In Search Of El Dorado

The Trip

Day 1: Bogota – Arrive Bogota and transfer to hotel / Hotel de la Opera
Day 2: Bogota – City tour and Museo del Oro: Hotel de la Opera
Day 3: Bogota – Train and visit Salt Cathedral / Hotel de la Opera
Day 4: Villa de Leyva – Transfer via Guatavita / Posada San Antonio
Day 5: Villa de Leyva – Tour of Villa de Leyva / Posada San Antonio
Day 6: Popayan – Fly to Popayan / Dann Monasterio
Day 7: Tierradentro – Transfer to Tierradentro / Hotel El Refugio
Day 8: Tierradentro – Visit Tierradentro / Hotel El Refugio
Day 9: San Agustin – Visit archaeological / Hotel Akawanka
Day 10: San Agustin – Tour San Agustin / Hotel Akawanka
Day 11: Cartagena – Tatacoa Desert and fly to Cartagena / Alfiz Boutique
Day 12: Cartagena – City tour / Alfiz Boutique
Day 13: Isla Mucura – Boat across to Isla Mucura / Punta Faro
Day 14: Isla Mucura – Swim, snorkel and relax / Punta Faro
Day 15: Bogota – Fly back to Bogota for onward journey

Bustling capital Bogota

Colombia is a land of unknown secrets for beauty-junkies. The native Colombians were lovers of all things attractive, so built their temples, churches and shrines around scenes of breathtaking nature. When you arrive in Bogota you will be whisked away to the Hotel de la Opera. Our guides will show you around the classic parts of Bogota, the country’s capital.  Teeming with surprises once locked away in colonial mansion houses, the Gold Museum is overflowing with nuggets of gold from old world glory. You’ll see it all, starting in the capitals curious old quarter known as La Candeleria.

Trains and the Salt Cathedral

Take the enchanting ‘Tren de la Sabana’, a re-commissioned steam train, bought and restored by a group of steam train enthusiasts, to some of Bogota’s surrounding villages then onto the fascinating city of Zipaquira. It’s here you’ll find the much-admired Salt Cathedral, an old Muisca Indian mine which has gradually evolved into a vast labyrinth and underground religious shrine, constructed out of coarse salt and considered a feat of engineering. Return back to Bogota for another night in this fantastic city.

The city of gold, fossils and Architectural history

Continue your trip to visit the beautiful town of Villa de Leyva that has remained much the same since it was founded in 1572. The enormous plaza is surrounded by beautiful Spanish style homes and lovely cobblestone streets. On the way visit the sacred Guatavita Lake, the home of one of the most enduring legends in history that of ‘El Dorado’. The local tribes would throw offerings of treasures into the lake in worship of Chie, the goddess of water. Hearing stories of these offerings attracted the Spanish conquistadors to this land, who organized expeditions to find and take the gold and precious jewels for themselves. In Villa de Leyva you will stay at the Posada San Antonio.

Ancient civilisations and colonial gems

Head on down to the beautiful white city of Popayan, while the city was completely restored after an earthquake it retains the charm and elegance of a colonial city with a prevalence of chalk white buildings, church splendour and even ancient pyramids. You will be staying in the old converted

Monastery Dann Monasterio.

Popayan is also the jumping off point for two of Colombia’s greatest archaeological sites, Tierradentro and San Agustin. The region was inhabited by a mysterious and enigmatic civilization that created fantastic sculptures using the local volcanic rock. Statues in the form of pumas, snakes, eagles, warriors and woman are still in near perfect condition 5,000 years after they were completed. Discover these ancient tombs and statues for yourselves in their mountainous setting. You will stay at the Hotel El Refugio and Hotel Hotel Akawanka.

Colonial Cartagena

Next stop is the colourful colonial city of Cartagena. Here you will stay at the Alfiz Boutique. Our local guides will be on hand to show you around this fascinating city. After a couple of nights you will take a boat out to the small paradise Island of Mucura. Here you will spend a couple of nights at the Punta Faro and spend your days swimming, snorkelling and relaxing at the beach before flying back to Bogota for your flight home.