Bogota is Colombia's beating heart where the cosmopolitan meets colonial. After you arrive in Bogota, our representative will meet you outside the airport and welcome you to this amazing city. After you check-in to the hotel, get refreshed and relax, before we start our epic tour tomorrow. Spend rest of the day in leisure.
Overnight stay in Bogota.In the freshness of the morning, we will go out to explore the nooks and corners of the city and there is no better way of exploring than by foot. The walking tour around the historical center will take us approximately 2 - 2.5 hours which will include Bolivar Square, La Catedral Primada (residence of the Archdiocese of Colombia), Iglesia de San Agustin, 3 corner churches (3 Iglesias de la Esquina), and International Emerald Museum. Then we will visit the Museum of Gold. After visiting the museum we will continue to a beautiful historical area in the center of the city, La Candelaria, and will visit the ex-hacienda of Simon Bolivar, Quinta Bolivar, where a beautiful museum displays the antiques. After that, we will continue to the Monserrate Hill by cable car, where we can enjoy a panoramic view of Bogota.
Overnight stay in Bogota. Note: the visit to the churches will depend on the climate. The churches do not have specific schedules. It is difficult to say if the churches will be open. On Mondays, museums are closed.“El Dorado” legend comes to life in Guatavita lagoon, an ancestral place that fascinates all visitors. During approximately an hour and a half, you will be enjoying the beautiful landscapes of the highways outside the city up to the very last minute when you arrive in “Guatavita la nueva”, a picturesque town with colonial architecture located next to Tominé dam. From there you will follow your way to the sacred lagoon of Guatavita, where you will learn the popular legend of El Dorado; based in a worship Muisca ritual where gold was the main element.
Get to know all the mysteries from this place where the indigenous magic lives, from the beginning of the tour you will enjoy viewpoints strategically located. Continue to Zipaquirá, a well-known town and famous worldwide for hosting one of Colombia’s Marvels. There, lies a majestic salt-mine Cathedral buried 180mts underground. This amazing place is famous for its religious, cultural and architectural value. The mine’s interior is decorated with lights in the tunnels lighting up the fourteen stages of the Way of the Cross. Enjoy attractions like the Miner’s route, Water Mirror, Convention Center and the Coffee bar, to have a delicious Colombian coffee 180mts underground. Afterwards, see "San Antonio" Cathedral, and a panoramic view of colonial architecture in Zipaquira’s heart. At the end of the tour, return to the hotel in Bogotá. Overnight stay in Bogota.In the morning after breakfast, our chauffeur will transfer you to the local airport for your flight to Santa Marta. Upon arrival at Santa Marta, you will be received by the representative and will be guided to the hotel.
Between the mountains and the sea is the city of Santa Marta, the oldest city in America, founded in 1525 by Don Rodrigo de Bastidas. It still holds the charm of the past and one can only feel the essence of the place if you explore it on your own. In the old city, we can visit the Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in South America. We will also visit the observation deck, which offers a beautiful view of the village of Taganga and the mesmerizing view of the vast Pacific. Sightseeing tour of the city will include the Hacienda La Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, the monument to Carlos "El Pibe" Valderrama, Tayrona Museum, Bahia de Santa Marta, and Rodadero. Overnight stay in Santa Marta.After an early breakfast, we will be on roads towards Tayrona. It would take us around 1 hour, and we will straight going to Canaveral Beach for an ecological walk to Arrecife Beach. Then we continue our journey along the coast, passing the beaches of Arenilla, La Piscina, Cabo San Juan, where we will enjoy the beautiful scenery and crystal clear waters of the Tayrona National Park. The trek will take around 2 hours.
On the beach of Cape San Juan, you will have free time where you can even go in the sea and enjoy swimming in the calm and azure waters of the Pacific. Then after having lunch, we return by the same path or by horse and you may even take a boat ride back to our departure point. In Cape San Juan, you can also practice snorkeling with a guide and equipment. Overnight stay in Santa Marta.In the morning after breakfast, our chauffeur will transfer you to the local airport for your flight to Cartagena. Upon arrival at Cartagena, you will be received by the representative and will be guided to the hotel.
The excursion begins in the afternoon. The first stop is at the famous monument of Los Zapatos (Boots). We will walk through the city-fortress, visit the fortress of San Felipe (open for visits from 8 am to 5 pm) and the modern part of the city. 15 minutes from the fortress is the hill of La Popa, with a beautiful view of the city. On this hill, there is the famous Convento de la Popa monastery. Afterwards, travel over to the Bóvedas district, an area known for its craft stores and art galleries. Spend some time browsing the local shops before heading back to your hotel. Overnight stay in Cartagena.Today we will be going off the coast into the sea to the islands of Rosario (or Corales del Rosario). They are a small archipelago consisting of 28 islands that are part of the island area of Cartagena, an area of 20 hectares, located at the coast of the department of Bolivar. The incredible combination of cerulean and turquoise colors of the sea water and the extensive coral reefs will make you feel like nothing short like heaven. The entire area has also been declared as a National Park. There is a beautiful aquarium which is one of the major attraction. For the adventure spirited ones, don't miss out the lifetime chance of enjoying the snorkeling and diving in this amazing place. In the late afternoon, we will take the boat to return to Cartagena.
Overnight stay in Cartagena.Today we have a long transfer to cover. After breakfast, you will be transferred to the local airport for your flight to Bogota, from where you will have the International flight to Quito. Upon arrival at Quito, our representatives will meet you and you will be guided to your hotel. Check in and spend the rest of the day in leisure, after long flights.
