We are delighted to be launching a new and revealing Our Routes series dedicated to sharing travel experiences from our experts all over Latin America. Our debut blog begins with a feature on Product Manager Catrin Davies, who recently enjoyed a special trip to Colombia and couldn’t wait to tell us all about it!
Bogota, Coffee Region, Cartagena, Isla Baru.
Avianca direct from London, on a new Dreamliner plane. All flights within Colombia were also with Avianca.
First time…but definitely not the last!
That’s a hard question as everywhere was so different. I loved the unique scenery in the Coffee Region and the serene white sand beaches of Isla Baru, but really I think Cartagena captured so much of the country’s spirit for me. Colombia is one of the most (both literally and metaphorically) colourful and vibrant countries I’ve ever travelled to, and Cartagena was a true reflection of that. A walking tour took us down quaint cobbled streets with ornate balconies covered in beautiful flowers, eclectic street art murals, and large lively plazas, with music everywhere. It is definitely a good place to just soak up the atmosphere for a couple of days; it somehow has both a chilled-out vibe and spirited energy that I loved.
A picnic in La Carbonera Wax Palm Empire. Many visitors to the Coffee Region go to the Cocora Valley to see the renowned wax palms, but we went a little further afield to La Carbonera. This excursion isn’t for everyone, due to the long journey (3-4 hour round trip) in jeeps on a very uneven gravel road, with no facilities for the whole experience. However going so far ‘off the beaten track’ meant that we didn’t see a soul whilst we were there, and the panoramic views of the wax palms were truly breathtaking. We arrived around lunchtime, at which point our guides swiftly laid out a blanket with a huge picnic at a scenic spot overlooking the valley – it definitely took al fresco dining with a view to another level!
My other memorable moment was in a small village just outside Cartagena. We took part in an interactive drum workshop in La Boquilla, an afro-descendant fisherman village where drums play a vital part in their plight to preserve their ancestral traditions. Some of the members of the community performed some traditional Afro-Colombian folk music and dances to various lively drum beats and taught us some basic rhythms that allowed us to accompany them. It was extremely fun and energetic (not to mention a test of our coordination!) and was wonderful to learn about their history and culture while supporting the community at the same time.
Actually all plain sailing, everything went very smoothly and there were no unexpected surprises.
All weathers! I was there during the rainy season, so you really did need sun cream and an umbrella packed at all times, but other than that I would recommend comfortable shoes as the best way to explore most places is by walking.
My favourite food was actually part of a really fun experience at a local market in Bogota, where we were able to try several different types of fruit native to Colombia, such as lulo, guanabana and granadilla, which ranged from very sour to very sweet and some with very unusual textures. There were also several varieties of avocado with completely different tastes and textures compared to those we usually have access to in the UK, with some of them almost as big as our heads!
I’m not a photographer so my photos sadly never seem to do justice to the incredible places I visit, and I try and experience places without a screen! For me, the scenery in the Coffee Region was unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, so I did take a ridiculous amount of photos there, although it was virtually impossible to capture the scale of some of the wax palms there as they were so tall!
Colourful, inspiring, diverse. But really – ‘not long enough’.
Cat visited a number of destinations in our Classic Colombia holiday which starts from £3,349 per person and can be made Truly Individual to your requirements.
Ready to book your trip to Cartagena? Get in touch with one of our Colombia specialists today on 0208 546 6222, or complete the enquiry form to get in touch.
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