Chaska Tours Colombia

We worked with Michael through Kim Kim to plan a 15 day trip to Colombia with our family and we had a wonderful time! As we were travelling with three young kids (all 6 and under) we found Michael to be very receptive and attentive to modifying our itinerary as needed to make our travels as smooth as possible. He planned an excellent trip allowing us to hit many highlights including Solento and the Corcora Valley, Medellin and Guatape, Tayrona, Minca, Cartagena, and Isla Murcura! We... read more

We worked with Michael through Kim Kim to plan a 15 day trip to Colombia with our family and we had a wonderful time! As we were travelling with three young kids (all 6 and under) we found Michael to be very receptive and attentive to modifying our itinerary as needed to make our travels as smooth as possible. He planned an excellent trip allowing us to hit many highlights including Solento and the Corcora Valley, Medellin and Guatape, Tayrona, Minca, Cartagena, and Isla Murcura! We appreciated his honest advice for locations to arrange booked tours (as this is not something we usually do). The guides we had were fabulous and very helpful to have as we found English was often quite limited. Jose, Andreas, Rosa and Fabiola were wonderful to meet and very warm and welcoming. We had very smooth transportation and Michael went above and beyond to arrange to carseats for the kids which are very hard to find in Colombia. Our accommodations were comfortable and often very spacious for a family of 5! Another highlight for the very end of our trip was a communal meal in Bogota with 321 Colombia where we had a delicious dining experience to try an array of local dishes. Throughout our trip Michael was always available and helpful and able to answer questions which came up! This was our second experience travelling with Kim Kim and we were very impressed again!

Hotel Review

Sites

Medellin

We only stayed two nights but this was our favourite hotel in Columbia! It has a beautiful lobby that makes you feel like you are in a library, refreshing drinks for the hot weather, spacious and comfortable rooms, complementary laundry and a rooftop pool! Would highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Freshly renovated but still has character and charm

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Filandia, Salento and Valle del Cocora

Colombia

Beatiful and family friendly hike through Valle del Corcora. One of the highlights on the trip for sure!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip to Colombia, which included Medellin, Popayan, San Austin, and Bogota, was great! We had never used a tour company before and were very happy with our experience! David, the contact with Chaska tours, the local company, helped up plan a trip that we wanted that included urban experiences, countryside experiences, and exposure to the culture and people of Colombia. We also had an opportunity to practice our Spanish, as we requested, with guides who were also competent in English for... read more

Our trip to Colombia, which included Medellin, Popayan, San Austin, and Bogota, was great! We had never used a tour company before and were very happy with our experience! David, the contact with Chaska tours, the local company, helped up plan a trip that we wanted that included urban experiences, countryside experiences, and exposure to the culture and people of Colombia. We also had an opportunity to practice our Spanish, as we requested, with guides who were also competent in English for those times when we needed to make the switch. David and other staff were accessible to us via WhatsApp throughout the trip and were responsive, helpful, understanding, and quick to address any concerns that we had. We had, on the whole, excellent tour guides, and the availability and skill of the drivers made the whole experience feel secure and predictable. We are already thinking about what our next KimKim trip will be and we 100% recommend KimKim.

Where to start -- my husband and I were very skeptical about using a tour agency. We've traveled all over the world and never needed an travel agent. But now we have kids (ages 2 and 4) and we wanted to maximize our time in Colombia (a place we'd never been). So we cautiously decided to work with Michael.... The experience was so amazing that now I want Michael to plan EVERY trip ever ever take -- he's that good.

Michael prepared our entire trip with tons of amazing options. It was a bit... read more

Where to start -- my husband and I were very skeptical about using a tour agency. We've traveled all over the world and never needed an travel agent. But now we have kids (ages 2 and 4) and we wanted to maximize our time in Colombia (a place we'd never been). So we cautiously decided to work with Michael.... The experience was so amazing that now I want Michael to plan EVERY trip ever ever take -- he's that good.

Michael prepared our entire trip with tons of amazing options. It was a bit out of our budget so we asked him to pair down...then we got cold feet and thought "oh we can do this ourselves". So we limited our trip plans even more. Well, we arrived in Bogota and Michael had helped us with the first leg. We were so blown away by the people he had selected for us and how smoothly everything went that throughout our trip we had him add back in more and more from his original itinerary. And honestly, I wish we had taken his advice on a few more tours. We skipped out on doing the food, fruit and market walking tours and my friends who did do them, loved them.

Michael was so patient with us, so kind, and so understanding as we made decisions and then changed our minds. He was on call while we were in Colombia and his response time was incredible. I always felt like we had back up support for whatever we wanted. The PDFs KimKim provides are worth the investment. You know exactly what you are getting into. We had ton of questions and Michael answered everything.

You will not regret working with Michael! I just gave my Mom his info, lol.

Hotel Review

Casa Tayrona Los Naranjos

Beautiful and some of the best salads I've ever had.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Peñol Boulder & Guatapé Boat Trip

Medellín

Loved, loved, loved our drive and tour guide! Cauldia and William were great for our entire trip and we were with them all day. They shared amazing stories and we just really enjoyed their company the whole time.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

David and the team made our "Adventure Honeymoon" so special! David was so helpful and responsive, from breakfast suggestions to helping us manage a last minute change in our schedules. We felt like we had a friend helping us along the way, ready to step in if we needed help. We had a magical time with our guide in Bogota, who even arranged for vegetarian-friendly options on our bike/walking tour. We had never worked with kimkim before but will certainly come back for more. Thanks for... read more

David and the team made our "Adventure Honeymoon" so special! David was so helpful and responsive, from breakfast suggestions to helping us manage a last minute change in our schedules. We felt like we had a friend helping us along the way, ready to step in if we needed help. We had a magical time with our guide in Bogota, who even arranged for vegetarian-friendly options on our bike/walking tour. We had never worked with kimkim before but will certainly come back for more. Thanks for everything David!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Kartaxa Cartagena

Cartagena

Super beautiful hotel in the heart of Cartagena. We loved the courtyard, breakfast, and rooftop view!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Senda Koguiwa

Santa Marta

Beautiful location, friendly staff, very relaxing place to hang for a few days :)

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Isla Mucura

Isla Mucura

Beautiful location and friendly staff! We loved that the rooms had AC and had a great time snorkeling and on the jellyfish tour. Took off one star for two reasons: 1) it was difficult to schedule snorkeling and other tours (but we really enjoyed them once we were scheduled!) and 2) we got food poisoning (probably from the buffet). Overall though I'd still recommend this spot -- especially if you're traveling with kids!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Biking in Bogotá

Bogotá

We love bikes and bike tours so this was a perfect way to kick off our time in Colombia. Our local guide (she was amazing!) and her colleague (who had biked all over Colombia!) took us all around town, sharing Bogota with us. Really an unforgettable experience learning about the local art, history, and food. Thank you for making this day so special!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Loved the support from our guides who helped us navigate Colombia and see the best of this amazing country! Michael was super helpful putting together our ambitious itinerary and everything ran smoothly! read more

Loved the support from our guides who helped us navigate Colombia and see the best of this amazing country! Michael was super helpful putting together our ambitious itinerary and everything ran smoothly!

