18 days 11:31 01-09-2021 We are the UK’s No.1 specialist in travel to Latin As our name suggests, we are single-minded America and have been creating award-winning about Latin America. This is what sets us apart holidays to every corner of the region for over four from other travel companies – and what allows us decades; we pride ourselves on being the most to offer you not just a holiday but the opportunity to knowledgeable people there are when it comes to experience something extraordinary on inspiring travel to Central and South America and journeys throughout Mexico, Central and South passionate about it too. America. A passion for the region runs Fully bonded and licensed Our insider knowledge helps through all we do you go beyond the guidebooks ATOL-protected All our Consultants have lived or We hand-pick hotels with travelled extensively in Latin On your side when it matters character and the most America rewarding excursions Book with confidence, knowing Up-to-the-minute knowledge every penny is secure Let us show you the Latin underpinned by 40 years' America we know and love experience 11:31 01-09-2021 11:31 01-09-2021 There's some of the best-preserved colonial architecture in Latin America in the cities of Bogotá and Cartagena, and remarkable pre-Columbian artefacts in the San Agustín Archaeological Park.This holiday takes you to all of these, plus a few days on one of the Caribbean’s laid-back and quirkiest islands, English-speaking Providencia, which flies the Colombian flag. Finish your unique holiday in cosmopolitan Panama City, exploring rainforest- fringed Lake Gatun on the magnificent engineering achievement which is the Panama Canal. With improved security, the (until now) hidden treasures of Colombia are being discovered by a growing number of in-the-know visitors. This enchanting country has stunning natural scenery, including volcanic Andean landscapes, sun-drenched coffee plantations, and near perfect Caribbean beaches. Bogotá is a city of sparkling prosperity, oppressive poverty, and everything in between. Its centre is awash with splendid colonial churches, fascinating museums, futuristic architecture and lively universities. Its population is diverse and engaging and its cultural life vibrant and seductive. Your walking tour of the historic core; the colonial Candelaria district, sets off from the Plaza de Bolivar, where the Cathedral and Congress buildings are, continues through the steep streets towards the Gold Museum. Visit this well-displayed collection of pre-Columbian artefacts housing more than 34,000 gold pieces. It’s arguably the most impressive museum of its kind in the world. Continue by car to the northern residential areas, including Chico and Chapinero. In the evening you might take an optional excursion to ascend Monserrate, the steep hill towering over Bogotá.The path up is quiet throughout the week, but on Sundays city dwellers depart en masse to climb or take the funicular railway or cable car to visit this place of pilgrimage. From 3,152m, you’ll have splendid views. You go up by cable-car or funicular railway from the base of the mountain to visit the church, the 14 stations of the Cross, handicraft and souvenir stands, and pause to enjoy the sunset. You have the opportunity to dine in one of the two traditional restaurants. You’ll take the cable car/funicular railway and be delivered back to your hotel. 11:31 01-09-2021 Fly to Neiva, from where you’ll be driven southwards to San Agustín. The journey takes about five hours, passing through the fertile green landscapes and small agricultural towns of the undulating river Magdalena valley. The archaeological park of San Agustín is an extensive UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has the largest group of religious monuments and megalithic statues in South America. Gods and mythical animals are represented in styles from abstract to realist. They were created by a mysterious Andean culture between the 1st and 8th centuries AD. The site is spread out over a wide area of green, forested hillsides, with impressive views. There are numerous easy (but sometimes hilly) paths within the park, which you explore on foot. The mountainous countryside contains impressive gorges and waterfalls. Your guided tour of the park includes the excellent museum. After lunch there is an excursion to other historical sites accessible only on horse-back. This full day excursion explores the Magdalena Gorge, at its narrowest point only 2m wide. The area embraces several other archaeological sites including some recently discovered tombs at the town of Obando and the hilltop site of Alto de los Idolos, known for its impressive funerary sculptures. Stop at the waterfalls of Salto del Mortiño before returning to San Agustín. 