Average rating Guided Holiday in Columbia!

Colombia is one of the most recent hot-pick destinations for culturephiles. It was listed by Lonely Planet as one of their top ten recommendations for 2006 and, due to the plummet in violent crimes in the last decade, has risen in popularity ever since. Go see for yourself on this 16 day guided tour!

Encompassing the northern tip of South America, Colombia has long had its gates closed to tourists due to prevalent violence fuelled by extreme political unrest and the cocaine trade. Since the turn of the millennium, peace has been finally restored, and the government is keen to put the country’s turbulent past behind them and celebrate what it has to offer the world - and there’s a lot to offer.

This tour will show you the best bits over the course of 16 days. Great shopping, sand beaches, mud volcanoes, an entire underground cathedral of salt and the lively Festival of Lights are just a few things on the list whilst on this comprehensive trip run by excellent guides.

Colombia’s ethnic diversity is vast, incorporating a mix of African, European and Middle Eastern ancestry. Borne from this is an abounding culture which permeates through every aspect of this exciting country. The nightlife of the towns you’ll visit here is not to be missed, and the Festival of Lights on the third day of the tour is something else entirely - nobody throws carnivals quite like the South Americans! Those guys also know how to dance, so if that’s your thing be sure to pack some salsa shoes.

Other stunning places of note on the itinerary include the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira - a cavernous, 8000 capacity place of worship carved in rock - and the pristine coastal reserve of Tayrona National Park, one of the most biodiverse parks in the world. The scenery in Colombia is worth an entire tour in itself, and there’ll be plenty of opportunity to roam on horseback and climb some of the higher terrain for amazing photo opportunities.

16 days may sound like a long tour, but this still doesn’t feel like long enough to take in everything Colombia has on show. Still, on this tour you’ll get to make a darned good go of it - the selling point of the trip is the jam-packed itinerary, which is not only extensive but brilliantly varied. There truly is something for everyone here, and chances are you’ll want to return to the country again to explore it at your own leisure.

Colombia is still early in its tourism life, so now is an ideal time to get on board. Another bonus is that the climate in December is about right - low chance of rain and temperatures hovering around a comfortable high twenties mark with low humidity.

Getting there

International flights depart from London Heathrow to Bogota, with one changeover at Madrid.

Price includes

Price includes all guide fees, accommodation and full board meals included in the itinerary, transfer to international airport and all travel in Colombia.

Departures

04 Dec 2010 - 19 Dec 2010

Typical Duration

16 days

Comfort level

Down to earth (hostels, camping, huts)

Experience required

A reasonable interest is all that is needed