Arrive To: Evening arrivals at Bogotá Airport. Coach transfer from the airport to the hotel.

Evening: Snacks will be served in each room.

Lodging: Hotel Augusta Bogota

Note: Bogota's altitude is over 8,00 feet. Limited walking will allow for acclimitazation.

Breakfast: Buffet breakfast at the hotel

Morning: Meet your Study Leader and fellow travelers for a welcome and orientation to the program. Introductions, currency and other housekeeping issues will be discussed. Following your orientation, enjoy an introductory lecture detailing the history and geography of Colombia.

Lunch: Light lunch at the hotel

Afternoon: Visit the significant sites of Bogota by coach, ending with a sunset visit to Monserrate, the site of a historic church famous for religious pilgrimages and for its beautiful view overlooking Bogota.

Dinner: Dinner at Monserrate

Lodging: Hotel Augusta Bogota

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Museum visit will require some walking and does have places to stop and rest. Some walking on uneven/bumpy streets in the afternoon. Hotel will be nearby within 15 minutes walking distance at any point in the afternoon.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel

Morning: Field Trip "Fundacion ALMA": Enjoy a visit to a local community service group offering after-school and weekend activities for underprivileged children in Bogota. Fundacion ALMA educates the children about music and art, providing them with expressive outlets and safe place to play and learn during off-school hours, keeping them off the streets and giving them a fun, stimulating and educational environment in which to thrive. The kids learn about music, learn to play new instruments and even put on a performance at the end of the year! Talk with some of the amazing educators involved in this wonderful program, and have an opportunity to meet the kids or to witness one of the classes in action.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Lecture and Field Trips "Botero's Art" and "Plaza Bolivar": Learn about figurative Colombian artist Fernando Botero, and then enjoy a guided tour of his and other iconic art in the collection of the Botero museum. Botero is one of Colombia's most famous and prolific artis and his "oversize" style is instantly recognizable. Our Botero expert walks us through this large collection, giving more insight into his work, along with some of the other works displayed in the museum including Picasso, Dali and Monet. The rich artistic history of Colombian art will be the focus of the tour, followed by lunch at the museum restaurant. Enjoy a true Colombian coffee from the now world famous "Juan Valdez" coffee shop. Later, enjoy a walking tour of Bogota's Plaza Bolivar - the city's main square and home of Colombia's Congress, the Palace of Justice, and the Cathedral Primada. Your group leader will talk about the historic sites surrounding this beautiful old square.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel or a local restaurant.

Lodging: Hotel Augusta Bogota

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Short walking in the morning on uneven surfaces at Plaza Mercado. It can be bustling with wet surfaces. Walking required at the Gold Museum, and steps required to access the upper level. Opportunity to rest and see the exhibit at own pace throughout the afternoon.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Depart after breakfast for Bogota's Mercado Plaza, the site of an authentic daily market filled with fruits, plants, meats and other necessities. Talk with a local trader about the market and learn how local vendors run their businesses in this busy market.

Lunch: Early lunch at the Gold Museum

Afternoon: After lunch enjoy an organized tour of the impressive collection housed in the Gold Museum. This museum is a must-see in any trip to Colombia. It houses the largest collection of Pre-Hispanic gold anywhere in the world. The sheer diversity of the collection is staggering. The museum's centerpiece is the musical "Offering Boat", and is just one of many examples of Pre-Hispanic goldwork craftmanship. Enjoy the museum on your own after the tour.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel

Lodging: Hotel Augusta Bogota

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Please note that internal flights allow one carry-on of up to 10kg (22 lbs) and one checked bag of up to 20kg (44 lbs) without additional charges. Please consult the carrier for the most up-to-date weight restrictions

Breakfast: Early breakfast buffet at the hotel

Morning: Depart early for the flight to Armenia, and begin the journey North to Manizales. This is a full day out in the countryside visiting some of the many "pueblitos" or local villages in the region. It is in these villages that you will get a real feel for the region, its history, and its culture. Take a coffee break at a local "tienda" or shop and stroll through the main plaza with your guide to learn more about the architecture, history, and culture of the region. This part of Colombia is unique, yet at the same time forms part of the foundation of Colombia's rich history. There will also be plenty of time to view - and photograph! - the amazing landscapes of the region, with rolling hills carpeted with coffee trees and guava plantations. The morning part of the trip will finish in the village of Salento.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant featuring a local trout specialty.

Afternoon: Continue North after lunch ending the day in Manizales. Arrive in Manizales in the late afternoon to check in to the hotel and to enjoy a short time to refresh for dinner.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Recinto del Pensamiento Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Manizales tour will be by coach, with short portions of the plaza by foot. Some uneven ground and crowds of people but minimal distances (300 feet or less) at each point during the day.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel

Morning: In the morning, learn about the important work of a local charity. Fundacion Nutrir works with local communities to improve nutrition and education and to support the health and well-being of disadvantaged Colombian children. They provide over 4,000 meals a day at their food centers. Visit one of their centers and witness the project firsthand, then take a trip to the Nutrir Headquarters to learn more about their important work.

