Colombia tour
Colombia- perfect country for road trip on a motorcycle
The old saying goes ‘A guest is always as welcome as God himself’ and we believe that the Colombians are a perfect reflection of this sentence. Hospitality, friendliness and diversity – these three words describe the inhabitants of this unique country, where a tourist is not treated like a client, but like a guest; a country famous for its coffee plantations admired all over the world. Through the tops of the Andes, the jungle, to the shores of the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, the Columbian diversity manifests itself not only in the landscape, but also in food and attractions. We can visit there the monuments of ancient civilizations, go crazy at the colorful festivals, calm down in the jungle or talk to the local people at the markets.
If the description above makes you want to admire the beauty of the local exotic nature, what would you say if we told you that you can do it all on a motorcycle? The roads are made mainly of asphalt, but there will be also some gravel surface. Anyone, even a novice motorcyclist, will do just fine. We avoid the main routes and use side, less frequented roads not only to avoid crowds and traffic jams, but also to discover the most charming places in Colombia. However, there will be no shortage of convenience and comfort during the trip. We provide you with the stay in trusted hotels with private bathrooms and WiFi access.
To quote the Colombian Ministry of Tourism, we can assure you: “The only risk is that you will want to stay forever!”
Our trip has a round trip character
We start and end our journey around Colombia in Bogota, its capital. During the almost two-week trip, we will travel about 2000 km. It will be an active holiday, but without any unnecessary stress.
Our vehicles in Colombia are the not available on the European market Yamaha XTZ250 motorcycles which work great on the roads of that country. We will be not accompanied by a luggage car, so it is necessary to carry all of our equipment on the motorcycle.
Our journey is not only about riding a motorcycle, but also discovering the charms of both larger cities and small villages. We will be accommodated in the hotels with private bathrooms, fresh bedsheets and internet access.
Riding through the Andes, we will visit the world-famous El Penon De Guatape, the bustling Bogota and the extreme San Gil, offering many tourist attractions. There will be also a chance to relax in places distant from civilization, get familiar with the culture of the inhabitants of South America and have a taste of the local cuisine.
So if you like to combine the active leisure with collecting impressions, this trip is for you!
THE MAIN ATTRACTIONS
El Peñón de Guatapé – the monolith created millions of years ago, consisting mainly of quartz, feldspar and mica, about 220 m high with an estimated weight of 66 million tons. In 1940, it was declared a national monument by the Colombian government.
San Gil – a city which is known mainly for the possibility of practicing extreme sports in almost all forms – we decide to go rafting.
Parque Nacional el Cocuy – we will pass this little-known, beautiful mountain National Park, climbing up to 4000 meters above sea level in some places.
Candelaria – the old town in Bogota, a city with over 10 million inhabitants located higher than the Polish Rysy plus the entrance to Monserrate with a beautiful panorama of the city.
tRIP FORMULA
Our trip has a round trip character
We start and end our journey around Colombia in Bogota, its capital. During the almost two-week trip, we will travel about 2000 km. It will be an active holiday, but without any unnecessary stress.
Our vehicles in Colombia are the not available on the European market Yamaha XTZ250 motorcycles which work great on the roads of that country. We will be not accompanied by a luggage car, so it is necessary to carry all of our equipment on the motorcycle.
Our journey is not only about riding a motorcycle, but also discovering the charms of both larger cities and small villages. We will be accommodated in the hotels with private bathrooms, fresh bedsheets and internet access.
Riding through the Andes, we will visit the world-famous El Penon De Guatape, the bustling Bogota and the extreme San Gil, offering many tourist attractions. There will be also a chance to relax in places distant from civilization, get familiar with the culture of the inhabitants of South America and have a taste of the local cuisine.
So if you like to combine the active leisure with collecting impressions, this trip is for you!
TOUR PROGRAM
Day 1
Arrival to Bogota; transfer; rest.
On this day we organise a transfer to the hotel and rest after a long flight. Acclimatization may take a while, so as to relax we use the benefits of the first hotel – swimming pool, spa, fitness center and restaurants. It is about 1h far from Bogota. If the time of your arrival allows it, we will have a short organizational meeting.
Day 2
Sesquile – Tauramena; 199 km; about 7 hours ride.
Our day will start with a traditional Colombian breakfast and discussing the schedule. After complying all of the formalities of picking up the motorcycles we will head towards Tauramena. The beautiful route will be leading us downhill basically all day long. The air may feel quite crisp for the first part of the day, but it will get warmer with each passing hour. The real tropical climate will welcome us in Tauramena.
Day 3
Tauramena – Duitama; 175 km; 4,5 hours ride.
