Colombia for families: Bogota Tayrona & Cartagena

Start your day exploring the best of Bogota´s graffiti art, the museum of the national police, and Bogota´s During the morning walk the colorful streets of the old quarter of La Candelaria, stop by the Bolivar plaza and listen to the magical stories that have taken place here. Then the way will lead to the mythical gold museum, the place that gathers thousands of pieces of gold will involve you in the unique legend of El Dorado, when

important governors were used to be dressed all in gold, here you will attend to a lecture hosted by one of the specialists of the place, who will explain you how was the life for the original inhabitants of this land before the conquers, and all those magical and mythical legends that will captivate your mind.

After this visit get on a bike and ride the colorful streets of Bogota, many streets in town will be closed for people to ride or skate, you will head up to the Usaquen street fair. Here, you’ll meet characters offering color and charm, secondhand items, ingenious inventions, a vast variety of fruits, sweets and foods, as well as music and art. The Usaquen fair is one of the biggest markets in South America and displays excerpts of Colombian culture in one place. This market is only open on Sundays between noon and 5 p.m. (B, L, D)

Hotel: Cite Hotel 4* (Superior room)

Leave Bogota and flight to Riohacha, the gateway to the Palomino region. After an scenic drive you will reach the national park of Los Flamingos located by the area named Camarones, to find the Colombia’s most important coastal bird sanctuary surrounded by estuaries and marshes that hosts 10% of all the world’s endemic and migratory bird species, we will be floating in a wooden, hand-rowed canoe we get the chance to appreciate a diversity of mangroves and the innumerable wild birds of the reserve, among them the flamingos. After the tour we have a talk with one of the park rangers about the ecological importance of this wildlife sanctuary. (B, L, D)

Here is a short list of the birds you will get the change to watch:

• Caribbean Flamingo(Phoenicopterusruber)
• Great Egret (Ardea alba)
• Roseate Spoonbill(Plataleaajaja)
• Shovelers(Ortails)
• Seagulls (Laridae)
• Kingfisher (Cerylidae)
• Hummingbirds(Lepidopygaliliae) (endemic)
• Brown Cowbird (Molothrusarmenti) (endemic)
• Pelican(Pelecabusoccidentalis)

During the afternoon feel the local vibe as you hit the surf in Palomino beach. Your guide will help you polish your technical skills in the warm waters of the Colombian Caribbean. This activity is ideal for beginners and families. Surf and boogie boards are available.

During the afternoon and after lunch get to explore the Palomino River offers on an easy paddle along its crystalline waters that run off a glacier on Mount Simon Bolivar, the highest snow-capped peak to the Caribbean ocean. As we float and paddle through this scenic rain forest, there are plenty of opportunities for spotting wildlife specially look for the howler monkeys. It’s a wonderful way to appreciate the natural beauty in and around the Palomino River (B, L, D)

The Kogi are a unique people that have generously invited outsiders to be part of their everyday lives, customs and traditions. Kogi villages are governed by a “Mamo” (chaman or spiritual leader) who may grant you permission to visit his community to learn about their spiritual worldview and the history of the Kogi people, who have survived even the Spanish conquest. From construction to agriculture, textiles, and crafts, this cultural immersion inspires visitors pursue a life that is in balance with nature.

Our community’s indigenous leader will give us a tour around the houses and community buildings, explaining the traditional cooking and the culture of the Kogis, and from there we continue to the plantations to learn about their farming and working materials. Afterwards we gather around a tree in a sacred place, where we have the opportunity to chat with a Mamo – a spiritual leader of the community.   Return to your hotel about 4PM (B, L, D)

Continue today with your trip to Cartagena, todays drive will take 5 hours with several stops in the road, one of this is to enjoy a swim on a mud volcano (an active one!) at a place called el totumo you will find an interesting small mud filled crater where you can be all covered by mud while floating for a while, then get a natural shower and continue on route to the magical walled city.

To end the day, about 4PM when the tropical breeze makes the city easier to walk, with the company of a professional guide and photographer, this tour will give you the opportunity to capture the magic, people, architecture, and landscapes of a city that is rich in history and culture. If you were hoping to snap some postcard worthy images, this is the perfect tour for you, as you’ll be taken to some of the most scenic spots and given tips on how to perfect your composition. (B, L)

Hotel: Hyatt Regency Cartagena 5* (standard room)

Tierra bomba is the closest island to Cartagena, back in the times its location was priceless since brave sailors and soldiers had to spend long seasons to defend the city from corsairs as the infamous Sir Francis Drake, who tried several times to get the control of the place, but the Spaniards improved their military techniques to stop him, this also made the locals had to hide several priceless treasures all over the Island of Tierra Bomba. Once you get to the fortress of San Fernando the guardians of the place will take you as a prisoner, as they think you are part of the Francis Drake Crew, you will have to gather the clues spreaded all over the place, access to the maps network of Cartagena and let your imagination travel hundreds of years to the past to scape the hostages’ room, if you succeed you will also find a hidden treasure (B, L, D)

Hotel: Hyatt Regency Cartagena 5* (standard room)

Today your guide will take you to the airport and assist you for your international flight back home (B)