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7 Days Bogotá, Villa de Leyva and Barichara

From USD $1,847.07

Duration: 7 Days (approx.)
Location: Bogota, Bogota/Colombia
Product code: 7 day Bogota Santander module

Let Us Share With You The Very Best Parts of Colombia!
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7 days exploring the wonderful Andes of Colombia. Starting in Bogotá, traveling up to Villa de Leyva, and on to the most beautiful town in Colombia; Barichara!
With optional extreme sports to enjoy in San Gil as well!.

Full list of Bogotá day tours

Day 1: Bogotá

Welcome to Bogotá!

Arrive at any time to be collected from the airport and taken to your accommodation.

Depending on your arrival time we can provide you with another tour or with suggestions of places to see and where to go.

Be sure to drink plenty of water to help you adapt to the altitude.

Day 2: La Candelaria, Monserrate & The Bogotá Gold Museum

You’ll be collected from your accommodation in Bogotá and taken on a guided excursion, where you’ll encounter the most important historical locations within La Candelaria. Just some of the stops on your tour through Bogotás oldest neighborhood will be Bolivar Plaza, Casa Nariño (The Presidents House), Palace of Justice, Catedral Primada de Colombia, Iglesia de San Francisco, Colón Theater, Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Séptima (carrera 7), and the Chorro de Quevedo Plaza.

During your time in La Candelaria, you'll be enjoying a few hours strolling through El Museo del Oro (Gold Museum) of Bogotá. This grand 3 story museum displays a selection of pre-Columbian gold, other metal alloys, and a mix of pottery, stone, shell, wood, and textile objects, made from ancient indigenous Colombian cultures. With over 55,000 pieces of golden artifacts, this is the largest collection of gold artifacts in the world.

Once you have visited this amazing museum and seen the many beautiful sites La Candelaria has to offer, it will be time for you to ascend to the great height of 10,341 ft (3152m) and the summit of Monserrate; almost 2,000 ft higher than Bogotá. As well as learning the historical importance of this mountain to the indigenous Musica, you’ll also enjoy time to wander through the artisan markets, visit a beautiful 17th-century monastery and enjoy some of the most spectacular panoramic views of the capital city of this great nation.

Day 3: Zipaquira, Raquira & Villa de Leyva

You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Bogotá and be taken directly to the salt mine of Zipaquirá, where you’ll uncover the ingenuity of the people who 590 ft (180 m) underground converted this ancient salt mine into the amazing church that receives as many as 3000 people every Sunday of the year.
Once you’ve finished your tour, taken many many photos and come to understand how important this location has been for hundreds of years to the locals of this area you’ll take the short trip to the town of Zipaquirá where you’ll wander the streets of Zipaquirá checking out the grand Plaza (main square), Independence Square and one of the oldest churches you can find in Colombia.

Next, travel onto Ráquira, a small artisan town and a dream location for anyone wishing to do a bit of shopping. You'll find everything here from hammocks to pottery and all Colombian made. For those interested in taking photos and not shopping, there are some fantastic streets and a wonderful town plaza full of life-size (and larger) clay statues.

Lastly, arrive in Villa de Leyva, a beautiful colonial town with cobblestone streets and 16th century architecture. You will be escorted to your hotel, and then you are free to enjoy the evening dining at a nice restuarant.

Day 4: Villa de Leyva and onto Barichara

Awake in this peaceful colonial city feeling like you're back in the 16th century. Following a delicious breakfast at your hotel, your guide will collect you to begin your tour of this unique location. Starting with a 1.5-hour stroll around the beautiful cobblestone streets leading to the largest plaza in Colombia and visiting your choice of 2 of the following 3 sites around Villa de Leyva:

Monasterio Del Santo Eccehomo - Declared part of Colombia’s architectural heritage in 1998, the initial convent was founded in 1620. This is simply a beautiful monastery built on a hillside and consisting of a wonderful cloister, church, cemetery, and plaza, with wonderful views.
The Terracotta House - Explore the largest piece of pottery in the world. Wander through the many rooms taking photos from many angles. This really is quite amazing!
The Fossil Museum - See, touch, and feel the bones of dinosaurs that once ruled this world.

Following a wonderful lunch at one of the many fantastic restaurants you'll continue your journey North up into the Santander Region and the most beautiful town in Colombia; Barichara.

After your tour of Villa de Leyva is complete you start your journey to Barichara making a stop at a beautiful and important town called Socorro. This is actually where the very first steps towards independence occurred.

Next, it's onto what has consistently been voted the most stunning and beautiful town in Colombia; Barichara is renowned for its colonial architecture, peaceful cobbled roads, artisan workshops, adobe houses, and the craft shops within.

You'll enjoy a wonderful night's rest here before exploring the town in the morning.

Day 5: Barichara to Guane Hike & Gastronomical Tour

Hiking from Barichara to Guane is one of the must-do hikes during your stay in Santander, Colombia. And the only way to make this an even more fantastic experience is to finish up with a wonderful 3-hour gastronomical tour through Barichara!

Originally built by the Guane Indians more than 600 yrs ago, the 5.5 km (3.4ml) Camino Real walking trail running between Barichara and Guane in the Santander region of Colombia, was later adapted and reformed in 1864 by the German engineer Geo Von Lengerke into the hiking trail you’ll enjoy today.

