Take advantage of this premium tour, fully equipped with your own private guide and vehicle, as the top sights in Colombia are showcased. Enjoy spectacular views of the Andean mountains in the capital city of Bogota. Wander between the myriad of interesting streets in La Candalaria, Bogota's oldest district. Visit the most important gold museum in the world, the Museo de Oro. Enjoy the abundant nightlife and restaurants in Parque 93 and Zona Rosa. Travel to Colombia's traditional coffee district, Risaralda for a breathtaking tour through through the world famous plantations, while sampling a few cups of your favorite brew. Conclude the tour in Cartagena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located on the Caribbean coast of the country. Discover colonial streets and stunning views of the Caribbean Coast. Explore Castillo de San Felipe and Convento de la Popa. Book and optional day trip to the Rosario Islands or to the Totumo Volcano for a relaxing mud bath.

Why travel with Kensington? Our Colombia tours are private; you can enjoy traveling at your pace and the comfort of traveling in a private vehicle. Our tours include hotel accommodation with breakfast, private vehicle transfers between each location, privately guided activities, park entrance fees, taxes and 24 hour local assistance.

Day 1
Bogota
Airport transfer with private vehicle, and driver. Kensington Tours donates a portion of our proceeds to our charitable initiative www.kensingtoncares.com which supports education-based initiatives in disadvantaged communities. Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). In the heart of La Candelaria, the hotel de la opera offers an oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the capitals everday life. With a stunning colonial exterior and interior there are few hotels in Bogota to compete in style and elegance. Hotel De La Opera is located on Calle 10, between Carrera 5 and 6, next to the Cristóbal Colón Theatre and across the street from the Palacio de San Carlos, which currently houses the Foreign Affairs Ministry. Also across the street is the Colonial Art Museum and just two blocks away is Bolivar Square and the National Cathedral. The Presidential Palace, known as the Casa de Narino, is just a few blocks further.

Bogotá is located near the geographic center of Colombia, on the east of the Savannah of Bogotá. Bogotá was originally called "Bacatá" (which means “planted fields”) by the Muiscas. It was the center of their civilization before the Spanish explorers colonized the area, and it sustained a large population. The European settlement was founded in August 6, 1538 by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada and was named "Santa Fé de Bacatá" after his birthplace Santa Fé and the local name. "Bacatá" had become the modern "Bogotá" by the time it was made the capital of the New Kingdom of Granada, which was then part of the Viceroyalty of Peru, and later of the Viceroyalty of New Granada. The city soon became one of the centers of Spanish colonial power and civilization in South America.

Day 2
Bogota
Visit the major sites during this half day city tour of Colombia's capital. Wander between the myriad of interesting streets of La Candelaria, Bogota's oldest district. Make a stop a the most important gold museum in the world, the Museo de Oro, as well as manu other well designed and interesting museums. Visit the principal squares and take some remarkable photos of the colonial achitecture in this Andean city. Enjoy lunch at leisure (not included in tour price). Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). Overnight at Hotel De La Opera.

Day 3
Bogota - Risaralda
Airport transfer with private vehicle, and driver. Domestic flight between Bogota and Pereira with Avianca Airlines. The flight duration is approximately 1 hour. Airport transfer with private vehicle, and driver. Enjoy lunch at leisure (not included in tour price). Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). Hotel Boutique Sazagua is a fairytale hacienda with every attention to detail taken into account. The ten rooms and bathrooms are decorated and adorned with great thought and consideration. Most of the furniture, ornaments, books and photos are from the families own collection. From the finca there are opportunities for horse riding and walking through mandarin orchards, pineapple plantations, and local farmland. The menu is exquisite and a lovely restaurant. rivate bathroom, closet, swimming pool, relaxing reading areas, beautiful gardens, restaurant, outside eating areas,balconies with comfortable seating. Risaralda is located in the western central region of Colombia and part of the Paisa Region. Its capital is Pereira. It was divided from the department of Caldas in 1966. Risaralda is very well known for the high quality of its coffee, and a booming industry: clothes, food, trading of goods and services. The territory is very mountainous and has many kinds of climate in a very small area.

Day 4
Risaralda
This tour will take you from the far north of Quindío to the beautiful Valle Cocora where the magnificent Wax palm grows, in one of its few natural habitats. Then onto the first settlement in Quindío of the modern era. As you enter into Filandia you know you are in the Coffee region of Colombia. The main square has not changed in appearance or in character in decades. Filandia does not have an attraction to visit; Filandia is the attraction. A coffee break in one of the many small coffee shops will allow you to take in the quaintness of uninterrupted lines of brightly painted houses in the traditional Pueblo of the region. From Filandia you will drive to the Valle Cocora, Cocora Valley. Part of the wider Parque Nacional Los Nevados, the valley is located on the eastern limits of Quindío along the central Andean range. It has been regarded by Colombia as a sanctuary for its national symbol; the Wax Palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense). The Palm fringes the Mountain range, and is now protected and declared a national tree and symbol to prevent exploitation due to the celebrations during Palm Sunday, and therefore a threat against the endemic species dependant on the palm. Salento is a municipality in the northeastern part of the department of Quindío. It was the first settlement in Quindío of the modern era, and the first municipality founded in the department. Salento is located 24 km northeast of the departmental capital Armenia. The picturesque town is located on the Northeastern corner of the department and borders other departments, Risaralda and Tolima all sharing Parque Nacional Los Nevados. From Salento you will continue on to your hotel. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). Overnight at Hotel Boutique Sazagua & Prana Spa.

