Immerse yourself in Colombia’s inspiring story of regeneration on a lavish and extremely stylish private journey from its iconic cities to colonial villages lost in time, and from lush private coffee haciendas to the electric blue hues of the Caribbean.
From December to March and from June to September are generally the best times to visit Colombia, when you can expect mostly dry and sunny weather. Cartagena’s Hay Festival occurs in February, and is one of South America’s most important cultural gatherings.
Price depends on the experiences and accommodation included, and your time of travel. It is based on two adults travelling for 12 nights and does not include international flights.
2 nights in Bogota, 3 nights in Barichara, 2 nights in Medellin, 2 nights in Fredonia, 4 nights in Cartagena
What makes your private holiday to Colombia special?
- Immerse yourself in Bogota’s vibrant Paloquemao Market, explore the city’s incredible street art and play an explosive game of tejo.
- Meet the storytellers and artisans of beautiful Barichara, try the local lemon-sherbet-tasting delicacy of fat-bottomed ants and cycle the rim of the breathtaking Chicamocha Canyon.
- Witness how Medellin has reinvented itself after the dark days of Escobar, view some of Botero’s greatest paintings and get down to the rhythms of a top Afro-Colombian band Experience Colombian rural life at its best as you relax at a beautiful private coffee hacienda.
- Explore Cartagena’s richly layered history, try the excellent local rum and snorkel the gin-clear coral reefs of the Rosario Islands from a private yacht.
Highlights of your luxury Colombia holiday
Begin with a bang
Bogota
A mile and a half above sea level, Colombia’s sprawling traffic-ridden capital can divide people, but it is certainly worth a couple of days of your time. With the sumptuous Four Seasons Casa Medina as your address while in town, explore Bogota with your private guide. Make a morning visit to colourful Paloquemao market to discover Colombia’s gastronomic diversity and the incredible variety of its fruits, vegetables and flowers, before wandering the atmospheric streets of La Candelaria, Bogota’s historic district. You’ll learn about Colombia’s challenging past (often graphically depicted through remarkable street art) as well as its recent political and economic revival. Then join locals in a neighbourhood bar for beers and a game of tejo. A national obsession, tejo is enormous fun, and consists of aiming iron balls at a gunpowder target, making for a truly explosive start to your time in Colombia.
Life in a pueblo magico
Barichara
Hunkered into a fold of the Andes in the Colombian department of Santander, Barichara is a town seemingly untouched by time. It’s not hard to see why it is widely regarded as Colombia’s most beautiful towns: its cobbled streets are flanked by bougainvillea-draped whitewashed walls and red-tiled roofs, and near-constant carillons issue forth from its bell-towers. Here everything slows down; there is a seductive ease and grace that you’ll instantly feel. It’s just magical. Your base is Casa Yahri, a charming base from which to explore with your private guide. Meet fascinating locals, all with incredible stories to tell. Discover the town’s wonderful crafts heritage in the ateliers and workshops of local artisans and artists. If you’re feeling especially adventurous, you shouldn’t pass up on the opportunity to try the local culinary delicacy of fat-bottomed ants with their intriguing lemon sherbet flavour. Beyond town, dusty cycle and walking trails lead past cactus fields to the ochre cliffs of the mighty Chicamocha Canyon.
A tale of renewal
Medellin
Set among the verdant hills of Antioquia, Medellin well deserves its nickname as the City of Eternal Spring. After the challenging years of Escobar and the cartels, it has blossomed into an inspiring example of social transformation and urban regeneration. Explore Medellin with an expert private guide, who will help you gain a deeper understanding of this fascinating city. Visit the Antioquia Museum which houses one of the most important collections of works by internationally renowned artist and Medellin native Fernando Botero. And immerse yourself in the city’s creative talent as you meet a group of young Afro-Colombian musicians and hear their fantastic rhythms.
Country life at its most exquisite
Fredonia
An hour or so from the hubbub of Medellin, you’ll find what in our view is Colombia’s most exquisite coffee hacienda. Perched high in the hills above the pretty colonial village of Fredonia in the countryside of Antioquia is Hacienda La Sierra. It’s a simply stunning restored seventeenth-century farmhouse set amongst one of the country’s oldest and finest coffee estates, and an ideal place to kick back, lie in your hammock, enjoy sensational cooking and equally sensational views. Or if you can be bothered to lift a finger, there are horse trails to follow, lovely plantation walks and cookery classes. Best of all, you won’t have to share any of this with another soul.
