This seven-day Colombia itinerary introduces the whole family to Medellín and Cartagena. The adventure starts in Medellín, where you'll soar over the city by cable car and discover exotic sea creatures in the Explora Aquarium. After a day trip to colorful Guatapé, fly to Cartagena on the Caribbean coast. Here you'll learn about the city's past on a treasure hunt through its historic center, ride horses on the beach, and bathe in volcanic mud.
Highlights
- Visit Guatapé, the most colorful town in Colombia
- Explore Medellín and see piranhas and electric eels at Explora Aquarium
- Search for pirate treasure in Cartagena's historic center
- Take a bath in volcanic mud and ride horses on the beach
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Medellín | Medellín |
| Day 2 | Explora Park & El Castillo | Medellín |
| Day 3 | Flowers, Nature & Villages: Silletas, Guatapé & El Peñol | Medellín |
| Day 4 | Transfer to Cartagena, Chocolate Experience | Cartagena |
| Day 5 | Barbacoco Pirate Game & Treasure Hunt | Cartagena |
| Day 6 | Horseback Ride, Mud Bath & The Pink Sea | Cartagena |
| Day 7 | Depart Cartagena |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Medellín
Day 2: Explora Park & El Castillo
Today, you will discover the beautiful city of Medellín. Start with a tour around the city center, where you'll visit the Plaza San Antonio, Botero Square, and the Museum of Antioquia before boarding the iconic MetroCable gondola for panoramic views across the city.
Next, kids of all ages will love Explora Park, an interactive science museum. The museum contains over 300 interactive attractions, as well as a 3D auditorium, planetarium, television studio, and vivarium. It also houses South America's largest freshwater aquarium, Explora Aquarium, which displays nearly 4,000 organisms and 400 of Colombia's most common species including piranhas, electric eels, and a panchromatic kaleidoscope of fish.End your day with a picnic in the beautiful gardens of Museo El Castillo, a Gothic-style castle in Medellín that is now a museum. Its gardens offer plenty of space for kids to run and play, while parents can soak up beautiful views of the city.
Day 3: Flowers, Nature & Villages: Silletas, Guatapé & El Peñol
Continue to the town of Guatapé, known for the fresco-like adornment of its traditional houses, with brightly painted bas-relief depictions of people, animals, and shapes. Kids will love exploring the candy-colored streets as your specialized guide shares stories about the local culture. When you've worked up an appetite, treat the whole family to a typical Colombian lunch along the waterfront. Afterward, you'll have time to explore the lake on a boat ride and let the kids burn off some energy before you return to Medellín.
Plan your trip to Colombia
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 4: Transfer to Cartagena & Chocolate Experience
After getting settled, kids will be sure to love this afternoon's chocolate experience. Youngsters will start the tasty workshop learning about cocoa beans, exploring their taste, texture, and smell as they watch how Colombian cocoa and chocolate are made. Then it's time to get creative, as little ones are free to design their own molds, decorate with cocoa butter-based paints, and add their favorite toppings to create one-of-a-kind chocolate masterpieces. Along the way, they'll sample some delicious chocolate drinks, take fun photos, and be presented with a mini amateur chocolatier certificate.
Day 5: Barbacoco Pirate Game & Treasure Hunt
Today you'll join an interactive treasure hunt for a day of fun and adventure throughout the historic center of Cartagena. Inspired by the corsairs who frequented the Caribbean coast on the hunt for Spanish galleons laden with the riches of the New World, Barbacoco's Treasure introduces children to the flavors and history of the city through the fantastic world of pirates.
Following a treasure map and a series of fun tests and challenges along the way, the game is designed for ages five and up, stimulating the imagination, the spirit of adventure, and the capacity for teamwork while exploring a true colonial city that was attacked by real pirates. After a day of solving clues, firing cannons, and fleeing from sharks, the adventure ends with a picnic at sunset, full of kid-friendly local dishes.
Day 6: Horseback Ride, Mud Bath & The Pink Sea
Today's itinerary is jam-packed. First, kids are sure to love playing in the mud on a visit to Totumo Mud Volcano, where the whole family can put on their swimsuits and soak in a warm mud pool. After getting cleaned up, get back on the road and head to Salinas de Galerazamba ("The Pink Sea"), where you'll learn how minerals and algae give this natural wonder its candy-pink hue.
Then it's time to saddle up for an adventure at a small ranch that has been declared a National Heritage Site for its treasured Paso Fino horses. Tracing their roots back to the horses of the Spanish Conquistadors, this gentle breed is known for its smooth, comfortable gaits and high-stepping style. After learning about the horses, each member of the family will be paired with the perfect mount for their abilities and set off to enjoy an unforgettable horseback ride along the beach. After a long day of adventure and fun, return to Cartagena to enjoy your final evening of the trip at your leisure.
Then it's time to saddle up for an adventure at a small ranch that has been declared a National Heritage Site for its treasured Paso Fino horses. Tracing their roots back to the horses of the Spanish Conquistadors, this gentle breed is known for its smooth, comfortable gaits and high-stepping style. After learning about the horses, each member of the family will be paired with the perfect mount for their abilities and set off to enjoy an unforgettable horseback ride along the beach. After a long day of adventure and fun, return to Cartagena to enjoy your final evening of the trip at your leisure.
Day 7: Depart Cartagena
It is time to say goodbye to Colombia! After enjoying a last breakfast at the hotel, you will be picked up and driven to the airport to catch your departing flight! Safe travels!
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