11:31 01-09-2021 Drive back to Neiva and fly via Bogotá to Armenia. Continue by road to stay on a coffee farm in the heart of the coffee- growing region. Time will be spent at the ranch and there is a guided tour of a nearby farm, where you gain an insight into cultivation in the region Learn about fruit growing and tropical flower cultivation as well as the intricacies of the coffee-making process, including the picking, de-pulping, washing, drying and roasting of the beans. The coffee producing area of Colombia has a pleasant, warm climate, and lovely bucolic scenery; with a mountainous and lush landscape of shiny coffee bushes interspersed with enormous bamboo jungles and banana plants. You spend 3 days in this beautiful, relaxing region, with walking trails, horse-riding opportunities, canopy zip-lines and colourful flora and fauna. And fresh coffee omnipresent throughout. Drive to Salento, a charming, traditional and picturesque village set in high in the Andes, its houses adorned with balconies bursting with flowers, and wonderful views of the Cordillera Central emerging from behind elegant colonial buildings. Hike through the cloud forest to explore Valle de Cocora, a valley full of hundreds of wax palms, the only palm found at this altitude in the Andes and the national tree of Colombia. Follow a well-marked path up the valley and look out over the mountains' lush foothills, and the cultivated patchwork patterns made up of a dozen shades of green. Continue to Filandia, one of the most quintessential villages of the coffee region. 11:31 01-09-2021 Today offers a guided excursion to Finca La Morelia, one of the best coffee producers in the region. Here you will learn about the steps involved in coffee production, from the picking the coffee cherries to the various stages of processing, sorting, grading, roasting and the final brewing of the beans. Afterwards, continue to the Quindio butterfly farm, and visit the vast glass butterfly house built in the shape of a butterfly with over 1,500 butterflies, representing 50 different species. Walk around the botanical gardens which include some 600 species of plant including a diverse collection of orchids and palms. There's also a nature trail and insect museum to explore before returning to your accommodation. By road to Medellín. This scenic drive takes a winding road through mountainous landscapes and takes about 6hrs. Overnight in the city. Medellín is Colombia's second largest metropolis with over 2m inhabitants. It is an outgoing, friendly and lively place with a strong cultural scene and a pulsating nightlife. The city is essentially modern, with its wealth built on the back of the textile, flower and coffee industries. The city hosts a major annual flower festival, the Feria de Las Flores, usually held in early August. You’ll be escorted on a guided day’s excursion to the charming colonial town of Santa Fé de Antioquia (1,200m), 80km north of Medellín (90mins). The town of Antioch was founded in 1541. Following repeated incursions by the indigenous population it merged with Villa de Santafé, to become Santa Fé de Antioquia and the capital of the region. The evocative town has cobbled streets, churches, plazas and colonial buildings which display their original architecture. 11:31 01-09-2021 Gold plundered from native inhabitants was stored here until the galleons could ship it back to Spain, so it became a tempting target for pirates. In order to protect their booty, the Spanish constructed an elaborate system of ramparts, which encircle the town. Today the walled centre has changed very little, allowing a glimpse of 16th- and 17th century Spanish architecture and town planning. Enjoy the shade provided by the buildings in these labyrinthine, cobbled streets, and explore the monasteries, palaces, churches, plazas and imposing mansions whose balconies are heavy with flowers. Beyond this, the city opens up: an eclectic and seductive mix of Caribbean and African influences produces a vibrant street life, with fruit stalls lining the roads and pulsating rhythms emerging from cars and houses. A guided walking tour will help you soak up the atmosphere of this unique city. There’s a walk round the colonial sector of town, with its narrow streets and wooden balconied houses. The stroll takes you to the beautiful Romanesque church of San Pedro Claver, the Cathedral, Plaza de Bolívar and Las Bóvedas (dungeons-turned-tourist- boutiques). There's not much Colombian about San Andrés, which is popular among visitors arriving in droves on charter flights and is crammed with hotels. The beaches however are first class and the sea around the island is dotted with smaller atolls, some not much more than a pile of sand with a coupole of palm trees, which you can visit by boat. In the year 2000 San Andrés and the surrounding sea was given UNESCO Biological Reserve status aimed at ensuring that the ecosystem, which is rich in biodiversity, is preserved and conserved.