During your 2-hour medium intensity walk along this route, you’ll be taking the same steps as a countless number of indigenous and travelers from all of the world before.

During your tour you’ll walk through a mixture of both a tropical and humid dry forest, learning the history of the Guane indigenous people, the colonization process, the geological processes that have taken place in the area, along with the discoveries of many fossils.

Upon reaching Guane, you will visit the Mirador (look-out), with a wonderful view of the Suarez River and Suarez Canyon far below. In addition to this, you’ll visit the Archaeological and Paleontological Museum, where you’ll uncover a collection of more than 10,000 fossils millions of years old, a 700-year-old mummy, ceramics, necklaces, and other objects made by the Guane Indians.

Following this wonderful tour, you’ll be enjoying a 40 min Tuk-Tuk ride back to Barichara to arrive in time to start your food tour of Barichara.

You’ll enjoy the sampling of a number of dishes that are genuinely distinctive to this region of Santander, Colombia. Visiting several representative restaurants where you will try a variety of different products of the local autochthonous gastronomy.

Your starter will be an Arepa (a type of flatbread made from corn flour) Santandereana (from Santander). This arepa is best described as peeled corn arepa that is cooked with charcoal. It is very flavorsome, as Chicharrón (cooked pork belly) is included within the Areapa mixture.

Next, it’s onto a restaurant that specializes in tasty Chorizo sausages which are cooked with panela (a product made from sugar cane), or a traditional alcoholic sugar cane juice, known as Guarapo. Once again, these are very flavorful and absolutely lovely to try.

Following this, it’s onto another restaurant where the "Carne Oriada" (Sun-dried red meat) is prepared. This is another flavorsome dish, which has an almost jerky-like consistency. At this stop, you’ll also get the chance to try some delicious marinated and oven-cooked goat.

Of course, no food tour in Santander would be complete without sampling the world-famous Hormigas (Big Ass Ants). If ever there was a typical food that was truly representative of the Santander region, it is these tasty little fellas.

To complete your wonderful day your delicious desserts will include Bocadillo (a sweet made from Guava) with goat cheese, and some mouth-watering wooden oven-cooked traditional Arequipe Gloria (Caramel).

Day 6: Barichara Coffee Tour

A short 15-minute Tuk Tuk ride from Colombia’s most beautiful town; Barichara, you’ll find a coffee plantation in the middle of a dry tropical forest. Once here you’ll enjoy a 2-hour leisurely walking tour of this beautiful estate. Along the way you’ll uncover the process of planting, nurturing, and harvesting the coffee, which occurs twice a year. During this part of the tour, you’ll find yourself strolling under a canopy of wonderful Guamos and Galapos trees, along with some 100-year-old Caracolis trees, where you’ll be pausing, and embracing to feel the amazing energy of these centurions filling your body.

By this stage you’ll be starting to build up a thirst, so you’ll be stopping at the mil to enjoy a wonderful fresh juice, made from fresh fruit just picked from the farm. You’ll then continue your tour with a coffee tasting, paired with some Caprichara goat cheese, some wonderful sourdough and artisan bread freshly made in Barichara, and our homemade Mandarin dessert. Which has to be tried to be believed!

Next, it’s on to learning the secrets to the best organic compost, which is a must when growing the best coffee in the world. Your guide will also explain to you more of the complete coffee process including the washing, de-pulping, and drying of the beans.

To complete your tour, and before you enjoy your Tuk Tuk ride back to Barichara, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase some of the artisan coffee you have just learned about, along with some freshly made seasonal jams.

Day 7: Barichara to Bucaramanga w. Chicamocha National Park and Cable Car

Traveling to Bucaramanga from Barichara is a relaxing experience with some beautiful views. Driving direct can take 3-4 hours with a short stop for a coffee along the way. But we have a much better option for you to enjoy and transform this transfer into a fantastic experience including a 30 min ride in the longest cable car in Colombia and a guided tour of the Chicamocha National park.

You’ll be collected from your Barichara hotel and enjoy a relaxing ride in your private transportation of approximately 1hr 45 minutes to Panachi. Once here you'll enjoy a walking tour including the Guane museum, where you’ll learn about the history of the small town and the Guane Indians. You’ll also check out a giant tobacco leaf, which is a monument to the Comuneros Movement, an uprising that took place before the rebellion of Simon Bolivar and attributed to the start of the revolt that finally saw the Spanish leave Colombia in 1819. Depending on the timing you’ll also have time for a coffee and a walk up to the magical 360’ viewpoint. But not to worry, if you’d rather sit down instead of walking this section, as there is a Chiva in Panacha that will transport you right there.

Next, you’ll climb into one of the 38 cable cars that travel along this 6.3km (3.9mi) track, down to the Chicamocha River in the sole of the Chicamocha Canyon, and up again the other side of the canyon and to the Mesa de Los Santos. Your ride will provide you with wonderful panoramic views and last between 22-30 minutes. Once you disembark, your transport will be waiting to collect you for a relaxing drive of approximately 45min to Bucaramanga.

Your transport will be leaving you at the Bucaramanga international airport at the desired time.

Hablamos pronto, safe travels home, and visit again soon!

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