While we can’t offer you a chance to meet “the” Juan Valdez (after all, he is a just a fictional character), we at Surtrek can promise you an opportunity to discover his spirit.
What we’re saying is that you can encounter his essence by experiencing life in the Colombia coffee region or on a traditional cafetero coffee plantation. What we offer is the chance to experience Juan Valdez’ many real-life counterparts to get a feel for their lifestyle, learn their culture, and perhaps even get a sense for how they view life. We invite you to not only taste one of the highlights of Colombia — café — but to experience one of the most unique tours in South America.
Before we even start with an introductory description of this tour, let’s make it clear: We love this “brown-ambers nectar of the gods,” both in its forms of specialty and “conventional” coffees. Though we wholeheartedly applaud the fruits of the labor of specialty coffee farmers, we also appreciate how conventional blends have almost literally shaped this county’s culture. Because of this, we have combined both experiences, leading travelers to Colombian specialty coffee farms as well as to traditional ones.
With that said, this suggested (meaning customizable) 8-day Colombian travel experience starts as soon as you land in country’s capital: Bogota. Taking advantage of your time here, you can check out the city’s glistening highlights, including its world-famous Museo del Oro (Gold Museum), as well as the colorful Paloquemao market, where you’re sure to get a taste of Colombian day-to-day life.
From there, your coffee-tour experience begins in earnest as you travel deep into the nation’s famous coffee-triangle. While spending time in the town of Armenia and its surrounding countryside, you’ll visit some of the countryside’s quaint and character-filled fincas. These coffee plantations include ones like San Alberto, Recuca and Café Inspiración; though of course we can always tailor your journey with fincas of your choice.
During these visits in Colombia’s coffee region, you’ll witness the painstakingly careful processes of the “caffeinated-cycle.” From bean to cup, you’ll see the varieties, learn the history and experience this authentic coffee culture. Witnessing the various processes of washed, honey and natural coffee, and even drying processes, you’ll be treated to a thorough experience.
We will visit roasters and renowned cafes where internationally acclaimed baristas will share their experiences and, of course, cup. This is the best part! Then too, you’ll come to understand the importance of brewing and extracting methods, and attributes of each of them – drips such as Chemex, Aeropress, and of course, espressos, etc. Be aware though, that after this trip, your palate will most probably have been influenced, and therefore you’ll be much more demanding when drinking any cup of coffee.
Before returning to Bogota, you will also venture to the southern Colombian village of San Agustin. Called “Colombia’s Easter Island,” hundreds of enigmatic stone figures stand sentinel here in the middle of a spectacular landscape, taking you back in time to an era before the Spanish conquest.
While all of this and more awaits you on this Coffee Tour, keep in mind that you can ask one of our Surtrek journey designers how to complement this your Colombian experience. There are so many things to sense in the region, with the nearby Caribbean region alone offering its own warm and exotic side.
So let’s plan now. Soon you’ll be close your eyes and following the subtle aromas!
“Everything went off without a hitch. Accomodation was just what we wanted. Clean, great location and within our budget. The dive master was great. ”
Today you will arrive in Bogota. Once there, you will be welcomed by the bilingual travel guide and driven to a pleasant and well-located hotel, where you will spend the next three nights.
Accommodation: Selected Hotel
Tour of Colombia’s capital city (half a day): You will begin with a walk around Bogota’s main square – the Plaza de Bolívar – and the government buildings around it (including the Presidential Palace). From there, we will go to the nearby Candelaria District, the historic colonial center of the city.
Next, you will visit the impressive San Francisco and La Tercera churches, as well as the world-famous Museo del Oro, which contains more than 30,000 pre-Columbian gold artifacts. The highlight of the day will be a cable car trip to the summit of Monserrate Hill, Bogota’s best-known landmark; from there you will have a superb view of the whole city and the savannah beyond.
[As an option, you can visit the typical “Paloquemao” marketplace, where you will see the usual fruits, vegetables and other food products of the region. This will give you authentic insights into the everyday life in Colombia.]
