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Travel Colombia / Voyage en Colombie

The proposed travel Itineraries starts from the Finca (Cascada Café Retiro) in Popayán, Colombia.

Since I traveled these itineraries, I can provide a huge amount of information before your travel.

 

Ces itinéraires de voyages proposés commencent à partir de la Finca (Cascada Café Retiro)

à Popayán, en Colombie.

Puisque j'ai parcouru les itinéraires des voyages proposés, je peux fournir une énorme quantité d'informations avant votre voyage.

Travel Itinerary for Colombia

DAY ONE - Travel by bus from Popayán to Armenia. Visit the Quindío Botanical Garden with the Mariposario in the shape of a butterfly. Continue with the bus from Armenia to Salento and settle in for the night. 

 

DAY TWO - Visit the Cocora Valley. Valle de Cocora, is the famous part of the Zona Cafetera and Salento and is known as the gateway to this striking Valley. It is famous  because of its unique slender palm trees. This hike takes about 6 hours and can be quite challenging because of the deep mud which is often present along the way. 

 

DAY THREE - Travel from Salento to Santa Rosa de Cabal.  After you settle in at your hostel, travel by local bus to the hot springs to enjoy the baths as well as the beauty which surrounds them. 

 

DAY FOUR - Travel from Santa Rosa to Medellin. Medellin is very popular big city with many expats. Try to experience as much as possible in just one day. 

DAY FIVE - In the afternoon, take the bus from  Medellin to Guatapé and settle into a hostel before going out for dinner. 

DAY SIX - First thing in the morning, go to the Piedra del Peñol and climb the 675 steps in order to enjoy the beautiful sweeping views. Take the coomotocar to the town of Guatapé for lunch and then leave for the airport of Medellin by bus. Fly from MEDELLIN to SANTA MARTA and settle in for the night. 

 

OPTION ONE

DAY SEVEN TO DAY TEN -

If you want to live a unique adventure then you may choose to do the 4 day trek to Colombia's Lost City. This is a challenging hike through the rainforest to Teyuna (La Ciudad Perdida) at 1300m (4265 ft.) The Lost City is a sacred Indigenous city with special mystical energy and it is 650 years older than Machu Picchu. 

 

OPTION TWO

DAY SEVEN, EIGHT AND NINE - 

Travel to Guajira ( Cabo de la Vella and Puncta Gallina)

Take the bus from Santa Marta to Quatro Via (between Rioacha and Uribia). From there, drivers of 4x4 vehicles wait for a minimum of 4 passengers and then take you to Cabo the la Vella. Enjoy a great lobster or fish meal in Cabo.

The next morning you travel to Puncta Gallina, leaving at 5AM. Once there, you have breakfast and then go on the tour until lunch. After a great lunch of  lobster or fish, you can enjoy the area and the incredible desert sunset.

The trip to Cabo the la Vella, the trip to Puncta Gallina, a morning tour of Puncta Gallina, the beach and other highlights, and the return trip the next day to Uribia is $50.

This experience which crosses the Colombian desert up to South America's northern most point - the land of the Wayuu Tribe - should not be missed. 

OPTION THREE

DAY SEVEN - 

Take the colectivo to Minca. From Minca, motorcycle drivers take you to Pozo Azul, the coffee farm; La Victoria, the lookout, and the water fall. From here, go back to Minka walking through the beautiful jungle. Return to Santa Marta.  

If you are considering coastal city living in Colombia, Santa Marta has it all. In fact, that is what is written on the welcome sign to Santa Marta. In 2011 the construction of the marina was completed and it attracts many yachts during the hurricane season in the Caribbean. The marina has a strategic position because of the mountains which protect it.

DAY EIGHT - 

Take the bus to El Rodadero neighbourhood of Santa Marta. This beach is one of the most popular beaches of not only Santa Marta, but the Colombian Caribbean. Before noon, check out of your hostel in Santa Marta and take the local bus to Taganga. You can enjoy the beach in Taganga or walk along the ocean edge to visit all 3 beaches.

