Expat Explore - Version: Mon Sep 27 2021 16:19:34 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 1/25 Itinerary for Best of Colombia, Panama & Costa Rica Tour • Expat Explore Start Point: End Point: Hotel in Bogota, San Jose, Address to be confirmed Address to be confirmed Welcome meeting at 18:00 hrs 13:00 hrs DAY 1: Arrive in Bogota Welcome to Bogota, the capital of cool in Colombia! If you arrive with free time, start exploring the city with its many fascinating sights. The tour leader will meet you at the hotel this afternoon. This evening, join your fellow travellers and tour leader for a short walk to a nearby restaurant. Dinner tonight is a special meet and greet affair that will introduce you to your tour mates. Experiences Colombian dinner. Colombian cuisine is rich, exotic and delicious - so let us treat you to dinner on your first night in Bogota! Coconut, fried plantain and avocado are some of the flavours that Colombia offers when it comes to its food. Tonight we'll get your tastebuds acquainted with local flavours in a typical Bogota restaurant near the hotel. Expat Explore - Version: Mon Sep 27 2021 16:19:34 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 2/25 Included Meals Accommodation Breakfast: Lunch: Dinner: Tequendama Hotel DAY 2: Bogota Welcome to Bogota, the capital city of Colombia! Orient yourself on a walking tour with a local expert after breakfast. There’s just no better way to learn than following in the footsteps of a local Bogotano! On the tour, we’ll cover the most popular attractions: the colourful La Candelaria neighbourhood with its colonial architecture, the prominent Plaza de Bolivar, and the neoclassical Bogotá Cathedral. The rest of the day is free for your own exploration. We can recommend a visit to Montserrat Hill for picture-perfect views of the city. Or simply take a moment to pull up a chair in a local bakery and eat some almojábanas (cheese-flavored rolls) This is where you’ll find the local flavour! For dinner this evening you have the option of joining your tour leader for a local Bogotanian food experience, or go it alone. Experiences Bogotá Walking Tour. Bogota is the capital and largest city in Colombia, with more than 8 million inhabitants and a long, interesting history. Age-old architecture, postcard plazas, a lively vibe and the yummiest food scene - tick, tick and tick! A city like this begs to be discovered! Head into the Expat Explore - Version: Mon Sep 27 2021 16:19:34 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 3/25 heart of this lively city led by a local and get to all the top sights and Instagram-worthy spots. Places of interest to be visited include La Candelaria, Plaza de Bolivar and the Cathedral of Bogotá. Fernando Botero is one of Colombia’s most famous artists and sculptors, and entrance to the museum dedicated to his work is included as part of the city tour. Included Meals Accommodation Breakfast: Lunch: Dinner: Tequendama Hotel DAY 3: Bogota - flight to the Coffee Region Following breakfast, board your transfer to catch a flight to the Coffee country of Colombia. Armenia and Pereira are some of the gateway destination to Colombia’s world-renowned coffee region. Expect immense natural beauty - rolling fields of coffee plantations, mountain scenery and valleys declared UNESCO heritage sites. Waste no time after arrival and head straight for the rolling hills for a visit to a local coffee farm. Here you can learn about every facet of the Colombian coffee industry from a local coffee farmer. To top things off, smell and taste some award-winning local coffee after lunch. Caffeine kicks all around! The final stretch of the day takes you to the hotel for the next 2 nights, located right in the heart of Colombia’s Coffee Triangle. Experiences Expat Explore - Version: Mon Sep 27 2021 16:19:34 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 4/25 Coffee Farm Tour: Colombia’s coffee is often regarded as the finest coffee in the world. Today you have your first quintessential Colombian coffee experience - a coffee farm tour. Surrounded by flourishing fields of coffee plantations, the views are incredible. A local farmer will show you every step of how the coffee is made from seed to cup. Taste different coffee beans and brews on the tour today. Smell, touch and feel - it’s a true delight to your senses. Local Tejo Game. On Day 4 in the afternoon we'll try our hand at tejo, a local sport that you can play with beer in hand! It’s a national sport in Colombia and popular pastime for locals. You play by throwing a steel puck at a board with small packets of gunpowder. A white flash and loud bang will tell you if you’ve hit the target and that means you score! This game is played