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Package Overview

This wonderful Colombia Birding & Wildlife holiday visits the rainforests of the Amazon Basin and Tayrone National Park, the Otun Quimbaya Reserve & Cocora Valley. Also see the highlights of Bogota, the Salt Cathedral, colonial Ville de Leyva, the Coffee region, Cartagena & enjoy a boat ride along part of the famous Panama Canal. English speaking guides & all transfers included.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Colombia Birding • Salt Cathedral • Villa de Leyva • Otun Quimbaya Reserve
• Cocora Valley • Amazon Rainforest • Cartagena • Tayrona National Park
• Panama Canal • Wounaan Community

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Day wise Itinerary

• Day 1 : Arrival

  You will be met at Bogota Airport and transferred to your hotel in this sprawling high altitude city.
  
  Check in and relax in this capital city of Colombia.

• Day 2 : Bogotá

  Today enjoy a half day tour of Bogotá, including a walking tour through the cobbled alleys of La Candelaria, the historic Old Town.
  
  We start with an early morning visit to Paloquemao Market, one of the largest and most important in the country where you can see a large variety of flowers, exotic fruit, meat, seafood, cheese and medicinal herbs.
  
  We then visit the Historic Quarter, starting from the church of El Carmen. Here you will see many beautifully preserved Spanish colonial houses and churches that date back centuries, such as the church of Santa Clara that today contains the Museum of Colonial Art. View the library of Luis Angel Arango as we head for the main square - Plaza Bolívar - where you can see a statue honouring Simon Bolivar, a Venezuelan military leader who played a key role in the revolution against Spanish rule.
  
  Enjoy views of the Cathedral, Teatro Colón (the neoclassical performance hall) and the 17th-century Church of San Francisco. View the presidential residence, Casa del Nariño, which has an observatory in its gardens, the Congress Palace, the Palace of Justice and the Cardinal's Palace.
  
  We then visit the Museo del Oro, the most important gold museum in the world, with a splendid collection of over 36,000 pre-Colombian gold and emerald pieces. Galleries on three levels display exquisitely crafted pieces dating back nearly 2,500 years. Visit the vault-like room on the top floor where the most treasured pieces are displayed, as well as the Offering Room, where you enter a black circular area that is gradually illuminated, with indigenous music playing in the background.
  
  Our tour ends with a visit to the Museo de Botero. Housed in a renovated colonial mansion, this museum showcases the art of Fernando Botero, Colombia’s most famous contemporary artist renowned for his proportionally exaggerated fat figures. Around 120 pieces of his work are display, including sculptures, paintings and drawings. In addition to his own work, his personal collection by Picasso, Renoir, Dalí, Degas, Chagall, Matisse, Monet and Giacometti are also on show.
  
  Note: When visiting churches and monasteries, women must not wear shorts or miniskirts and men must not wear shorts. The Gold Museum is closed Mondays and Museo de Botero is closed Tuesdays.

• Day 3 : Villa de Leyva

  Today we leave Bogotá and travel 4-hours to the beautiful town of Villa de Leyva, considered one of the most beautiful villages in Colombia.
  
  Our first stop is at the small town of Zipaquirá, which was founded on 1600 and still conserves its colonial heritage. Here we visit the amazing Salt Cathedral - a Roman Catholic church built in the tunnels of a salt mine 200 metres underground. Here you will find 14 small chapels, that represent the Stations of the Cross and Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, a sanctuary and a main cathedral. The icons, ornaments and architectural details are all hand carved in the halite rock, with some marble sculptures.
  
  We continue to the colonial town of Ráquira (meaning 'City of Pots'), probably the most colorful town in Colombia, with its vividly coloured facades and attractive buildings. This town specialises in fine handmade ceramics and here you will find many different craft shops and artisans selling their artwork and pottery. In the colourful shops around the main square, you will find everything from ceramic bowls, vases, pitchers, children’s toys, piggy banks and dwarfs to Christmas decorations. You will also have the opportunity to observe the process of making traditional pottery.
  