DAY NINE - 

Take the bus to Tayrona National Park. You can choose to stay overnight in the park. Tayrona National Park has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. You can also choose to trek through the park jungle to the archeological remains of El Pueblito. This is a mini Ciudad Perdida experience. 

DAY TEN - 

You can choose to go to Bahia Concha. This beach is only 30 minutes away from Santa Marta. It is the first beach of Tayrona National Park with great snorkeling, swimming, kayaking and typical food of the northern coast. You can also choose to go early to Cartagena.

DAY ELEVEN - Take the bus to Cartagena. Walk the city beaches from Boca Grande to Castillo Grande. Watch the sun set from Boca Grande and walk back to the City Centre. You may watch a live park performances in the Colonial Walled City and then enjoy dinner. 

DAY TWLEVE - Fly from CARTAGENA TO  SAN ANDRES ISLAND ($40 - $70). Tour the island. Morgan Grotto is a cave connected to the ocean by tunnels. The Blow Hole looks similar to a geyser, Punta Sur has great views and San Luis has great beaches. 

DAY THIRTEEN - Visit the Johnny Cay white sand beach and La Piscina Natural.

DAY FOURTEEN - Take a boat trip to Cayo Bolivar, located 18km east of San Andrés.

DAY FIFTEEN - Take a two-hour catamaran trip to Providencia Island. Return to San Andrés in the late afternoon.

DAY SIXTEEN - Take a flight from SAN ANDRES TO BOGOTÁ (COP 99,000 to 165,000/ $35 - $60). Settle in and enjoy the evening in La Candelaria. 

DAY SEVENTEEN - Walk up to the base of Monserrate and travel up with the funicular. Enjoy the view and the church. Afterwards walk to the Gold Museum to meet the magical treasure of this nation. Finally walk to Bolivar Square. 

DAY EIGHTEEN - During the rainy season (June to mid December), a trip to Caño Cristales is highly recommended. A typical 3day/2nights tour costs $550 to $750 per person. You can take the bus from Bogotá to Villavicencio at 3:45 AM for a 3-hour bus ride. Then take a one hour  flight to Macarena ($200 return flight). Hostel rooms are available from $10 to $25. Join an existing group and enter the park. $50/person covers: 2days in the park, 4 boat rides, breakfast and lunch on the second day. Total for this trip should be less than $300.

 

DAY NINETEEN -  Second day in the park and return fight to Villavicencio. Take the bus to Bogotá.

DAY TWENTY - Take the bus to Zipaquirá and visit the Salt Cathedral. From there, continue with the bus to Tunja and then Villa de Leyva.

DAY TWENTY ONE - I lived in Villa de Leyva for 6 months and was convinced that this is where I would settle down for the rest of my physical life. With its cobble stone streets, a quiet charm, houses with romantic balconies and colonial architecture, Villa de Leyva has a lot to offer. Just outside of  town you will find:  Pozos Azules, Casa Terracota, the Paleontological museum, Ráquira - the pottery capital of Colombia, Cascada la Periquera, El Fósil, Fibas, Paso del Angel, Cascada de la Honda, Ruinas de Gachantivá, 3 viñedos, Monasterio Santo Eccehomo and more...

DAY TWENTY TWO - Those who suspect that they will fall in love with Villa de Leyva should plan to stay as long as you can or leave early in the morning back to Bogotá. From Bogotá you can fly back home or take the bus to Neiva. 

DAY TWENTY THREE - Take the colectivo from the bus terminal in Neiva to El  Desierto de la Tatacoa. You can choose to stay in this unique desert over night or just rent a bike for a few hours to travel around. The Tatacoa desert is unique in that it has two very distinct areas. In the Cusco area it is orange and in the Los Hoyos area it is grey. Return to Neiva and take the bus to San Augustine or stay an extra day and go to the hot baths of Rivera.

DAY TWENTY FOUR - San Augustine is a pre-Colombian archaeological site with hundreds of stone statues carved by an unknown culture located in the upper Rio Magdalena Valley. Rio Magdalena is spectacular.

