Travel south from Cartagena along Colombia’s beautiful Caribbean Coast to Ecuador's beguiling capital Quito. Discover diverse landscapes and cities en route including the lush jungle and stunning beaches of Tayrona, Valle de Cocora with its spectacular wax palm trees and Otavalo in Ecuador's Andean Highlands.
Trip Highlights
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Not Included
Itinerary
Cartagena
Welcome to Colombia! Make your own way to our hotel in Cartagena. We have a meeting at 6pm tonight for you to meet the rest of your group and crew.
Overnight: Cartagena
Cartagena
Today we spend the whole day in beautiful Cartegena with an included walking tour of the city this morning. The remainder of the day is at leisure for you to further explore, enjoy optional activities such as a visit to the mudbaths at the Totumo Volcano, or just relax by the beach.
Overnight: Cartagena | Breakfast
Tayrona NP
Cartagena - Tayrona National Park. Departing the city today we head to the breathtaking national park at Tayrona. On day 4 we take a moderate walk into the park and during our two nights here we sleep in hammocks on the beach - a truly amazing experience for all nature lovers. Whilst in the park head out and explore or take some other optional activities (see Trip Notes for more details).
Overnight: Tayrona National Park | Breakfast x 1
Santa Cruz de Lorica
Tayrona National Park - Santa Cruz de Lorica. Departing Tayarona we reboard our truck and travel south to the quaint colonial town of Santa Cruz de Lorica on the Sinu River. This town is famous for the traditional Vueltiao hat which is made here. Day 6 is at leisure to either explore the town or soak up some sun at the beaches of San Bernardo del Viento.
Overnight: Santa Cruz de Lorica
Medellin
Santa Cruz de Lorica - Medellin. Day 7 is a full driving day as we make our way to Colombia's second largest city, Medellin. On day 8 we take a guided walking tour of this exciting city to learn about its troubled past and more peaceful recent times. The remainder of our time in Medellin is at leisure and you have the chance to take part in some optional activities such as a ride on the Metroline cable car up to Santo Domingo. Our accommodation in Medellin is dormitory-style at a hostel in the city centre, so you will be perfectly positioned to enjoy all the city has to offer including its exciting nightlife.
Overnight: Medellin | Breakfast x 2
Coffee region
Medellin - Manizales. Departing Medellin we reach Colombia's coffee region of Manizales where we spend two nights in a beautiful hacienda. On day 11 we take an included tour of the coffee plantation and learn about the whole coffee making process.
Overnight: Manizales | Breakfast x 2, Lunch x 2, Dinner x 1
Salento
Medellin - Salento. Our destination today is the small town of Salento, the gateway to Colombia's Valle de Cocora. Weather providing, we hope to have the opportunity to explore the Los Nevados National Park on foot and possibly visit some thermal baths. On day 13 there is a guided walk in the Cocora Valley to marvel at the Quindio wax palm trees, which are the world's tallest palm trees and Colombia's national tree.
Overnight: Solento | Breakfast x 2
Popayan
Salento - Popayan. Our journey today takes us to the former colonial capital of Popayan for free time to explore the local area. There are some good walks and thermal springs excursions to do locally (see Trip Notes for more details).
Overnight: Popayan | Breakfast x 2
Ipiales
Popayan - Ipiales. We spend today driving towards the border with Ecuador and spend the night in the town of Ipiales, known for its Gothic-style church named Santurio de las Lajas.
Overnight: Ipiales | Breakfast
Otavalo
Ipiales - Otavalo (Ecuador). Today visit Ipiales' stunning church before saying goodbye to Colombia and crossing the border into Ecuador. Our next stop is the city of Otovalo in the Andean highlands, where we spend the night.
Overnight: Otavalo | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mitad del Mundo
Otavalo - Quito. We take our last drive today and reach our final destination of Quito, Ecuador's colourful capital. Along the way we have an included visit to Mitad del Mundo, the monument that marks the equator.
Overnight: Quito | Breakfast
Quito
Today marks the end of our time in Colombia and Ecuador! Tour arrangements finish this morning after hotel check out. If you would like to extend your stay in Quito, our reservations team can help arrange post-tour accommodation.
Breakfast
Is This Trip Right For Me?
Overlanding is not a style of travel that will suit everyone so please carefully read the Trip Notes before selecting this tour and be realistic about your ability and desire to join such a trip. If you’re the adventurous type who’d rather spend a night roughing it in a rainforest than luxuriating in a boutique hotel, then overlanding is for you. You just need the right attitude, an open mind, and a desire to participate fully in the trip.
Overland travelling can be demanding and challenging. On your trip you’ll travel in a purpose-built expedition vehicle on an off-the-beaten-track adventure along rugged roads, sometimes across vast distances. You will find the drive times noted on the Trip Notes.
On an overland journey you are more than just a passenger, these are full participation trips and everyone gets involved and pitches in! You will also be expected to erect your own tent and help with camp chores including cooking meals for the group on a rota basis. Like all great adventures, the more you put in the more you'll get out!
The type, variety and standard of accommodation can vary greatly from very basic rooms without electricity or running water to comfortable hotels with good facilities. Generally in hotels most rooms will be twin-share, but some may be triple/quad-share. Hostels are nearly always multi-share and may be mixed sex.
The campsites we use range from basic to those with excellent facilities, including swimming pools, restaurants and a bar. On some occasions we wild camp with no facilities, which means there are no toilets - just the vast expanse of the great outdoors and a shovel!
Our overland journeys are designed to offer freedom, and many of our routes have a large degree of flexibility rather than a strict hour-by-hour or even day-by-day itinerary. We intend to follow the planned route but exact night stops and inclusions cannot be guaranteed and it sometimes happens that we decide to make a change to our planned itinerary.
How Challenging Is This Trip?
Some areas that you travel through may be physically challenging; for example you may be at altitude some of the time and you may be camping for several nights. The pace of the trip can be tiring at times and some facilities will be basic. However there will also be plenty of time to relax and some comfortable accommodation. Your itinerary may include easy-paced day walks, bike rides, and other activities that are not too strenuous.
Prices & Dates
Departure dates noted with a 'G' are guaranteed to operate. All other departure dates are guaranteed with a minimum of 4 persons. Prices shown above are per person travelling.
Read MoreLocal payment - $590pp, paid in USD
Please note that this is payable locally on day 1 of your trip in the currency specified.
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In Brief
Extra Tour Info