  Finally we arrive at Villa de Leyva, one of the most charming colonial villages in all of Colombia and steeped in atmosphere. Declared a national monument in 1954, this photogenic village has been preserved in its entirety, including its stone paved streets and whitewashed buildings, with terracotta tiled roofs, pine green doors and balconies decorated with flowers. In the evening enjoy walking through the cobbled streets and vast main square.

• Day 4 : Santo Ecce Homo Convent

  This morning we visit the El Fósil paleontological museum, where you can view the ancient remains of a marine reptile called Kronosaurus Boyecensis, which lived on earth over 120 million years ago and resembles a giant alligator.
  
  Afterwards we visit the nearby Santo Ecce Homo Convent, founded by Dominican monks in 1620. This large stone-and-adobe building has a lovely courtyard and floors, paved with local stones that contain ammonites (extinct marine molluscs) and other fossils.
  
  We also make a brief stop at the site of the Battle of Boyaca Bridge, where Simon Bolivar defeated the Spanish forces and assured the independence of Colombia in 1819, before driving 4-hours to Bogotá Airport for your onward flight.
  
  Note: Airport departure tax of $8 per person is payable locally.
  
  You will be met at Pereira Airport and transferred to your hotel.
  
  Check in and relax in this gateway to Colombia's coffee-producing region.

• Day 5 : Cocora Valley

  Today enjoy a full day jeep excursion to the Cocora Valley and Salento, high in the Colombian Andes.
  
  We travel 1-hour to the striking landscapes of the Cocora Valley, where Colombia's national symbol - the gigantic wax palm - can be seen. These are the largest palm trees in the world, measuring up to 190 ft (58 m) tall and living for more than 120 years. After tasting a traditional local cocktail called a 'canelazo', take a guided walk in this magnificent cloud forest and wonder at the biodiversity of its flora and fauna.
  
  After an included lunch at a local restaurant, we visit the sleepy little town of Salento, one of the first settlements in Quindío state that has preserved its colonial architecture. Here you can explore the Plaza de Bolivar with its colourful balconies and the main street, Calle Real, with its many craft workshops before we return to Pereira.

• Day 6 : Otun Quimbaya Reserve

  Today travel 1.5-hours to Risaralda in the heart of the Andean Mountains to visit the lush Otun Quimbaya Reserve.
  
  Admire the landscape of the Otun valley, and enjoy a 2-hour level walk through this amazing flora and fauna sanctuary, where you can view more of Colombia's iconic wax palms and see a great variety of birds, butterflies and small mammals.
  
  After lunch at a local restaurant (pay locally), you will have some free time to enjoy this rainforest and sub-Andean forest, before we return to Pereira.

• Day 7 : Coffee Tour

  This morning enjoy a Coffee Tour that will give you insight into the lifestyle of workers on a coffee farm and teach you more about the history of coffee growing in Colombia.
  
  Follow the production process, as coffee beans are harvested and brought to the cooperative where they are pulped and dried. You will have the opportunity to sort, toast and grind the coffee before enjoying an excellent cup of Colombian coffee.
  
  Afterwards transfer to Pereira Airport for your onward flight.
  
  Note: Your guide today will only speak Spanish. Airport departure tax of $8 per person is payable locally.
  
  You will be met at Leticia Airport and transferred to your hotel
  
  In the afternoon your guide will take you to Tabatinga, where the Amazon enters Brazil. Enjoy walking along the esplanade and observing this mighty river, before returning to Leticia, where we visit Orellana Park, with its lively salsa bars and street market. We also visit a pharmacy of medicinal plants and Santander Park, where every evening you can hear and see thousands of parrots.
  
  Note: A yellow fever vaccination will be required if travelling to this region.

• Day 8 : Amazon River

  This morning transfer by speedboat up the Amazon River to your lodge in the beautiful Calanoa Reserve.
  
  The next few days are devoted to explore the birds and wildlife of the amazing Amazon Basin - a 2,7-million sq. mile (6.7 million sq. km) conservation area that is the largest in the world, spreading across eight countries - Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.
  
