Colombia adventure holiday, viva Colombia
Highlights
Bogota | Gold Museum | La Candalaria | Monseratte | Paloquemao Market | Zipaquira Salt Cathedral | The Observatory | Internal flight to Armenia | Manziales | Santa Fe de Antioquia | Medellin | Internal flight to Santa Marta | Tayrona National Park | Volcan de Lodo El Totumo | Jungle trekking | Cartagena | Wih | Pipes | BetweenDescription of Colombia adventure holiday, viva Colombia
Head off-piste with a Colombia adventure holiday that will reawaken your passion for travel and showcase a country that has shaken off a troubled past to focus on its natural and historic attractions.From the capital, Bogota, with its Gold Museum and stunning hilltop look-out, Monseratte, you’ll head to the fascinating Salt Cathedral of Ziapquira, an underground Roman Catholic church that has been intricately carved into the tunnels of a salt mine. Flying into Armenia, you’ll arrive in the very heart of Colombia’s legendary coffee plantation district, to stay in a traditional hacienda. Using it as a base, you can enjoy hiking or horse trekking through the Manizales region, as well as visit Santa Fe de Antioquia, the oldest settlement in the country.
You’ll spend a day in the dynamic city of Medellin, now well-known for its amazing nightlife and cuisine, before flying on to Santa Marta on Colombia’s idyllic Caribbean coast. Here you’ll do some atmospheric jungle trekking, and naturally there will be time set aside so you can reward yourself stretching out on relax on the white sand beaches of Tayrona National Park.
The trip finishes in the colonial city of Cartagena, but before your small group heads off in their own separate ways there will be a visit to one final landmark – the Volcan de Lodo El Totumo, a volcano that erupts mud instead of lava. It’s great for your skin, so feel free to jump into the mud pools.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.com
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Responsible tourism
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your holiday will help support conservation and local people.
We have a strict environmental policy to make sure that the environments we visit in Colombia are not damaged or spoilt in any way. Our “Leave No Trace” ethic is applied to this trip and as tour operators, it is something we are careful to promote. Your guide on this trip will have been trained to uphold this policy and will brief all clients on what is appropriate and responsible behaviour when visiting wilderness areas like Tayrona National Park on day 11. Whilst travelling through this stunning marine and coastal park is a great opportunity to enjoy nature walks and admire some of the plethora of wildlife within it, it is important that travellers stick to the designated trails and respect the local wildlife conservation policies. It is also for this reason that we keep the group size to a maximum of 12 people so that we can minimise the human impact on fragile sites and delicate ecosystems such as this. As part of our efforts to promote a more sustainable travel we look for accommodation which upholds sustainable practices where possible. On day 10 in Tayrona National Park you will stay in the eco-huts of Posada de San Rafael. Not only does this show support for the community’s efforts to maintain sustainable and environmentally friendly accommodation but you will be supporting a government funded community project.
As part of our environmental responsibilities we make every effort to find lower carbon forms of transport where possible. For example on day 4 in Villa de Leyva and day 7 in the Manizales Coffee Region clients will have the opportunity to explore the surrounding countryside on horseback. Not only is this a more eco-friendly mode of transport but it give our travellers the chance to experience rural Colombia in a more authentic way.
The Impacts of this Trip
In Colombia we use local ground handlers - this means that all the operational costs go directly into the local economy and helps to improve employment opportunities in remote regions. By incorporating homestays, locally owned hotels, family run restaurants and the services of guides and drivers into our itineraries, we ensure that money you spend on your trip goes directly into the local economy and local communities benefit from tourism.
On day 10 of our tour on reaching the beautiful town of Santa Marta we will discover how Tourism has benefited the nearby rural community. Our unique accommodation - local posadas - which are wooden thatched huts located on the edge of Tayrona National Park, has been constructed as part of a government funded project to encourage coca farmers to find alternative forms of income.
We recognise the importance of showing support and acknowledgement for these smaller, more isolated rural communities. On day 5, we visit the region of Armenia - the heart of Colombian coffee. Taking a tour of a coffee plantation and learning about the coffee making process gives us a deeper insight into the trials and tribulations of the coffee growers.
