Vibrant Colombia - 8 Days

Start: Cartagena
Finish: Cartagena
Trip Type: Cultural/Adventure
Physical Rating: 1/5
Group Size: 4-10 people

1250€

Seeking a relaxing getaway and adventure? Join us on a trip around Colombia’s Caribbean coast: uninhabited islands, turquoise waters, pristine beaches, scuba diving - all while sipping on a delicious coconut lemonade. Oh, and you should not miss the fresh seafood and incredible coconut rice.

For this trip, we will be exploring the colourful streets of Cartagena, learn how to cook Colombian food and relax in the cutest little beach town, where we will go scuba diving, snorkelling, explore local islands and eat lots of fresh seafood.

Highlights

  • Wander through the colourful streets of Cartagena

  • Explore Bazurto market with a local guide

  • Learn how to cook local Caribbean dishes

  • Hop between islands and snorkle in the Caribbean sea

  • Enjoy fresh seafood on a remote fishermen's island

  • Go scuba diving (no certification needed)

  • Today you arrive in Cartagena. You'll receive more information on the airport transfer in our WhatsApp group the week before the trip starts.

    If you arrive early you can either just relax on the rooftop pool of our hostel or you venture out and explore the vibrant city of Cartagena.

    In the evening we will head out for a Welcome Dinner to get to know each other.

    Included meals: Welcome Dinner
    Included transport: airport transfer

  • Today is your day to explore the colourful streets of Cartagena and take in the Caribbean vibe.

    There’s so many things to do: take in the street art in Getsemaní, go up San Felipe Castle, watch the sun set from the top of the city wall and of course shop in the cute little stores in the old town.

    Included meals: Breakfast

  • This morning we will head out quite early after breakfast and venture off outside the historic centre to Bazurto market. This market features fresh fruit, veggies, meat, fish, street food stalls, clothes and everything you think you could need and is frequented by locals as well as the chefs of many of the restaurants in the centre.

    We will be guided around by Carolina, who seems to know just everyone inside the market. She will introduce us to her favourite fruit lady and tell us stories about the people working in the market.

    After this eventful morning, we will head over to Carolina’s restaurant and prepare some traditional Colombian dishes with a twist from the ingredients we just bought. We will eat, drink, laugh, listen to music and dance while preparing the dishes.

    The afternoon you will have for yourselves and you can explore the historic old town of Cartagena.

    Included meals: Breakfast & lunch
    Included Activities: guided tour through Bazurto market & cooking class

  • After breakfast, we will go south to a small fishing village. The journey is around 4-5 hours and you will be rewarded with dreamy beaches and water that is above 26°C the whole year. Also, in this village, you will get the freshest and cheapest seafood we have found along this part of the coastline.

    Included meals: Breakfast
    Included transport: Bus to fishing village

  • Today we’ll go diving or relax on the beach! The local diving centre we work with focuses very heavily on safety and only has two dive instructors.

    Half of the group will go diving today while the rest will enjoy a relaxing beach day. Don’t worry your turn will come tomorrow!

    The waters in this area are generally calm with excellent visibility, making them ideal for divers of all experience levels. You can see coral reefs, a variety of schools of tropical fish, lobster crabs and occasionally even barracudas.

    Included meals: Breakfast
    Included activity: Scuba diving

  • Today we’ll swap: it’s the other half’s turn to go diving today while the ones who went yesterday can have a relaxing day on the beach.

    Included meals: Breakfast
    Included activity: Scuba diving

  • Today, we’ll spend the morning on a boat, cruising around stunning islands and the bluest waters. Along the way, we’ll stop for some snorkeling, where you can admire vibrant corals and countless colorful fish.

    Our guide and friend, a local fisherman, knows all about the different fish you’ll encounter. For lunch, we’ll head to a fishermen’s island, where we’ll enjoy fresh fish caught by the locals, cooked for us right on the beach.

    After lunch we’ll head back, grab our things and make our way back to Cartagena, where we’ll dance the night away.

    Included meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
    Included activity: Boat tour, snorkelling, lunch by the beach, Goodbye dinner

  • We hope you had a blast and enjoyed the trip!