From San Augustine you can take the bus to  Popayán to continue your visit with us, or continue on your own to Ipiales visit the stunning Sanctuario de las Lajas, and then travel on to Ecuador. I will be happy to guide you on...

You may also choose to experience 4-days/ 3-nights in the Colombian Amazon. 

Fly from BOGOTÁ to LETICIA, the capital of the Colombian Amazon. Leticia has an imaginary line which creates a frontier between Colombia, Peru, and Brazil (Amazonian Trapezium).

From Leticia you travel by boat to the lodge in the Canola Natural Reserve. Enjoy 3-days in the Amazon jungle. You will have the opportunity to see the renowned pink freshwater dolphins. 

                                                                                              InfiniteLove

Travel Ecuador / Voyage en Equateur

Travel Itinerary for Ecuador

If you choose to travel to Ecuador , I will tell you exactly what to expect crossing the Colombian/Ecuador border at Ipialis, Colombia.

DAY ONE - Travel from Ibarra to Otavalo and enjoy the Indigenous Market of the Andes. Visit Cascada de Peguche and then Laguna de Cuicocha. You can choose to walk around this amazing volcanic lake or take a boat ride. Return to Ibarra. 

 

DAY TWO - Travel by bus from Ibarra to Mindo, a village in the Andes, north west of Quito. Mindo is well known for many bird species, orchids, and butterflies that are found in this Cloud Forest - Mindo-Nambillo Reserve. A cable car runs from the Nambillo River to the top of the mountain where trails lead to Cascada Nambillo and other waterfalls. After the waterfalls visit the Mariposario. For me, this was an exhilarating experience. You can also choose to take a tour of the chocolate factory and visit the orchid garden. 

 

DAY THREE - Take the bus from Mindo to Manta. $10/about 10 hours.

 

DAY FOUR - Take the local bus from Manta to Montecristi $0.30. This is the town where the Panama Hats are made. They come in a wide range of quality, ranging in price from $10 to more than $500. I bought a few in the lower price range and mine, which cost about $50, was incredible, although it is almost destroyed today and used by the construction workers building the house in Popayán. Return to Manta and go to the beach to watch the fishermen coming in with their catch. Then enjoy a great sea food lunch on the beach. Take the bus from Manta to Porto Lopez.

 

DAY FIVE - ​Puerto Lopez is a fishing village located on a bay and it's main industries are fishing and ecotourism. This village is a great beach living option, as is Montanita. Both are situated on the Ruta del Sol. June to October are the best months for whale watching. Some of the tours include snorkeling and walking Isla de la Plata. Another option is a diving experience out of Puerto Lopez. In the late after noon take the bus from Puerto Lopez to Salinas and settle in for the night.

 

DAY SIX - Enjoy the beach in Salinas. This is a large beach city in Ecuador. Compare this option with the much less populated Bahia de Caraquez (it was hit by the April 2016 earth quake), if you are serious about city beach living in Ecuador. Go to Puntilla Santa Elena. This is the most western point of mainland Ecuador. Awesome beaches, surfing, wale watching, and the only sea lion colony on the Ecuadorian coast is found in Puntilla Santa Elena. 

 

DAY SEVEN - Take an early bus from Salinas to Guayaquil. Fly from GUAYAQUIL to SANTA CRUS ISLAND, Galapagos Islands ($211.00 Latam Air). I recommend booking a 5 day/4night cruise once in Puerto Ayora. Last minute deals  are in the range of $1000-$1300. instead of $3000. You obviously need to be flexible but that is in fact an important characteristic to develop on your evolution of consciousness journey. If cruising is not in your budget then here are other options:

DAY EIGHT TO DAY TWELVE - 5 day/4 night cruise.