Hotel Reviews

Senda Watapuy

Santa Marta

This hotel was AMAZING! Gorgeous setting! Relaxing and quiet, delicious food, perfect massage experience, great value, fabulous staff!

Authenticity & Character

Aligned with nature and indigenous history

Location

The setting was absolutely gorgeous and literally set in nature.

Staff

So helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very tidy and comfortable. Loved the private balcony and pool.

Bh El Poblado

Medellín

Great location, helpful staff, delicious breakfast

Authenticity & Character

Location

Easy access to shops and restaurants within walking distance

Staff

Very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Casa de La Vega

La Candelaria, Bogotá

Hotel staff was amazing, helpful, kind. The location was great. The room itself was a bit shabby with a floor that seemed at any moment we may fall through. The location of our room was adjacent to the reception desk which meant bells dinging and doors clanging while travelers returned all hours of the night. But the staff, so nice and lovely!

Authenticity & Character

Very authentic to the area and quaint. Felt European.

Location

Great location for those wanting to explore the old city. Can get a little seedy at night.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very creaky. Seemed like we would fall through the floor.

Activity Reviews

Rosario Islands Day Trip

Cartagena

So fun! Loved the relaxing environment and opportunity for yoga, massages, snorkling.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great boat driver! So personable and helpful! Made sure everyone was happy.

Transport

Day Trip to Tayrona Beaches

Tayrona National Park

Really great trip. We were the only people at the beach which was great but could have been nice to have access to more activities and refreshments. The snorkeling guide was really knowledgeable.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Nature, Waterfalls & Coffee Farm in Minca

Colombia

Great trip and our guide was lovely. The amount of time devoted to the waterfall was quite long (2 hours) for just a quick viewing and walk. Perhaps that amount of time would be good if you took advantage of the swimming. We learned a lot about the coffee plantation and saw out guide's family home, which was delightful and inspiring. I would suggest that guests know that the tour was not during harvest time so mostly hearing the background and seeing the machinery.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved our guide! She was amazing and so sweet!

Transport

Peñol Boulder & Guatapé Boat Trip

Medellín

Such a fun trip to the Boulder! Gorgeous views from the top. Loved the visit to Guatape! The boat trip was nice and the visit to the replica just so so. Just touristy chatchkeys. Would have preferred more time on the boat or Guapate.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Loved our guide! So friendly, knowledgeable, fun!

Transport

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

Loved seeing the Botero statues, the cable car, and communa 13. I wished we had more time to enjoy the street performers in communa 13.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Same guide! Great to have her again!

Transport

Bogota Highlights Tour

Bogotá

Loved Monserrate and walking the city. The Gold Museum was cool. Our guide found us a really lovely spot for lunch and was very knowledgeable. The market experience was amazing. We tried most of breads and local fruits and juices. Doing more than listening was amazing!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide! Super helpful and knowledgeable. Was flexible and engaging!

Transport

What an awesome car we had. Very comfortable.

We had a really lovely experience in Colombia, and can't wait to return. In hindsight, we may have not moved from place to place quite as often, but given the amount of time we had in the country, I think Michael did an excellent job of maximizing our time while there. There were amazing things in every area, but the magic of El Dorado Nature Reserve and Venecia House cannot be overstated. Fred, at El Dorado Nature Reserve is one of the kindest and most lovely people I have ever had the... read more

We had a really lovely experience in Colombia, and can't wait to return. In hindsight, we may have not moved from place to place quite as often, but given the amount of time we had in the country, I think Michael did an excellent job of maximizing our time while there. There were amazing things in every area, but the magic of El Dorado Nature Reserve and Venecia House cannot be overstated. Fred, at El Dorado Nature Reserve is one of the kindest and most lovely people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. His energy was so calm, warm, and sweet. Everyone at El Dorado works so incredibly hard, and it did not go unnoticed and was so appreciated by my partner and I. The food was delicious, the rooms were lovely, and we really enjoyed sitting out on our balcony in our downtime. It's truly one of the most beautiful places, if not the most beautiful place, I have ever been to. The view from the restaurant is jaw-droppingly beautiful.

Though Tayrona National Park was very hot and humid, our day exploring with our guide had lots of rewards. From the beautiful park itself to the birds, to the adorable monkeys. It was a really incredible place, and our guide, Juaren, was very knowledgeable, friendly, and even went above and beyond to help us find one of our favorite birds! He was also our guide the previous days in Minca, where we went to a beautiful waterfall and on a morning birding hike with him.

Cesar, our guide for our Santa Marta city tour was also excellent. He braved a very very hot day in Santa Marta with us and made it enjoyable despite the scorching sun. (Which was no easy task!) We learned so much from him and really enjoyed our time with him and getting to know more about Colombia's history.

Heading to Manizales and the Venecia Coffee Farm House was a welcome respite from the heat of Santa Marta. We instantly felt relaxed upon arriving to the house. From the beautiful open rooms to the beautiful views from the wrap-around porch. Hammocks can be found in various spots around the porch, perfect for a nap and relaxing. The ladies who work at Venecia are so incredibly kind, and make some of the most delicious food. I am still dreaming about one of the soups we had while there.

While in Manizales we really loved our amazing guides at the Tinamou reserve. Another magical experience. The place was beautiful, and we saw many species of birds while there. The breakfast and lunch were very tasty and our guides were very knowledgeable and kind.

We also visited Finca Romelia which was also really nice. The owners, Jose and Marisa, were so welcoming. Jose's passion for the orchids, his home, and the nature around him was infectious. We loved getting to chat with him about his beautiful plants and home and felt inspired by the passion he has for this amazing place. Marisa prepared a fabulous lunch and breakfast for us, and easily accommodated us being vegetarian. Adrian, our guide, and his brother Juan, were the sweetest. We had a really nice time walking the property looking at birds, but also just chatting with them and getting to know them and the family more. It was a more relaxing day which was welcome and treasured.

The very minor issues we did have (and they were very very minor, such as not being able to locate our driver at one spot for a few minutes) were always quickly resolved by Michael. He was very responsive and helpful to any questions we had, though everything ran very smoothly and we didn't need to reach out very often. All of our drivers were great as well. We were very sad to leave Colombia and can't wait to return for even more adventures.

