Colombia 11 Days: Cartagena, Medellin & Bogota with Tours

Three Cities, 11 Days: Colombia from Caribbean Coast to Mountain Coffee Farms

You move through three Colombian cities over 11 days with all hotels, meals, and airport transfers included. Each city gets a private guide and full-day tours: Cartagena's old town and Rosario Islands, Medellin's cable cars and Guatape rock, a coffee farm with lunch and horse riding, and Bogota's Gold Museum and salt cathedral. The fixed itinerary and private pickups mean you never arrange transport or tours yourself — you just show up at the hotel lobby at 9 AM.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival in Cartagena

• Meet guide at baggage claim
• Check in at Hotel Dan Cartagena

Day 2 — Cartagena city tour at 9 AM

• Visit clock tower and Bazurto market
• Walk old town and learn history
• Visit San Felipe castle
• Sample local fruits
• Watch sunset at Café del Mar

Day 3 — Trip to Rosario Islands at 8 AM

• Travel to Rosario Islands
• Enjoy turquoise water and beach

Day 4 — Departure to Medellin

• Private transfer to Cartagena airport
• Flight to Medellin
• Stop at ATM if needed
• Check in at Hotel Dorado La 70

Day 5 — Medellin City Tour at 9 AM

• Intro to Medellin and panoramic views
• Visit Botero Plaza statues
• Optional Antioquia Museum entry
• Ride Medellin metro cable
• Visit Arvi Park by cable car
• Explore resilient community and graffiti
• Drive by local sights

Day 6 — Guatape & Peñol rock at 9 AM

• Visit Peñol rock viewpoint
• Explore colorful Guatape town
• Visit relocated old town

Day 7 — Full day coffee farm including lunch

• Visit gourmet coffee farm
• Learn coffee lifecycle and collect
• Enjoy lunch at farm
• Horse ride around farm
• Photo stop at Cauca river bridge

Day 8 — Departure to Bogota

• Transfer to Medellin airport
• Flight to Bogota
• Check in at Hotel NH Bogotá Pavillon Royal

Day 9 — Bogota city tour at 9 AM

• Visit Gold Museum
• Climb Monserrate Mountain
• Walk around La Candelaria
• Drive by Parque 93

Day 10 — Zipaquira salt cathedral and Villa de Leyva

• Visit Salt Cathedral
• Explore Villa de Leyva village

Day 11 — Departure

• Transfer to Bogota airport

The Experience

You land in Cartagena expecting a beach town, and instead you're standing in front of a 16th-century fortress while your private bilingual guide explains why the Spanish built it here. That's the rhythm of this 11-day trip through Colombia — you arrive, someone's already waiting with your name on a sign, and the next morning you're walking through the old town at 9 AM with someone who actually knows what happened in each plaza. The itinerary moves you through three cities: Cartagena on the Caribbean coast, Medellin in the mountains, and Bogota high on the plateau. All accommodation is included, which means no hunting for hotels between flights. The private airport pickups in each city handle the logistics — the 15-minute ride to Cartagena airport, the hour-long drive from Medellin's Jose Maria Cordova, the 30-minute transfer from Bogota — so you're never negotiating with a taxi driver or figuring out which bus to take.

In Cartagena, you get two full days. The city tour starts at 9 AM and takes you through the clock tower, the Bazurto market where the guide points out which vendors sell the best local fruits, the old town's narrow streets, and San Felipe de Barajas Castle where you learn how the Spanish defended the port. Lunch is on your own around the market — the guide suggests places, you decide. By afternoon you're at Café del Mar watching the sunset over the bay. The next day is the Rosario Islands excursion, a boat ride that leaves at 8 AM and takes you to turquoise water and islands a few minutes offshore. You swim, eat fresh catch for lunch, and come back to the hotel by evening. Breakfast is included every morning, so you start each day fed.

