Cartagena (Caracas to Quito)

Day 1 to 1

Arrive Caracas

Day 1 is simply an arrival day with no pre-organised activities, so you will have free time to relax and see some of the sights. Our tour begins in Venezuela’s capital city, Caracas, which is 960 metres above sea level and has one of South America's most pleasant climates. It is a very modern city with an efficient metro system, which goes from our hotel area into the city centre in minutes. Caracas has many lovely plazas, parks, museums and impressive buildings, and is famously the birthplace of the Liberator, Simón Bolívar, whose presence is still seen everywhere. Because of the mild climate, there are many outdoor cafés and restaurants where you can sit and watch the world go by.

Day 2 to 5

Merida

We leave Caracas and travel to the city of Mérida, surrounded by mountains. You will have plenty of time to get to know this picturesque city. Founded in 1558, the city still retains many interesting colonial buildings. In the nearby Sierra Nevada National Park there is an opportunity to take a 2 or 3 day hike through breathtaking scenery culminating in an exciting cable car (teleférico) ride back to the city. This cable car was built by the French in 1958 and is the longest and highest aerial cableway in the world. Please be aware that the cable car is frequently closed for maintenance.

Day 6 to 8

Los Llanos

Our next destination is the flatlands of los Llanos, a vast tropical grassland plains area which harbours abundant wildlife including a vast variety of birds, capybaras, caimans, anacondas, pumas, monkeys and freshwater dolphins. Most of the country’s cattle also graze in this area living side-by-side with wildlife. The cattle are mostly the Zebu variety, which comes from Brazil and India.

Day 9 to 17

Cucuta - Bucaramanga - Santa Marta -Tairona National Park - Cartagena

Leaving the plains behind we head across the border to the pleasant frontier town of Cúcuta in Colombia, where we spend the night before moving on to Bucaramanga known as ‘City of Parks. We then continue on to the slightly more touristy port town of Santa Marta, Colombia's first town, founded on the Caribbean coast in 1525. It was here that ‘The Liberator’ Simón Bolivar came to die in 1830 and you can visit the lush gardens around the hacienda where he spent his final days. The Gold Museum houses a superb collection of pre-Columbian gold and Indian artefacts or you can take time out in one of the scenic open-air waterfront bars. Our next stop is the Tairona National Park, known for its tranquil beaches and pre-Colombian ruins. Here we have plenty of free time to explore the beautiful, unspoilt beachside woodland where you may see iguanas, small lizards, snakes and the occasional monkey. There is also the chance to trek to the small ruins of El Pueblito, left by the original Taironian people. We continue to the historic city of Cartagena, one of the most interesting colonial towns on the continent and where the film “Romancing the Stone” was made. Enjoy a walk along the city walls or wander through the fascinating narrow streets adorned with wooden balconies and hanging plants. There are several interesting optional excursions on offer such as a visit to Castillo San Felipe and the fortress on San Lazaro Hill. Beneath this fortress is a maze of tunnels and there are still cannons in place along the battlements. Also worthwhile is a trip up La Popa Hill to visit the colourful convent with great views over the city. The Bocagrande area of Cartagena is where Colombians come for their beach holidays and it is full of shops, nightclubs and bars. For an excellent evening out you could take a tour around the city by night in a chiva (also known by some as a “booze bus”). Frequent stops are made to see local street performers en route to a local disco. Another optional excursion that can be arranged here is a boat ride to the beautiful Islas del Rosario where it is also possible to go snorkelling or scuba diving around the islands. Near Cartagena is the Volcán de Lodo El Totumo, a mud volcano where you can relax and wallow in the mud, which is believed to be a good treatment for the skin.

Day 18 to 19

Bucaramanga - Villa de Leiva

We return briefly to Bucaramanga for one last glimpse of this pretty historic town and a perhaps try its famous cigars and sample some hormiga culona, a dish made of large fried ants! We then continue on to Villa de Leiva, an attractive colonial town founded in 1572 which has been preserved, with virtually no modern architectural influences at all, as a national monument by the Colombian government. You’ll have time to enjoy its incredible colonial plaza, quaint cobblestoned streets, red-tiled roofs, white-washed walls, beautiful balconies and private courtyards. This is also a popular area for hiking and mountain biking options.

Day 20 to 25

Bogota - Zona Cafeteria - Cali - Popayan

We head to Santa Fe de Bogotá, the capital of Colombia with a population of 6 million. The main square - Plaza Bolívar, the Cathedral, Simón Bolívar’s house and the colonial area of Candelaria are all within walking distance of our hotel. You may like to take the funicular to Monserrate for the incredible city views, or visit the world famous gold museum. Finally, a trip to Bogotá would not be complete without an evening out, dancing the night away to salsa and merengue music at one of the city’s pulsating nightclubs. Next we visit the terraced slopes of the Zona Cafeteria (Colombia’s coffee zone) which produces almost half of the country’s coffee. This area is particularly scenic with green valleys surrounded by imposing snow-capped peaks. The area was only settled by the Spanish in the 1800s. You will have plenty of time to explore this area which offers a range of activities such as a butterfly park, botanical gardens and Parque del Café and Panaca, an agricultural park. Ask your tour leader about some of the more adventurous activities available. It is then on to the bustling city of Cali, the home of salsa dancing and in the Juanchito district you can dance until dawn any night of the week. Next we reach Popayán for our last overnight stop in Colombia. Known as the ‘White City’ because of the colour of the houses which are painted during the commemoration of Christ´s passion and resurrection, this is a stunning colonial city second only to Cartagena for beauty. On the way to the border with Ecuador we will visit the famous Las Lajas Cathedral, a spectacular Neo-Gothic church, built on the bridge spanning the river gorge to commemorate the appearance of the Virgin Mary. Legend has it that her image appeared on an enormous vertical rock 45m above the river. As you walk down the hill you will notice the plaques along the cliff wall placed there by pilgrims.

Day 26 to 28

Valle de Chota - Otavalo - Quito

Our next stop is an overnight stay in the dry Valle de Chota. Many of the local people here are of Afro Caribbean decent, with their own traditions and heritage dating back to the colonial period. Leaving the dusty valley we continue to Otavalo. The local population is made up of a mixture of European descent, mestizos and people of indigenous descent, known as indígenas, who dress mainly in traditional attire. The men keep their hair in long braids down their backs and wear calf length white trousers, blue ponchos, dark felt hats and sandals while the women traditionally wear white frilly blouses with flared lace sleeves and black skirts with layers of gold and coral necklaces twirled around their necks. Every Wednesday and Saturday you can visit one of the best markets to be found anywhere in South America. People come from remote villages to sell their livestock, produce and textiles. The market offers fantastic photo opportunities and wool handicrafts, and you may also find good quality wood carvings and leather products made by artisans from nearby villages. The last leg of our journey takes us across the equator on our way to our final destination, the colonial capital of Quito, the first city to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1978. Here you can explore the bustling streets and squares of the largest historical centre in the Americas. Visit some of its most important churches such as the majestic La Compania (Society of Jesus Church) and iconic San Francisco, guardians of a stunning multi-ethnic artistic and cultural heritage. You may wish to enjoy a last dinner together and reminisce about this great adventure before you continue on your way. This is also the departure city for Expedition Cruises to the Galápagos Islands. Talk to us about how you can add a Galápagos cruise to your itinerary.

Day 29 to 29

Depart Quito

Our tour concludes after breakfast.