A hundred hours of soulitude
Cartagena
Exuberant, soulful and rich in history, steamy Cartagena is the jewel in Colombia’s crown. Staying at the chic Casa San Agustin, explore the colonial walled city made famous by Colombia’s favourite son Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and walk its atmospheric balconied streets and plazas with your private guide. Don’t miss San Felipe Barajas Fort, a masterpiece of engineering built to defend the city from pirate attacks, and San Pedro Claver church with its glorious stained-glass windows. Pause to chat with the charismatic locals, hear their colourful stories and enjoy a private tasting of Colombia’s premier rums. End your time in Colombia on a high with a day aboard a private speedboat, cruising the Rosario Islands, and swimming and snorkelling in the warm Caribbean waters.
Where you'll stay on your luxury holiday in Colombia
Great journeys need great places to lay your head. These are our tried and tested suggestions.
Four Seasons Casa Medina
Located in Bogota’s upscale Zona G district within easy reach of Bogota’s cultural attractions, The Four Seasons Casa Medina offers luxury and timeless charm in a beautifully restored 1940s building. Combining classic Colombian architecture with modern elegance, Casa Medina features rich wood accents, exposed brick and contemporary art. Rooms are designed for comfort, with plush furnishings and top-tier amenities. Savour gourmet dining with a blend of local and international flavours, and enjoy stunning wellness facilities.
Casa Yahri
Located in Barichara, an impossibly picturesque Colombian village that feels frozen in time, Casa Yahri is a magical four-suite colonial villa overlooking the vast Chicamocha Canyon. But what’s truly exceptional about Casa Yahri is how every detail is considered, every need anticipated. The house is fully staffed and the experience is all-inclusive, from home-cooked meals served when you wish to privately guided wilderness adventures. When you’re not out visiting a coffee plantation, hiking or whitewater rafting, kick back and relax by the bougainvillea-framed pool or on your private palm-shaded patio.
Hotel Elcielo
Occupying an arresting modern structure topped by a roof garden overlooking the regeneration marvel that is Medellin, Elcielo is the city’s top address. Its interiors are equally dramatic, oriented around a verdant atrium garden, while the 28 ultra-contemporary and tasteful suites are havens of calm. As befits a hotel owned by a Michelin-starred restaurateur, Elcielo’s eponymous in-house restaurant serves everything from a very fine hotel breakfast to an extravagant 17-course tasting menu. The atmosphere at Hotel Elcielo is calm and refined, and the staff friendly and ever ready to go the extra mile to ensure your comfort.
Hacienda La Sierra
An hour south of Medellin in the coffee-covered hillsides above Fredonia, Hacienda La Sierra offers a slice of rural Colombian life at its very best. Taken on an exclusive basis, this luxury seventeenth-century hacienda oozes the kind of old-world charm and hospitality that’s increasingly hard to find, along with an immersion into one of Colombia’s most historic and finest coffee growers. Delight in exquisite farm-to-table Colombian cuisine, go on hikes and trail rides through the hills, drop into nearby Fredonia for a michelada, or simply ease back into your hammock and drink in the spectacular views.
Casa San Agustin
Spread across three houses in Cartagena’s walled Old Town, all centred round a peaceful palm-fringed courtyard and swimming pool, Casa San Agustin is a boutique urban retreat that lovingly pays tribute to the city’s colonial past. Renaissance-era oil paintings, stone floors and four-poster beds are as intrinsic to your stay as the Frette linens and artisanal Italian bath products. Some of the loveliest spots to relax are in the breezy indoor-outdoor public spaces, fitted out with divans where you can while away the hottest hours. At night, the hotel’s chic bar and eatery, Alma, serves craft cocktails as mouthwatering as its ceviches.
Customise your exclusive Colombia journey
All of our journeys are fully bespoke, and can be customised to meet your needs, interests and preferences. Here are a few ideas to inspire you.
Dip down into the Amazon basin and explore primary rainforest from the comfort of chic and sustainably-run Nomad Lodge.
Explore the rich spiritual heritage of the Kogi people of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
If you’re travelling between June and November, consider including some time at Cano Cristales, the world’s most astonishing river.
Meet Colombia’s master craftspeople who make some of South America’s finest jewellery, textiles, paper and more.
Relax on the beach: with a choice of both the Caribbean and the wilder shores of the Pacific to choose from, Colombia has options for every taste.
Looking for more inspiration?
We have a huge range of inspiring private experiences and accommodation options available. Get in touch with our Colombia specialists.
ENQUIRELearn more about our luxury holidays, or call our expert Latin America team on +44 1367 850566 / 1-855-216-5040 (toll free) to discuss how we can turn your dreams into something truly magical.
“What matters in life is not what happens to you but what you remember and how you remember it.”