Hotel Reviews

El Dorado Nature Reserve

Minca

The magic of El Dorado Nature Reserve cannot be overstated. Fred, at El Dorado Nature Reserve is one of the kindest and most lovely people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. His energy was so calm, warm, and sweet. Everyone at El Dorado works so incredibly hard, and it did not go unnoticed and was so appreciated by my partner and I. The food was delicious, the rooms were lovely, and we really enjoyed every minute of our stay at El Dorado. It's truly one of the most beautiful places, if not the most beautiful place, I have ever been to. The view from the restaurant is jaw-droppingly beautiful. We saw so many amazing birds, creatures, and plants during our stay. Our balcony provided a great bird-watching post, as did the restaurant when we wanted to take a break from hiking and relax. I definitely would love to go back!

Authenticity & Character

The people that work here, and the nature that surrounds you is absolutely magical

Location

It's one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. I like that it's hidden up in the mountains away from everything.

Staff

The entire staff was so lovely. Fred was absolutely amazing and made us feel so welcome and cared for.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was very clean and the beds were comfy. Loved our balcony!

Hacienda Venecia Coffee Farm

Manizales

Heading to Manizales and the Venecia Coffee Farm House was a welcome respite from the heat of Santa Marta. We instantly felt relaxed upon arriving at the house. From the gorgeous open rooms to the beautiful views from the wrap-around porch. Hammocks can be found in various spots around the porch, perfect for a nap and relaxing. The ladies who work at Venecia are so incredibly kind, and make some of the most delicious food. I am still dreaming about one of the soups we had while there. Everything was very clean, and we loved being surrounded by such amazing nature and wonderful people.

Authenticity & Character

The house itself is really beautiful, and I love that they have preserved and maintained the property from it's original design. The colors are cheery, and look so lovely against the greens of the plants surrounding it. The people who work here are so kind and wonderful.

Location

Absolutely beautiful house, gardens, and views.

Staff

Some of the kindest people ever. The ladies are so incredibly kind and talented.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfy beds and very clean rooms.

Activity Review

Santa Marta City Tour

Colombia

Cesar, our guide for our Santa Marta city tour was also excellent. He braved a very very hot day in Santa Marta with us and made it enjoyable despite the scorching sun. (Which was no easy task!) We learned so much from him and really enjoyed our time with him and getting to know and see more about Colombia's history.

Quality of Experience

Cesar was very friendly, knowledgeable, and entertaining.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone was so friendly and kind. Both the driver and Cesar were so nice.

Transport

Comfy car, with cool air conditioning, and always ready to pick us up to move on to the next spot.

This was my first time planning a trip through KimKim. Normally I enjoy doing the travel planning myself, but I thought I'd give KimKim a try. I'm so happy they connected me with Michael and the Chaska Tours team. Planning with Michael was a breeze, and he was very patient with all of my questions and itinerary changes. Not only did they take care of all the mundane logistics (e.g. airport transfers, a driver to transfer us 5 hours to our next hotel, in-country flights, etc.), but they also... read more

This was my first time planning a trip through KimKim. Normally I enjoy doing the travel planning myself, but I thought I'd give KimKim a try. I'm so happy they connected me with Michael and the Chaska Tours team. Planning with Michael was a breeze, and he was very patient with all of my questions and itinerary changes. Not only did they take care of all the mundane logistics (e.g. airport transfers, a driver to transfer us 5 hours to our next hotel, in-country flights, etc.), but they also set us up with some fantastic guides in each city. Luis Miguel in Medellin was especially knowledgeable about the local history, and our guide in Parque Tayrona jogged in the sweltering heat to find a medic for my husband who had a sudden illness (husband is OK, but it was a little scary at the time!). Michael also suggested activities that I don't think I would've found on my own; for example, in Bogota we did a lovely dinner with 2 amazing ladies who are seeking to build cultural connections over food. The service from everyone they booked us with was top-notch - everyone was on time, super friendly and we had an amazing vacation.

Activity Reviews

Visit of Cultura Silletera y Las Flores de Santa Elena

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee-Culture Tour

Medellín

This was a perfectly fine tour, not a bad way to spend a few hours if you have them. It was different than other coffee farms we had been to, so it was interesting to see the difference in farming methods.

Quality of Experience

The farmer seemed like he really knew his stuff about coffee. However, he spoke quite softly so it was hard to hear and understand him at times. We were grateful to have our local guide there with us as well, as he was able to add in additional commentary

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tubing on Don Diego River

Colombia

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boquilla Mangrove Tour

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Bogotá Walking Tour

Bogotá

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monserrate Hill Tour

Bogotá

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Dinner-Experience: Social Colombian Food

Bogotá

This was such a great experience and warm welcome to Colombia! We thought we were going to a restaurant, and were quite surprised to be dropped off at an apartment. But we felt instantly at home with a warmest welcome and shots of aguardiente. We learned a lot about Colombian cuisine and the value of food diversity. It was so great to get away from the touristy parts and to meet some Bogota locals. This was one of our most personable, memorable experiences of Colombia and I'd highly recommend it!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Traffic in Bogota is no joke! It took us longer to get there than expected (but not the fault of our driver)

Hike Tayrona National Park

Tayrona National Park

The hike itself is beautiful and we saw many animals along the way - monkeys, iguanas, crabs, lizards, etc. We are all in pretty good shape and hike with some regularity. However, we weren't prepared for the humidity - it was HOT - and that made the trip a bit miserable to be honest. Our guide was great and very patient, and adapted the schedule to our needs. But I would definitely check the weather before doing this hike again.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena Street Food Tour

Cartagena

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rosario Islands Day Trip

Cartagena

Honestly, I wasn't sure that I was going to like this. Many of the videos I'd seen online showed the Rosario Islands as a complete party destination, and that wasn't really what we were looking for. But it was actually quite peaceful and relaxing. We went an hour by boat from Cartagena to a small cove on an island. We were assigned our own shaded lounging bed on the beach. There were maybe 25-30 other beds and lounges, somewhat close together but it didn't feel too crowded. Lunch was included, but snacks and drinks were available to order; while they were more expensive than what'd you'd see on the mainland, they weren't ridiculously overpriced. The biggest drawback was that there were a lot of jellyfish in the water, which really discouraged everyone from swimming. Plus, it was so hot and humid going in the water and braving the jellyfish was the only way to cool off.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guatavita, Zipaquirá & Salt Mines Day Trip

Bogotá

I revisited the Salt Mines on this trip as I wanted to show it to my family. It was worth going back to, although some of us felt a little carsick from the road and exhaust. This was just a minor inconvenience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

Our guide was phenomenal, providing a wealth of information about the city's history and politics. The tour highlighted the city's transformation, which was quite fascinating to learn about. Definitely one of the best guides we had on the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Peñol Boulder & Guatapé Boat Trip

