Cordillera & Horizon: Colombia, the Grand Journey
Bogotá - Villa de Leyva - Barichara - Medellín - Providencia - Cartagena
17 days
From 7,900 to 9,400 USD per person
From the artists’ studios of Bogotá to the stone villages of the Eastern Cordillera; from the energy of Medellín to the translucent waters of Providencia, and on to the rhythms of Cartagena. This exceptional journey moves through different sides of Colombia, each revealing the country in its own way.
Designed for two, it leaves room for encounters, discovery, and unhurried time. A painter offers an insider’s view of Bogotá’s contemporary art scene; a marine biologist reveals a different perspective on Providencia’s reefs; a pianist traces the history of salsa. The places we stay become part of the journey, too: colonial mansions, palaces inspired by Arab-Andalusian architecture, and a fisherman’s cottage reimagined as a discreet, chic, and bohemian hideaway overlooking the sea.
Between these encounters, the road leads through small towns, open landscapes, and an island where the Caribbean sets the pace.
YOU’LL LOVE :
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An exceptional journey, by Tempo — a selection of some of Colombia’s most distinctive addresses, from colonial mansions to contemporary architectural gems, chosen for their character, setting, and exceptional service. Our circle of artists, journalists, pianists, biologists, and choreographers brings the journey to life through private encounters and conversations that offer a deeper understanding of Colombia today.
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The contrast between cities and small towns — Bogotá and its vibrant art scene; Villa de Leyva and its centuries-old stone architecture; Barichara and its ochre hills; Medellín and its unmistakable urban energy. Each destination offers a different way into the country.
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Providencia, a Caribbean island far from it all — a small island set in the middle of the sea, where reggae drifts along the roads and wooden houses look out toward the beaches. A scooter is at your disposal, allowing you to explore freely, without schedules or set itineraries. Hiking, snorkeling in translucent waters, kayaking, and paddleboarding at sunset: here, the days naturally fall into the island’s own rhythm.
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Our dedicated Spanish-speaking concierge service — adjustments to the journey as you go, boarding passes sent directly to you, recommendations from our favorite addresses, or a last-minute restaurant reservation. We are by your side throughout the journey.
DAY 1
Arrival in Bogotá
Upon arrival in Bogotá, a private driver meets you and takes you to your hotel.
Your first moments in Colombia’s capital unfold among the mountains that surround the city and the energy of its neighborhoods. The afternoon is free to settle in and, without rushing, begin to take in the rhythm of Bogotá.
DAY 2
Bogotá, Colombia Through Art
The day begins in the streets of La Candelaria. Historic facades, balconies, cafés, and murals reveal Bogotá’s old quarter, where contemporary art finds its way onto walls and into unexpected corners.
The Gold Museum, followed by the Botero Museum, offers two different perspectives on Colombia through their collections.
In the afternoon, we change scenery and head to San Felipe. Accompanied by a local artist, we step inside studios and galleries to discover Bogotá’s contemporary art scene from within. Art becomes another way of understanding the city.
DAY 3
Toward Villa de Leyva
We leave Bogotá by road. Gradually, the city fades behind us as the landscapes of the Eastern Andes take over.
Villa de Leyva emerges amid a drier, more mineral landscape. Whitewashed houses, cobblestone streets, and expansive plazas give the town its unmistakable character.
The rest of the day unfolds at an easy pace, wandering past old doors and quiet courtyards, with the afternoon light settling over the stone.
DAY 4
Villa de Leyva, Traces of Time
The landscapes around Villa de Leyva hold stories that reach far beyond the town’s colonial past.
At the Paleontological Museum, an enormous marine fossil recalls a time, millions of years ago, when the sea covered these lands.
DAY 5
Towards Barichara
The landscape gradually changes color. The valleys grow drier, cacti begin to appear, and the mountains stretch across the horizon.
Then comes Barichara. The village overlooks the Suárez River valley, with its pale stone houses, clay-tiled roofs, and flower-filled courtyards.
By late afternoon, there is simply time to wander its quiet streets. Here, distances are short and the hours seem to pass differently.
DAY 6
Barichara: Coffee, Land, and Craft
A few miles from the village, an organic coffee farm lies within the tropical dry forest. Coffee plants grow beneath the trees, in a landscape where agriculture remains closely connected to its surroundings.
In the afternoon, the hills around Barichara take center stage. By tuk-tuk, we make our way to the farm of a shepherd and cheesemaker.
Goats, handmade cheeses, and sweeping views across the Andes offer another intimate encounter with the land and the people who work it.
