Discover Colombia's Great Cities - 14 Days

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Bogotá, Optional City Tour

Welcome to Bogotá! A driver will meet you at the airport for transportation to the hotel, your home base, for the next few days.

Bogotá is on the rise in terms of gastronomy and culture, so spend your free time discovering this vibrant Andean capital by foot. Explore the cobblestone streets through the La Candelaria neighborhood, where trendy restaurants and colonial-era landmarks are located. While here, don't forget to visit the excellent museums, shopping, and street food options ranging from empanadas to exotic fruit salads.

Day 2: Bogotá City Tour

After breakfast, continue to explore the city by yourself or with a guide. Here are some things that you should see:

• Stroll through Bogota's lively streets for walled graffiti art, cafés, bookstores, art galleries, and historic plazas and statues while learning about the fascinating political history of Colombia's capital.
• Take the cable car to Monserrate for one of the best views of the city.
• Visit La Concordia market to learn about fruits, vegetables, and spices used in local cuisine.
• Spend a few hours gazing at pre-Hispanic works at the Gold Museum.
• Check out the local music scene with live bands and street festivals.

Day 3: Transfer to Salento, Overnight at a Coffee Farm 

Today, you'll fly to Armenia and will be transferred to the colonial town of Salento, a quaint pueblo surrounded by bright green Andean mountains. Despite a rise in tourism over the past decade, this beautiful place retains an old-world charm with colorful Paisa architecture, musicians on street corners, and an incredible range of handicrafts. Near the town center, you'll find yourself in view of the distinct Quindío wax palms, which are among the highest trees in the world, reaching a height of up to 230 feet (70 m).

Furthering this experience, you will have the opportunity to stay overnight at a local coffee farm (finca in Spanish) and learn every step of the coffee production process, not to mention frequent tastings!

Day 4: Hike in Valle de Cocora

Near the charming colonial town of Salento, this remarkably lush (and thankfully protected) cloud forest gives the phrase "verdant green" new meaning. Add in the soaring, skinny wax palms—Colombia's national tree—which cheerfully dot the mountainous landscape, and the Valle de Cocora (Cocora Valley) makes for an outstanding hiking opportunity that you won't want to miss.

When you arrive, there are two possible routes, so it depends on how much time you have and how much hiking you want to do. For those that want more exercise and adventure, there's a 5-6 hour loop that takes you through the forest, over wooden suspension bridges, and along steep hiking tracks. It's from this vantage point you will find the best views. For those with less time, you can experience the Valle de Cocora by heading straight for the trees for a 1-2 hour hike. Either way, you'll capture some amazing photos.

Day 5: Tour Salento & Coffee Farms

This morning take an in-depth walking tour of the quaint colonial streets of Salento. Founded in 1850, the town is a shining example of the typical guadua-bamboo-influenced architecture with brightly colored facades and is even more beautiful in the presence of the surrounding Andean views and the wax palm-filled Cocora Valley. Coffee and trout fishing are big industries in Salento and the surrounding region.

In the afternoon, take a driving tour of the Coffee Triangle, stopping at fincas along the way.

Day 6: Fly to Medellín, Explore

You'll be picked up at the Medellín airport and then transferred to a hotel nearby. Depending on the time of your flight, you can explore on your own or join a local tour to learn more about this thriving, modern city.

Despite its dangerous past, Medellín today is quite charming with its beautiful mountain setting, friendly locals, and vibrant culture. Most of the city's tourism is centered around Parque Lleras in the heart of the trendy El Poblado district, where the best dining, nightlife, and hotel options are within easy reach. You can take a ride on the city's gondola (Metrocable) to see the view or walk around the various parks, plazas, and museums. Either way, enjoy the weather—due to a high elevation near the equator, the city has year-round spring temperatures.

Day 7: Medellín City Tour & Metrocable Rides

This guided tour starts with breakfast and takes you through one of Colombia's most successful urban development projects. Named the World's Most Innovative City in 2013, the city has undergone a massive transformation through a number of social and infrastructure victories aimed to include, empower, and revitalize some of Medellín's worst areas.

