Nature trip Colombia with Amazon and Pacific

Day 2: Bogotá

With a guide you will visit the historic centre of Bogotá known as 'La Candelaria'. While driving through the old neighbourhoods you will see the typical stately houses with Spanish colonial influences. During your trip through the city you will pass all the important buildings. Your guide will tell you about the history that took place here and if desired you will visit some impressive museums that reflect the past of the city. Afterwards you will be brought back to your hotel.
Good to know: Museo Botero is closed on Tuesdays and Museo del Oro is closed on Mondays.
Overnight stay: Hotel Bioxury | bed & breakfast

Day 3: Bogotá

After breakfast you will be taken to Chicaque, a beautiful cloud forest south of Bogotá. It is a 1 hour drive before you arrive at the cloud forest consisting of 244 hectares with more than 16 kilometers of nature trails along rivers, water sources, oak forests and other indigenous vegetation. Together with your guide you will make an impressive walk through the park. You will walk through the mountains, along the rivers and stop at various viewpoints such as Pico del Águila and Roquedal which offer beautiful views of the landscapes and various indigenous villages. You will pass the butterfly farm and a lagoon. Then you will walk with your guide to El Refugio where a lunch is waiting for you. Relax for a while in one of the hammocks and then continue along the path to the oak forest. Your guide can tell you more about the origins of the forest and the different ages of the oak trees. At the end of the afternoon you will be brought back to Bogotá.
Overnight stay: Hotel Bioxury | bed & breakfast

Day 5: Leticia

Today you will be taken to the Reserva Ecologico Mundo Amazonico. A natural park developed by Aná Maria Prado and her husband. When she moved from the department of Santander to Leticia, she was impressed by the enormous natural and cultural wealth of the region. They immediately saw the importance of the Amazon rainforest and the knowledge that indigenous cultures have about it. To preserve and share this knowledge, Aná Maria Prado and her husband started Reserva Ecologico Mundo Amazonico in 1976. The park is a huge botanical garden in which you can make various themed walks. Today you will go on a culinary walk where, accompanied by a guide from one of the indigenous communities of the Amazon, you will learn more about the fruits and plants. Along the way, ingredients will be selected to make a traditional local dish. At the end of the day you will be brought back to your hotel and a dinner will be waiting for you.
Overnight stay: Hotel Decalodge Ticuna | half board

Day 6: Leticia - Natamú

After breakfast you will depart by boat from the pier of Leticia to the Natamú nature reserve in Peru. You will sail over the Amazon for about 30 minutes until you reach Peruvian territory. This region is home to many indigenous cultures. This is also the reason that you will not find passport controls when you cross the border here. For the indigenous communities these borders simply do not exist. As soon as you enter the reserve you make a walk of about 1.5 hours through the landscape with ancient trees and medicinal plants. Take a good look around because you might see several monkeys, frogs and insects. Once you arrive at your accommodation you can choose between activities such as kayaking and animal spotting. In the afternoon there will be a lunch waiting for you and the afternoon is free to spend.
Good to know: Natamú Reserve is a simple accommodation and does not have hot water.
Overnight stay: Natamú Reserve | full board

Day 8: Natamú - Calanoa

It's time to leave Natamú. You will board a boat and sail with other people for about 1.5 hour to your next destination; Calanoa. In the afternoon you can make a walk through the jungle and return by canoe. In the evening you can enjoy a dinner of local products. Good to know: Calanoa lodge does not have hot water.
Overnight stay: Calanoa lodge | half board

Day 9: Calanoa

After breakfast you will get back on a boat and be brought to Puerto Nariño. This small town is after Leticia the most important place in the Amazon, but actually it is not more than a village. It is a pleasant place on the Amazon River, where you will not encounter cars or scooters. There are two tractors in the village, carrying heavy goods. Outside the village everything goes on foot or by bike. The riverbank is considered the heart of the village, a lawn with a sports field, where the residents come together to chat, play sports or sit in the sun. After a typical local lunch you will make a boat trip to the nearby Tarapoto lake. Here you will have the chance to spot both pink and grey dolphins. Afterwards you will be brought back to your accommodation.
Overnight stay: Calanoa lodge | half board

