de Cabal where you will visit the hot springs, rich in minerals and known for their medicinal properties. You will walk through the beautiful landscapes of this place, with its waterfalls and mountainous areas and enjoy its natural pools. You will also taste some typical dishes and a traditional lunch before returning to your hotel around 6:00 pm.

• The pickup time: to define
• Tour guide: to define
• Hotel in Pereira Soratama

HIGHLIGHTS :

• Visiting the traditional small town of Santa Rosa de Cabal
• A therapeutic experience in the hot and rich in minerals medicinal waters of the thermal springs
• Tasting one of the most popular varieties of Colombian chorizo: santarrosano
• A walk along the village learning about farming culture
• A chance to meet warmth of locals

Day 14

Cocora Valley and Coffee farm, Pereira and Salento.

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DURATION: 08 hours

On this day, your tour guide Pedro will pick you up at Soratama Hotel and then you will take course to Salento, Quindío. You will start the morning with a hike to the Cocora Valley, the natural sanctuary of the wax palms, Colombia's national tree. You will learn about Colombian farmer traditions, and you will take pictures of the breathtaking scenery at the viewpoints and enjoy a typical homemade lunch.

You will also enjoy a tour of a coffee farm to learn about the entire coffee process, from planting, harvesting, picking and roasting. You will be able to pick cherries with local guides and participate in a coffee tasting with the baristas. Also you will make a small walking tour of Salento, have a delicious typical lunch. At the end of the tour you will go back to Pereira and your hotel.

• The pickup time : to define
• Tour guide: to define
• Hotel in Pereira Soratama

HIGHLIGHTS

• A walk to remember around the Cocora Valley
• A brief lesson about the Coffee Triangle and the Wax Palm Trees for its environmental and popular importance
• A guided tour along the farm and its plantation
• Getting to know the full process of growing coffee, from its seeds to the roasting
• Picking up coffee cherries and planting coffee seedlings
• A brief lesson about the great value of coffee for Colombian coffee growers and the country’s economy in general.
• High-quality Colombian coffee tasting

Day 15

Pereira Departure to Medellin. City tour and Comuna 13

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Early in the morning, you will transfer to the airport to fly to Medellin. Once in Medellin’s airport, your driver will take you to Medellin City and you will start a City Tour. You will take a cablecar to visit Comuna 13 and see the streets full of graffiti and urban art. You will also walk around downtown and learn about this cultural and fun city. You will have some gastronomic experiences and you will also have time to have lunch. At the end of the tour you will go to your hotel.

• Pick-up time to go to Pereira’s airport : to define
• Flight Pereira- Medellin
• City tour starting time : to define
• Hotel in Medellin Jo&Joes
• Coordinator: to define

HIGHLIGHTS

• Historical landmarks in downtown Medellín
• Tick off top attractions including, Comuna 13, Memory House Museum, La Playa Avenue
• Understand Medellín political, economic and social context
• Local experiences of traditional food tasting: coffee and natural juices
• A day full of contrasts, experiences and memories of Medellín from local’s perspective

Day 16

Guatape and El Penol Rock with boat trip

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On this day, your tour guide will pick you up and take you the beautiful town of Guatape. Once here you will visit the outstanding Rock of El Peñol. To get the best views of the dam, you will take a 700-stairs. Although it looks challenging, views are rewarding. Afterwards, you will go downstairs and head tot Guatape to visit this magical colonial town. You will take a boat trip to have a different perspective of the dam. And then in Guatape you will tour around the colorful streets along the dam, learning about the history behind this man crafted beauty. By this time, you will go to a local restaurant to have a marvelous traditional lunch. After this great day, you will go back to Medellin and your hotel.

• The pickup time : to define
• Hotel in Medellin Jo&Joes
• Coordinator: to define

HIGHLIGHTS

• Leaving the city to visit the traditional and colorful Guatape town
• The worth doing challenge of climbing over than 600 stairs to El Peñol rock to have its stunning views
• 1-hour boat tour along the dam and learning its history and interesting facts
• Getting in touch with locals and taste traditional flavors
• The unforgettable experience of going to one of the most beautiful places in Colombia

Day 17

Medellin transfer and Arrival to Santa Marta

On this day you will have the morning to discover Medellin on your own. Then around 12:30 a driver will pick you up and take you Jose Maria Cordova airport to take a flight to Santa Marta.

Once in Santa Marta, a driver will pick you up and take you to your hotel.

• Pick-up time to go to Medellin’s airport : to define
• Flight Medellin – Santa Marta
• Hotel in Santa Marta Akua Marina‍

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Day 18

Minca waterfalls and Cacao Tour

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DURATION : 7 Hours

On this day, the guide and the driver will pick you up to take you the small town on the mountains near Santa Marta named Minca. Once there you will hike around the rainforest to some waterfalls of the area. You will be able to enjoy the refreshing waters for a while. You will also visit a cacao farm in the town in which the local guides will explain you the whole process of the cacao seed. Since the growing to the harvesting and also the preparation of different cacao products. Of course, you will have a tasting experience. At the end of the day you will go back to your hotel in Santa Marta.