Day 5
Risaralda
Coffee Culture Tour: A tour of the Cordillera will give you a true impression of the life and culture encompassed by Coffee region, from quaint towns and stunning views, this is a full day insight into the “Triangulo Del Café”. You will visit the National Bamboo Centre, the settlements of Cordoba, Pijao, and Buena Vista, enjoy a typical lunch in a traditional Finca and learn about the coffee process. Your vehicle for the day will be a “Willy” jeep, the traditional means of getting around and moving cargo. In 1986 the regional autonomy of Quindío initiated the National Centre for the study of the Guadua Bamboo. The Centre is providing study resources, investigations and new technologies in propagation, forestry management and innovations in the use of the Bamboo in Industry. From the National Bamboo Centre you will make your way through the hills and valleys of the coffee region, your first port of call being Cordoba and then onto Pijao and Buena vista. Córdoba is one of the twelve municipality’s that form the department of Quindío and one of five which are located along the Cordillera central (central mountain range). With a sense of time stopped still, the buildings are aching under their own weight and the atmosphere is one of calm. During the day the town seems fairly quiet as the folk work the steep slopes amongst the coffee plantations. It’s a great place to sit and drink a coffee whilst watching the gentleman of the town play billiards at the club on the corner. Pijao is known as "The place where the Herons come" for every night herons come to roost on the highest branches of the highest trees, the story goes. You will not find the town folk rushing around here, most will be picking the coffee whilst the rest are centre stage in the plaza sipping coffee and chatting. Buena Vista will be the final port of call along the Andean route. Sitting at 1450 metres above sea level and with a population of just over 3000, Buena Vista's main source of employment is of course Coffee, but also the production of Plantain, blackcurrants and to some extent, cattle. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). Overnight at Hotel Boutique Sazagua & Prana Spa.

Day 6
Pereira - Cartagena
Airport transfer with private vehicle, and driver. Domestic flight between Pereira and Cartagena, via Bogota with Avianca Airlines. Airport transfer with private vehicle. Enjoy lunch at leisure (not included in tour price). Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). Hotel Delirio has an excellent location within the Cartagena de Indias Historical Center, at the “Calle de la Iglesia” (The Church Street), a calm and unique street from where you can see the Cathedral. Thanks to this excellent location, you will be at a few steps from the most important centers and service areas of Cartagena, as well as from the main monuments, tourist attractions and entertaining.
The city of Pereira is the capital city of the Colombian department of Risaralda. It stands in the center of the western region of the country, located in a small valley that descends from a part of the western Andes mountain chain. Its strategic location in the coffee producing area makes the city an urban center in Colombia, as does its proximity to Bogotá, Cali and Medellín – and to the sea and the biggest airport in the whole area.

Day 7
Cartagena
You will be met by from your hotel by your Bilingual guide to commence your walking tour through the streets of the Historic centre of Cartagena. Carved from a colourful history rife of piracy, Sultry Caribbean heat, with fusions of African, indigenous and European culture, Cartagena is Colombia’s living, breathing and pulsating museum. Absurdly photogenic La Heroica (Heroic city) awards even the laziest of travellers. Colour splashes every corner, balconies overflow with blossom, and energy seeps beneath the ancient wooden doors of hotels, restaurants and Casa Privadas. Fresh fruit juices and seafood stalls are rich pickings within the myriad of cobbled streets. Heels click instinctively with the throb of Salsa from Café Havana, dance is integral, and voyeurism is out! Observe the hustle and bustle over a cool beer at Donde Fidels as street vendors add local colour to the cobbled highways. Your tour will take through the old town under the Puerta Del Reloj (Clock tower entrance), a symbol of Cartagena, into the Plaza de los Coches. Your guide will divulge the myths and legends, histories and stories of Cartagena from ancient times right up to the present. From the Plaza San Pedro Claver with its stunning Church, on through to the Plaza Bolivar; with its shady areas, where a fresh Lemon juice can be enjoyed whilst watching the world go by. Cartagena is steeped in history and a delight to stroll the streets with your own personal encyclopaedia of knowledge guiding you from one interest to the other. Enjoy lunch at leisure (not included in tour price). Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). Overnight at Hotel Delirio. Cartagena de Indias is a port city on the northern coast of Colombia and capital of Bolívar Department. It is the fifth largest urban area in Colombia with a population over 1 million. Founded in 1533 by Spaniard Don Pedro de Heredia, and named after the port of Cartagena in Spain's Murcia region, the city was a major center of early Spanish settlement in the Americas. It experienced rapid development in the eighteenth century as the de facto capital of the Viceroyalty of New Granada and as the main hub of commerce and transportation in the late viceroyalty era. The city is presently a center of economic activity in the caribbean region and a popular tourist destination. Cartagena's colonial walled city and fortress were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

Day 8
Cartagena
Enjoy time at leisure to explore at your own pace, or relax in your hotel. Enjoy lunch at leisure (not included in tour price). Enjoy dinner at leisure (not included in tour price). Overnight at Hotel Delirio.

Day 9
Cartagena
Airport transfer with private vehicle. Depart from the International Airport in Cartagena.