EL CAMINO SMALL GROUP TRIP
Colorful Colombia Itinerary
Day 1
Arrive: Touch down in beautiful Cartagena, Colombia’s historic coastal city located along the Caribbean Sea.
Get to know your fellow travelers over fun cocktails before heading to a celebratory meal at one of our favorite restaurants in the city. You’ll be introduced to traditional Colombian cuisine and cooking techniques with a mouth-watering meal made from locally-sourced foods and ingredients.
Meals included: Dinner
Day 2
Morning: Have breakfast at the hotel and enjoy the morning to yourself. Walk the beautiful streets of Cartagena and discover this wonderful city your way. Just around the corner from the hotel, you’ll find the city’s best coffee at one of our favorite cafes in town. Find more details in your Eat, Play Shop guide, a curated list of our favorite spots in town, that you'll receive prior to departure.
Afternoon: Meet with the group and enjoy lunch at our favorite hidden gem run by a wonderful local family tasting the best of this coastal region’s distinct style of cuisine.
Late Afternoon: Get ready to really get off the salsa beaten path! We’ll be heading 20 minutes outside of the city and to watch and learn from some incredible salsa dancers. Sunday afternoon is one of the best days for dancing in these neighborhoods and we will take you to some of our favorite hidden gems to see the real deal far from any tourists.
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Day 3
Morning: This morning you’ll be heading out to meet the Zenú community to learn directly from them about their indigenous culture, heritage, and history. The Zenú are talented artisans who are known for producing handicrafts using traditional weaving techniques. They’re credited for the origins of El Sombrero Vueltiao—the unofficial national symbol of Colombia. We’ll be learning from the masters themselves with a morning weaving workshop.
Afternoon: We’ll visit a little fishing town with a strong Afro-Colombian influence. We will learn about a local initiative started by the musicians of this town to work together to teach the younger members of the community how to play traditional musical rhythms like mapalé and cumbia. Today, they’re going to teach us as well.
Evening: Grab your walking shoes and a big appetite as we get a “taste” of the city during a guided, street-food experience featuring the varied flavors of Colombian mecatos (snacks). Spend the evening wandering Cartagena’s cobblestone streets and savoring your every moment in this colorful city. We highly recommend heading to a neighborhood square like Santo Domingo, and posting up with an Aguila (the local beer) for some great people-watching.
Meals included: Breakfast and snacks from street food tour
Day 4
Morning: Hop aboard a speed boat and embark upon one of our favorite islands just outside of Cartagena. We love this spot for its turquoise waters providing that far-off feeling you crave. Bask in the warm waters, drink in hand, and embrace this carefree day in the sun.
Afternoon: Spend a relaxing day a la playa. This dreamy day includes a beach-front lunch of tasty regional favorites.
Evening: The rest of the evening is yours to explore as you please. We suggest making a reservation at one of Cartagena's premier dining experiences named one of Latin America's 50 best restaurants of 2020 and 2021. Dine on coastal favorites prepared by two young and up-and-coming chefs. Tap your Eat, Play Shop guide for details.
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Day 5
Morning: Adios Cartagena, Hola Medellín! It’s a quick flight from Cartagena to Medellin—the city of eternal spring. Discover a completely different side of Colombia’s culture and landscape in this flourishing city (flight included in trip cost).
Afternoon: Take the rest of the day to get familiar with your new stomping grounds. Refer to your Eat, Play, Shop guide for our highly curated selection of places to dine, shop, and drink that best represent the innovations in design, technology, and infrastructure that are happening throughout the city. You could use this time to track down one of the city’s true hidden gems—a tucked-away restaurant located behind an unmarked doorway that serves delicious refined dishes using regional ingredients. Find the details in your guide.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 6
Morning: Get ready for a full day that celebrates this lush urban oasis and all it has overcome. We’ll take an immersive tour through Medellín using the city’s world-renowned public transportation system. See firsthand how policy rooted in social urbanism has helped Medellin move past its notorious reputation.
Afternoon: Head to the vibrant neighborhood of Comuna 13 to discover how this now-famous area transformed into one of the most important tourist destinations in Colombia. Community leaders will share how art and other locally-led initiatives have been used to revitalize its streets and heal its once dark past. We’ll be meeting with a guide from a local art collective that has played a part in transforming the area through Afro-Colombian music and dance. Pick up some of the moves yourself with a champeta/salsa choke workshop, two newer styles of dancing that have taken Colombia by storm and are bound to get your heart racing.
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Day 7
Morning: Travel just outside the city to a stunning private lake house where you will get the best view of the famous El Peñol. Nestled within the mountains of the nearby lake district of Guatape, we’ll enjoy a full day of serious R+R featuring some jaw-dropping views. Sip on some cocktails under the sun or choose from a myriad of different water-based activities such as swimming, paddle boarding, or kayaking.
Afternoon: Indulge in a traditional Colombian asado (BBQ) for lunch before returning to Medellín. Take in the stunning landscape as we drift through the sprawling lake.
Meals included: Breakfast and lunch
Day 8
Morning: Learn all about one of Colombia’s most notable exports: coffee. Visit one of the last remaining coffee farms within Medellín city limits. Explore the lush grounds while learning about the entire journey of the coffee bean, from the second it’s picked to that indulgent moment when some of the world’s finest coffee meets your tongue. With a cityscape in the background, the juxtaposition of farm and city will serve as a great intro to this multifaceted metropolis. Then, join an expert coffee roaster and barista and learn how to craft the perfect coffee cup. We will visit a roasting and tasting facility, and learn about this process in a fun and experiential way.
Afternoon: Use your last bit of free time for some last-minute shopping and exploration. Tap your Eat, Play, Shop guide for our favorite nearby stores, such as the female-owned boutique that features a vast selection of well-crafted products from local designers. Let them know you’re with El Camino and they’ll gladly guide you around the store.
Evening: Close out your experience with new friends over a celebratory gastronomic experience called “journey of flavors and knowledge through Colombia”. The experience includes a welcome cocktail with artisanal liquor, a 4-course menu, a beverage station with flavored waters, and a host who is an expert in ancestral food and gastronomy who will guide us through this exciting experience, teaching us about the endemic ingredients and flavors every step of the way.
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Day 9
Depart: From Medellín International Airport at any time. Return home inspired by the electric energy and passion of Colombian culture and a whole new crew of travel friends to meet up with for more adventures around the world!
Meals included: Breakfast