Colombia with Leticia in Amazon 5 days including Cartagena
Day 1: Arrival at Bogota airport and welcome by our driver for transfer to hotel in Colonial area ‘La Candelaria’. As most flights arrive in the late afternoon or evening, we don’t have any program for the rest of the day. Just relax.
Day 2: City tour Bogota. In the morning you will be picked up by our guide for a walk through the colonial area ‘La Candelaria’. We will pass by the main monuments and squares and also visit the Gold Museum (closed on Mondays) and the Botero Museum (closed on Tuesdays). Depending on the weather conditions we will visit Cerro Monserrate by cable car in the early morning or at the end of the city tour. Second night in Bogota. As an option we can also offer the city tour on bike. Especially on Sundays, when there is ‘cilcovia’ this is a very nice option to get to know the center of Bogota and some neighborhoods in the surroundings. Other option is to include the local market of Paloquemado in the city tour.
Day 3: Private transport to Laguna de Guatavita (1,5 to 2 hours). Here we will make an ecological walk (1,5 to 2 hours) to the holy lake of the Muisca Indians in company of a local guide (no English speaking guide available). We will see ecosystems of semi-paramo (2800-3100m) and paramo (+3100m). Continuation to visit SALT CATHEDRAL and from there to the colonial town of Villa de Leyva, overnight in or near the colonial center,
Day 4: Free day in Villa de Leyva to explore the colonial town, the surroundings, or to relax. Second night in Villa de Leyva. As an option we can offer an additional tour or activity. Some of the options are: horseback riding, visit to the desert of ‘la Candelaria’, cultural and archeological tour with museums, hike to Parama Iguaque, ecological walks in the surroundings and/or to waterfalls, extreme activities, city tour, etc. Every Saturday Villa de Leyva has a local market in the morning just behind the main square.
Continuation day 4, (or day 5 with late flight to Leticia):
Late private transport from Villa de Leyva to Bogota, overnight Bogota.
THEN TO AMAZON Day 5: Flight Bogotá-Leticia. Arrival in Leticia and a visit to a local fruit market. In the afternoon we will go to the Santander square for the parakeet concert. In the evening welcome dinner in the restaurant ‘Tres Fronteras’. Accommodation in Leticia.
Day 6: Breakfast in the hotel and transport to the harbor to go by boat to the Nature Reserve Marasha. Upon arrival we will make a walk of around 60 minutes through the jungle with a local guide to get to the installations. Once arrived we will start fishing for piranhas and other fish from the platform. After lunch we will explore the flora and fauna of the park some more with canoe´s over the lake and a walk. After dinner we will have an evening/night tour, this will be a looking for caimans with canoe’s or walking through the jungle looking for some nocturnal animals. Accommodation in the park.
Day 7: After breakfast in the park we will go with the canoe´s to some more remote areas for fishing and to spot more fauna. After lunch we will go back to the Amazon River for a boat tour (+/- 90 minutes) to National Park Amacayacu. Here we will enjoy an ecological walk through the park. Accommodation in the park.
Day 8: After breakfast in the park a walk of approximately 3 hours through the park to the Indian community San Martin. By boat back to the Amazon River to arrive at the village Puerto Nariño. Here we will have lunch and have the time to look around the village before we take the boat to Lago Tarapoto to see the fresh water dolphins at sunset. After sunset back to the park for the night.
Day 9: After breakfast in the park back by boat (+/- 2 hours) over the Amazon River to Leticia. Check in at the airport and we will have lunch in the village before we fly back to Bogotá.
Same day 9 with connecting flight to Cartagena de Indias. In Cartagena we will stay in the colonial town of the walled city in the area called ‘San Diego’. Rest of the late afternoon and evening free to explore the colonial town.
Day 10: City tour Cartagena in the morning. Together with a local guide we make a walk through the colonial town visiting the most important monuments and squares in the neighborhoods of San Diego, Calamari and Gestemani. We will also walk a bit over the old city wall. Rest of the day free to explore more of the city and her surroundings by yourself. Second night in Cartagena.
As an option we can offer an extension to the city tour by visiting the ‘Castillo San Felipe de Barajas’ (fortress) and the convent of ‘Cerro de la Popa’ in the afternoon.
Day 11 & 12: Go to Islas Rosarias for 1 or 2 days of swimming, snorkelling and/or diving, night dives can also be included.
You can stay overnight in a simple cabin in the middle of the island, which is organised by the islanders, or at more luxury hotels with view on the Caribbean sea.
Day 13: Free day in Cartagena and third night in Cartagena. The hotel of 3 Banderas also has accommodation on the island of ‘Tierra Bomba’ on the beach in front of the modern area of ‘Bocagrande’. In coordination with the reception you can switch one night in the colonial town for one night in the beach hotel: http://www.hotel3banderas.com/es/contenido/isla/playa-vista-isla-tierra-bomba
As an option we can offer also a tour or activity on this free day. Cartagena is very touristic and most of the tours are offered as mass tourism. But private tours are possible for some extra money. Options are Islas del Rosario, Playa Blanca, Volcan de Totumo, etc.
You can also visit a social – educational school project for children at Boquilla near Cartagena, with evt. added a mangrove tour by canoe offered by local guides that are usually parents of the children at school.
Day 14: Transfer to the airport of Cartagena and international flight back home…
Alternative program with Ecolodge El Golfo included in 14/15 days:
Day 11: Diving on Islas Rosarias as day trip, will be like 2 or 3 dives pp, hotel Cartagena
Day 12: Reserva Natural Sanguare at El Golfo, south of Cartagena.
This ecolodge is one of the best locations on the Caribbean coast. It has options for walking, birdwatching, canoeing as well for diving and is the most interesting and quiet nature location in this area.
Program may be as follows:
Early private transport to San Onofre ( like 2-3 hrs) from where you continue in 4x4 jeep to and ecolodge at the beaches of Golfo de Morrosquillo. The ecolodge is located on one of the best beaches of this area and has a private nature reserve excellent for walking and wildlife observation. After arrival we make a night tour in canoe to of one of the nearby Mangrove lakes to swim with lightning plankton. All the meals are included and of very high standard. The food is the best you ever tried in Colombia and the service is TOP!
Day 13: Educational walking excursion in the early morning through the Reserva Natural Sanguaré and later in the midday canoe excursion over the lake for observation of birds and caimans. They can organize also a boat trip to the San Bernardo Islands for diving (not standard included). Besides of the location, food and service, this ecolodge is also a hidden treasure. Not so many tourists as hardly no one offers this lodge and they won’t receive many tourists anyway because of their politics of sustainable tourism.
End of day 13 in early evening private transfer back to hotel in Cartagena.
OPTIONAL Day 14: Free day in Cartagena and third night in Cartagena. The hotel of 3 Banderas also has accommodation on the island of ‘Tierra Bomba’ on the beach in front of the modern area of ‘Bocagrande’. In coordination with the reception you can switch one night in the colonial town for one night in the beach hotel: http://www.hotel3banderas.com/es/contenido/isla/playa-vista-isla-tierra-bomba
As an option we can offer also a tour or activity on this free day. Cartagena is very touristic and most of the tours are offered as mass tourism. But private tours are possible for some extra money. Options are Islas del Rosario, Playa Blanca, Volcan de Totumo, etc.
You can also visit a social – educational school project for children at Boquilla near Cartagena, with evt. added a mangrove tour by canoe offered by local guides that are usually parents of the children at school.
Day 14/15: Transfer to the airport of Cartagena and international flight back home.Tailormade Amazon including top beach Sanguare at end near Cartagena
