Family holiday Colombia

Day 2: Bogota

Today you will set out to get to know the vibrant Colombian capital. Your guide will pick you up at your hotel. It won't be a boring tour with an overdose of information, but an active cycling tour. Bogotá has a network of more than 300 kilometers of cycle paths, making it the cycling capital of Latin America. The historic center is of great architectural and cultural importance and consists of old stately houses, stately Spanish colonial buildings with beautiful but hidden courtyards. During the bike ride you will cycle past several buildings that all have their own story. From the historic center the guide will take you to La Merced, another district of the city. Your cycle tour ends at the foot of Monserrate. A cable car will take you up (up to 3140 meters high) and you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of the city on one side and the Andes on the other. Afterwards you will be brought back to your hotel.
Overnight stay: Hotel Cité | bed & breakfast

Day 3: Bogotá - Zipaquirá - Villa de Leyva

After breakfast you will be picked up by a guide who will take you to Villa de Leyva. On the way you will make a stop at Zipaquirá. This place is known for its impressive salt cathedral. An architectural masterpiece. The name of the cathedral refers to Zipa, the leader of the Muisca tribe and the chief of the salt mines. You walk through the huge cave that serves as a cathedral. In the center is the main altar located with above it a cross of 16 meters high and 10 meters wide, completely carved out of salt. After visiting the salt cathedral you will get back in the car and brought to Villa de Leyva in about two hours. In this town you will spend the night. Villa de Leyva is a historic town characterized by its small cobbled stone streets, squares and white plastered colonial buildings. In particular the enormous central square of 14.000 m2 and the church dating from the 17th century are an absolute must to visit.
Overnight stay: La Posada de San Antonio | bed & breakfast

Day 4: Villa de Leyva - Barichara

In the morning your guide will pick you up for a new adventure. From Villa de Leyva you go into nature by mountain bike. You will cycle on unpaved roads to a green paradise in the middle of the desert. Here you will also find a river where you can rest and cool down for a while. Along the way you can visit a mill from the colonial era and eat a delicious "cuajada con melao", a traditional delicacy from this region. In the meantime, don't forget to look around, the views are truly magnificent. On the way back you can choose to visit some museums and places of interest. In the afternoon you will be brought to your next destination, Barichara. This is a four and a half hour drive by car. On the way you can rest from the active morning and enjoy the beautiful route. At the end of the afternoon you will arrive in Barichara where you will spend the night. 
Overnight stay: Suite Assul | bed & breakfast

Day 6: Barichara

Today adventure is on the program! After breakfast you will be taken to the banks of the Fonce river. After a short walk and briefing the adventure can start. You will go rafting on the river Fonce. A descent of about 1,5 hours in a raft over the river. The descent is good for anyone who is in reasonably good condition and is not afraid of a wet suit. Throughout the trip you will pass river forests and landscapes typical of the Santander region. After this adventure you will be brought back to the hotel where you will have the rest of the afternoon for leisure.  
Overnight stay: Suite Assul | bed & breakfast

Day 7: Barichara –  Bucaramanga – Palomino

In the morning you will be picked up at the hotel and brought to the airport of Bucaramanga, this is about 4 hour drive. The route mostly runs along the breathtakingly beautiful Chicamocha Gorge. From here you will take a domestic flight to Santa Marta and you will be brought to your hotel in Palomino. Palomino is a small village on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, not far from the national park Tayrona. You will stay at Aité Eco Hotel which is located directly on the beach. 
Overnight stay: Aité Eco Hotel | bed & breakfast

Day 8: Palomino

This day is scheduled off. From the hotel today you can visit the Tayrona National Park, the town of Palomino or you can relax at the beach. Maybe the last is a good idea because tomorrow you will start with a unique multi-day trekking. 
Overnight stay: Aité Eco Hotel | bed & breakfast

Day 9: Palomino – Santa Marta – Ciudad Perdida trekking

This day you will start with the multi-day hike to the hidden city La Ciudad Perdida also called Teyuna. This hidden city is located in the jungle at the foot of the Pico Cristobal Colon, which is, with an altitude of over 5700 meters, the highest mountain in Colombia. The city was founded by the Tayrona Indians, about 800 years after the beginning of our era. During the heydays of the city there lived between 1500 and 3000 people in it. The area where the city is located has a lush flora and exuberant fauna with many plant and animal species that occur nowhere else in the world. From the hotel in Palomino you will first be brought to Santa Marta from where you will be driven in a 4x4 to Machete Pelao. From here the trekking starts. Today you will walk about 7 kilometers in 4 hours. On the way you will have lunch on an estate. Today you will sleep on the first indigenous camp on the banks of the Buritaca river. These days you will sleep in a hammock or bunk bed (depending on availability on arrival) in the camp. 
Overnight stay: Camp in the Mamey region | hammock or bunk bed | full board

