Colombia: From the Andes to the Pacific

One of the most important rivers in Colombia, both because of its length and its pre-Columbian, colonial and modern history, is the Cauca. The river’s valley has witnessed the pass of different eras of Colombian violent conflicts, modeling a territory in which local communities fight for the conservation of their cultural traditions and for the defense of their ecosystems, all this in the same context in which narcoculture in politics and in society persists. The tour starts in Pereira, the central city of the famous “Eje Cafetero”, continues in the historical Cartago, takes a break in a local botanical garden, and finishes in the communitarian natural reserve of San Cipriano. This exciting journey will flow along with the valley’s changing geography, a territory that has been the meeting point of different social conflicts and the axis of interracial and cultural contrasts.

Highlights

• Analyze the great social and cultural complexities of Pereira, while entering the natural landscapes of the region.
• In La Vieja River Canyon, appreciate a landscape where the rough mountains of the Central Andes swiftly become the valley of the Cauca River.
• Learn about the colonial history of Cartago, one of the oldest cities in the country and South America, while interacting with a women’s organization where knits have become a way of thriving in a context where narcoculture is risking the preservation of people’s values.
• Go through the valley to visit the “Rayo Museum”, where the work of the famous Colombian artist Omar Rayo, and other contemporary artists, is shaping the present and future of the Roldanillo town.
• Immerse yourself in the local biodiversity at the Juan María Céspedes botanical garden, located in Tuluá. Get to know the historical creativity of local ethnicities in the use of nature´s attributes.

Itinerary

Includes

• Meals: Day 1: lunch; Day 2: breakfast, lunch. Dinner for the night of Day 1 and snacks are not included. About that, we will make you informed suggestions!
• Accommodation for the night of the Day 1.
• Transportation: all the transportation needed for the tour.
• Professional Guidance.

What you will need

• Prepare a light luggage for the 2-day tour.
• In San Cipriano, a medium difficulty trek will be held. Bring appropriate hiking clothes and shoes. In case of rain, waterproof raincoat and other waterproof clothing and accessories are strongly recommended. Bathing suite is also suggested, for getting into the river!
• Sunblock, sunglasses and hat are also recommended.
• Hydration is a must! Do not forget to bring water and/or other beverages for the journey. This tour doesn’t include snacks. Bring some of your preference, although we can stop on the way and supply ourselves!

Extra information

• We know many of our travelers will arrive from other cities and count with luggage for their whole stay in the country, but do not worry! We will take care of your luggage and will carry it to where you will stay by the end of the tour.
• The tour is planned for returning to Pereira. However, if you have other plans, such as heading to Cali, or maybe to the port city of Buenaventura, we can easily arrange that. Just let us know and we’ll take care of it (extra costs will probably apply).