Cycle Colombia
Tour Description
Day 1: Bogota
Cycle the serene highlands of Colombia’s famed coffee region and discover the sweeter, softer side to this often misunderstood country. Learn how to roast the perfect blend during a tour of a working coffee plantation, be beguiled by the laid-back pace of charming Salento, try your hand at tejo, an explosive local pastime, and of course ride through some of the most stunning scenery this region has to offer.
Itinerary
Day 1: Bogota
Welcome to Bogota! Situated at 2644 metres, Colombia’s lofty capital is a charming, yet hectic, mix of old and new. You’ll meet your group this evening at 6 pm and can then join them for an optional group dinner. If you arrive early, head down La Candelaria, Bogota’s cobblestoned Old Town, and check out Plaza de Bolivar, the Botero Museum and the Gold Museum.
A complimentary transfer from the airport to your Starting point hotel is included, please provide your booking agent with your flight details (flight number and arrival time)
Day 2: Armenia
Heard of Ciclovia? It’s incredible. Every Sunday and public holiday, from 7 am till 2 pm, Bogota shuts down certain streets in the city to create over 100 km of car-free space for cyclists. There are also stages set up in parks and public areas so non-cyclists can participate in group activities like aerobics or yoga. Spend the morning riding through the flat streets with over one million locals then explore the sights with your group on an orientation walking tour of the Old Town.
Hop on a flight to Armenia this evening, Colombia’s coffee-growing centre to the west of Bogota.
Day 3: Salento
Jump in the saddle for the first long ride of your trip, cycling from Calarcá to
Salento. At a distance of almost 60 km, you can expect a sweaty, humid affair gliding past coffee plantations and steamy jungle scenery. Spend the afternoon exploring Salento, a colourful colonial town known, of course, for its coffee. To make sure you get the full experience a coffee tasting is included.
You’ll also get to enjoy a hand at the local Colombian game of tejo – which involves throwing a metal disk at small envelopes of gun powder. Seriously. Hit an envelope and it explodes and, for better or worse, tradition stipulates a beer should be drunk while playing.
Day 4: Filandia
Take a short guided hike in the Cocora Valley this morning, a beautiful, verdant landscape dotted with tallest palm trees in the world. Enjoy the outdoor serenity where the only sounds are the call of birds and the wind rustling through the long grass and iconic Wax Palms.
After lunch, ride the green-fringed small roads from the Cocora Valley to Filandia. While similar to Salento in its architecture and coffee culture, Filandia is smaller and visited much less frequently. Shop for local handwoven baskets in the market or perhaps climb to the top of the observation tower for unbroken views of the surrounding countryside.
Day 5: Alcala
Today you’ll cycle 30 km, mainly downhill, from Filandia to Alcala. Take a break and rest your legs in the middle of the ride for a coffee experience tour at Cafe de Altura in Quimbaya. Cafe de Altura is a family-run business and the restaurant is as good as the coffee, so this is where the group will have lunch and refuel for the rest of the ride, especially the last climb to to your hotel for the night.
Check in to the hotel and maybe enjoy a different kind of adrenaline, optional zip-lining over the coffee plantation before taking it easy for the evening.
Day 6: Cartago/Cerritos
Enjoy your final ride of the trip from Alcala to Cerritos, a distance of 75km. Ease into the day with a slight downhill before dipping into a valley, then pedal on mainly flat roads until the final 5 km, where a final ascent will have you earning your treats in Cerritos. Visit the embroidery factory in Cartago en route and learn about the region’s history with the needle and thread. Check in to the hotel where an optional massage (not included) will help soothe those overworked quads, as will a soak in the swimming pool.
Day 7: Bogotá
There’s potential for an early start (5 am) to sneak one extra ride in this morning before transferring to Pereira’s airport and flying to Bogota. Touch down and transfer to the hotel, then maybe enjoy a farewell dinner with your group before tomorrow’s departure.
Day 8: Bogotá
Your Colombian cycling trip comes to an end this morning. There are no activities planned and you’re free to depart whenever you’d like after check-out.
A complimentary transfer from the finish point hotel to the airport is included, please provide your booking agent with your flight details (flight number and arrival time)
Departure Dates
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