You'll take a ride on the Metrocable, the city's iconic gondola car system (great views!), towards remote neighborhoods on the valley side. You'll also visit entire areas that have been redeveloped, allowing the Paisas (people from Medellín and Antioquia—the department of which Medellín is the capital) to enjoy their city once more.

After descending once more on the Metrocable, you'll have a typical Paisa lunch at one of the city's well-known restaurants. The rest of the afternoon and evening is yours to enjoy at leisure.

Day 8: Day Trip to Guatapé & Hike El Peñón de Guatapé

Today, you'll head east of Medellín and explore the picturesque lakeside town of Guatapé. Take a two-hour walking tour through the countryside and learn about the town's conflict surrounding the building of the dam that was renamed Guatapé Lake. You'll gain an insider's perspective on local efforts to pressure the government to address the reservoir's encroaching blue-green algae.

As you walk toward the neighboring town of El Peñol, absorb stunning vistas of the dazzling granite El Peñón de Guatapé (the Rock of Guatapé). Climb the 740 steps to admire the classic view from above. Return to Guatapé and explore the streets. This is truly the most colorful town in Colombia, with colorful designs and murals depicting countryside scenes painted along the lower half of its buildings. Head to a restaurant for a relaxing meal of freshwater fish and other local delicacies.

Day 9: Transfer to Tayrona National Park

This morning, you'll depart for Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona (Tayrona National Park) at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The picturesque national park sits between the Piedras River and the Caribbean Sea and is quite a sight to behold. Here, you will encounter a wide range of landscapes, from tropical rainforests, white sand beaches, mangrove swamps, and one of the few coral reefs in Colombia. With this diverse array of landscapes comes a huge variety of plants, birds, mammals, and marine life.

When you arrive, spend some free time exploring the area and enjoy the scenery.

Day 10: Tour Tayrona National Park

Today, you'll experience some of South America's loveliest coastline with a guided tour to the stunning beaches and rainforests of Tayrona—one of three national parks on Colombia's Caribbean coast. The trip starts with a hike in the tropical foothills near Cañaveral, the base of the Sierra Nevada mountains. You'll then visit the exotic beaches of Arrecifes and stop at La Piscina, an ideal spot for swimming and snorkeling.

Continue to Cabo San Juan del Guia and see a wonderful bay of white sand surrounded by huge volcanic rocks. On the way here, you can observe several species of local flora and fauna pointed out by your knowledgeable guide. The afternoon is your free time to enjoy lunch and relax on the shore.

Day 13: Day Trip to the Rosario Islands

Rise and shine! Today, you will be picked up from your hotel bright and early and transferred to the pier for a speedboat transfer toward the Baru Peninsula. Along the way, you will see Tierra Bomba Island and Boca Chica, an ancient fort that once protected Cartagena.

Once you arrive at the Rosario Islands, change into your swimwear before you head to Playa Azul, a stunning white-sand beach on the bright turquoise Caribbean Sea. After lunch is served, you will have time to relax and sunbathe or do some kayaking in the sea before returning to Cartagena in the late afternoon. A car will pick you up at the pier to take you back to your hotel.

Day 14: Depart Cartagena

It's time to say farewell to Colombia! Enjoy your last moments of Cartagena in a relaxing café, or (if you have not done so yet) take a walk around the city with an English-speaking guide to gain a new perspective of the city from a local.

This optional tour covers Cartagena's enchanting maze of colorful houses and lively squares from the 16th century. Meander through the colonial neighborhoods of San Diego and Santo Domingo while learning about main sites like the Popa Monastery, Saint Philip's Castle, and El Museo del Oro.

A representative will meet you at your hotel and drive you to the airport for your return flight home.

More Great Colombia Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Colombia? Check out these other Colombia itineraries, explore different ways to spend two weeks in Colombia, or discover the best time to visit Colombia.