Lunch: Lunch in town

Afternoon: Manizales is one of the oldest cities in the coffee region and has a wealth of history, ranging from the expansion of colonists from Medellin in the North to the indigenous cultures that existed here even before the European discovery of the "New World". Explore this city by coach and learn more about its expansion as it is linked to the coffee trade.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel

Lodging: Recinto del Pensamiento Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Walking in the plantation on rough terrain for up to 2 hours and standing for periods of 30 minutes at a time. Bathroom facilities are rustic and may be located up to ten minutes walk from the program activities.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel

Morning: The morning starts with a trip out to a local coffee plantation where we walk around the farm's coffee fields and explore the processing location. See the whole process from planting to picking to testing and tasting! Learn about the background of the humble bean that keeps the entire world energized. Following this intimate encounter, enjoy a short talk by the owner of the plantation about the trials and tribulations of the coffee business and the lifestyle and issues faced by the coffee plantation workers.

Lunch: Traditional lunch at the plantation

Afternoon: Learn about the science of coffee and the correct way to brew the perfect cup of Joe. Return to Manizales in the late afternoon and enjoy free time to explore.

Dinner: Dinner on your own at a restaurant near the hotel.

Lodging: Recinto del Pensamiento Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Note: Long morning drive, rustic bathroom accomodations along the way. Short walking in the evening.

Breakfast: Buffet breakfast at the hotel

Morning: After breakfast travel by land through the mountains to the famous city of Medellin. The drive takes about six hours with ample opportunity for photo stops along the way.

Lunch: Lunch at a traditional restaurant on the way to Medellin.

Afternoon: Arrive in Medellin in the mid afternoon and check into hotel. In the later part of the afternoon, a local historian/journalist will give a talk about the city of Medellin and its amazing transformation from a city with one of the world's highest murder rates to one of the safest cities in South America. This transformation has brought about socioeconomic change to the city that has permeated through all levels of the city and its inhabitants.

Dinner: Dinner near the hotel at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Hotel Florencia Plaza

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Enjoy a morning trip to Guatape. Located two hours south of Medellin, the stunning lakes of Guatape are dwarfed by the monolithic rock of Penol, a 150 foot high geologic marvel looming over the water's edge. It is possible to climb to the top on a series of wooden staircases, but most prefer to take in the view from below.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant

Afternoon: Continue the visit to Guatape. Around the lake see the homes of some of Medellin's rich and famous. If time allows, enjoy a short boat trip out on the lake.

Dinner: Dinner on your own in Medellin.

Lodging: Hotel Florencia Plaza

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Note: Walking in the city up to a half mile at a time, rest stops available in some places.

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel

Morning: Led by your Study Leader, take some time to explore Parque Berrio, home of some of Botero's oversized sculptures. The visit will give you an opportunity to enjoy a bit of Colombian art and to experience firsthand the hustle and bustle of downtown Medellin. There may be time to take a short cable car ride on the city's famous Metro Cable. Not only are you greeted with amazing views, but you experience an important part of Medellin's history. The cable car network was one of the most significant factors influencing the regeneration of this city. It enabled thousands of Medellin's poorer citizens easier and quicker access to the city and its jobs allowing for socioeconomic growth in a time it was badly needed. Later this afternoon, transfer to Medellin Airport for the group flight to Cartagena.

Lunch: Lunch on your own at airport.

Afternoon: Fly from Medellin to Cartegena. Before dinner, gather to enjoy a presentation all about Cartegena, a city that has played a considerable role in the history of the Americas.

Dinner: Enjoy a local folkloric performance over dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Hotel Sofitel Cartagena Santa Clara

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Note: Up to four hours of slow walking with some rest opportunities available. Uneven and cobbled surfaces. Simple bathroom services available. Note Cartegena is very warm and humid.

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel

Morning: Take a walking tour of Cartegena with a local expert. Carved from a colorful history rife with piracy, sultry Caribbean heat, and fusions of African, indigenous and European culture, Cartagena is truly a living and breathing museum. Walk through the old town under the symbol of Cartagena - the Puerta Del Reloj or "Clock Tower Gate" - into the Plaza de los Coches. Listen as your local expert divulges the legends and histories of Cartagena from ancient times right up to the present. Come to know the real Cartagena as you travel from the Plaza San Pedro Claver with its stunning church, on through Cartagena's own Plaza Bolivar.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant

Afternoon: Discover the hilltop area of La Popa and continue on to Castillo de San Felibe, which was created in 1536 and expanded by African slave labor over the following two centuries. Continue by private vehicle to the Convento La Popa in the highest point of the city. Enjoy the views of the bay and old town from the flower filled patio and have the chance to explore the historic convent.

Dinner: Dinner on your own to explore local flavors

Lodging: Hotel Sofitel Cartagena Santa Clara

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: This morning attend a lecture introducing the life and history of Colombia's most notable writer, Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Our lecturer will point out the inspirations for many of his works found in Cartagena, and also give an insight into the author's often overlooked works of journalism.

Lunch: Lunch on your own at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Full afternoon free in Cartagena to discover the city on your own.

Dinner: Farewell dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Hotel Sofitel Cartagena Santa Clara

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Breakfast: Light breakfast at the hotel before leaving for the airport.

Morning: Transfer to the Cartagena Airport. Flights depart for the US in the AM.

Meals Included: Breakfast