Medellín

This was a great experience. The area was absolutely gorgeous, making me wish we could have spent a night there. Lunch was included at a restaurant in town, which was a nice touch

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rum Tasting

Cartagena

This was run by the same company that handled the chocolate workshop. The rum tasting was a fantastic experience which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Chocolate Workshop

Cartagena

This was a hit with both myself and my daughters (ages 23 and 16). The air-conditioned environment was a definite plus in the heat. It was a fun experience and one of our favorite activities on the trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thanks to Michael and his team for planning an amazing trip in Columbia. Communication was excellent throughout and Michael made sure everything went smoothly for us. He did a great job customizing the trip to our interests and finding unique accommodations. The guides and drivers were all very good. read more

Thanks to Michael and his team for planning an amazing trip in Columbia. Communication was excellent throughout and Michael made sure everything went smoothly for us. He did a great job customizing the trip to our interests and finding unique accommodations. The guides and drivers were all very good.

My friends and I just returned from a 9 day adventure in Cartagena, Columbia. Everything was arranged by Michael at KimKim. When we arrived at the airport, we had a driver waiting for us.
Our guide in Cartagena, Lee was fantastic and was funny and informative. We did the Toluma volcano mud bath and it was awesome! We traveled North to Santa Marta, Riohacha & Cabo de la Vela. We hiked in Tayrona National Park. It was so beautiful, but VERY HOT AND HUMID!! the hike in was 2 1/2 hours and... read more

My friends and I just returned from a 9 day adventure in Cartagena, Columbia. Everything was arranged by Michael at KimKim. When we arrived at the airport, we had a driver waiting for us.
Our guide in Cartagena, Lee was fantastic and was funny and informative. We did the Toluma volcano mud bath and it was awesome! We traveled North to Santa Marta, Riohacha & Cabo de la Vela. We hiked in Tayrona National Park. It was so beautiful, but VERY HOT AND HUMID!! the hike in was 2 1/2 hours and pretty easy. But after swimming and having wet/sandy feet, I developed blisters and so we opted to ride the horses back out. This was an amazing choice, the horses were very well behaved. We drove further north and visited a Wayuu village and were welcomed into their rancheria in Manaure. We then ventured to Cabo de la Vela in a very remote area. The rustic accommodations were charming and clean. The food was delicious. Our guide Estephanie, was so nice and took really good care of us. Our driver (Jr,) was also very nice and knew the local language and we felt very safe. Our last day back in Cartagena, we met up with Lee again for a local market tour and a visit to the Fort Castle San Felipe de Barajas.
Everyone says Colombia 🇨🇴 is not safe, however I felt very safe here, the people were friendly, the food was delicious and the old walled city is AMAZING with its colonial architecture. It has a Caribbean vibe, the streets are colorful and the music has a great beat.

There is one thing to be aware of though. Twice on our drive to Santa Marta and Riohacha, we were stopped by unannounced road protests. Groups of people will block the roads in protest of something the government is doing. It just depends on how long it takes the police to arrive and open the roads. The first time, we were stopped for approximately 45 minutes. Our driver had been stuck there before for over 4 hours! Then on the way to Riohacha, they blocked a bridge and were only letting 40 cars cross each hour. We were about 100 cars back so we thought we’d be stuck for a long time. But after about an hour, the police cleared the protesters. So just be aware that those types of things can happen at any time. We did not have any issues returning to Cartagena thankfully!

Thank you Michael, Lee, Estephanie & Jr for an amazing time in Colombia 🇨🇴

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa Tere

Cartagena

Great location for walking in the old walled city! Great breakfast, cute rooftop pool and very clean. It is located in the Getsemani area. I did end up in the shower (covered in soap and shampoo) when the water ran out and they had to activate the reserve tank which took about 10 minutes.

Authenticity & Character

Charming

Location

Great location to walk everywhere in the walled city.

Staff

Everyone!

Cleanliness & Comfort

We had 3 queen size beds for the 3 of us which was really nice.

Hotel Akuamarina

Santa Marta

This hotel was in a good location for walking to the bay and shopping, restaurants etc..

Authenticity & Character

This hotel is very basic. It was clean and the breakfast was good, but had no hot water for showers. It’s a good thing it’s very hot there so the cool water was tolerable.

Location

Staff

Very friendly and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vey basic amenities.

Hotel Taroa

La Guajira

This hotel was great! They couldn’t accommodate the 3 of us together so we each got our own room. I slept so well there. Shower had hot water and the rooftop restaurant was very nice with great views!

Authenticity & Character

Very modern and clean.

Location

Right across the street from the beach.

Staff

Very friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was very comfortable. They did shut off the AC in the middle of the night though.

Ranchería

A VERY Rustic place. It’s in the middle of nowhere. Right on the beach in Cabo de la Vela. The dinner was delicious, but the breakfast was very small and just ok. There is no electricity during the day or hot water. They finally turned on the generator after it was pitch dark for about an hour. Great for stargazing as there is no light pollution.

Authenticity & Character

Minimalism at its finest. Basically camping.

Location

The journey to get here is very treacherous. There are zero paved roads and it’s very bumpy.

Staff

Very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Walking tour in Cartagena's Historic Center

Cartagena

Lee did a fantastic job of giving us the history of this beautiful city.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lee was amazing !!

Transport

AC!

Tour to Totumo Volcano

Cartagena

We love a spa treatment so we were excited to bathe in the 51 healing minerals of Totumo. You need to be able to climb up and down a slippery ladder into and out of the mud pit.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hike Tayrona National Park

Tayrona National Park

The hike is about 2 hours to the beach. It’s a moderate hike but the heat and humidity make it more difficult. Stay hydrated and take your time. The beaches are beautiful and we swam for a good amount of time. The food was delicious. We opted to ride the horses back out as I developed blisters from my wet water shoes. The horses were very well behaved and they handled the steep terrain very well.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide was great! He showed us frogs and lizards and crabs. He was knowledgeable about the indigenous peoples that live in the national park. He secured horses for us when my feet were hurting from my blisters.

Transport

Door to door service with AC!

Tour to Cabo de Vela (2D/1N)

La Guajira Desert

This place is difficult to reach! There are no bathrooms and it’s about a four hour trek on bumpy dirt roads.

Quality of Experience

Food

The fried fish was 10/10

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Estephanie & Jr. were outstanding.

Transport

Very bumpy and dirt roads for hours.

