This is the next big thing in South America- visit now before the rest of the world catches on to this fantastic destination!! Colombia has much to offer adventurous travellers: a to-die-for Caribbean coast, stunning colonial cities, rugged National Parks and fabulous diving and snorkelling.
The country’s capital, Bogota, is also its geographic heart and an ideal base for exploring the surrounding coffee regions and colonial villages. While in Bogota, visit the charming district of La Candelaria, with its cobbled streets, quaint cafes and stunning gothic church.
The coastal city of Cartagena de Indias is among the finest in the Americas- huge leafy plazas filled with open-air cafes, winding cobbled streets lined with magnificent colonial houses and a strip of coastline to rival any in the continent. The heavy fragrance of tropical flowers mingles with the sea air to create a heady atmosphere; hot during the day and balmy at night, Cartagena’s enviable climate makes it an ideal destination at any time of the year.
Colombia’s most impressive archaeological site is Ciudad Perdida (The Lost City) discovered in 1972 and one of the largest Pre-Columbian towns in the Americas. The site can only be accessed via a challenging 3 day trek through dense jungle- a truly amazing experience.
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta contains the country’s highest peak, rising 5775m from the sea, and provides a stunning backdrop to the seaside town of Santa Marta. The city is the oldest in Colombia, and the place where Simon Bolivar spent his final days before dying in 1830. Nearby is the spectacular Tayrona National Park, with miles of beautiful beaches, pristine forest and home to a wide variety of animals (particularly monkeys and birds).
On top of all this is Colombia’s Amazon Basin- take a cruise down the mighty river all the way to Manaus, Brazil or stay in one of the remote jungle lodges right by the Brazilian border.
