Andes Alive

Arrive in Medellîn, where your guide will meet you and transfer you to the hotel.There are many reasons to begin in Medellin situated in the Aburra Valley in Colombia's vibrant department of Antioquia. The city is green and lovely and has a near perfect climate.  It has a thriving urban cultural center and is surrounded by stunning, fertile, countryside. Perhaps more than anywhere else in Colombia, Medellin stands as testament to the defeat of the narco lords and re-birth of security, confidence and international respect. Enjoy a comprehensive tour.

Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Medellîn Poblado Park

Your guide will pick you up at your hotel. First head for the metro, where you can learn about Medellín's unique "metro culture" and take a quick ride. The metro connects to the metrocable, the world's only cable car system that was built as means of public transport, which connects some of Medellín's most inaccessible (and consequentially impoverished) neighborhoods to the rest of the city.

In downtown Medellín, you'll take a walk through Botero Plaza, where the famous local artist, Fernando Botero, has donated several of his iconic statues of chubby people and animals. From there, you can visit the botanical gardens or explore other parks and plazas, like the Parque de las Luces (Lights Park) or the Parque de Pies Descalzos (Barefoot Park).

Finish the afternoon in Pueblito Paisa, the replica of a traditional Antioquian pueblo, where you can enjoy a fantastic view of Medellín and the valley, and eat a traditional lunch.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Medellin Poblado Park

Today you will transfer from Medellîn via a scenic drive to Tamesina, an Andean pueblo village located in the Andes Mountains. The village gives you a taste of rural Colombian living with the fresh, local produce stands, numerous citrus farms, and coffee plantations galore. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Andean Pueblo Hacienda Guacari (or similar)

Hike the four-hour-long Petroglyphs Trail with your private guide. The rock carvings you will see were left by first, the Quimbaya tribe nearly 2000 years ago, and second, the Cartama tribe about 700 years ago. Based on the dates of the engravings, it can be determined which tribe made each carving. The subjects of the carvings are varied, from humans to animals and therianthropes (half human, half animal creatures). Other carvings are of geometric shapes that appear to be symbolic of natural elements. Sometimes the geometric shapes were combined to create figures.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Andean Pueblo Hacienda Guacari (or similar)

Depart by horse from a small village near Andean Pueblo for a horseback ride and coffee tour. On the way to the coffee plantation, stop at various lookout points on the mountain for photos and breathtaking views. You will be greeted at the plantation The tour is led by the coffee plantation owner himself, one of the few who conducts the whole coffee process himself. After trying the coffee, you will agree it's the best you've ever had! Later, enjoy a local dish called "sancocho," hearty stew made with chicken, beef, pork, and various vegetables.  Then, hop on your horse and head down the mountain.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Andean Pueblo Hacienda Guacari (or similar)

Transfer by road from Tamesina through the scenic Andes on a four hour drive to Manizales near the foot of Colombia's most active volcano.  You wil drive through the Zona Cafetera, coffee country and will have opportunities to stop along the way for vista, wildlife spotting or to enjoy a cup of coffee.  There are numerous activities you could add to lengthen your stay here, but we have included a one day visit to Nevado del Ruiz.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Hacienda San Jose (or similar)

Your guide will pick you up at your hotel and take you to about 4200 meters, with various stops along the way to take pictures and gradually acclimatize to the high altitude.  You'll stop at La Laguna Negra (Black Lagoon) for a warm, homemade breakfast with Colombian style hot chocolate.

After breakfast, you'll hop back on the bus to climb the zig zagging, dirt road until you reach the entrance to the national wildlife reserve, famous for the volcanic peak El Nevado del Ruiz.

At your own pace, you'll begin to climb.  The evidence of recent eruptions surrounds you as you make the climb: there is no flora or fauna here; and the lava that violently ran down the mountain, 23 years ago, left behind bizarre rock formations and tons of volcanic ash. Consequently, the constantly changing horizon looks like something from the moon and the surface feels more like walking in flour than walking on solid ground.

Depending on recent temperatures and snowfall, around 4800 meters you'll begin to walk on a thin layer of snow. For many of the Colombians who might be in your group, this could be their first exposure to snow and their excitement over something that might seem normal to people from North America and Europe is truly contagious.

The last 200 meters of the climb are increasingly difficult, as the air is definitely thin. At the 16,450' peak, the snow is usually still just a thin white layer over the volcanic ash.    After catching your breath and taking lots of photos, descend to your vehicle. There is a lodge at the entrance to the park, so each person has the choice to keep climbing the peak or to stay and rest. You are free to turn around at any point during the trek.

After about an hour of trekking or resting near the peak, the van will depart, taking you right back down the mountain. On the way, you will stop for lunch. From there, the bus will take you back to some hot springs near Manizales, where you can relax and warm up before returning to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Lodging: Hacienda San Jose (or similar)

No visit to Colombia is complete without a sampling of her spectacular birdlife. Hummingbirds of many species abound here and one of the best places to see them is at the Rio Blanco Ecological Reserve.  More than 360 species of birds are found in the reserve, but the most appealing experience for many may be watching the dozens of hummingbirds visiting feeders at Viveros.  On the hiking trails in the area look for deer  and other birds including Blue-crowned Motmots and parrots among the many others. Bright and beautiful flower blossoms are also plentiful and serve to attract the large population of hummingbirds. Enjoy this last taste of natural Colombia before transfering to the airport for your onward flight.

Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: None