Medellín to Cartagena: 13-Day Colombia Tour & Caribbean Islands

Thirteen Days Across Colombia: From Mountain Rock to Caribbean Waters

You climb 740 steps to a mountain vista, learn coffee and chocolate from seed to finished product, visit an indigenous village, float in a mud volcano, and spend a full day on a private beach in the Rosario Islands. Transport, entry fees, 12 breakfasts, and two lunches are included, so you move between cities and activities without arranging logistics yourself. The tour ends with airport transport at your chosen time.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival and transfer to hotel

• Arrive in Colombia
• Driver transfers to hotel

Day 2 — Comuna 13 and Medellín city tour

• Visit Comuna 13 murals and graffiti
• Ride cable car and outside escalators
• Fruit tasting
• Medellín City Tour including Plaza Botero
• Tram ride with local expert guide

Day 3 — Guatape and coffee farm visit

• Drive to coffee farm
• Learn coffee process and taste coffee
• Visit Old Peñol church spiral
• Climb Guatape Rock steps
• Walking tour of Guatape Town

Day 4 — Santa Fe de Antioquia and cable cars

• Ride four cable cars across valleys
• Guided tour of Santa Fe de Antioquia town
• Visit Western Bridge

Day 5 — Free day and evening food tour

• Free day exploring Medellín
• Evening food tour starting at 6:30 pm
• Try street food and local delicacies
• Enjoy exotic fruit juices and Antioquia meals

Day 6 — Flight to Santa Marta and relaxation

• Transfer to airport for morning flight
• Driver transfers to hotel in Santa Marta
• Relax and explore nearby beach

Day 7 — Minca mountain town and tours

• Travel to Minca town
• Tour cafes and artisan shops
• Coffee production tour
• Discover cocoa production and chocolate facemask
• Explore hidden waterfalls and swim
• Watch for exotic birds

Day 8 — Kogi Indigenous Village visit

• Transfer to Palomino town
• Motorbike ride to Kogi Indigenous Village
• Visit and interact with Kogi culture
• Swim in nearby river
• Optional tubing down Palomino River

Day 9 — Free day or Tayrona National Park

• Free day or guided Tayrona Park tour
• Ecological walk visiting four beaches
• Beach time at Cabo San Juan
• Optional watersports like snorkeling
• Return jungle walk and transport

Day 10 — Transfer to Cartagena and city tour

• Drive along coast to Cartagena
• Check into hotel
• Free time before city tour
• City tour day and night

Day 11 — Rosario Islands beach day

• Pickup from hotel at 7:30 am
• Speedboat cruise to Rosario Islands
• Enjoy private beach space and full service
• Typical lunch and cocktail
• Optional snorkeling, paddleboarding, kayaking

Day 12 — Mud volcano and mangrove tour

• Mud bath at Totumo mud volcano
• Local massage and cleaning
• Swim at Manzanillo del Mar beach
• Typical Caribbean lunch
• Canoe tour of Cartagena mangroves
• Walk through local community

Day 13 — Departure transfer

• Transport to airport at desired time

The Experience

The rock at Guatape rises 740 steps above the valley floor, and you climb all of them. The view from the top stretches across a landscape of coffee farms, rivers, and the flooded town of Old Peñol below — just the church spire visible above the waterline. This is day three of the 13-day Colombia tour that moves you from Medellín's transformed neighborhoods through mountain towns and coffee plantations, then down to the Caribbean coast. You start in a city that rebuilt itself, walk through colonial stone streets in Santa Fe de Antioquia, learn how coffee grows from seed to cup, and end floating in mineral-rich mud at El Totumo volcano before swimming in the Rosario Islands.

The first days stay in Medellín, where a local guide walks you through Comuna 13 — once the most dangerous neighborhood in the city, now covered in murals and graffiti art. You ride the cable car that helped transform the area, taste tropical fruit, and take the outside escalators that became a symbol of change. Then comes the city tour itself: Plaza Botero, a tram ride, the history told by someone who knows which parts are good, bad, and sometimes ugly. On day four, you cross four cable cars in succession over lush valleys to reach Santa Fe de Antioquia, where buildings date back to colonial times and a bridge stands that was designed by an architect who also worked on the Brooklyn Bridge. A free day in Medellín lets you wander on your own before a food tour starts at 6:30 pm — street food, local delicacies, exotic fruit juices, and typical Antioquia meals eaten by people who live there.