In the morning we will visit the little-known waterfall, under which we can take a bath and relax in the hot weather. This place is quiet and hidden from the beaten track. We can get there by gravel road, but the last part is a walk through the jungle. On the way we will go through the suspension bridge. After a bath, we will start riding motorcycles to the east Andes cordillera. The landscape will change very much. It will become more deserted and raw than before. At an altitude of 3300 m above sea level, we will taste the unique mountain cheese, which is produced only in this part of Colombia, from a mixture of cow’s and goat’s milk. We will also visit the area of Laguna de Tota – the highest located lake in Colombia (3030 m above sea level), where we will eat dinner and rest a bit. Then we go to Duitama and our accommodation at Pueblito Boyacense. It’s a mini town in Duitama, designed by the best architects and artists from the city. It’s style combines the special features of the 5 Colombian departments, and the whole looks just phenomenal.
Day 4
Duitama – El Cucuy; 173 km; 6.5 hours ride.
This time we will head north after breakfast. The first part of the day will be dotted with winding, excellent tarmac, which will provide us with a warm-up before the second part of the day dominated by gravel roads carved into steep rocks. We will visit the second highest town in Colombia, before ascending to a pass at 4,200m above sea level, where the vegetation is extremely different from anywhere else. The views will be almost lunar. We will be amazed by the endless paramo fields and the extremely harsh climate found at these altitudes. If we are lucky with cloudless skies, the descent will be beautified by the view of the snow-capped mountain peaks of El Cocuy National Park. We will check into a modest, but exceptionally atmospheric hotel, where we will regain our strength before continuing our journey.
Day 5 AND 6
El Cocuy – San Andres; 140 km; 5 hours ride,
San Andres – San Gil; 143 km; 4.5 hours ride.
We will enjoy mountain views that will differ in their beauty from those of the previous days. From the altitude of 2,700m above sea level at which El Cocuy is located, we will descend to the Santander river bed at 700m above sea level, only to climb again in wonderful curves to over 3,000m above sea level, and this will not be the end. From there we will descend again to 1500m above sea level where we will stay overnight in a beautiful and atmospheric town. We will stay in a hotel of local standard. There is nothing to fear – it will certainly be clean and safe, and the breakfast will be tasty. In addition, the fact that many sections will run on gravel adds to the beauty of this route. It will not be a technically demanding expedition, but in order to reach our goal safely and with a smile on our lips, we will devote two days to it. This goal is to reach the town of San Gil. The last stretch before San Gil will be through the spectacular Chicamocha National Park, where those willing will try paragliding. In total, we will travel around 300km over the two days.
Day 7
San Gil; rest day; rafting
The first week of the Colombian adventure will be behind us and many kilometres wound up on the wheels of our motorbikes. Both us and our machines will need rest and recuperation. That is why we will leave our motorbikes at a friendly service centre for a check-up, and we will give our dirty clothes to a laundry. On our own, we will stay in a hotel with a swimming pool, which will be our base for two nights. It is impossible to be bored in the town of San Gil. It is famous for having the best infrastructure for extreme sports in Colombia. Some of these we will certainly try out. We’ll be able to take part in a crazy rafting trip down the Suarez River or take a paragliding flight over the Chicamocha Canyon if we can’t make it the day before. Those of us who need to relax and catch up with European civilisation via the hotel’s WiFi will be able to do so while sipping palm-fringed drinks by the pool. On the other hand, those indestructible and always ready for new experiences will perhaps find their paradise on earth!
Day 8
San Gil – Villa De Leyva – Otanche; 302 km; 7.5 hour ride,
Rested after two nights without a motorcycle, we will start the day early in the morning becausethe is a long section waiting for us. First, we will go to Villa De Leyva where we will visit the largest and the most bizarre clay house in the world. We will have a delicious dinner at the Peruvian restaurant. Then we will move west where the scenery will become more hilly and green. We will spend the night in a small town famous for extracting emeralds. It will be an opportunity to purchase first-hand emerald green souvenirs.
Day 9 and 10
Otanche – Puerto Berrio; 200 km; 5 hours ride,
Puerto Berrio – Guatape, 170 km; 6 hours ride,
Unlike previous editions, we have broken the drive to Guatape into two sections. We will start day one with a breakfast overlooking the green mountains. Then we will hit the road, where for the first three hours we will drive through a real jungle. We will pass numerous waterfalls and streams, lush vegetation and beautiful birds or butterflies. The drive through this section will remain in our memories for years to come. The second part of the day will be spent on paved roads along one of the largest rivers in Colombia and the whole of South America – the Rio Magdalena. There will be truck traffic, but this section will be flat and without bends, so it will go smoothly. Puerto Berrio itself, where we have an overnight stay, is different from anything we have visited so far. There are quite a few pubs, dance clubs and the population is predominantly black. It is, however, safe and cultured. The next day we will continue the journey from early morning to avoid the heat. The beginning of the road will climb lazily along a tarmac road. Afterwards, we will be faced with fairly pothole-ridden gravel roads, which we will follow at an unhurried, safe pace. The route winds along several man-made lagoons and dams holding it all in check, guaranteeing beautiful views. In the late afternoon we will check into a hotel with a swimming pool and a view of the region’s biggest attraction, El Peñón de Guatapé.