Medellin gets four nights and three full-day tours. The city tour covers Pueblito Paisa for panoramic views, Botero Plaza with 23 statues, a cable car ride up to Arvi Park, and a drive through neighborhoods with street art. The Guatape day trip leaves at 9 AM and takes you two hours out of the city to a colorful town and Peñol rock — you climb to the top for views, then explore the relocated old town. Lunch in Guatape is at your own cost, usually tilapia and local dishes. The coffee farm tour is a full day with lunch included and a horse ride around the property afterward; it's an hour from the city and run by local collectors who walk you through how coffee goes from plant to cup. You're not just watching — you play the role of a picker and learn the work.

Bogota is two nights with two tours. The city tour at 9 AM includes the Gold Museum, a climb up Monserrate Mountain for sightseeing, a walk through La Candelaria, and a drive past Parque 93. The second day is Zipaquira salt cathedral and Villa de Leyva — you go underground into one of the most unusual temples in South America, then to a colonial village that feels like stepping back in time. Both tours are guided, both start at 8 or 9 AM, and both are private, meaning it's you and your guide, not a group bus. On your last morning, the driver picks you up 30 minutes before your flight and you're done.

What’s included

• Your 11-day tour includes 10 nights accommodation with breakfast at Hotel Dan Cartagena (2 nights), Hotel Dorado La 70 in Medellin (4 nights), and Hotel NH Bogotá Pavillon Royal (2 nights), all with double beds, mini bars, and air conditioning.
• Private bilingual guides collect you at the airport in each city and handle all transfers — 15 minutes to Cartagena airport, one hour from Medellin's Jose Maria Cordova, 30 minutes from Bogota.
• Full-day private tours include Cartagena city tour and Rosario Islands excursion, Medellin city tour, Guatape and Peñol rock, a coffee farm with lunch and horse riding, Bogota city tour, and Zipaquira salt cathedral with Villa de Leyva.
• One lunch is included on the coffee farm day; breakfast is included every morning.
• Tours start at 8 or 9 AM depending on the day.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Medellin City Services

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see three different regions of Colombia — coast, mountains, and high plateau — without arranging flights, hotels, or tours yourself; the fixed itinerary and private guide in each city mean you show up and go, which is what makes fitting three cities into 11 days possible.

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Top questions

What's included in the 11-day Colombia tour?

10 nights accommodation with breakfast, all private airport transfers in each city, full-day private tours in Cartagena (city tour and Rosario Islands), Medellin (city tour, Guatape, and coffee farm), and Bogota (city tour and Zipaquira salt cathedral). One lunch is included on the coffee farm tour; other meals are at your own cost.

How many people go on the tours?

Tours are private, meaning it's you and your guide — not a group bus. The guide is bilingual.

Do I need to book flights between cities?

No. The itinerary includes domestic flights from Cartagena to Medellin and from Medellin to Bogota. You arrange your international arrival and departure; the tour handles the rest.

What time do the tours start?

Most tours start at 9 AM. The Rosario Islands and coffee farm tours start at 8 AM. Zipaquira and Villa de Leyva start at 8 AM. Your guide confirms exact pickup times when you arrive.

Is lunch included?

Breakfast is included every day. One lunch is included on the coffee farm tour. Other meals are at your own cost; guides suggest restaurants and venues.

How long are the daily tours?

Full-day tours typically run from 9 AM to late afternoon or early evening. The Rosario Islands tour returns by evening. Guatape is a couple of hours' drive each way from Medellin.

What's the fitness level required?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Some days include walking through towns and markets, climbing Monserrate Mountain, and climbing Peñol rock; alternatives or rest time can be arranged with your guide.

Can I skip a tour or change the itinerary?

The itinerary is fixed as described. If you need to skip a tour or adjust timing, discuss it with your guide when you arrive — they can advise on what's possible.

What's the weather like in Colombia during this tour?

Cartagena is warm and humid year-round. Medellin is cooler in the mountains. Bogota is cool and can be rainy. Pack layers and rain gear.

Do I need a visa for Colombia?

Visa requirements depend on your nationality. Check with the Colombian embassy or consulate in your country before booking.