A morning flight takes you to Santa Marta, where the pace shifts. In Minca, a small mountain town, you tour coffee plantations and learn chocolate-making from cocoa to finished bar — some travelers even get a chocolate face mask. Hidden waterfalls appear in the forest, and you swim in them. The Kogi Indigenous Village of Tungueca sits an hour away by motorbike through mountain scenery; you spend time with the community and swim in the river after. Tayrona National Park offers a guided walk through jungle to four beaches — Arenillas, La Piscina, Los Arrecifes, and Cabo San Juan — with three hours of beach time and the option to snorkel. Your guide keeps watch over your things and takes photos while you rest.

The coast road to Cartagena winds through mountains and along the ocean. Once in the walled city, a tour starting around 3:30 pm shows you the important sites by daylight and again under lights at night. The Rosario Islands trip leaves at 7:30 am by speedboat from Pier de la Bodeguita — you get a personal beach space, full service, a typical lunch, deckchairs, umbrellas, a cocktail on arrival, and no vendors. Snorkeling gear, paddleboards, and kayaks are available to rent. On the final full day, you float in the mud at El Totumo, where locals help massage the mineral-rich mud onto your skin and women in the marsh rinse you clean afterward. Then a swim at Manzanillo del Mar, a Caribbean lunch of coconut rice, fried fish, and patacones, and a canoe ride through the mangroves with a local fisherman who shows you how the community lives.

What’s included

• Your 13 days include private transportation between all cities and attractions, entrance fees to Guatape Rock, coffee and chocolate farms, the Kogi Indigenous Village, Tayrona National Park (if chosen), Cartagena's walled city, the Rosario Islands, and El Totumo mud volcano.
• Meals include 12 breakfasts and 2 lunches; other meals are on your own.
• Airport pickup in Medellín and airport transport from Cartagena are included.
• A morning flight from Medellín to Santa Marta is not included in the price.
• Local guides lead city tours, cultural visits, and beach excursions.
• Snorkeling gear and water sports equipment at the Rosario Islands are available to rent separately.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomeNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by BnB Colombia Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to move through Colombia without arranging flights, hotels, transport between cities, or entry fees yourself — the fixed itinerary and included logistics are what make 13 days across five regions possible in one trip.

Top questions

How long is the 13-day Colombia tour?

The tour runs 13 days total, starting with airport pickup in Medellín and ending with transport to the airport in Cartagena.

What's included in the tour price?

Private transportation between all locations, entrance fees to attractions, 12 breakfasts, and 2 lunches. Flights between Medellín and Santa Marta are not included.

Do I need to be very fit for this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. The main physical activity is climbing 740 steps at Guatape Rock; you can go at your own pace and rest at the top.

What is the Rosario Islands day like?

A full-day beach trip by speedboat with a personal beach space, lunch, drinks on arrival, deckchairs, umbrellas, and optional snorkeling or water sports. You leave at 7:30 am and return in the evening.

Can I skip activities or take free days?

Yes. Day five in Medellín is free. Day eight offers either a free day or a guided tour to Tayrona National Park — you choose. Some activities like tubing the Palomino River are optional with no extra cost.

Is the Kogi Indigenous Village visit respectful?

You spend about an hour visiting and interacting with the Kogi community of Tungueca, then swim in the river. An optional extension includes a longer ecological walk and tubing down the Palomino River.

What are the accommodations like?

Hotels are mid-range, including Obo Hotel in Medellín, Hotel Sierra Nevada in Santa Marta, and Hotel Patio de Getsemani in Cartagena or similar properties.

Is there a guide with the group?

Yes. Local guides lead the city tours, coffee and chocolate tours, indigenous village visits, and beach excursions. Transport drivers are provided throughout.

What should I pack for this tour?

Bring swimwear, sunscreen, comfortable walking shoes, and a light rain jacket. The weather is warm and humid; bottled water is recommended, especially in Santa Marta.

Can I extend my stay in Cartagena after the tour ends?

Yes. The tour ends with airport transport at your chosen time, so you can arrange extra nights in Cartagena independently.