Local Market Experience: Bazurto Market

Cartagena

Lee is a great guide!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We planned this trip inspired on the movie Encanto and it paid off! Our group included two seniors, 2 adults and 2 kids (7,8 y/o). We started in Medellin and then visited the Eje Cafeteo. Everything was taken care of. All tours were gear to both adults and kids. My daughters loved the visit to the Silletera Farm. Don Nacho showed them how to build their own flower arrangement. The coffee tour was also super interesting and the whole process kept the seniors and children engaged. It was a... read more

We planned this trip inspired on the movie Encanto and it paid off! Our group included two seniors, 2 adults and 2 kids (7,8 y/o). We started in Medellin and then visited the Eje Cafeteo. Everything was taken care of. All tours were gear to both adults and kids. My daughters loved the visit to the Silletera Farm. Don Nacho showed them how to build their own flower arrangement. The coffee tour was also super interesting and the whole process kept the seniors and children engaged. It was a little difficult for my mom due to mobility issues but overall Hacienda Combia was an excellent choice. We also went to a chocolate farm (El Turpial), where we learn how to make our own bar of chocolate from scratch, a wonderful hands on experience. We also planted palm trees at Cócora Valley and made baskets in Finlandia. The meals that were included were delicious. Communication was excellent. Overall, I highly recommend going to Colombia. It was an unique lifetime experience for my kids to enjoy w their grandparents.

Hotel Reviews

Bh El Poblado

Medellín

Close proximity to all and very convenient to access food and entertainment.

Location

Next to Santa Fe shopping Mall

Staff

Breakfast was served with delight!

Hostería Mi Mónaco

Armenia

Family own and away from the noise. Peaceful. Well kept.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A little tricky to come and go from but if you plan ahead or if you have a car it would be perfect.

Staff

Always willing to help w a smile!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Boutique Sazagua

Pereira

I would consider this luxurious. Because it is an eco g friendly hotel it does come w some bugs, but nothing that would stop me from staying again. Rooms were clean, beautiful and spacious.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Streetfood & Market Experience

Medellín

Our experience was limited due to my mom’s mobility issues . What we had was great. We wish we would have been able to do more.

Visit of Cultura Silletera y Las Flores de Santa Elena

Medellín

Amazing! Don Nacho was one of the highlights of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Interactive Coffee Tour in Hacienda Combia

Armenia

The tour and experience were amazing. Very informative and engaging. The walk is not for anybody who has mobility issues though, but for those able it is a most do.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit to Parque del Café

Colombia

A most do if you have kids. Following the recommendations from our tour guide Carlos, we got there early and were able to do w/o lines. The cafe show was very colorful and professional.

Pablo Escobar History Tour

Medellín

Without glorifying Pablo Escobar, the story behind the recovery after the damage he did was interesting and enlightening. From a historical and educational point of view, we enjoyed learning how Medellin grew to be the city it is now.

Quality of Experience

Lina, our guide was very knowledgeable and was always attentive to our needs. She adjusted the tour based on our preferences and capabilities

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Both Fabian and Lina made the tour interesting. We felt comfortable and at home with their grace and kindness.

Transport

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

A most do. Bringing to my children the aspects of different ways of living in other countries was refreshing and educational for them. We really enjoyed the art and the culture behind Comuna 13.

Quality of Experience

Peñol Boulder & Guatapé Boat Trip

Medellín

Beautiful sightseeing. Some of us were unable to do the hike to the top but were able to enjoyed the views from the Mirador while enjoying snacks. The boat was a surprising experience that we were not expecting. The boat guide was very entertaining!

Quality of Experience

Food

We enjoyed our lunch. We met the owner and chef of the restaurant and were very please with his offerings. He went out of the way to please our picky eaters.

Visit of Cocora Valley, Filandia & Salento

Salento

Carlos, our tour guide, was amazing. His knowledge of the fauna and flora of the area was very educational. The views were stunning. Planting a palm tree was one of the highlights for my children

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We love Carlos and Guillermo. They made our experience fun.

Transport

Cacao Experience - Finca El Turpial

Colombia

We love the Turpial. Mr. Pierre was wonderful and the experience was amazing for all ages. Not only we were able to enjoy making chocolate from scratch but also other fruits from his farm.

Quality of Experience

David was responsive and helped us craft a tour that was personalized for our interests. The trip offered excellent variation. read more

David was responsive and helped us craft a tour that was personalized for our interests. The trip offered excellent variation.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa Deco

Bogotá

The hotel is in a nice location. The rooms are attractive. The hotel is small so you feel more welcome and cared for as compared to large hotels. The problem was that the room faced a busy street. So, I was kept awake by roaring motorcycles, cars honking, people talking on the street... This particularly affects me because I am a light sleeper.

Waira Suites

Leticia

The Leticia hotel was nice. The food was good. We were only in the hotel one night and we left early in the morning so it is hard to say much about it. The Puerto Narino hotel was excellent. The breakfast was good. The location was good. The staff were friendly.

Hotel Akuamarina

Santa Marta

The room was fine. The breakfast was good. The location was a little ways away from the tourist area but it we could comfortably walk to the area. The location seemed like it was not entirely safe but that may just have been our imagination. The hotel does not look like much from the street. Nonetheless, there were no issues whatsoever.

Quetzal Dorado Ecolodge

Zaino

An absolutely beautiful hotel. The main area had a fabulous view. The rooms were gorgeous - totally unique from anything we have ever been to. The food was excellent.

Waira Selva Hotel

Puerto Narino

See the comments with the Waira Suites in Leticia.

Hotel Don Pedro De Heredia

Cartagena de Indias

The hotel has character. Our room was quiet but our friends were in a room that faced the street. The noise kept them awake. The staff were friendly and helpful. We did not eat breakfast at the hotel because our boat tour started too early. The breakfast they packed for us was good.

Activity Reviews

Fruits of Colombia Food Tour

Bogotá

Fabulous guide. She was informative, friendly, and helpful. We were surprised that there was so much to learn about the fruits (e.g., their benefits).

Bogota's Essentials (City Tour & Monserrate)

Bogotá

The guide was superb. She was informative, friendly, and helpful.

Leticia & Puerto Nariño (4 Days/3 Nights)

Leticia and Puerto Nariño

Being in the Amazon was an experience of a lifetime. Our guide was incredible.

Cartagena Bike Tour

Cartagena

Our friends went on this and said that it was excellent.

Walking tour in Cartagena's Historic Center

Cartagena

Our guide was very knowledgeable.

Rosario Islands Day Trip

Cartagena

Our friends went on this and had an excellent experience and said that the island was beautiful. My wife had food poisoning (likely from food eaten on the walking tour). So, we did not go on the tour.

Cartagena Street Food Tour

Cartagena

The food was tasty. The guide was knowledgeable. We were a little nervous about whether all of the street food was safe to eat or not. Nonetheless, there were no issues.