DAY 7
Barichara: At the Pace of the Horses
We leave Barichara’s streets behind and follow the paths that wind through the countryside.
On horseback, the pace slows naturally. Trails cross dry hills, follow stone walls, and wind between trees and low vegetation.
Gradually, the landscape opens onto the valleys beyond. What remains is the steady rhythm of hoofb
DAY 8
Heading to Medellín
We pass through San Gil before continuing toward Medellín.
The contrast is immediate. After the small towns and open landscapes of Santander, Medellín rises between its mountains — dense, urban, and constantly moving.
Once defined largely by a difficult past, the city has undergone a profound transformation. Architecture, social initiatives, culture, and contemporary creativity have all become part of a new story about Medellín.
DAY 9
Medellín: A City in Fragments
Medellín reveals itself piece by piece.
Downtown, Botero’s monumental sculptures. At Salón Málaga, tango and the musical memory of the city. Then the cable car, connecting the hillside neighborhoods with the city center and offering a new perspective from above.
At Parque Arví, the landscape turns green again.
The day continues in Comuna 13, where murals, music, and artistic projects tell the story of a neighborhood that lived through some of the most difficult chapters of Medellín’s recent history — and has since become a symbol of transformation and creativity.
DAY 10
Providencia, Northbound
We leave Medellín for the Caribbean, with a stop in San Andrés.
Then, Providencia.
A small volcanic island set offshore, far from the continental coast, it moves to a rhythm of its own. The roads are narrow, the houses colorful, reggae drifts through the evenings, and the sea changes constantly in color and depth.
A scooter is at our disposal throughout the stay, making it easy to explore the island freely. First swims, first horizons, and the feeling that time has suddenly slowed down.
DAY 11
Providencia: The Island from Above
This morning, we set out along the trails toward the Pico.
The hike moves through tropical vegetation before reaching the island’s highest elevations. The views gradually begin to open.
From the summit, Providencia unfolds below: volcanic hills, rugged contours, and waters shifting from turquoise to deep blue around the coral reef.
A different perspective on this small island in the middle of the Caribbean.
DAY 12
Providencia: Out on the Blue
We set out by boat for a day on the waters surrounding Providencia.
From the sea, the island takes on a different shape: steep ridges, secluded coves, and coral reefs. With mask and snorkel, we enter the underwater world of the coral gardens.
Sea turtles, tropical fish, and starfish move through the clear waters surrounding the island.
Lunch is enjoyed by the sea before we continue sailing. Some stretches of coastline can only be reached by water — part of what allows Providencia to retain its sense of remoteness.
DAY 13
Providencia: A Different Perspective on the Sea
The day is free.
A scooter, a beach, a detour to another corner of the island, or simply a few hours by the sea. Providencia lends itself naturally to days without a tightly structured itinerary.
Late in the afternoon, we meet with a marine biologist dedicated to the preservation of the island’s reefs.
Through his stories and fieldwork, the coral reef takes on a new dimension. After several days in these waters, it becomes impossible to look at the sea quite the same way.
DAY 14
On to Cartagena
We leave Providencia for Cartagena.
The heat, colorful facades, balconies, and music quickly replace the quiet of the island. Behind the city walls, African, Spanish, and Caribbean influences converge in a city that never quite stands still.
In the evening, it is time for vallenato.
In an intimate setting, voice, guitar, and stories from Colombia’s popular tradition accompany our first night on the Caribbean coast.
DAY 15
Cartagena: When the Body Speaks
Today, we step inside a contemporary dance school in Cartagena.
The movement draws on Afro-Caribbean rhythms and Colombian folk traditions, while finding expression through a contemporary language of its own.
The visit continues with one of the school’s founding members. Beyond the rehearsals, dance tells another story of Colombia here: one of body, memory, and a city in motion.
DAY 16
Cartagena: Salsa as Heritage
In the heart of the walled city, a pianist welcomes us into his home.
Around his piano, he traces the history of salsa — from Cuba to New York, and then to Colombia, where Afro-Caribbean rhythms gave the music a character of its own.
The conversation moves from music to memory, from one melody to the next.
Late in the afternoon, we board a sailboat in Cartagena Bay. The sun sinks behind the city walls as the lights of the old town begin to appear.
The city lies before us, one last time.
DAY 17
Colombia Behind Us
Our final moments in Cartagena before the transfer to the airport.
The journey comes to an end after crossing cities, small towns, and an island far from the continental coast.
The images stay with us, of course. But so do the voices, the music, and the conversations that will likely continue to accompany us long after we return home.