Day 10: Ciudad Perdida trekking

Today you will make a hike of about 8 hours, almost 15 kilometers. You will be accompanied by an English-speaking guide from this region. You will walk through the Buritaca valley and make a stop at the Kogui village Mutanyi and you will cross the district of Koskunguena from where you will have a spectacular view over the Sierra Nevada. From here you cross the Buritaca river to a farm of the Kogui chief. Here lunch will be served and you can take a refreshing swim in the river. You will dine and spend the night in a hammock or bunk bed on the farm of Mamo Kogui. 
Overnight stay: Farm of Mamo Kogui | hammock or bunk bed | full board

Day 11: Ciudad Perdida trekking

A special day today because you will finally reach the lost city (Ciudad Perdida). You will start your day with a trekking to the entrance of the city. Here you still have 1200 steps to climb before you arrive at the archaeological site. Walk around the site, visit the many terraces and ceremonial places in the heart of the jungle. Lunch on the banks of a waterfall with, according to legend, miraculous characteristics. After lunch you will walk further to your next camp. 
Overnight stay: Farmhouse of Mamo Kogui | hammock or bunk bed | full board

Day 12: Ciudad Perdida trekking

After breakfast you start the hike back to the Mamey region. Today you walk about 4 hours and about 10 kilometers. In the afternoon you will have lunch near Mutanyi and you will spend the night at the same place as the first day. 
Overnight stay: Camp in the Mamey region | hammock or bunk bed | full boar

Day 13: Ciudad Perdida trekking – Santa Marta – Palomino

In the morning you walk back to Machete Pelao where your adventure to the lost city began. On the way you will pass a waterfall and in Machete Pelao you will have lunch. After this you will be brought to your hotel in Palomino. Here you can relax from the impressive trip you have made.  
Overnight stay: Aité Eco Hotel | bed & breakfast

Dag 14: Palomino

This day is at leisure, so you can recover from the trekking to the lost city. Of course, it is also a holiday and relaxing is part of it. Enjoy the beach and the facilities offered by the hotel. 
Overnight stay: Aité Eco Hotel | bed & breakfast

Day 15: Palomino – Cartagena

After breakfast you will be taken to Cartagena. You will stay in Casa Lola. Casa Lola is located in two historic colonial buildings from the 17th and 19th century. In the hotel you will find a mix of antiques, artisanal and modern. The hotel is located in the Getsemani district, the most vibrant area of Cartagena at the moment. You will find beautiful street art, excellent restaurants and nice bars. Most activity in the evening takes place around the Trinidad square in front of the church with the same name. Nice to discover the area together with your family. From Getsemani you can walk in 15 minutes to the historic center.
Overnight stay: Casa Lola | bed & breakfast

Day 16: Cartagena

In the morning you get on your bike again to discover the city of Cartagena. Cartagena de Indias is without a doubt one of the most beautiful cities of South America. The city was founded in 1533 by Pedro de Heredia and was an important stop for the silver fleet in the sixteenth century. Your guide will take you along the highlights of the city. Along the way you will have enough time to stop for photos and to listen to the stories of the guide. The colonial heart, with its impressive city wall is perfectly preserved. The old town contains a maze of small picturesque streets, with cheerfully colored colonial buildings and romantic squares. Outside the old city walls, the city has continued to expand with modern, attractive neighborhoods. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure.
Overnight stay: Casa Lola | bed & breakfast

Day 17: Cartagena

The last day in Cartagena and the last day of your unique and unforgettable journey through Colombia. From the city walls near the old town you will have a view of both the atmospheric colonial city center and the impressive skyline of Boca Grande. In the city you will feel a sizzling Caribbean atmosphere. In the afternoon, when the temperature drops, the city comes alive. Start with a delicious cocktail in café del mar on the old city wall while the sun disappears into the sea on the horizon and then stroll through the center, looking for a good restaurant at one of the many beautiful squares.  
Overnight stay: Casa Lola | bed & breakfast

Day 18: Cartagena – Amsterdam

Unfortunately, your journey comes to an end. Today you will be taken to Cartagena airport where you will board your flight to Amsterdam. The next day you will arrive in Amsterdam.

Day 19: Amsterdam

You will arrive in Amsterdam today.