Day 10: Calanoa - Leticia - Medellín

After breakfast you will travel via Leticia to Medellín. You will stay at Hotel Park 10, located in the central district of El Poblado near the famous Parque Lleras. A visit to Medellín is not complete without a visit to this "park" with its many open air restaurants, bars, boutiques and art galleries. Designed and decorated in old English style, the hotel has a classic feel with its wooden floors and marble tables.  
Overnight stay: Hotel Park 10 | bed & breakfast

Day 11: Medellín

Today you will dive into the history of Medellín and see the fascinating transformation that the metropolis has undergone in recent years. Twenty years ago, Medellín was one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Today it is the city of eternal spring and one of the most innovative metropolises in the world. You will visit Mount Nutibara, from where you have a beautiful panoramic view over the city. Then you will visit the Berrío park and the famous Botero square. From here you travel with the innovative transport system of the city. This system is seen by many cities as an example. In Comunna 13 you will see how escalators connect the high to the low part of the district and you will see beautiful graffiti paintings. From here you go back to the centre of the city and you will be brought to your hotel.
Overnight stay: Hotel Park 10 | bed & breakfast

Day 12: Medellín - Nuquí

Today you will leave the bustling city of Medellín and travel, with a short flight and a boat trip, to Ecologde El Cantil in Nuquí on the Pacific coast. Upon arrival you will have some time to freshen up. In the afternoon you will go in search of whales. In this region, in the months of June to October, the whales come close to the coast to give birth to their young, a special experience! Today, you will also have the opportunity to take a beautiful walk over the dense jungle that turns into a deserted beach.
Good to know: El Cantil Ecolodge is a simple accommodation and does not have hot water and electricity.
Overnight stay: El Cantil Ecolodge | full board

Day 13 and 14: Nuquí

These days you will stay in the beautiful surroundings of Nuquí. You can make walks over the estate of the lodge. Enjoy nature, the sound of the jungle and watch pelicans and other birds. Together with your guide you can go out and he will tell you more about the difference in flora and fauna that you encounter here. Relaxation can be found in the thermal baths with lovely temperatures and if desired, you can look for the whales again.
Overnight stay: El Cantil Ecolodge | full board 

Day 15: Nuquí - Medellín

After breakfast you will be picked up at your lodge and taken to Nuquí airport. Here you will board your domestic flight to Medellín. Once you arrive here you will be brought to your hotel. You will stay here for one night before continuing your journey to Cartagena the next day.
Overnight stay: Hotel Park 10 | bed & breakfast

Day 16: Medellín - Cartagena

After breakfast you will take a domestic flight and be brought to your hotel in Cartagena. Cartagena de Indias is a beautiful colonial town on the Caribbean coast. The old centre contains a maze of small picturesque streets, with cheerfully coloured colonial buildings and romantic squares. Outside the old city walls, the city has expanded with modern, attractive neighbourhoods. From the city walls near the old town you can overlook both the atmospheric colonial city centre and the impressive skyline of Boca Grande. You will stay in Casa Lola, close to Plaza de la Santísima Trinidad. This small square is the heart of the district of Getsemani. Formerly an old whorehouse district, today it is a nice neighbourhood where you can still experience Colombian life. In the evening, the inhabitants of the district meet each other on the square where you can also find food stands and lots of fun.
Overnight stay: Casa Lola | bed & breakfast

Day 18: Cartagena - Amsterdam

In the afternoon you will be picked up at your hotel and taken to Cartagena airport where you will board your intercontinental night flight to Amsterdam. You will arrive the next day.

Day 19: Amsterdam

You will arrive in Amsterdam today.