Colombia Coffee Trails

Meals Included
2 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches.

Meals
Eating is a big part of traveling. Travelling with G Adventures you experience the vast array of wonderful food that is available out in the world. Generally meals are not included in the trip price when there is a choice of eating options, to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat. It also gives you more budgeting flexibility, though generally food is cheap. Our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There is no obligation to do this though. Your group leader will be able to suggest favourite restaurants during your trip. Please refer to the meals included and budget information for included meals and meal budgets.

Transport
Public bus, jeep, plane.

Local Flights
All local flights are included in the cost of your tour unless otherwise noted. It is important that we have your passport information at the time of booking in order to process these tickets. Internal flight tickets are issued locally and will be given to you prior to the flight departure.

Accommodation
Hotels (10 nts), coffee farmhouse (3 nts).

Day 1 Bogotá
Arrive in Bogotá at any time. There are no planned activities so check into our hotel and enjoy the city. Your Chief Experience Officer (CEO) will hold a general briefing in the evening, normally between 7pm and 8pm (a note will be posted in the arrival hotel with details). Officially named Bogotá, D.C. (Capital District), and once known as Santa Fe de Bogotá, the capital city of Colombia is home to more than seven million inhabitants. The city is located at an elevation of about 2,650m (8,660 ft) on a plateau in the Andes mountains. Modern Bogotá offers residents and visitors a wide variety of activities and amenities, combined with the picturesque beauty of its cultural and architectural past. Enjoy colonial churches and pre-colombian art in contrast with the futuristic high-rise buildings of a busy metropolis. Perhaps you might enjoy a visit to the National Museum of Colombia (one of the oldest museums on the continent and holding more than 20,000 pieces), La Plaza de Bolivar (government buildings at the heart of the city dating back through several eras), the Gold Museum, or one of its many historical churches (Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Ignacio, the Cathedral situated in La Plaza de Bolívar, La Tercera San Diego and the sanctuary of Monserrate). You may also wish to take a walk around (and maybe a little shopping) at some of its more interesting and trendy neighbourhoods including La Candelaria, La Macarena, Parque de la 93, La Zona T, and Monserrate. La Zona Rosa (bars and restaurants), La Zona G(International Cuisine) and Monserrate Santuary, and City view point.

Day 2-4 Armenia (B)
Take a morning bus journey to Armenia, capital of the Quindio Department and the heart of the Coffee Region in Colombia. Our nights' accommodations will be at a traditional coffee farm house. Explore the area surrounding the coffee plantation and grounds to get acquainted with the process of coffee production, and there will be plenty of chances to sample! Lots of free time to explore the area and take exciting optional excursions like kayaking, rafting or biking or visit the nearby botanical garden and butterfly farm of Armenia. Travel Time : 8 hours.

Day 5,6 Salento (L)
Travel 1.5 hrs by bus today to Salento, a small typical colombian coffee village surrounded by incredible landscapes of mountains, rivers and valleys. In the afternoon we take an included tour to a coffee farm and enjoy the taste of a good coffee cup in the best coffee shop in town. The rest of the time is for us to stroll around the appealing streets of town. The following day we will take the typical "willy" jeeps to Cocora Valley and hike about 2.5 hrs, up hill through grassland and wax palms (the largest palm in the world and Colombia’s National Tree) and cloud forest trails along rivers and waterfalls to the Acaime Reserve. In the afternoon return to Cocora and Salento. Travel Time: 6hrs.

Day 7 Santa Rosa (L)
Early morning we head to Santa Rosa del Cabal to enjoy a bath in the thermal spring pools and to explore the area. Overnight in Santa Rosa. Travel time: 2.5 hrs.

Day 8,9 Medellín
Today we will travel by bus to Pereira, and from there to Medellín. Upon our arrival in the afternoon we will transfer to our Hotel in El Poblado, which is the epicenter of the cultural and social life of Medellín, where most of restaurants, and malls are located. We will have plenty of free time to explore the many attractions of Medellin: Visist the City View Point at Nutibara Hill where you find Pueblito Paisa, a typical representation of a rural village of Coffee zone of Colombia, and take a ride in Medellin’s Metro and Cable Car. Other optional tours include a visit to Santa Fe de Antioquia, Guatape Dam, Penol Rock, or even consider paragliding over Medellín. Travel Time: 6 hours

Day 10-12 Cartagena
Today we will transfer to the airport to catch a flight to Cartagena and the Caribbean coast. Cartagena is 700km from Bogotá and approx 1 hour in flight. A Unesco World Heritage Site on the coast of the Caribbean Sea, Cartagena is Colombia's most famous and most visited city. Tourists are most attracted to the remarkably intact historic walled colonial city ("ciudad amurallada") and the beachfront area of Bocagrande. An included city tour will show us the highlights of Cartagena: The fortress known as Castillo de San Felipe, La Popa hill viewpoint which overlooks the city and harbour, and sightseeing the city's churches (Iglesia de San Pedro Claver, La Catedral, Iglesia de Santo Domingo , to end up taking a glimpse of the modern Bocagrande area). Experience the Caribbean charm and beauty of this beautiful city while learning about its fabled past. Experience the Caribbean charm and beauty of this beautiful city while learning about its fabled past. Continue with the exploration of the town by foot and visit some museums like: Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Inquisition, Museum of Gold and Naval Museum Explore the town by foot or take a“Chiva” ride at night to get a feeling of this vibrant Colombian city. You can visit Playa Blanca, take a boat to the Islas del Rosario National Park with its stunning beaches, or soak in the crater of the Totumo mud volcano.

