Quick Search

  • Departs on or aftercalendarReturns bycalendar
  •  
     

Need some help?

Alternative Options

Have you considered?

Other Tours Visiting:

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: stars 4 half
Total Number of reviews: 1,443

Wish list

Your short list is empty Tooltip

Contrasts Of Colombia (BCO)
Cartagena / Proexport ColombiaMore Photos
  • Comfort: Standard Tooltip
  • Tour Pace: Moderate Tooltip
  • Classic Explore
  • Discovery
14 days land only visiting Colombia
  • from $3020 Without Flights *
  • * Prices based on 2013/14 Standard Itinerary.
Add to Wishlist

Reviews

What was the highlight or most memorable moment of your tour?

So difficult as the tour was full of different experiences.   I enjoyed Villa de Leyva and Cartagena, but for sheer fun it had to be the mud volcano!

Read more

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Leon was one of the best tour guides I have come across.   He was very knowledgeable about Colombia, always professional and fun to be with.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Quite a few of us had problems with ATM machines so carrying a little extra cash might be prudent.

Do you have anything else to add?

I would recommend an earlier departure from Armenia to Cartagena as we wasted most of a day doing nothing.

Stephen 22 Mar 2013 10

What was the highlight or most memorable moment of your tour?

The short haired black cat semi attached to our hotel in Taganga; also Villa de Leyva, our hotel and the town itself. Most of the tour we had no hot water- only in Bogota and Villa de Leyva although some were luckier.

Read more

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Pretty good, although some of the group felt he could have given information more readily at, for instance, the Jungle Trip in Tayrona Nat.Park. I didn't do this so cannot speak first hand.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Take couple of towels with you, just one measly little towel even in the hot and humid part of the tour and indeed our guide asked us to make it last more than one day . Take a univeral plug also,beyond hotels budgets?

Do you have anything else to add?

Being Spanish South America I had low expetations of standards on this tour. I expected troubles with hot water but not almost all the time. Hot water Only in Bogota and Villa de Leyva- some were luckier. Take spare towels-one tiny towel each even in hot and humid weather.Taker universal plug.

Bettina 18 Jan 2013 2

Our response

Thank you for your review. We have noted your disappointment with not receiving a discount on your holiday. A regular travellers discount is applied on a booking once a customer has reached their 5th booking with us. We have looked into your tour group and have noted that there were many regular Explore travellers on your trip, who would have received the discount. However we would advise you to keep an eye out for our special deals and discounts which we have on our holidays throughout the year.

We can imagine your frustration with the lack of hot water available to you on your trip. The amount available can change on a daily basis; however our Operations Manager has noted your comments.


Read more

As you are aware due to FCO advice, we did have to change the tour slightly, but we are concerned that you felt an included excursion on your trip was changed to an optional activity, which incurred a cost. Our Operations Manager is currently checking this with our local agent and we will be in contact with you directly if this was the case.

What was the highlight or most memorable moment of your tour?

I actually enjoyed the whole tour imensely. It was much better than I had expected, considering the country's history/background.

Read more

How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Leon was an excellent leader. Knew his stuff very well. Very helpful.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Go for it. Just be prepared for rain.

Karen Patricia Fraser 12 Jul 2012 10

Great introduction to a beautiful country off limits for too long but now pretty safe. Apart from the stunning scenery in the Andes and valleys, there are wonderful examples of Spanish colonial architecture (Villa de Leyva and Cartegena) and of tropical beaches (Tayrona National Park). But there were unexpected delights too: the tranquil area around Manizales and Armenia where the coffee is grown and the La Cueva in Baranquilla where Gabriel Garcia Marquez partied with his literary cronies in the 1950s, and two great museums in Bogota (the Gold Museum and the Botero Museum) where you get a real feel for a creative past and present.

The itinerary, taking in so many different parts of the country, is well planned and active without being hectic. Our guide was fully briefed on all aspects of his country and found the wit and enthusiasm to entertain us throughout. For once, the tourist strap line - "Colombia, the only risk is wanting to stay" - is spot on! (BCO -30th July 2011)

JRF 27 Oct 2011
A fantastic trip covering most of the diversity of this wonderful country from sub zero volcano summits to 35 degree + Caribbean coasts with lush green coffee plantations and colonial Spanish architecture thrown in for good measure.  Highlights for me were Villa De Leyva and Cartagena with their wonderful colonial feel and vibrant colour.  Tayrona National Park gave us a wonderful walk and a rare chance to meet some Kogui people indigenous to the area around Santa Marta.  We had an excellent tour leader who kept us moving along without the feeling of pressure and there were no really early starts.  Colombia is a truly breathtaking country and this trip shows many of its varied facets at their best.  Highly recommended. (BCO - 12th February 2011)
Greg Tebble 16 May 2011
A wonderful country to visit.  Highly recommend it.  Very cultural and arty, so much sculpture everywhere which was a big surprise.  Beautiful countryside, fantastic coffee, it really is a contrast tour from the big busy city of Bogota to the hummingbirds and glaciers of Manazales, to the coffee plantations of Armenia and up to the Caribbean og Cartagena (suddenly you hit the tourist trail a little) and the wonderful beaches of Tayrona. I for one would never in a million years expected to be visiting Colombia on holiday but it was one of the best trips, such a great country so get there now before it turns too touristy. Lovely people and if you get the chance to go to Finlandia on a Saturday morning it has to be the best people watching town - like an old cowboy town except updated now with jeeps and trucks!  Make sure you ask for jeeps to go up the glacier as well. I'd return in a heartbeat. (BCO 1st November - 2010).
LST 10 Mar 2011
Banner