  Your guide will accompany you along the many trails that wind through the rainforest and navigate the waterways by motorised canoe. As you walk through woods and past waterfalls, you can marvel at the magnificent trees and the extraordinary variety of orchids, bromeliads, ferns, begonias, lichens and mosses that grow here.
  
  You may see caimans (related to alligators), turtles, woolly monkeys, tufted brown capuchin monkeys, a variety of frogs and many other forest reptiles and insects. You may also be fortunate enough to see some of the colourful birds of the rainforest such as parrots, the brilliant golden-headed quetzal, grey-breasted mountain toucan, blue-crowned motmot, umbrella bird, blue-banded toucanet, fruit-eating tanager, red-crested cotinga, banded-tail fruit-eater and a variety of flycatchers.
  
  You can canoe along the Matamata River in search of hoatzin (stinkbird), otters, macaws and other lakeside wildlife. You can also visit the indigenous Mocagua community, where you can learn more about their medicinal plants and take a tour of their village with its colourful painted houses.
  
  In the evening enjoy a night walk to experience the nocturnal sights and sounds of the jungle.
  
  Note: A headlamp is essential in the Amazon.

• Day 9 : Amazon River

  This morning transfer 1.5-hours by speedboat up the Amazon River to the tiny Amazonian village of Puerto Narino.
  
  At the Natutama Foundation you can learn more about the wildlife of the Amazon River - including river dolphins, manatees and alligators.
  
  After an included lunch we visit the Tarapoto Lakes, where you can see pink and grey dolphins and try your hand at artisanal fishing, using traditional fishing techniques. We finish the day with a visit to the Ticuna indigenous community, before returning by speedboat to your lodge.

• Day 10 : Amazon Basin

  Today is devoted to exploring more of the birds and wildlife of the amazing Amazon Basin - a 2,7-million sq. mile (6.7 million sq. km) conservation area that is the largest in the world, spreading across eight countries - Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.
  
  Your guide will accompany you along the many trails that wind through the rainforest and navigate the waterways by motorised canoe. As you walk through woods and past waterfalls, you can marvel at the magnificent trees and the extraordinary variety of orchids, bromeliads, ferns, begonias, lichens and mosses that grow here.
  
  You may see caimans (related to alligators), turtles, woolly monkeys, tufted brown capuchin monkeys, a variety of frogs and many other forest reptiles and insects. You may also be fortunate enough to see some of the colourful birds of the rainforest such as the brilliant golden-headed quetzal, grey-breasted mountain toucan, blue-crowned motmot, umbrella bird, blue-banded toucanet, fruit-eating tanager, red-crested cotinga, banded-tail fruit-eater and a variety of flycatchers.
  
  Activities vary by lodge but can include visiting a parrotclay lick to see these colourful birds or a peccary clay lick frequented by forest pigs, canoe rides in search of hoatzin (stinkbird), otters, macaws and other lakeside wildlife, piranha fishing, learning about traditional and medicinal plants, visiting a local village or a night walk in the jungle.
  
  Note: A headlamp is essential in the Amazon.

• Day 11 : Amazon

  This morning depart from the Amazon and transfer by speeboat back to Leticia.
  
  Here you will be met and transferred to Leticia Airport for your onward flight.
  
  Note: Airport departure tax of $8 per person is payable locally.
  
  You will be met at Santa Marta Airport - the oldest city in Colombia, founded by the Spanish in 1525 when the country was known as New Granada and transferred 1.5-hours to Tayrona National Park.
  
  This park is spectacularly situated on the Caribbean coast, where a dense rainforest plunges into the Atlantic Ocean. Covering an area of over 15,000 hectares, it is one of the most famous reserves in Colombia.
  
  On arrival in Tayrona National Park, check into your jungle lodge.
  
  Note: A yellow fever vaccination will be required if travelling to this region.

• Day 12 : Tayrona National Park

  Today enjoy a 4-hour guided hike in Tayrona National Park.
  
  We walk along miles and miles of magnificent black, yellow and white sandy beaches to famous Cañaveral and Arrecifes Beaches and all the way to Cape San Juan. In these rainforests you will see many different species of birds, monkeys, squirrels, peccary and other wildlife in their natural habitat.
  