Day 13 Bogotá
Transfer to the airport and return to Bogotá by local flight for a free final evening on the town.

Day 14 Bogotá (B)
Depart at any time.

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
3/11/2012 - 3/24/2012	$CALL
4/8/2012 - 4/21/2012	$CALL
5/6/2012 - 5/19/2012	$CALL
6/17/2012 - 6/30/2012	$CALL
7/15/2012 - 7/28/2012	$CALL
8/12/2012 - 8/25/2012	$CALL
9/9/2012 - 9/22/2012	$CALL
10/7/2012 - 10/20/2012	$CALL
11/4/2012 - 11/17/2012	$CALL
12/2/2012 - 12/15/2012	$CALL
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

Itinerary Disclaimer
While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Aboard expedition trips visits to research stations depend on final permission. Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.

Group Leader Description
All G Adventures group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders, a G Adventures representative, or an expedition team. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting- we think it's the best of both worlds.

Group Size Notes
Max 15, Avg 6

Your Fellow Travellers
As you travel on a group trip you will be exposed to all the pleasures and maybe some of the frustrations of travelling in a group. Your fellow travellers will probably come from all corners of the world and are likely to be of a variety of ages too. We ask you to be understanding of the various needs and preferences of your group - patience with your fellow travellers is sometimes required for the benefit of everyone's travel experience. Remember too that you have responsibilities to the group. If you are requested to be at a place at a certain time, ensure that you don't keep the rest of the group waiting. We have found time and time again that the very best trips we operate are those where the dynamics within the group work well - this takes just a little effort on your part.

Highlights
Exploring coffee plantations, soaking in hot springs, hiking in the Cocora Valley, exploring Medellín and Caribbean beaches, wandering cobblestone streets in Cartagena.

Dossier Disclaimer
The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary. VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.

Single Travellers
We believe single travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and single travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.

What to Take
Most people automatically assume that the weather is hot in South America, but because of the higher altitude in the Andes, the temperature can feel quite cold, especially at night. Remember that although near the Equator, the higher altitude on some parts of the trip make for cool evenings and you will need a warm sweater or pullover. It’s best to layer clothes rather than bring a heavy parka so that you can take layers off.

Checklist
- Passport (with photocopies) - Travel insurance (with photocopies) - Airline tickets (with photocopies) - Credit or debit card (see personal spending money) - G Adventures vouchers and dossier - Any entry visas or vaccination certificates required - Camera and film, - Reading/writing material - Binoculars - Cover for backpacks - Pocket knife - Fleece top - Windproof/waterproof jacket - Small towel and swim wear - 4 shirts/t-shirts - Sun hat - 1 pair of shorts - 2 pairs of long trousers - 1 pair hiking pants/track pants-Money belt - Hiking boots/ sturdy walking shoes - Sport sandals - Sun block - Sunglasses - Toiletries (biodegradable) - Watch or alarm clock - Water bottle - Flashlight - First-aid kit(should contain lip salve, Aspirin, Band Aids, anti-histamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, re-hydration powder, extra prescription drugs you may be taking.)

Visas
All countries require a valid passport (with a minimum 6 months validity). Contact your local embassy, or consulate for the most up-to-date visa requirements, or see your travel agent. IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO HAVE THE CORRECT TRAVEL DOCUMENTATION.

Departure Tax
USD $33

Tipping
It is customary in Latin America to tip service providers such as waiters, at approximately 10%, depending on the service. Tipping is an expected - though not compulsory - component of your tour program and an expression of satisfaction with the persons who have assisted you on your tour. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. There are several times during the trip where there is opportunity to tip the local guides or drivers we use. Recommendations for tipping drivers and local guides would range from $5-10 USD per day depending on the quality and length of the service; ask your tour leader for specific recommendations based on the circumstances and culture. Also at the end of each trip if you felt your G Adventures Chief Experience Officer (CEO) did an outstanding job, tipping is appreciated. The amount is entirely a personal preference, however as a guideline $20-25 USD per person, per week can be used.

Health
Please note inoculations may be required for the country visited. It is your responsibility to consult with your travel doctor for up to date medical travel information well before departure. You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information well before departure. We recommend that you carry a First Aid kit and hand sanitizers / antibacterial wipes as well as any personal medical requirements. Please be aware that quite often we are in remote areas and away from medical facilities, and for legal reasons our leaders are prohibited from administering any type of drug including headache tablets, antibiotics, etc. When selecting your trip please carefully read the brochure and itinerary and assess your ability to cope with our style of travel. Please refer to the Physical ratings for trip specific information. G Adventures reserves the right to exclude any traveller from all or part of a trip without refund if in the reasonable opinion of our group leader they are unable to complete the itinerary without undue risk to themselves and/or the rest of the group.

Travel Insurance
Travel Insurance: Travel insurance is compulsory in order to participate on any of our trips. When travelling on a group trip, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance has been sighted by your CEO, who will take note of your insurance details. When selecting a travel insurance policy please bear in mind that all clients must have medical coverage and that we require a minimum coverage of USD 200,000 for repatriation and emergency rescue. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. If you have credit card insurance we require proof of purchase of the trip (a receipt of credit card statement) with a credit card in your name. Contact your bank for details of their participating insurer, the level of coverage and emergency contact telephone number.

Ratings & Reviews:

This tour has no reviews yet. Have you experienced this tour? Write a review.