We had such a wonderful trip to Colombia thanks to David and his team. We stayed 2 nights each in Bogota, Salento, Tayrona, and Medellin. We loved the diversity in experiences from cities and cultural tours to beaches, forests, and mountains. Overall, the service was great at all hotels. We always felt safe and really appreciated that there was always a driver waiting for us during airport transfers. The only thing we would change, if possible, would be to decrease the number of flights -... read more

We had such a wonderful trip to Colombia thanks to David and his team. We stayed 2 nights each in Bogota, Salento, Tayrona, and Medellin. We loved the diversity in experiences from cities and cultural tours to beaches, forests, and mountains. Overall, the service was great at all hotels. We always felt safe and really appreciated that there was always a driver waiting for us during airport transfers. The only thing we would change, if possible, would be to decrease the number of flights - have direct flights instead of connections. We've written about a few highlights of the trip below:

Bogota: 1) Fabiola greeted us warmly at the airport and showed us around the highlights in the city. In addition to the various tours she guided us on, she helped me get set up with a Colombian sim card. We enjoyed learning about the city from her and also practicing our Spanish with her. 2) Highly recommend the fruit tour. The guide, Maria, is exceptionally knowledgeable about everything in the market. We loved her passion for biodiversity and our immersive experience learning about the different species of fruits. 3) We enjoyed the hike in Chingaza for beautiful plants, flowers, and landscapes, It was very muddy and rainy, which was actually a fun challenge for us!

Salento: We loved our hotel. The views were beautiful and the food was delicious. Our tour guide, Carlos, gave us a wonderful tour of the Cocora Valley, pointing out many birds and giving explanations of the plants. He showed us his family's work-in-progress DIY infusion cafe and created a delicious tea for us with herbs grown in the garden.

Tayrona: Hotel had amazing food and we enjoyed hanging out by the pool after hiking in Tayrona Park. We were happy to pick mangos from the hotel garden and eat them for dessert.

Medellin: Sebastian led us on a wonderful "transformation" tour of Medellin. We learned so much from him on the history and culture of Medellin. Highly recommend him as a guide for anyone visiting Medellin.

Activity Reviews

Fruits of Colombia Food Tour

Bogotá

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Big Bogotá City Tour

Bogotá

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day Hike in Chingaza National Park

Bogotá

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour to Salento & the Cocora Valley

Salento

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee Farm Tour in Finca El Ocaso

Salento

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tour Peñol & Guatapé

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Michael was very helpful in putting our trip together and taking into account our interests. Everything worked out well. We had great guides in Bogota (Alexander who was incredibly knowledgeable) and in Medellin (Froi was a very interesting person to talk with as he was very knowledgable about Colombia's history and nature). We also had a great birdwatching walk outside Medellin with Rafa, whose enthusiasm for and knowledge of birds was wonderful! We enjoyed our trip out to Jardin as well. read more

Michael was very helpful in putting our trip together and taking into account our interests. Everything worked out well. We had great guides in Bogota (Alexander who was incredibly knowledgeable) and in Medellin (Froi was a very interesting person to talk with as he was very knowledgable about Colombia's history and nature). We also had a great birdwatching walk outside Medellin with Rafa, whose enthusiasm for and knowledge of birds was wonderful! We enjoyed our trip out to Jardin as well.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Boutique Casa Passiflora

Jardín

This hotel had charm and was clean and lovely. The hotel did all they could to look after us, including leaving treats in the room and bringing us a beer in the hot tub!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Legado

Bogota

Really lovely place to stay in Bogota. The staff were helpful. The breakfast was very good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Cielo Hotel

Medellin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

El Despertar

Jerico

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Patio del Mundo

Medellín

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room smelt of damp

Activity Reviews

Bogota Highlights Tour

Bogotá

Alexander was a very knowledgable, interesting guide

Quality of Experience

Alexander had us try all the fruit and other food in the market

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Really nice, really interesting

Transport

Nice people

Jardín: Coffee Village Tradition

Jardín

Nice tour, but not sure we needed a tour guide for Jardin. Paola was nice and knowledgable and we appreciated that she pointed out bird sanctuary. Wish she would have also told us about walk up into hills of Jardin.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Could provide water? Basic cab. Seemed a little speedy, but I guess that is good in the mountains. Seemed safe enough.

Cultural Heritage: Jericó - Chapels, Arts & Crafts

Colombia

Don't think a tour guide is necessary as there isn't much to see in Jerico besides the town itself.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very nice guide, but maybe should consider things to do outside the town and limit the time in the museum.

Transport

Ecological Walk - "La Miel" Waterfall

Medellín

I believe our initial walk had to be canceled do to flooding. The replacement walk was very difficult and the park guide did not know much about nature.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

From was great, but park guide did not know much

Transport

Martin was very nice

Daytrip: Silletera Culture in Santa Elena & La Piedra de Guatapé

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Birdwatching in the Natural Reserve "La Romera"

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Food

Maybe should choose a more interesting place to have lunch.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Rafa is a great bird guide. Very knowledgable

Transport

Nightlife Experience: Medellín Tango Culture

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Streetfood & Market Experience

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Don't think this tour works really. Went to 2 stands to eat and that was about it. Not really worth it.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Michael from Chaska tours proposed an excellent itinerary and was attentive to our wishes and needs during the planning phase, and was very patient with our endless questions. When our arrival flight was delayed by a day, Michael rescheduled our affected tours more than once providing us peace of mind during airport chaos. When one service didn't work out as planned, Michael promptly arranged a refund. We truly enjoyed the personal and in-depth experience of all the tours and... read more

Michael from Chaska tours proposed an excellent itinerary and was attentive to our wishes and needs during the planning phase, and was very patient with our endless questions. When our arrival flight was delayed by a day, Michael rescheduled our affected tours more than once providing us peace of mind during airport chaos. When one service didn't work out as planned, Michael promptly arranged a refund. We truly enjoyed the personal and in-depth experience of all the tours and transportation.
Our tour guides Jauren, Joker, Sandra, and Jamie were fabulous and spoke good English. It was amazing to tour a coffee farm with a 5th generation local who grew up and worked there. Touring through the forest and archaeological site by someone who is clearly committed to the preservation of native fauna, flora and peoples was captivating even for the teenagers in our group. I can't say enough about this service and our visit to the country of Colombia. Cartagena is historic and charming, the area around Tayrona Park is beautiful. Hotels were clean and comfortable, the food was delicious and not expensive. The people we met were gracious and welcoming. Everything about our trip went great and we're looking forward to using this service to plan our next family vacation!