  You may not swim at Arrecifes Beach due to its strong currents, but you can swim at Piscina Natural (Natural Pool) beach. A picnic lunch is included today.
  
  Note: When hiking, wear good walking shoes & carry a small backpack with water, sandals, swimming costume, insect repellent and sunscreen.

• Day 13 : Tayrona National Park

  At leisure to relax and explore Tayrona National Park with your guide.
  
  Various walks are available, including a 4-hour coastal hike along miles and miles of magnificent black, yellow and white sandy beaches to famous Cañaveral and Arrecifes Beaches, until you reach glorious Cape San Juan. In these rainforests you will see many different species of birds, monkeys, squirrels, peccary and other wildlife in their natural habitat.
  
  You may not swim at Arrecifes Beach due to its strong currents, but you can swim at Piscina Natural (Natural Pool) beach.
  
  Note: When hiking, wear good walking shoes & carry a small backpack with water, sandals, swimming costume, insect repellent and sunscreen.

• Day 14 : Tayrona National Park

  This morning we drive 5-hours from Tayrona National Park, travelling through small local villages and along the Caribbean coast to the tropical port of Cartagena.
  
  As we get close to Cartagena you will see El Totumo Mud Volcano, whose small crater contains a pool of therapeutic mud.
  
  On arrival in Cartagena check into your hotel in this colourful city, whose magnificent 16th century walled Old Town is a World Heritage Site.

• Day 15 : Cartagena

  Enjoy a half day private walking tour of beautiful Cartagena today, starting with a visit to the Convento de la Popa, the highest point in the city with spectacular views over Cartagena Bay. This 17th century Augustinian monastery served as a fortress during colonial times.
  
  We then visit the Castle of San Felipe located on San Lazaro Hill, the largest Spanish military building in the New World dating back to 1536. It was built to guard the city’s landward side from invasion and has a complex system of tunnels connected with strategic points, used to distribute provisions and for a possible evacuation. The tunnels were built so that any noise would echo along them, making internal communications easier and allowing the citizens to hear even the slightest sound of an enemy advance.
  
  Afterwards we walk through Las Bóvedas, a series of 23 vaults built in the 18th century and considered the last major military colonial construction within the city walls. The vaults were used as storerooms for munitions and provisions by the Spaniards and later they became jail cells. Nowadays they are used as crafts markets where you can find handicrafts, antiques, galleries, jewellery, clothing and souvenirs.
  
  Our last stop is the church and monastery of San Pedro Claver, built in the early 17th century by the Jesuits. Pedro Claver, a Jesuit priest, was a defender and protector of slaves and lived in this monastery until his death. Your afternoon is at leisure.
  
  Note: Shorts and short skirts should not be worn when visiting churches, monasteries and religious shrines.

• Day 16 : Rosario Islands

  Transfer to the pier today by 09.00 for a full day excursion to the Rosario Islands in the Bay of Cartagena.
  
  We sail 1-hour to this spectacular archipelago of 27 coral islands, with their crystal clear turquoise waters. The whole archipelago is a marine park covering an area of around 500 square miles (1,300 sq km) and its coral reefs, mangroves and lagoons support over 1,300 different marine species
  
  Enjoy an included typical fish lunch at a local resort and swimming in these warm Caribbean waters. Snorkelling, kayaking, diving and bicyle hire are also avaioable at a charge (pay locally). There is also an aquarium at San Martín de Pajarales and an open-sea oceanarium.
  
  We depart from the islands between 14.30 and 15.30, depending on the tide, and arrive back in Cartagena in the mid afternoon.
  
  Note: Towel hire is included today. Pregnant women are not allowed on this excursion, as the boat ride can be bumpy.

• Day 17 : Panama

  Transfer to Cartagena Airport for your onward flight.
  
  Note: Airport departure tax of $8 per person is payable locally.
  
  You will be met at Panama City Airport and transferred to your hotel in this capital city, situated on the Pacific Coast at the entrance to the Panama Canal and surrounded by tropical rainforest.
  
  Check into your hotel in this modern city that was the starting point for the Spanish expeditions that conquered the Inca Empire in Peru, and is today a centre for international banking and commerce.

