MARVELS OF THE ANDEAN MOUNTAINS TOUR AROUND MEDELLIN - COLOMBIA 6 DAYS – 5 NIGHTS

Meals included:

B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Day 1 Full day City tour Medellin – the transformation of Medellin 

Medellin advanced from one of the most violent cities in the World in the 80’s and 90’s to one of the the most modern and vibrant metropolitan areas in Latin America.

Start in the morning with privat bus to the city center. Walking tour through Medellin’s historical center, we visit attractions like the statues of the world famous artist Fernando Botero at the Botero Plaza, National palace, Avenida Carabobo with its busy street life.

After lunch we take the metro to San Javier Station and make a tour with the metrocable-gondola lift system. Medellin was the first city worldwide to introduce gondola lifts with the purpose of a public transport system to connect the poor neighbourhoods to the city center.

Afterwards guided tour to the Comuna 13, we take a Graffititour and learn about the violent past, the military operations executed in this area and the colorful present full of hope. Return to hotel with privat bus.

Overnight stay at hotel Medellin

B  

Day 2 TRIP TO WESTERN MOUNTAIN RANGE – FLOWER TRAIL HIKING

Departure after the breakfast in the morning. Our trip to the town of Tamesis leads us through different climatic zones with lush mountains and spectacular views from the central to the western mountain range.

Our itinerary and altitude: Medellin 1500 Meter / 4921 feet, Alto de as Minas 2400 Meter / 7874 feet, to Pintada 600 Meter / 1970 feet and finally to the western mountain chain Valparaiso village at 1638 Meter.

We arrive around mid day at our village hotel or country house hotel, get our rooms and take the lunch. 

In the afternoon we take the privat transport (aprox. 30 minutes) to our starting point at Tamesis village. From here will start the beautiful “Flower trail” - Hike.

Ruta de flores - Flower trail hike

Difficulty level: 1-5: 2,5-3

Distance: 7 km / 4,3 miles     Duration: 3 hours

Surround yourself with colors and scents during a walk through a hamlet of the municipality of Tamesis. Along a route of amazing landscapes, we can enjoy a variety of peasant gardens, the coffee culture of the region and the wonderful views of the Cartama Valley. After a delicious farmhouse snack, we will hike through coffee plantations and cross a suspension bridge over the Rio Frio River.

We will visit the mineral water bottling plant la Peña, and the municipality's power generation plant, which will show us the enormous water wealth of the region.

Late afternoon we return to to Támesis and enjoy dinner.

Rest of the time at your free disposal.

Overnight stay at hotel Tamesis

B, L, D

Day 3 Full day Coffee Farm and Coffee process

We will drive a Chiva!

Activity duration 5 to 6 hours. 

After the breakfast we take a traditional Colombian Country bus called Chiva (goat in English), of course privat and only for you! We will have a picturesque 1 hour drive to the coffee farm.

Guided by the hand of our coffee growers, we will walk through the different coffee trails and participate directly in the processes of cultivation, harvesting, benefits, threshing and roasting, besides delighting with the delicious coffee of the region, you can enjoy beautiful landscapes in a peasant environment.

Typical lunch with home-grown ingredient at the coffee farm!

Late afternoon we are leaving the farm, again with the Chiva bus and enjoy the rest of the evening at our country house hotel or at the village if you wish to explore it on your own.

Overnight stay at hotel in Tamesis

B, L, D

Day 4 We visit the town of Jericó, cradle of the Carriel 

After the breakfast we leave with our privat bus (aprox. 2 hours drive) to the village of Jericó (Altitude 1910 meters / 6270 feet).

The municipality of Jericho is famous for its beautiful colonial architecture and religious art. Jericho is home to the birthplace of Saint Laura Montoya, the Museum of Religious Art and its 16 chapels, some known as true jewels. The village square, known as one of the most beautiful in Antioquia, preserves a colonial architecture, witnesses of the best years of the coffee culture.

During the guided tour of the village we will get to know the traditional Carriel leather bags. During the tour of the town we will get to know family businesses that produce the most beautiful traditional Carrieles leather bags of the region. Return to Tamesis in the afternoon.

We enjoy the rest of the evening at our country house hotel or at the village if you wish to have some time on your own.

Overnight stay at our hotel in Tamesis, all meals included.

B, L, D

Day 5 Petroglyph-Route, Indigenous Stone carvings

After our breakfast we leave with our Bus to the starting point of the Petrogyph-route, a picturesque hiking route of high archeological interest. 

PETROGLYPH TRAIL - Rock Art

Difficulty level 1-5: 2,5-3

Distance: 4 km

Duration: 4-5 hours

This is one of the most interesting archaeological activities, as it is one of the richest areas in the region in terms of rock art. A petroglyph is an image created by removing part of a rock surface by incising, picking, carving, or abrading.

During this tour we visit different villages of the municipality such as: El Rayo, San Isidro, El Líbano and pescadero. There you can observe the expressions of thought, culture and social organization of pre-Hispanic cultures such as the Quimbaya (hunters and gatherers) and the Cartama (ancient inhabitants of the municipality). In this magical and incredible journey through our ancestors, different carvings on rock (anthropomorphic geometric figures, anthropomorphic, phytomorphic, among others) are observed, performing the interpretation and meanings of some of them.

Early afternoon return to Medellin with privat bus.

Overnight stay at our hotel in Medellin.

B, L

Day 6 Tour Guatape – El Peñol Rock 

After the breakfast between 8 and 9am we depart with our privat bus to the Peñol Rock (size 235 Meters), located at an altitude of 2135 Meters.

You will enjoy an amazing view over the Guatape-Peñol Dam. It has an extension of 74km2 and is permeated by many islands.

If you are in shape, you have additionally the possibility to take the 708 steps to the rock summit. (USD 5 Entrance fee not included in the package) If you prefer to stay down, enjoy the view from the parking lot and the numerous restaurants and souvenir shops. 

After this visit we take our bus and will arrive in only 15 Minutes and the colorful colonial town Guatape right on the lakeside.

We enjoy a walking tour and a delicious lunch (not include) in the village. Depending on our time you may take a 1 hour and half boat ride along the lake (not included). 

Bus transfer to the hotel in Medellin or San Nicolas Valley or transfer to the international Airport Medellin JMC for your flight out.

B

- End of the trip -