Hotel Reviews

Casa La Fe

Cartagena de Indias

We had adjoining family rooms on the street side with balconies. These are fabulous rooms. The breakfast was made to order from a menu with many selections. The rooftop pool and bar are fun, the views delightful. Many nearby restaurants to choose from. The staff was helpful and wonderful. Would totally stay at this hotel again!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Senda Watapuy

Santa Marta

Wonderful resort style hotel in a natural setting. You can walk to Tayrona Park from here. The staff is helpful, the restaurant is great. The cabins are peaceful and large. Book it!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel El Prado

Barranquilla

It's an older hotel, very large, historic. Staff was very helpful. The breakfast was spectacular.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Cartagena Street Food Tour

Cartagena

Our guide Joker was funny and great! Food was excellent, it was fun to walk to various parts of the old city to try different things.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

N/A really - we were walking :)

Excellent overall, guides were knowledgeable, professional, helpful. Suggestions for sights, tours and restaurants were excellent. We felt very safe with our guide. read more

Excellent overall, guides were knowledgeable, professional, helpful. Suggestions for sights, tours and restaurants were excellent. We felt very safe with our guide.

Activity Reviews

Birdwatching in the Natural Reserve "La Romera"

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

Quality of Experience

I

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

City Tour Medellín

Medellín

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guatapé Day-Trip

Colombia

My favorite part of the trip

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

We had a wonderful itinerary planned, and it was wonderful not to have to worry about anything in a a foreign place-- drivers and guides showed up as scheduled and took care of everything. Plus, it was great to have a personal touch as we learned about the culture and history. We especially liked our driver Harold in/near Cartagena and our guide Diva in Tyrona National Park and Minca. Diva had so much information to share-- about the plants and animals we saw on hikes, about the... read more

We had a wonderful itinerary planned, and it was wonderful not to have to worry about anything in a a foreign place-- drivers and guides showed up as scheduled and took care of everything. Plus, it was great to have a personal touch as we learned about the culture and history. We especially liked our driver Harold in/near Cartagena and our guide Diva in Tyrona National Park and Minca. Diva had so much information to share-- about the plants and animals we saw on hikes, about the history of the region, and stories about the people who lived there and we saw on the way.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Casa Tere

Cartagena

Authenticity & Character

Location

on a picturesque street in Getsamani, easy to walk to Old City

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Cocoliso Island Resort

Rosario Islands

The grounds were beautiful. It felt like it was designed to impress the day visitors, as the hotel rooms were very basic. It may be that the older rooms and the lack of water pressure and heated water is normal in this island setting.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful grounds

Location

Beautiful views, nice grounds

Staff

The main staff were not very helpful, or took a long time to help. The support staff were very helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

The common grounds were beautiful, but the private rooms were very basic. The bathrooms looked very old, and there was minimal water pressure (trickle is the best we got) and there was no hot water

Ecohabs Los Naranjos

Unbelieveable, private views in the middle of a stunning national park. The accommodations were pretty nice despite the rustic setting.

Authenticity & Character

individual ecohabs were designed to look like the homes of the people native to the area

Location

Amazing views, location inside the National Park (since it takes a lot of time to enter the park and get to the views)

Staff

Gustavo went out of the way to help us out when I needed to go back to the park gate to pay some admission fees

Cleanliness & Comfort

GHL Hotel Armería Real

Cartagena

Felt luxurious and modern On the edge of Getsamani

Authenticity & Character

Location

on the edge of Getsamani, needed to walk a bit to get to the main areas of interest However, had a great view of the Fort

Staff

We had some fresh fruit we wanted to eat, and the staff sliced it for us.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Boquilla Mangrove Tour

Cartagena

Nice to learn about an area separate from the big city. The best part was that not only did we get to see the fishermen cast their nets, we got to do it as well

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cartagena Bike Tour

Cartagena

quick way to see much of the Old City and Getsamani, but since those areas are small you can explore it by foot as well. Plus, some of the small and/or crowded roads are hard to navigate on bicycles

Hike Tayrona National Park

Tayrona National Park

So beautiful!!

Coffee Farm & Village Tour

Minca

Coffee tour was very informative. Minca falls were beautiful and refreshing

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Diva was an amazing, friendly, informative guide. She even bought us some mangoes after learning we liked them

Micahel was very knowledgable, patient and attentive. Did a nice job. read more

Micahel was very knowledgable, patient and attentive. Did a nice job.

Hotel Reviews

Sofitel Bogota Victoria Regia

Bogotá

Hotel Park 10

Medellin

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Kartaxa Cartagena

Cartagena

This was more like a 3 star hotel. Good location, but few amenities and felt low budget. You could not drink the water in your room - you had to get drinking water from a dispenser in the hallway. No elevator for bags. Not luxe by any means.

Activity Reviews

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

Did not really enjoy the content much.

Peñol Boulder & Guatapé Boat Trip

Medellín

Guide and driver were excellent. The road is down to one lane and so we sat in the hot car stopped in traffic for an hour or more both ways.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Coffee-Culture Tour

Medellín

Guide and location were excellent. This was much enjoyed and surprisingly close to hotel.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boquilla Mangrove Tour

Cartagena

Did not enjoy this. Do not enjoy social justice warrior themed tours. Guide was very knowledgable and friendly - just did not enjoy the content.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coconut Workshop

Cartagena

Some liked this and some did not. Its jewelry making and that should be more clear in the description. And I would skip the social justice sermon.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rosario Islands Day Trip

Cartagena

Not luxe. Bug bites. Not great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Great experience with Kimkim and local team.

I booked a 10 day trip to Columbia in a hurry just two weeks before departure. This was my first time using KimKim and I will use them again! They connected me to a local agency in Columbia, which is exactly what I wanted. Michael and the team at Chaska put together a great tour, everything was pretty much as expected in terms of hotels, local guides, etc. They booked everything from hotels, to local guides, airport transfers, and more. My local... read more

Great experience with Kimkim and local team.

I booked a 10 day trip to Columbia in a hurry just two weeks before departure. This was my first time using KimKim and I will use them again! They connected me to a local agency in Columbia, which is exactly what I wanted. Michael and the team at Chaska put together a great tour, everything was pretty much as expected in terms of hotels, local guides, etc. They booked everything from hotels, to local guides, airport transfers, and more. My local guide in the Amazon (Juan) was perhaps the best guide I have ever had in years of travel to 40 countries. He was extremely knowledgeable and helped tailor our time to fit my specific ideas.

One thing I did not realize when first using Kimkim and Chaska is how easy it would be to stay in communication with them via WhatsApp, which was super helpful. You might pay a little more using an agency, but it was so worth it - I will do it again. It was wonderful to show up and know everything was taken care of.

I highly recommend Chaska tours in Columbia and KimKim for connecting me with them!

