18 to 35s Real Colombia

Hola! Welcome to Colombia. Your adventure begins in Bogota with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, join your leader for an orientation walk at 3 pm. Maybe browse the stalls at the Usaquen Flea Market, visit the Botero Museum or take a cable car to Monserrate for panoramic views of the city. After your meeting, enjoy a local beer or two as you play Tejo – a traditional Colombian game where you throw a metal disc at a target embedded in clay. Then maybe find a local restaurant for a group dinner of Colombian cuisine and get to know your fellow travellers. Your leader will have some great recommendations.

After breakfast, set off for Rio Claro. Today is a long travel day, so it's a great day to get stuck into your book or favourite podcasts. Along the way, stop in Honda – a town nicknamed the ‘City of Bridges’ due to the 40-plus bridges spanning its small area. Get a quick glimpse of the daily life here and grab a bite to eat at a local restaurant before continuing to Rio Claro – a nature reserve known for its clear rivers, tropical rainforest terrain and waterfalls. When you arrive, maybe settle into your accommodation and kick back to the sounds of nature. You'll have a full day to explore tomorrow.

Head out this morning on a walk along the nature reserve’s ecological trail. Walk through rainforest terrain to riverside El Marmol (Marble Beach) – perfect for a swim to cool off. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Rio Claro at your own pace. Maybe go rafting and race down tropical rainforest rapids, soar downstream along the canyon walls on a zip-line or go caving and explore the cavern sculpted by the El Bornego creek. Tonight, perhaps try a Colombian dish for dinner like sancocho (a hearty local stew) or churrasco (steak).

Travel to Guatape today – this small Andean town is known for its houses decorated with colourful bas-reliefs (sculptures). When you arrive, climb the zigzag staircase of El Penol – a 65-million-year-old granitic rock remnant that used to be worshipped by the Indigenous Tahami peoples. Take in the 360-degree bird’s-eye view of the lake and nearby towns at the top before heading back into town for a free afternoon. Maybe walk along the cobbled stone streets of Calle del Recuerdo, visit San Rafael or head out for dinner at a local restaurant.

Drive to Medellin today – the capital of Colombia’s mountainous Antioquia province is nicknamed the ‘City of Eternal Spring’ for its temperate weather and annual Flower Festival. When you arrive, join your leader on an orientation walk to get your bearings. Then, maybe wander through the Medellin Botanical Garden or take a cable car to Parque Arvi and set off on a hiking trail through the beautiful landscape. Tonight, you’re free to relax or ask your leader for the best local hangouts to try some arepas (crispy white corn cakes usually stuffed with meat and vegetables).

Get out and about in Medellin with a free day. You might want to visit the Museo de Antioquia to see some of Botero's famous works, join a historic tour downtown or explore Comuna 13 (San Javier) – one of the 16 communes of Medellin – known for its brightly coloured street art. Maybe take a guided tour of the area and learn how its hillside streets, once defined by hardship, have been transformed by local artists. Tonight, perhaps join your new friends in search of one of the city’s pumping salsa bars and toast to a trip well-travelled!

Today, you’ll fly from Medellin to Cartagena – a port city rich in history, with a UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town that dates back to the 16th century. You’ll have a second welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight to meet the new travellers joining you for the next leg of the trip. After the meeting, maybe gather your new group and head out for dinner. How about some warm arepas filled with melty cheese or some traditional local salted fish? Be sure to ask your leader for all the best places to eat in the city.

This morning, travel to Barranquilla – a seaport city on the bank of the Magdalena River known for its annual Carnaval, which is recognised by UNESCO for its Intangible Cultural Heritage and is the biggest party in Colombia. When you arrive, set off on a cycling tour with your leader through Barranquilla along the Malecon (waterfront promenade). After, head back to your accommodation and maybe find a local restaurant – your leader will have the best recommendations. Or you might like to try some street food favourites like arepas (cornbread filled with cheese), butifarras (spiced beef and pork sausages) or chuzo (chargrilled meat with fried potato, cheese, corn, lettuce and other customisable toppings).

Set off on a guided tour through the Palafitos Villages – stilt villages built on the water in the Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta. This large swamp is a Ramsar Site (wetland of international importance) and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The tour begins with a short drive to Pueblo Viejo, where you'll board a traditional fisherman's boat to visit the stilt villages of Buenavista and Nueva Venecia. In Nueva Venecia, head to the Visitors’ Center with a local community guide and learn about the moving history of this village, including its struggles with violence and social issues. Then, continue to the floating football field – a symbol of hope for the younger generations, donated by the famous footballer Radamel Falcao Garcia. Later, continue to Minca, where you’ll stay tonight.

This morning, join a local guide through the charming streets of Minca before continuing to the Marinka Waterfalls. Lace up your hiking boots and take in the scenic river views as you walk, looking out for native birds along the way. Swim in the crystal-clear waters surrounded by nature before heading back to Minca. This afternoon is free for you to explore at your own pace – maybe join a La Candelaria farm tour, where you'll visit a coffee farm built in the 1990s that also cultivates cacao. Here, you’ll have the choice between a coffee or chocolate tour, where you’ll learn about the cultivation and transformation process into the final product.

After breakfast, travel to Santa Marta. When you arrive, set off on an orientation walk through this coastal city with your local leader. The rest of the day is free for you to explore at your own pace. Maybe taste some local produce at the Santa Marta Public Market or walk along the seafront promenade of Macheteon de Bastidas. Tonight, maybe get your new friends together and venture out into Santa Marta’s vibrant nightlife near Parque de los Novios.

Today is a free day for you to explore Santa Marta at your own pace. Maybe take a daytrip to Tayrona National Park, join a Santa Marta city tour or visit the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino Museum – the historic home of the former President of Peru, Simon Bolivar. Tonight, maybe watch the sunset from a nearby beach or try some local dishes like fish ancocho (fish and vegetable soup) or cayeye (boiled mashed banana with butter and cheese).

Take a bus from Santa Marta to Cartagena this morning. Today is a bit of a long travel day, so it's a good idea to get stuck into your book or favourite podcasts. When you arrive, maybe join a tour of the San Felipe de Barajas Castle, stroll through the Zenu Gold Museum or indulge in local cuisine on a street food tour or rum tasting. Tonight, consider joining your new friends for dinner at a local restaurant and toast to the final night of your trip.

As there are no more activities planned after breakfast, your trip comes to an end this morning. If you’d like to stay in Cartagena longer, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.