How hard is the Cocora Valley hike?

It's moderate. The main loop takes 4-5 hours and involves some uphill sections through cloud forest. The path is well-maintained. You don't need special equipment, just comfortable walking shoes and a rain jacket. There are shorter options if you'd prefer an easier walk.

Is Tayrona National Park worth the detour?

If you like beaches and jungle, yes. It's a 45-minute hike from the entrance to the best beaches (Cabo San Juan). The water is warm, the setting is dramatic, and you can spot howler monkeys in the trees. It's a full-day activity and park entrance is about £15.

What's the best time of year for this trip?

December to March is the driest period across most of the route. The Coffee Region can get afternoon showers year-round, but they're brief. June to August is also good, less crowded and still mostly dry on the coast. Avoid October and November if possible (wettest months).

Can I skip or add cities?

This is a tailor-made itinerary, so we can adjust it. Some people skip Santa Marta and spend more time in Cartagena. Others add a night in the Coffee Region or swap Guatape for the Salt Cathedral near Bogota. Tell us what matters to you and we'll rebuild the route.

A panoramic view of the Cocora Valley in Colombia, featuring the iconic Quindío wax palms towering over lush green hills under a cloudy sky.

COFFEE · WAX PALMS · CARTAGENA

Exploring Colombia

Name: Exploring Colombia
Brand: Travelfab
Rating: 4.7 (3 reviews)

13 days / 12 nights, This is the big one. Nearly two weeks from the capital to the coast, with the Co

ColombiaTailor-Made13 days / 12 nightsPrice on enquiry

This is the big one. Nearly two weeks from the capital to the coast, with the Coffee Region and Medellin in between. You'll hike among 60-metre wax palms in the Cocora Valley, taste single-origin coffee straight from the farm, explore Medellin's reinvention, and end in Cartagena with time for islands and old city wandering. It covers the full spectrum of what Colombia has to offer.

WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL

Trip highlights

Hike the Cocora Valley among Colombia's national tree, towering wax palms reaching 60 metres

Tour a working coffee farm in the Eje Cafetero and taste beans from plant to cup

Browse the colourful balconied streets of Salento and the basket-weaving village of Filandia

Take the guided Comuna 13 graffiti tour in Medellin

Climb El Penol Rock in Guatape for one of Colombia's most iconic panoramas

Spend four nights in Cartagena with time for the old city, beaches and optional island trips

DAY BY DAY

Your itinerary

Route map of Exploring Colombia: 1 Bogotá (2 nights), 2 Coffee Region (Salento) (2 nights), 3 Medellín (3 nights), 4 Santa Marta (2 nights), 5 Cartagena (3 nights). Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Day 1: Arrive Bogota

Airport pick-up and transfer to your hotel. Take it easy at altitude, hydrate and rest. If you feel up to it, explore the Zona Rosa restaurant district on foot.

Day 2: Bogota City Tour

Walking tour of La Candelaria: Gold Museum (over 55,000 pieces of pre-Columbian gold), Botero Museum, Plaza Bolivar and the presidential palace. Ride up to Monserrate for city views. Afternoon free to explore Usaquen or Chapinero neighbourhoods.

Day 3: Fly to Pereira, Coffee Region

Morning flight to Pereira, gateway to the Eje Cafetero. Transfer to your finca (country estate) in the coffee zone. Afternoon coffee farm tour, learn the process from seedling to cup and taste freshly roasted beans with the farmer who grew them.

Day 4: Cocora Valley & Salento

Drive to the Cocora Valley for a morning hike among the towering wax palms, Colombia's national tree, some over 60m tall. It's an easy-to-moderate trail through cloud forest. Afternoon in Salento, a postcard-perfect town of painted balconies, trout restaurants and artisan shops. Optional visit to Filandia, a quieter village known for basket-weaving.

Day 5: Fly to Medellin

Transfer to Pereira airport for the short flight to Medellin. Check in at El Poblado. Afternoon free to walk the neighbourhood, good restaurants and leafy streets everywhere you look.

Day 6: Medellin City Tour & Comuna 13

City tour covering Plaza Botero, the metro cable (great views of the valley), and the botanical garden. Afternoon guided tour of Comuna 13, street art, outdoor escalators, hip-hop performances, and the stories of how this neighbourhood turned itself around.

