Colombian colours

Flight to Bogotá.
Arrival at Bogotá airport (2640m altitude), reception by your French speaking guide, transfer and installation at the BH Bicentenario hotel for two nights.

Walking tour of the Candelaria district where you will discover a set of houses and churches dating from the 18th and 19th centuries.
You will arrive in the Bolivar square surrounded by the National Capitol, the Palace of Justice, the City Hall of Bogotá and the Palace of the Archdiocese among others.
You will continue with the visit of the Botero Foundation, gift of the great Colombian artist, which contains, in addition to the works of the artist, 85 paintings of the greatest impressionist masters.
At lunch you will taste ajiaco, chicken soup, potatoes and vegetables; typical of Bogotá.
Then visit the Gold Museum which is a highlight of your stay as it houses the largest collection of gold coins of the Indian era.
To end this day, you will climb by cable car to the hill of Montserrate to enjoy a beautiful panorama of the Colombian capital.

Departure for the Paloquemao market with 1000 colors and flavors, it is the largest flower market in the country.
Drive to Zipaquira and visit the Salt Cathedral, an impressive building located in a former underground mine.
Continuation to Villa de Leyva, which is located at 1,700m above sea level and is distinguished by its sumptuous colonial architecture that has been virtually intact since colonial times. Overnight at the Hotel Meson de los Virreyes.

Visit the city on foot to soak up the peaceful atmosphere of this architectural gem, one of the best preserved colonial cities in the country.
This small town enjoys an ideal Mediterranean climate. The surrounding green hills give it an air of Castile.
Plaza Major is one of the largest squares in Latin America with 14,000 square metres.
You will discover the churches, the many paved squares, the carved stone fountains with gargoyles and crests, the statues to the glory of illustrious characters of the country, the wooden balconies and the shops exhibiting the diversity of Colombian craftsmanship.
Road to the village of Raquirá, rich in colors, cultural and handicrafts because of its population of weavers, painters, potters, etc. Visit of the «Candelaria» Monastery, the first monastery of the Recoletos Augustinian monks in America, a haven of peace and serenity, decorated with plants and other colourful flowers.
Lunch then departure to Bogotá airport. Flight to Pereira in the heart of the coffee valley.
Arrival and reception by your guide. Transfer and installation at the Sonesta Pereira hotel for two nights.

Road to Cocora Valley on all-terrain vehicles. Hike of 1h30 to 2h in a setting of hills dotted with wax palm trees, Colombian national tree up to 60 meters high.
The landscapes of the Coffee Axis have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Meeting and exchange with a representative of an association that supports the preservation of the wax palm.
You can, in turn, plant a shoot of this tree in order to maintain the tradition in the protection of this threatened species. Drive to the village of Salento and its colorful houses. Founded by peasant settlers from Medellín a hundred years ago, Salento is a beautiful mix of traditional paisa architecture with painted wooden facades and corridors with elegant colonnades. Stop in a bar to enjoy a very fragrant cappucino. Free time to enjoy the calm of this typical village. Return to Pereira.

Visit of the coffee cooperative where local producers come to sell their products.
You will receive an explanation on the sustainable market, you will discover the culture of coffee in a traditional finca and learn the whole process of making this unique coffee in a wooded and generous nature.
Transfer to Pereira airport and flight to Cartagena (via Bogotá). Arrival in Cartagena and welcome by your guide.
Transfer and installation at the Armeria Real for three nights.

Start your day with a walking tour of Cartagena, one of the most beautiful cities in Latin America, and its most emblematic neighbourhoods.
It was declared a UNESCO heritage site in 1984. Its buildings are reminiscent of the splendour of colonial times, with its untouched streets and beautiful carved wooden balconies.
Visit of the imposing fortress of San Felipe, Spanish military building erected in the New World to defend Cartagena from the numerous attacks of pirates and privateers in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and the convent of the Popa offering a unique panorama on the city.

Morning departure for the small fishing village of La Boquilla, which will enchant nature lovers. On the beach of La Boquilla you can see both sides of the city.
This district is indeed one of the poorest areas of Cartagena, while at the same time we can see 5-star hotels and luxury apartments built on its beaches.
When you arrive, sail aboard a canoe through the mangroves and swamp of Juan Paolo. In the marsh, you can observe the work of fishermen and a very diverse fauna and flora.

Transfer to Cartagena airport and flight to France via Bogotá. Dinner and overnight on board.

Arrival in France.