As part of our efforts to support local communities we also consider it important to appreciate and learn more about local culture. Visiting craft stalls and sampling local Tamarind delicacies in Santa Fe de Antioquia on day 9 is fantastic opportunity to experience some of Colombia’s authentic local produce.
There is also a lot we can do behind the scenes in order to facilitate an enduring support structure for the communities we visit. To show a commitment to these values, in January 2009 we set up a charitable foundation through which we can directly channel funds to both existing NGOs and our own development projects. In addition to organising ethically sensitive tours, having our own charitable foundation allows us to raise money – through the cost of our tours, charity trips and fund raising events – which can then be used to fund various projects in education, sanitation, reforestations and a number of other important issues facing developing communities.
We have a strict environmental policy to make sure that the environments we visit in Colombia are not damaged or spoilt in any way. Our “Leave No Trace” ethic is applied to this trip and as tour operators, it is something we are careful to promote. Your guide on this trip will have been trained to uphold this policy and will brief all clients on what is appropriate and responsible behaviour when visiting wilderness areas like Tayrona National Park on day 11. Whilst travelling through this stunning marine and coastal park is a great opportunity to enjoy nature walks and admire some of the plethora of wildlife within it, it is important that travellers stick to the designated trails and respect the local wildlife conservation policies. It is also for this reason that we keep the group size to a maximum of 12 people so that we can minimise the human impact on fragile sites and delicate ecosystems such as this. As part of our efforts to promote a more sustainable travel we look for accommodation which upholds sustainable practices where possible. On day 10 in Tayrona National Park you will stay in the eco-huts of Posada de San Rafael. Not only does this show support for the community’s efforts to maintain sustainable and environmentally friendly accommodation but you will be supporting a government funded community project.
As part of our environmental responsibilities we make every effort to find lower carbon forms of transport where possible. For example on day 4 in Villa de Leyva and day 7 in the Manizales Coffee Region clients will have the opportunity to explore the surrounding countryside on horseback. Not only is this a more eco-friendly mode of transport but it give our travellers the chance to experience rural Colombia in a more authentic way.
The Impacts of this Trip
In Colombia we use local ground handlers - this means that all the operational costs go directly into the local economy and helps to improve employment opportunities in remote regions. By incorporating homestays, locally owned hotels, family run restaurants and the services of guides and drivers into our itineraries, we ensure that money you spend on your trip goes directly into the local economy and local communities benefit from tourism.
On day 10 of our tour on reaching the beautiful town of Santa Marta we will discover how Tourism has benefited the nearby rural community. Our unique accommodation - local posadas - which are wooden thatched huts located on the edge of Tayrona National Park, has been constructed as part of a government funded project to encourage coca farmers to find alternative forms of income.
We recognise the importance of showing support and acknowledgement for these smaller, more isolated rural communities. On day 5, we visit the region of Armenia - the heart of Colombian coffee. Taking a tour of a coffee plantation and learning about the coffee making process gives us a deeper insight into the trials and tribulations of the coffee growers.
As part of our efforts to support local communities we also consider it important to appreciate and learn more about local culture. Visiting craft stalls and sampling local Tamarind delicacies in Santa Fe de Antioquia on day 9 is fantastic opportunity to experience some of Colombia’s authentic local produce.
There is also a lot we can do behind the scenes in order to facilitate an enduring support structure for the communities we visit. To show a commitment to these values, in January 2009 we set up a charitable foundation through which we can directly channel funds to both existing NGOs and our own development projects. In addition to organising ethically sensitive tours, having our own charitable foundation allows us to raise money – through the cost of our tours, charity trips and fund raising events – which can then be used to fund various projects in education, sanitation, reforestations and a number of other important issues facing developing communities.
1 Reviews of Colombia adventure holiday, viva Colombia
Reviewed on 20 Sep 2017 by Dave Kerr
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Most memorable was our visit to Comuna 13 favela in Medellin. Most exciting was probably our trip to the Hacienda in Manzales
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Be prepared for a couple of significant walks.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I think that the local people (especially Medellin) appreciated us coming to their towns as improves that the image of Columbia is changing for the better.
Not sure about the environmental and conservation issues, we certainly didn't impact them negatively.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
GREAT!! Lots of variety, a good cross section of Columbia and wonderful guides.
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