• Day 18 : Panama Canal

  Today enjoy a tour of Panama City, including a visit to the famous Panama Canal.
  
  We start with a visit the Miraflores Visitors Centre, where you will learn about the history and operation of this engineering wonder, with an audiovisual display and four floors of exhibits about the Panama Canal that cuts through Central America, linking the Atlantic with the Pacific Ocean. From the observation deck you can enjoy 180 degree views of the southern locks and the Pacific. Depending on shipping transit schedules, you may even see a ship manoeuvre through the locks.
  
  Afterwards we drive along the Amador Causeway, built as a wave-breaker during the construction of the canal and now linking four small islands to the mainland. From here you have panoramic views of the modern city skyline, the old Colonial City, Panama Bay, the Bridge of the Americas, Taboga Island and ships transiting through the canal. You can also enjoy some duty free shopping (passport required).
  
  Our tour continues with sightseeing in the old Colonial City, which is today a UNESCO World Heritage site. Originally founded in 1519, it was burnt down in 1671 on the orders of its governor, to prevent the city falling into the hands of the pirate Henry Morgan. It was rebuilt a few years later. Here you will see many beautiful baroque, colonial and neo classical churches and monuments. Among the best preserved are the Cathedral of Our Lady of Assumption, Casa Alarcón (a massive private residence) and the church and convent of Santo Domingo. The restored Old Quarter (Casco Viejo) is vibrant, with many outdoor dining venues, bars, handcraft markets. In the evening you can enjoy live music here.

• Day 19 : Panama Canal

  Request a breakfast box from your hotel this morning, as you will be collected early (around 06.00) and transferred to Panama Canal Station in good time to board your train to the city of Colón on the Atlantic coast.
  
  The Panama Canal Railway is one of the great train journeys of the world, travelling for 1-hour along a picturesque route that crosses the Isthmus of Panama from 'Coast to Coast'. As the train proceeds from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, it follows the Panama Canal with its astonishing locks - passing through lush tropical jungle, the Culebra ('snake') Cut and across Gatun Lake.
  
  You will be met at Colón Station on arrival and driven along a jungle road to the ruins of Fort San Lorenzo at Portobelo, another World Heritage site. These magnificant 17th and 18th century military fortifications, situated at the entrance to the Chagres River on the Caribbean coast, were built by the Spanish to defend their transatlantic trade.
  
  Afterwards we visit the new locks at Agua Clara, which were put into use following an expansion of the Panama Canal in 2016. Enjoy an included lunch, with some time to enjoy beautiful Lake Gatun, before returning to Panama City by road at the end of your tour.

• Day 20 : Embera Quera

  Today enjoy a full day excursion to learn more about the traditions and way of life of the indigenous Embera Quera tribe (meaning 'Embera Perfume').
  
  We travel 1-hour by road and 30-minutes by motorised boat into the heart of their territory, situated at the mouth of the Gatun River. Here you will receive a warm welcome, as you observe them in their daily activities that are centred on fishing, hunting, farming and artisan pottery. You can share their traditional dances, music and body paintings that will transport you back in time.
  
  After a light traditional lunch (fresh river fish accompanied by yucca plant or plantains) served in banana leaves, there is the opportunity to buy handcrafts made by the community. After a day of simple pleasures, we return to Panama City.

• Day 21 : Departure

  Transfer to Panama City Airport for your onward flight.

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Inclusions

• Hotel
• Sightseeing

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Price & Rates

* Mentioned prices may vary depending upon date of travel, hotel availability, surge pricing and seasonal rush.

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Package Start From

• Bogota, Colombia, South America

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Terms & Conditions

Payment Terms & Methods :
* Some Advance Percentage of total booking amount
* Airfare/Transport fare to be paid full at one time in advance.

Cancellation & Refund Policy :
* Upon cancellation, refund will be made after deducting the Retention Amount.
* Retention Amount varies as per the number of days left before your package start date.

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This Tour is Offered by

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• Ancient Olympia Ilias, 270 65, OlympiaGreece
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