We usually take two international trips a year and I normally plan them by myself. However, for a trip to Colombia I saw an internet add for Kimkim which said they would take your suggested ideas for a trip and do a proposed itinerary for no charge. I sent them my thoughts, got a proposal that I thought was pretty good, added some more suggestions which they followed up with and then ultimately filled in gaps with some tours that Kimkim suggested. It was the easiest planning for an... read more

We usually take two international trips a year and I normally plan them by myself. However, for a trip to Colombia I saw an internet add for Kimkim which said they would take your suggested ideas for a trip and do a proposed itinerary for no charge. I sent them my thoughts, got a proposal that I thought was pretty good, added some more suggestions which they followed up with and then ultimately filled in gaps with some tours that Kimkim suggested. It was the easiest planning for an international trip I've ever done.

Kimkim provided all transfers and guides and all worked flawlessly. Kimkim arranged several internal flights and obtained flight confirmations for us. Kimkim suggested hotels which were in good areas of each city and provided options for two sets of birding locations. I did not like one of the suggestions, which was close to Medellin, and suggested an area I'd read about as one of the top birding areas in Colombia. Kimkim worked hard and ultimately secured as a spot in that birding area that was way outside any cities.

Finally, we had several hiccups along the way. One was a lost cell phone and the other was luggage which did not arrive home with us. We contacted Michael and he provided assistance to us in both situations.

Our trip was absolutely amazing and I cant imagine having coordinated everything on my own at all. Kim Kim, especially Michael were so helpful, communicative and kind throughout the entire process, I really appreciated it. Our tour guides were all great but a special shout out to Gustavo, Kevin + Miguel- they were above and beyond wonderful! The transportation everywhere was such a new experience for both of us, I felt way fancier than I actually am 🤣 and the lodging was great too, especially... read more

Our trip was absolutely amazing and I cant imagine having coordinated everything on my own at all. Kim Kim, especially Michael were so helpful, communicative and kind throughout the entire process, I really appreciated it. Our tour guides were all great but a special shout out to Gustavo, Kevin + Miguel- they were above and beyond wonderful! The transportation everywhere was such a new experience for both of us, I felt way fancier than I actually am 🤣 and the lodging was great too, especially Hotel Terrazas! I would 100% recommend kim kim/Chaska Tours to anyone who wants to have a great experience that is made simple for you!! Many thanks again to all those involved for such a unique experience and so many wonderful memories, Colombia is beautiful and I definitely see a return trip in pur future!

Hotel Reviews

Los Patios Hostel

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Terrazas de Salento

Terrazas de Salento, Colombia

Such a beautiful place I loved it! Great views, nice room, friendly staff and great breakfast too!!

Authenticity & Character

Especially love the atrium!

Location

The gardens and views of mountains were amazing

Staff

Very kind and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

Our stay here was perfect in every way!

Tayrona Tented Lodge

Beautiful location with a very kind staff/owner! Basic rooms and necessities in a gorgeous location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Very close to Tayrona Park

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Selina Cartagena

Cartagena

Cool building in a good location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Medellín Transformation Tour

Medellín

Our guide, Miguel, was amazing! He was kind, insightful and thorough as he showed us the city and explained how so many things have changed in the last 20 years or so and the reasons behind it. We got to see so much in a short window of time too it was very impressive!

Quality of Experience

I sincerely mean it went I say that the tour was truly fantastic as was our guide! I loved that we saw a d learned about the city, tried various modes of public transportation, tried a local treat of frozen fruits, saw a bunch of amazing break dancers, had a rap group make a song up for us on the spot- all of it! It was terrific!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They both made us feel extremely welcome on our first day to both Medellin and Colombia! Could not have been better.

Transport

Our driver was great too! Kind and professional. Taking the gondolas and escalators was also a cool experience.

Tour Peñol & Guatapé

Medellín

I loved this tour as well, other than waking up so early 🤣 The drive out was apparently different than normal due to accidents/traffic on the main highway but it was such a beautiful drive I am glad it worked out that way. Our guide, Sergio, was kind, funny and exuberant! Hiking the peñol de Guatape and exploring the vibrant town as well as taking a boat ride on the lake were all great experiences and the provided lunch was delicious!

Quality of Experience

I was so tired in the morning and a little cranky initially but Sergio's enthusiasm rubbed off on me and get me pepped up for the day!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone was terrific and very kind!

Transport

Our driver was fantastic

Santa Rosa Hot Springs

Colombia

I seriously felt like I was in a painting or fairy tale book here- it was absolutely breathtaking! Our guide, Gustavo was so cool, friendly and informative and eas kind enough to make sure we got the longest amount time at the hot springs that we could even though it made a longer day for him and our driver Kevin. So nice of them both and so appreciated as I never wanted to leave so was happy to have as much time there as possible!

Quality of Experience

One of the most amazing experiences of my life hands down! There is NOTHING I didn't like about it, it was AMAZING!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Both our guide, Gustavo and driver, Kevin were among some of the nicest people that we were able to meet and talk to on our whole trip! They were incredible- cannot stress that enough truly! If I lived near by I would hang out with these two often no question!

Transport

Kevin carted us all over creation (we had him as a driver 2 days in a row hahaha) and was terrific!

Visit Cocora Valley, Coffee Farm & Salento

Salento

Our whole trip to Colombia was great but this day was absolutely my very favorite! Never in my life have I been to a more beautiful place... Ever! It was pure magic and absolutely incredible! It was also super cool to talk with Gustavo about how he grew up nearby and had been coming there since he was a kid. He even showed us one of his favorite spots away from the rest of the people there in the jungle and it was so special and amazing!

Quality of Experience

This question is almost a joke 😂 what is there NOT to like would be my question! It was EPIC and my favorite day on our whole trip!!!

Food

The restaurant we went to for lunch was terrific! I ordered a traditional salchicha plate and it was super yummy!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I cannot stress enough how wonderful Gustavo was- so glad we had him 2 days in a row, we were very lucky! He's an awesome guy that I could see hanging out with all the time if I lived there! Very informative and professional but also very down to earth and laid back! Kevin, our driver carted us around all over the place for 2 days and was also very kind.

Transport

Kevin was great 🙂

Hike Tayrona National Park

Tayrona National Park

I think the best thing about this tour was that it allowed private transportation in to the park ahead of a bunch of busses full of people! The park itself was beautiful and our guide was very nice (though apologies I am blanking on his name!)

Quality of Experience

It was a beautiful park and our guide was nice. I think going again I would probably just stay within the park to have more time exploring on our own and to potentially see more night time critters.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very nice driver and our guide did give us some info through our walk but we went on the standard walk through the park at this entrance that everyone entering did so I didn't completely feel that the tour added a whole lot to that experience and think we would have enjoyed it as much if we just walked the park by ourselves. That said, getting in before the buses was a big help!

Transport

Great driver and again glad to be driven in to the park