    You can leave at any time today, but we hope you can still have breakfast with us before heading back home.

    Included meals: Breakfast
    Included transport: Airport transfer

  • Accommodation

    8 Nights in a hostel

    Food

    8 breakfasts
    2 lunches
    2 dinners

    Activities

    • Welcome & Goodbye Dinner

    • Bazurto Market tour & Cooking Class

    • Scuba Diving day

    • Island hopping tour

    • Snorkelling

    • Fisherman island experience

    Transport

    Airport transfers
    All transport between cities and to and from activities.

  • International Flights
    Visa fees (This depends on your nationality)
    Any meals not mentioned in the included section
    Any activities not mentioned in the itinerary
    Personal expenses
    Travel Insurance

Next Dates

Sat 29 Mar 2025 Sat 05 Apr 2025 10 Spots Available 1250€ / $1350

Sat 24 May 2025 Sat 31 May 2025 10 Spots Available 1250€ / $1350

    • Can I sign up as a solo traveller?

    Of course! You can sign up for our trips whether you are solo or with a group of friends. Our groups are a mix of open-minded people, who usually become friends within a second.

    • Does the tour include flights?

    As people will join our tour from different parts of the world, we decided it is easier to not include the flights in the tour. We are happy to help you find the best flight deal for your trip. Just let us know in the notes section, when booking the tour and we will get in touch with you to help you find your flights. In general, we usually use Skyscanner to find the best deals.

    • If my flight has a layover in the USA or Canada, do I need a visa?

    US: Even when transiting through the US, you still need ESTA. Make sure to apply in advance as it may take up to 72 hours for the application to be processed. Check the official ESTA website for more information: https://esta-center.com/en/transit/index.html

    Canada: For Canada you don’t need to apply for the normal visa, but will need a certain kind of transit visa depending on your country of origin. Check for more information here: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/transit.html

    • Do I need to purchase travel insurance before the trip?

    Yes, it is obligatory for everyone who joins us to have travel insurance before departing. We can help you find the right travel insurance for you. Just contact us via Email or WhatsApp.

    • Airport transfers: how does it work?

    When you book your flight, let us know your flight number and the time you arrive as soon as possible. That way we can stay on track for any delays of your flight. When you arrive at the destination airport, one of us will be there to welcome you and bring you to the car that will take you to the hostel. At the hostel, there will also be one of us to help you with the check-in.

    • What type of luggage should I bring?

    To make the trip easier for you, a backpack or duffle bag is a must. We are heading to some quite remote locations, where access with rolling suitcases is quite hard. Think of minivans with little space, 4x4s, motos or even boats. Ideally, this bag shouldn't be bigger than 40L, which is also hand luggage size and will save you some money on your flight to the destinations.

    • Is it a tiring trip?

    We guess you know you are not signing up for a two-week spa holiday with us. This trip along the Colombian coast is one of the more relaxed we have, apart from the 4 day trek to the Lost City, which is completely worth it, you will be mostly strolling around enjoying the beauty of this place. The bus journeys on this trip are not too excessive with a maximum of 4-5 hour long rides at once.

    • How is the accommodation throughout the trip?

    We are going to stay at hostels because of the more social atmosphere. Unless you book private accommodation, you will be in a 6-bed dorm with mainly private bathrooms and only with people from our group. (The room capacity may differ depending of the place we're staying at). If you want to know more about the accommodation, just contact us via Email or WhatsApp.

    • Can you provide me with a list of the hostels we will be staying at?

    Sure, just get in touch via Email or WhatsApp and we can send you a list of the hostels. In very rare cases it might happen though that we will stay in another hostel. If you wish, we can also inform you about any changes, if they come up.

    • Is Colombia a safe country?

    Colombia is a safe country to travel. As everywhere in the world it is important that you take the usual safety precautions. Especially in bigger cities, as there is always the risk of pickpocketing.

    • Can I drink the tap water?

    In general you should avoid drinking the tap water along the Colombian coast. Drinking water is widely available on almost every street corner or sold by vendors on the streets.

    • What should I pack?

    To make it easier for you to know what to bring, we have put together a packing list for this trip here.

    In case you have further questions don’t hesitate to contact us via Email or WhatsApp.