Day 11
Guatape – SonSon; 126 km; 3,5 hours ride,
The rock monolith we admired the previous evening from the hotel terrace will now appear in front of us, with only 707 concrete steps separating us from its conquest. Once we have joyfully set foot on the summit, a panorama will appear before our eyes that will remain in our memories forever. As far as the eye can see, we will be surrounded on all sides by the boundless and beautifully shaped waters and bays of El Embalse Peñol-Guatapé. Enjoying the view, we will drink a fresh fruit juice and, after descending, we will continue our journey. The route this time will be exclusively tarmac and will be distinguished, especially in the second part, by the impressive number of smooth curves we all love so much. Along the way, we will stop at a friendly pub for a bite to eat before arriving in the evening in the good spirits of the coffee-producing town of Sonson. Here we will do a little sightseeing and rest up before the next day.
Day 12
Sonson – Salamina, 90 km; 6 hours ride,
After enjoying a cup of regional coffee, we will set off to conquer the ‘Zona Cafetera’. The route will be almost exclusively covered with gravel roads, abundant with beautiful views, which will include coffee plantations. This area is extremely rarely reached by tourists, so we will have the feeling of discovering new territory all day. Especially during lunch in a town that cannot be reached by any tarmac road. For the night, we will stay in a colonial-style hotel to rest after a day’s off-road crossing
Day 13
Salamina – Mariquita; 160 km; 5.5 hours ride,
For the first part of the day, we will stay on gravel roads. Along the way we will stop to take photos of the wax palms. The tallest ones can reach heights of up to 50m, which roughly speaking is the height of a 17-storey building! Along the way, we will pass many valleys, where we will see how the local people manage to transport goods between the mountains using special cable cars. The second part of the day will already be spent on tarmac roads, which will lead us to a hotel with a swimming pool, where we will spend the night..
Day 14
Mariquita – Sesquile; 234km, 6 hours ride,
In the morning, we will find time to enjoy the goods on the grounds of our hotel, such as the opportunity to fish, enjoy the swimming pool, admire the flamingos walking freely or the excellent restaurant. From Sesquile, it’s just a six-hour drive along beautiful tarmac twists and turns, which, after crossing a bridge over Colombia’s main river, the Rio Magdalena, from 200m above sea level, will direct us to our hotel. On the way, we will stop to photograph the panorama of the Magdalena Valley stretching to the horizon. In good weather, the snow-capped peaks of three volcanoes can be seen from there, 70 km to the west.
Day 15
Bogota, leaving
After breakfast, together with those who have enough time before departure and a desire to sightseeing, we will set off to the most interesting places in Colombia’s capital, and these are in abundance. These certainly include the famous Monserrate mountain, which offers a spectacular view of the city from its summit (3152 metres above sea level). Fortunately, we will not have to climb it, but will take advantage of the convenient cable car. It is probably only then that you will realise how overwhelmingly large the city is – Bogotá is now home to more than 10 million people. We will explore the old town, have lunch and then direct our steps to the most famous and richest gold museum in the world – the Museo del Oro, which exhibits more than 30,000 pieces from the gold art of pre-Columbian cultures. At lunchtime, we will head for juicy steaks at a friendly restaurant, where we will discuss our two-week adventure day by day over a glass of fine wine. All that will be left is time for the transfer to the airport and to say goodbye.
DATES AND PRICES
Date:
13-27 of January 2024
The cost of the trip is €3,500 for the rider of a Yamaha XTZ250 motorbike
or
€4200* for a rider of a Suzuki DR650 motorbike
In the case of a Suzuki motorcycle, an additional fee of €500 for transport from another city should be added and divided among all drivers of these motorcycles. In this case, there is also the possibility of taking a passenger for a price of €2600.
The price includes: transfers from and to the airport in Colombia for suggested flight, accommodation in a double room with breakfast (extra charge for a single room – € 400), motorbikes rental for the duration of the stay, a guide on a motorcycle, assistance of a service vehicle carrying luggage and two people for help, souvenir T-shirts, photo-video materials. , travel insurance.
The price does not include: plane tickets, motorcycle fuel, any meals other than breakfast, additional entrance fees and own expenses.
TOUR PROGRAM
FUN FACTS
●The total area of Colombia is equal to that of France, Spain and Portugal combined.
● Colombia is the only South American country with simultaneous access to the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
● It is called the “gateway to South America” because of its location: it lies at the point where the North, Central and South America meet.
● It is part of the Ring of Fire – countries prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
● Colombia has the second highest number of the national holidays per year in the world due to its cultural wealth.
● Colombia has the highest number of endemic species; the species that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
● It’s Shakira’s home country.
● Children drink coffee after lunch from an early age. Of course, while adults drink strong black coffee, children can have a milder version with milk.
● Colombia is the place where the legendary El Dorado was supposed to be located.
● The country provides as much as 60% of the world’s emerald production.
● Each major city in Colombia has its own nickname: Bogota is called the Athens of South America, and the world’s salsa capital, Cali, is called the Branch of Heaven.