Day 7: Guatape & El Penol Rock

Day trip to Guatape, about 2 hours east. Climb the 740 steps of El Penol Rock for the panoramic lake view that decorates half the postcards in Colombia. Wander the colourful zocalos (painted tile facades) of Guatape town. Return to Medellin in the evening.

Day 8: Fly to Santa Marta

Morning flight to Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast. Check in and explore the waterfront promenade and the old centre. Santa Marta is Colombia's oldest city, founded in 1525. Afternoon at the beach or Taganga fishing village.

Day 9: Santa Marta City Tour

Guided city tour covering the cathedral (where Simon Bolivar was first buried), the Gold Museum, and the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino estate. Afternoon free, optional trip to Tayrona National Park for jungle trails and hidden beaches.

Day 10: Transfer to Cartagena

Scenic drive along the coast to Cartagena (about 4 hours). Check in to your hotel in or near the walled city. Evening free to explore Getsemani and find a rooftop bar.

Day 11: Cartagena Historic Tour

Guided walking tour of the walled city: Clock Tower, Plaza de los Coches, San Pedro Claver, the Palace of the Inquisition. Visit San Felipe Castle and La Popa Convent for elevated views. Afternoon free for shopping, galleries or beach time at Bocagrande.

Day 12: Cartagena Free Day

Full day at your pace. Options: boat to the Rosario Islands for snorkelling, visit the Volcan de Lodo (mud volcano), explore the street food of Bazurto market, or simply stroll the old city streets with a coconut lemonade.

Day 13: Departure

Breakfast, then transfer to Rafael Nunez International Airport for your departure flight.

What's Included

12 nights with daily breakfast in well-located hotels and fincas
Private transfers between all cities and airports
Guided city tours in Bogota, Medellin, Santa Marta and Cartagena
Coffee Region excursion including Cocora Valley hike and coffee farm tour
Guatape and El Penol Rock day trip
Comuna 13 guided tour
Medical assistance card for the duration of the trip
English-speaking local guides on all excursions

What's Not Included

International flights to/from Colombia
Domestic flights: Bogota-Pereira, Pereira-Medellin, Medellin-Santa Marta
Lunches and dinners
Optional activities: Tayrona National Park, Rosario Islands, Filandia
Travel insurance
Personal expenses and gratuities

Frequently Asked Questions

Three internal flights: Bogota to Pereira, Pereira to Medellin, and Medellin to Santa Marta. These are short hops (45-90 minutes each) on Avianca or LATAM. We can book them for you or advise on prices, typically £50-100 each.

Interested in This Trip?

We price this trip to your dates and your party, with your UK flights booked by us, so the whole holiday is ATOL protected. Tell us who is travelling and when, and we will send you a tailor-made quote.

Make an Enquiry

We typically respond within 24 hours

Tailor-Made Holiday

Price on enquirytailored to your trip

Private holiday

Flexible dates

13 days / 12 nights (suggested)

Fully customisable

No commitment, we respond within 24 hours

Call us

Tailor-Made Holiday

Price on enquirytailored to your trip

Private holiday

Flexible dates

13 days / 12 nights (suggested)

Fully customisable

No commitment, we respond within 24 hours

Call us

Real reviews

What our customers say

From travellers who visited Colombia with us

“

Colombia had been on my list for years and it didn't disappoint. Medellín's transformation is remarkable, the cable cars over the hillside barrios, the botanical gardens, and some of the best street food I've had anywhere. The only small hiccup was a delayed internal flight but Travelfab's team sorted alternative arrangements within the hour. Genuinely impressive service and a brilliant country.

Nigel P.

“

We spent two weeks in Colombia and honestly didn't want to leave. The combination of Bogotá's energy, the tranquility of the coffee triangle, and finishing up in Cartagena was perfect pacing. Our guide in Salento took us to a small family finca where we picked and roasted our own coffee, a memory we'll treasure. Travelfab's local contacts made all the difference; we felt looked after the whole time.

Emma & Dan S.

“

Colombia was a revelation. Cartagena is stunning, the Cocora Valley with its towering wax palms was surreal, and the coffee region was pure bliss. We felt completely safe throughout.

Laura & Ben C.

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