Andes & Colonial Colombia
Mountain Capitals, Whitewashed Villages, and the City of Eternal Spring
This itinerary stays in Colombia’s cool highlands, where the country’s history is easiest to read. You begin in Bogota, a high-altitude capital with a deep colonial center and world-class museums, step back in time in the Boyaca highlands, then fly to Medellin, a city that has reinvented itself and sits in a valley with a famously mild climate. Old Colombia and new Colombia, a short flight apart.
Day by Day
Day 1Arrive in Bogota
Airport reception and transfer to your hotel. Bogota sits at about 2,600 meters, so the first evening stays light: an unhurried walk and an early dinner while your body adjusts.
Day 2Bogota: Gold, Streets, and a View
The Gold Museum, one of the world’s great collections of pre-Columbian goldwork, then a walk through La Candelaria, the colonial heart of the city, with its colorful streets, plazas, and street art. Late afternoon, ride up Monserrate for a panoramic view of the capital.
Day 3Zipaquira and Villa de Leyva
Out of the city to the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira, a cathedral carved inside a working salt mine, then onward through the highlands to Villa de Leyva, a colonial town known for its enormous cobblestone plaza and whitewashed buildings. Overnight in the town.
Day 4Villa de Leyva and the Boyaca Countryside
A slow day to explore Villa de Leyva on foot and the surrounding Boyaca countryside, with time for local food, craft shops, and the kind of unhurried afternoons this region is made for.
Day 5Back to Bogota, Fly to Medellin
Scenic drive back to Bogota, then a short flight to Medellin. Check in and enjoy your first evening in the valley, where the temperature is noticeably gentler than the capital’s.
Day 6Medellin: City and Transformation
A guided day through Medellin, including a ride on the Metrocable and a visit to Comuna 13, a neighborhood whose story of change is told today through its murals, music, and local guides. The afternoon is open to explore the city’s plazas and sculpture-filled squares.
Day 7Guatape Day Trip
A day trip east of Medellin to Guatape, a lakeside town famous for its brightly painted buildings and the giant granite rock that rises beside it. Back in Medellin for a farewell dinner.
Day 8Departure
Transfer to the airport for your onward or return flight.
What’s Included
Included
- 7 nights accommodation (category to your preference)
- Domestic flight Bogota to Medellin
- All airport and overland transfers
- Private transport to Zipaquira, Villa de Leyva, and Guatape
- English or Spanish-speaking local guides
- Entrance fees for all listed activities
- Daily breakfast
Not Included
- International flights to and from Colombia
- Lunches and dinners (we’re happy to recommend)
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Optional activities not listed in the day-by-day
Good to Know
Bogota’s altitude is the main thing to plan around: we build in an easy first day and can add a Cartagena or Coffee Region extension if you want warmth at the end. Like every ColombiaSky itinerary, this is a starting point, not a fixed package. There’s no fixed price shown here because there’s no fixed trip – request a quote and we’ll build the real version around your dates and group size.