by the experts in actual arenas, as well as in smaller bars and venues around most cities in Colombia. Included Meals Accommodation Breakfast: Lunch: Dinner: Allure Mocawa Plaza Armenia DAY 4: Coffee Region: Free Day Wake up in the coffee region of Colombia - a place where the rhythm of life has remained unchanged over the centuries. In the area you can see some of the best scenery in Colombia, including colourful colonial houses and the odd coffee farmer on a horse. Today you have the choice to join an optional excursion to the Cocora Valley located in the Los Nevados National Natural Park. Expat Explore - Version: Mon Sep 27 2021 16:19:34 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 5/25 Travel by four-wheel truck into a region that boasts incredible beauty and a diverse array of fauna and flora. Here you can spot Colombia’s national tree, the Wax Palm, standing tall in valleys and on mountains. Upon arrival you can choose to hike the valley or explore on horseback. Dig into a traditional lunch before leaving the valley behind. This afternoon, stop at a local spot to try your hand at Tejo - the national sport of Colombia. We return to the hotel this afternoon, with time to freshen up before an optional dinner this evening. Included Meals Accommodation Breakfast: Lunch: Dinner: Allure Mocawa Plaza Armenia Optional Excursions Tour of the Cocora Valley: US$ 100 * Stated prices and availability are subject to change. DAY 5: Coffee Region - Medellin Expat Explore - Version: Mon Sep 27 2021 16:19:34 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 6/25 This morning takes you on a scenic drive through mountains and along river valleys to Medellin. Medellin has been nicknamed ‘City of Eternal Spring’ as it’s a destination that boasts pleasant weather year round! Take a tour of the city with the guidance of a local expert before spending the rest of the day at your leisure. Experiences Afternoon tour of Medellín. Medellín is the second-largest city in Columbia and once had a reputation as one of the country’s most dangerous cities. Lucky for us it is undergoing a massive rise in reputation and tourism and is now one of the notable destinations in Colombia. It lies nestled in the Andes mountains, surrounded by coffee plantations and flower farms that offer gorgeous scenery at every turn. There is an abundance of parks, libraries, museums and public spaces where many cultural events take place. And the weather always permits! Medellín has been dubbed the “City of Eternal Sprint” due to its favourable year-round temperature. See the most interesting spots and attractions on a tour with a local expert this afternoon.* *Due to ongoing road works, the tour might be pushed out to tomorrow if there are any delays. Included Meals Accommodation Breakfast: Lunch: Dinner: Poblado Alejandria DAY 6: Medellin: Free Day Expat Explore - Version: Mon Sep 27 2021 16:19:34 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 7/25 Spend a free day in Medellin today. There are loads to see in the area. On offer are two optional excursions - a Pablo Escobar tour that takes you to the main places interest that played a pivotal role in Colombian drug lord’s life, capture and death; or day trip to Guatepe and Piedra de Penol - a nearby lakeside village, famous for its huge monolithic rock. Climb the 750 steps to be greeted by incredible vistas of the region below. Included Meals Accommodation Breakfast: Lunch: Dinner: Poblado Alejandria Optional Excursions Social Transformation Tour: US$ 50 Guatape Penol Day Trip: US$ 110 * Stated prices and availability are subject to change. DAY 7: Medellin - flight to Santa Marta Expat Explore - Version: Mon Sep 27 2021 16:19:34 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) Page: 8/25 After breakfast, transfer to Medellin airport and board a flight to Santa Marta. Situated on the Caribbean coast, this was the first Spanish settlement in South America (1525). Check into your hotel, freshen up and take a walking tour of Santa Marta’s impressive Old Town. Led by a local, as always, you’ll see major attractions like Cathedral of Santa Marta, Simon Bolivar Park and El Camellon. Santa Maria is flanked by the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and overlooks the Caribbean Sea - stunning views all around! The rest of the day is yours to do whatever your heart desires. Experiences Santa Marta Walking Tour: A local guide will show you the sights of Santa Marta. Flanked by the Sierra Nevada mountain range and overlooking the Caribbean sea, the views are simply incredible. En route you’ll lay eyes on these main attractions: Cathedral of Santa Marta, Simon Bolivar Park, El Camellon, Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.