• The pickup time: to define
• Hotel in Santa Marta Akua Marina
• Tour guide: to define

HIGHLIGHTS

• A reviving experience in the waters of Marinka waterfalls and Pozos Azules
• A brief lesson and tasting of one of the most unique Colombian coffees in La Victoria farm
• Eco-walks through Minca’s cool weather and magical nature
• A traditional lunch in the small town and quick tour around it
• Unforgettable memories of Minca’s landscapes

Day 19

Tayrona Park Day Tour

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DURATION : 10 hours

On this day, our driver and guide will pick you up and take you the incredible Tayrona National Park. After passing the entrances and receiving the recommendations, you will start an approximately 3-hour hike inside the tropical forest of Tayrona. All along the way, the guide will assist you and walk with you as you get to each stop. Some of them will offer breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea. You will get to the final stop: San Juan’s Cape and you’ll have time to relax at the beach and enjoy the area and the water. Then you will hike back to the starting point and the driver will take you back to your hotel in Santa Marta.

• The pickup time: to define
• Hotel in Santa Marta Akua Marina
• Tour guide: to define

HIGHLIGHTS

• A guided trip through the natural richness of Tayrona National Park
• Visiting the main beaches: Arrecifes (Reefs) and San Juan’s Cape
• A tasteful Caribbean lunch by the sea
• An adventure that ends with relaxing yourself in the shore
• Tons of amazing photo spots to capture memorable moments and Colombian landscapes

Day 20

Transfer to Barranquilla and City Tour

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A driver will pick you up in your hotel in Santa Marta and drive for 2-3 hours to Barranquilla.

Once in this city, you will meet a local guide who will take you to the main places around Barranquilla so you can see and explore the city: Paseo Bolívar, San Nicolás Square, Carnaval Museum, and the River Avenue boardwalk. You will have time to have lunch and after the tour ends, you will go to your hotel in Barranquilla.

• The pickup time : to define
• City tour starting time : to define
• Hotel in Barranquilla Ayenda 1309 Villa Dilia
• Tour guide: Samara Paez

HIGHLIGHTS

• Historical interesting facts about Barranquilla
• A visit along the main spots of the historical center
• Local experiences of traditional food tasting
• A tour around the Carnaval Museum
• Visit la Ventana al Mundo Monument
• A walk along River Avenue Boardwalk

Day 21

Barranquilla’s Carnival. Free day. Hotel in Barranquilla

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Day 22

Barranquilla’s Carnival. Free day. Hotel in Barranquilla

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Day 23

Barranquilla’s Carnival. Free day. Hotel in Barranquilla

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Day 24

End of Carnival. Transfer to Cartagena. Free afternoon.

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On this day, our driver will pick you up and drive for 2-3 hours to Cartagena. After the check in in your hotel, you will have free time to explore this city on your own.

• The pickup time : to define
• Hotel in Cartagena : Life is good

Day 25

Walled City and Castle of San Felipe, Cartagena

DURATION : 5-7 Hours

Our local tour guide will give you a tour through the Walled City and the historic center of Cartagena. You will visit the San Felipe Castle, the Palace of the Inquisition, the Clock Tower, the most important squares and the most important colonial houses in the area. During the tour you will have gastronomic experiences with the most typical products of the city, as well as a delicious local lunch.

• The pickup time : to define
• Hotel in Cartagena : Life is good
• Coordinator: to define

HIGHLIGHTS

• San Felipe Castle, and Getsemani neighbor guided tour
• Historical landmarks in the Walled City its squares, fortresses and bastions
• Tasting of typical Caribbean cuisine
• Optional: visiting La Popa, on the top of a hill, and enjoying Cartagena’s landscapes
• Plenty of spectacular photo spots for unforgettable memories of your trip to Cartagena.

Day 26

Beach day at Playa Tranquila and aquarium.

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DURATION : 8 HOURS

Finally, on the last day, you will have a rest day in Playa Tranquila and visit the Aquarium, both places located in the Rosario Islands. You will take a shared boat to get there and enjoy the Caribbean landscapes, the typical and fresh food and the scenery. At the end of the day, you will take the boat back to Cartagena and the hotel to finish all of our tours.

• The pickup time is scheduled at 8:30 am
• Hotel in Cartagena Life is good
• Coordinator: Nelson Noriega

HIGHLIGHTS

• A boat trip to Tranquila Beach
• A typical homemade Caribbean lunch
• A whole day to spend on the beach on your own
• The possibility of interacting with islanders and locals
• Enjoy the great biodiversity of Colombian seas

Day 27

Check out and departure

On the last day of the trip, you will have free time to finish exploring the city on your own. Finally, our driver will pick you up and take you to the airport for the last flight back to Bogota.

• Pick-up time to go to Cartagena’s airport
• Flight Cartagena - Bogota

With this, you will be finishing a trip to remember around the main places in Colombia and we will be delighted to have been part of this experience.

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