Accommodation: Selected Hotel
The trip will then continue to the city of Tunja, with a short stop at Villa de Leyva, which is one of the most beautiful small colonial towns in South America. After a quick stroll through the town, lunch will be served within the colonial surroundings of one of Villa de Leyva’s hotels.
After lunch you will continue the tour with a visit to La Ráquira, a village famous for its pottery and ceramics, in addition to its quaint and colorful small houses. Next, you will be taken to Chiquinquirá, considered the religious capital of Colombia. Afterwards, we will stop in Tunja and then return to Bogota.
Accommodation: Selected Hotel
Today you will fly from Bogota to Armenia. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by the local travel guide and accompanied to a romantic coffee-growing farm located near Armenia. In the afternoon you’ll visit a special coffee-growing farm, where you will get a technical and practical introduction to the entire coffee cultivation and production process, as well as visit a botanical garden that has an impressive butterfly breeding center.
COFFEE PRODUCTION SITES:
RECUCA: Visit to a special coffee-growing farm. This exciting visit includes a technical and practical introduction to the whole coffee cultivation and production process, from the bean to the brew. You will learn what it’s like to be a coffee harvester in this truly authentic experience. TERASA SAN ALBERTO: In the middle of breathtaking, magical landscapes surrounded by coffee plantations, discover the magic of delicious Quintuple Selection coffee. Get to know the technical and practical sides of the process of coffee cultivation. Dive into the fascinating world of luxury coffee. HACIENDA COMBIA (CAFÉ INSPIRACIÓN): Visit to the coffee-growing farm of Combia, including a technical and practical introduction to the whole coffee cultivation and production process.Accommodation: Selected Hotel
After breakfast we will visit to the picturesque village of Salento, where you can see the imposing “Palmas de Cera,” Colombia's national tree and one of the tallest varieties of palms in the world. We will continue on to Cocora Valley to discover breathtaking landscapes, which we will explore on horseback or by walking.
Accommodation: Selected Hotel
After breakfast, you will be driven to the airport for your flight to the town of Neiva (with a stopover in Bogota). After reaching Neiva, the capital of the Huila, we will go on a 4- to 5-hour overland trip through the mountainous landscape of the Magdalena River area to the town of San Agustin. Near this pleasant rural village, some of the most important archeological remains in the entire continent can be found. When we reach San Agustin, around noon, you will be taken to a centrally located medium-class hotel, where you will spend the next two nights.
Accommodation: Selected Hotel
In the morning you will visit the San Agustín Archaeological Park, touring “Mesitas A, B, C and D,” the “Fuente Ceremonial de Lavapatas,” and the Archaeological Museum. Around noon, we will take a trip to the nearby village of San José de Isnos, which also includes spectacular landscapes near the “Salto del Mortiño” and “Salto de Bordones” waterfalls. Towards the end of the afternoon, we will return San Agustín with time to rest and explore the village.
Accommodation: Selected Hotel
In the morning we will ride by horseback to the “El Tablón” and “La Chaquira” archaeological sites, or – alternatively – to the nearby Straits of the Magadalena, the narrowest point of the river. You will then be taken back to Neiva to catch your return flight to Bogota. Upon arrival in the Colombian capital, you will be driven to a hotel or (if requested) catch an onward flight to another city.
(Depending on the departure time of your flight, we can return overland to Neiva for your flight to Bogota.)
2 Persons | Single Supplement | |
Hotel Category | Double | |
First-Class Superior or Luxury | US$ 2,780 PP | US$ 550 PP |
First Class | US$ 2,320 PP | US$ 499 PP |
2 Persons | Single Supplement | |
Hotel Category | Double | |
First-Class Superior or Luxury | US$ 2,920 PP | US$ 724 PP |
First Class | US$ 2,458 PP | US$ 499 PP |
CITY / AREA | First Class | First-Class Superior or Luxury |
Bogota | De La Opera | Bog |
Armenia | Mirador de Las Palmas | Decameron Panaca |
San Agustin | Akawanka Lodge | Akawanka Lodge (Repetido) |
Interested in more information about any particular South American destination or trip?
Simply let us know your interests or question, and one of our travel experts will be more than happy to assist you -- at no charge, of course!
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