OR

DAY EIGHT - Visit Tortuga Bay with it's baby powder white sand, magic blue waters, marine iguanas, and occasional flamingos. It is 2.5 Kms from Puerto Ayora on a nice brick path of about 30-45 minutes. Then visit Las Grietas a great spot for photography and swimming. You can visit the Lava Tubes at El Mirador (3 km from Pto. Ayora).

 

​DAY NINE -  You can choose a full day yacht tour to Bartolome Island and explore the extraordinary fauna and flora. Bartolome Island has the most spectacular landscapes . It is the most photographed island out of all the Galapagos Islands.

 

DAY TEN AND ELEVEN -  You have the option of  yacht trips to other Galapagos Islands or a diving/snorkeling experience in the Galapagos such at the Daphne Island Major, a volcanic tuff cone located off the north coast of Santa Cruz Island. The choice to relax for 2 days with no specific plans may be just what serves you best.

 

DAY TWELVE - Take a boat transfer from Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz Island to San Cristobal Island.

Once settled into your chosen accommodation, visit the Interpretation Centre of the Galapagos National Park. Then hike to Cerro Tijeretas for spectacular views of the bay and the town as well as possible glimpses of two species of the frigate bird. Cerro Las Tijeretas is a good place for whale watching between June and October. Cabo de Horno is a white-sand beach at the northern end of town that offers swimming and snorkeling opportunities. 

 

DAY THIRTEEN - A popular attraction is La Loberia. It is accessed via a long trail that begins at the west end of town, where you can enjoy the antics of a playful sea lion colony and the landscape views. The Breeding Center Jacinto Gordillo “Galapaguera”is a new visitor site in the northeast of the island about 1hour by road. Giant tortoises can be observed along the 1km trail. They live there wild but in a protected area to assure their survival, by sealing them off from predators. Land and sea birds as well as blue-footed boobies are also found on the trail.

Visit El Junco, a freshwater lake inside an active volcano. One can hike around the rim of the volcano with a guide. Afterwards you can visit one of the many beaches; Cerro Brujo.

 

You can also choose a certified diving or snorkeling trip to the striking rock formation of Kicker Rock, a couple of hours west of SanCristobal.

 

DAY FOURTEEN - Fly back from SAN CRISTOBAL to GUAYAQUIL ( $182.00 Latam Air). Take the bus from Guayaquil to Baños. Many good hostels are available for $10/night. Baños is well known for hot springs and offers many other activities such as: hiking, bird watching, bungee jumping, rappelling down the waterfalls, and unique swings. 

 

DAY FIFTEEN TO SEVENTEEN -  You can choose a 2 day tour to Puyo, the Ecuadorian Amazon jungle, leaving the morning of day sixteen. 

If you prefer adventures, then you may choose to stay in Baños and fill 3 days with everything from extreme sports to walks up and around the volcano.                   

 

DAY EIGHTEEN - ​Take the bus from  Baños to Latacunga. Get off the bus at the entrance of  Cotopaxi National Park . Guides with 4x4 vehicles are parked at the entrance and will take you to the base where the climb up the volcano starts. The Cotopaxi volcano at 5,898 meters is the highest active volcano in the world. The hiking tour to the refuge at 4,800 meters takes about 2 hours, you can also stop at the lagoon at 3,800 meters. Take the bus to Quito.

DAY NINETEEN - Take the bus from Quito to Papallacta. Papallacta is the highest town in Ecuador at 3,300 meters and it is surrounded with natural hot springs. Local trout is delivered daily to the restaurants in town. After a relaxing day in the hot springs, return to Quito.

DAY TWENTY - Visit Mitad del Mundo. A city bus ($0.25) takes you there in 45 minutes.

 

DAY TWENTY ONE - Return fight home or extend your journey for more adventures.

OPTION:

Ecuador Amazon tour: 4-days/ 3-nights. A short  25-minute flight takes you from Quito to Coca. From there the group is taken on a motorized canoe for 2 hours down the Napo River. Napo is a tributary of the Amazon River. Guides from the lodge lead the group on a walk through the jungle to a remote lodge. The next 3 days  are spent enjoying the Amazonian Jungle. 

        

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