Overnight stay in Quito.We begin today with a guided tour of our host city of Quito, which is set in a hollow at the foot of the volcano Pichincha, surrounded by hills and several snow-capped mountains. It is known for its treasure trove of colonial churches, monasteries, paintings, sculptures and carvings and an eclectic blend of Spanish, Flemish and Moorish architecture, which has been formally recognized by UNESCO. First, we will be taken to a viewpoint called Guapulo, a natural terrace from which to admire the spectacular views of the Pichincha volcano, the Valleys of Cumbayá and Tumbaco and the eastern mountain chain. On a clear day, the snow-capped Cayambe and Puntas volcanoes can be seen. We continue on a guided tour through the old part of the city, where the colonial heritage of Ecuador is very much in evidence and the culturally diverse history of Quito itself will be explained. Notable sights include Independence Square, the Government buildings and the Bishops Palace. We will visit the Cathedral and its museum and see the church of La Compañia, which has the most ornate and richly sculptured façade and interior – with so many beautiful 16th and 17th-century churches and monasteries, Quito is known as the “Convent of America”.
Later we visit the Botanical Garden of Quito, which is located in the capital’s popular La Carolina Park. Plants from all the different ecosystems of the country, such as the rare Frailejon and the Espeletia from the high paramo regions of the northern Andes, are exhibited, giving us a good introduction to some of the plants we may see in the wild later in the tour. Overnight stay in Quito.Mindo is a tiny town set amidst some of the most beautiful and peaceful countrysides in the entire country. It is a center for both natures and for adventure activities. You are going to visit a butterfly farm where you will also be able to see orchids and an array of colorful hummingbirds. Mindo has a great biodiversity. The forest landscape is home to over 500 species of birds and 400 species of orchids.
You cross the forest area in a cable car, located approximately 30 meters above the ground, then we will walk through the woods. Another of the most popular activities in Mindo is the zip-lining canopy runs between towers high in the forest. Also, you have a chocolate tour which includes a demonstration of the chocolate-making process. Overnight stay in Quito.We will drive to the famous Quilotoa Crater Lake. On our way we will pass by the Tigua workshop and admire some impressive local artwork with impressions of life in the Andes. At our arrival to the Quilotoa Loop, we will appreciate an emerald green lake (Quilotoa Lake) inside the crater of an extinct volcano with steep jagged cliffs. We are going to trek into the crater to the lake shore. You will also have the chance to go kayaking in the lake.
Overnight stay in Quito.IN the morning we will take our flight from Quito for Galapagos islands. When you land in Baltra our guide will receive you. You will arrive at Santa Cruz Island crossing the Itabaca Channel, it is a waterway that connects two islands,(Baltra and Santa Cruz). from there you will be transferred in a private transportation to your hotel.
During the trip, we can admire the different environments, from a rocky red surface in the north to the green landscape of wildlife in the south. In the afternoon, you will visit the Charles Darwin Research Station. This station has a museum of history and development of the Galapagos Islands, as well as information on the protection of natural heritage. Here you can watch the endemic giant tortoises from the islands. Later you will have free time to explore the town of Puerto Ayora, where you can several souvenir shops. Overnight stay in Isla Santa Cruz.From the second day, the excursion may change depending on the availability. Visits to the islands are confirmed one week before arrival. Visits could be to the following islands:
North Seymour Island North Seymour is a small island near to Baltra Island. It was formed by uplift of a submarine lava formation. The whole island is covered with low, bushy vegetation. It is home to a large population of blue-footed boobies and swallow-tailed gulls. It hosts one of the largest populations of frigate birds in Galapagos. North Seymour has a visitor trail approximately 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) in length crossing the inland of the island and exploring the rocky coast. Plazas Island South Plaza is a small island off the east coast of Santa Cruz in the Galapagos Islands. It has an area of 0.13 km and a maximum altitude of 23 meters. Despite its small size, it is home to a large number of species and it is famous for its extraordinary flora. On the steep banks it is possible to see a great number of birds such as nesting Red-billed Tropicbirds and Swallow-tailed Gulls, but most of all, enjoying the beautiful view from atop the steep banks or strolling along the base of the cliff is an extremely pleasurable experience. Very attractive are the beautiful prickly pear cactus trees (Opuntia echios) and of course the large colony of Galapagos Land Iguanas. Bartoleme Island It is a volcanic islet just off the east coast of Santiago Island. With a total land area of just 1.2 km², this island offers some of the most beautiful landscapes in the archipelago. The island consists of an extinct volcano and a variety of red, orange, green, and glistening black volcanic formations. It is famous for its Pinnacle Rock, which is the distinctive characteristic of this island, and the most representative landmark of the Galápagos. It has two visitor sites. At the first one, you may swim and snorkel around Pinnacle Rock; the underwater world there is really impressive. You can snorkel with the penguins, marine turtles, white-tipped reef sharks, and other tropical fish. Isabela Island Isabela Island is the largest island of the Galápagos with an area of 4,640 square kilometers (1,790 sq mi), and length of 100 kilometers (62 mi). Volcano Wolf and Cerro Azul; these volcanoes loft above the cloud cover and are arid on top. Isabela's rich animal, bird, and marine life are beyond compare. Isabela is home to more wild tortoises than all the other islands.This would always remain as one the most memorable trips you have ever made, from the hidden bays, underwater splendors to island gems. Our chauffeur will bid you a warm farewell at the airport for your safe and pleasant trip back home.
At zerodegreel
every moment will someday make you look back and want to experience it all over again.
