HOLE IN ONE - GOLF TOUR THROUGH COLOMBIA

When thinking about golf courses, Colombia might not be the first destination that comes to your mind - and yet: Colombia has some great golf courts, located in paradisiacal surroundings.

Experience the diversity of Colombia and play on some on golf courts located in the most distinct landscapes – from the Andean mountains close to the capital Bogotá, the coffee region with its mild climate and beautiful views, to Cartagena de Indias, one of the most beautiful Latin American cities, located at the Caribbean coast.

The touristic highlights are covered as well: charming colonial villages, amazing landscapes in Santander and the coffee region and last but not least Cartagena, the pearl of the Caribbean.

Tourstopps: Bogotá - Cajicá - Villa de Leyva - Barichara - Bucaramanga - Pereira - Cartagena

In the following you find the detailed description of our newly designed golf tour across Colombia. For further information please contact your local contact travel agent.

DAY 1:               ARRIVAL IN BOGOTÁ          (-/-/-)

Upon arrival in Bogotá, you are picked up by your local guide and taken to your colonial style hotel in the historic centre, La Candelaria

DAY 2:               BOGOTÁ          (B/L/D)

We set out on a walking tour through Colombia's pulsating capital. In the historical center the capital shows its nostalgic face. Colonial buildings house theaters and galleries, libraries and museums join government buildings and palaces, rustic bakeries are next to copy and book shops, and office workers and students mingle with fruit and wafer vendours. At the grand Plaza de Bolivar, we discover important government buildings. Via Carrera Septima, Bogotá's busy pedestrian zone, we reach the San Francisco church, the city's oldest church, as well as the renowned gold museum (closed on Mondays). We finish our walking tour with a picturesque cable car ride up to Monserrate, Bogota's pilgrimage mountain, to view the nine-million-metropolis and the surrounding high plains from above.

Attention: On Sundays Monserrate is very busy and there might be long queues. Alternatively, the guide will take you by taxi to Guadalupe Mountain, at 3.300 m, where you get to enjoy the view of Bogota.

DAY 3:               BOGOTÁ          (B/L/D)

Today is our first day of golf. We head north to Cajicá, to the local golf court Club El Rincón containing 18 holes, located in the beautiful scenery of the plateau altiplano cundinobaycense. In the afternoon we are taken to our modern hotel in the northern part of the city, as tomorrow we continue further north.

DAY 4:               BOGOTÁ - VILLA DE LEYVA          (B/L/D)

First up on our overland trip to quaint Villa de Leyva is the visit to a masterpiece of ecclesiastical architecture, the world famous salt cathedral of Zipaquirá. Carved out of a salt mine 120 meters below the ground, the impressive cathedral awaits visitors beautifully illuminated. We continue our trip to Villa de Leyva via colourful Ráquira, a village known for its potteries and ceramics. Upon entering Villa de Leyva we will instantly see why it has been named one of South America’s most beautiful colonial towns. Transfer to Hotel where we will spend two nights and set out on a walk through quaint pebbled streets and across the main plaza, and to discover cafés and restaurants.

DAY 5:               VILLA DE LEYVA          (B/L/D)

In the morning we have time to stroll around the picturesque streets of Villa de Leyva and to explore the central plaza with its churches, restaurants and handicraft shops once more before we are off to “El Infiernito”, an indigenous site of the Muisca located outside of town. Featuring several earthwork structures, burial mounds and perfectly lined up menhirs (standing stones), the site is a testament to religious ceremonies and spiritual purification rites. El Infiernito has also served as a rudimentary astronomical observatory. A must on this trip also is a visit to the pretty 17th century Dominican convent “Ecce Homo”, a wonderfully restored property. Going even further back in time we also make a stint to the paleontological museum to learn about the region’s Jurrasic past as we admire over 150-million-year old saurian fossils. We finish our day at the wondrous clayhouse, a 5,400 square foot house made entirely of baked clay, “the largest piece of pottery in the world”, as owner and architect Octavio Mendoza assures.
Overnight at hotel.

Note: On Mondays “El infiernito” is closed, so, this visit will be replaced by visit to a Wineyard.

DAY 6:               VILLA DE LEYVA - BARICHARA          (B/L/D)

Today we move on to warmer regions, our next stop is the beautiful colonial village Barichara. Barichara is a municipality in the department of Santander and the kind of town that Hollywood filmmakers dream of. A Spanish colonial town of fine culture and flair, Barichara boasts cobblestone streets and 300-year old, whitewashed buildings with red-tiled roofs that look as though they were built only yesterday. Many films and soap operas in Spanish are filmed here and these movie-set appearances are also the reason for considerable reconstruction efforts made since the town was declared a national monument in 1978. The town's natural beauty, moderate warm climate and bohemian lifestyle have been attracting visitors for a long time. In recent years Barichara has become a magnet for affluent Colombians.

We spend the night in Barichara in a comfortable little hotel with a pretty garden.

DAY 7:               BARICHARA – BUCARAMANGA          (B/L/D)

In the morning we embark on a delightful walk along the historical cobblestone trail that leads to Guane, a little village rich in archaeological history. Wandering through quaint scenery and overlooking the stunning valley of Rio Suarez we reach Guane after about 2-3 hours (level of difficulty: low). Here a small museum houses an important collection of aquatic fossils, a Guane mummy, and a variety of other treasures from both the colonial and contemporary periods.

Around midday we head towards Bucaramanga and reach the golf club Ruitoque just outside Bucaramanga. We stay in one of the cosy cabañas inside the golf club, enjoying the pleasant climate for the next 2 nights.

DAY 8:               BUCARAMANGA          (B/L/D)

The Ruitoque golf course is located in the middle of magnificent nature, among acacia trees and surrounded by lush vegetation. Today we play golf (par 71) on the excellent 18 hole course. Afterwards there is time to enjoy the facilities of the club or to relax a little.

DAY 9:               BUCARAMANGA - PEREIRA          (B/L/D)

We drive to the airport of Bucaramanga and take a flight to the coffee región, where we stay at a beautiful coffee finca with pool. The afternoon is free to enjoy the hotel, its surroundings and pool.

DAY 10:                          PEREIRA          (B/L/D)

Today we explore the village of Salento and the Cocora Valley: Wax palms that are dotting the lush hillsides in large numbers are towering high into mystical cloud forest: Cocora Valley is considered one of the most beautiful valleys in Colombia and it is not difficult to see why. The valley in Colombia's coffee zone is not only home to the country's national tree but also offers a stunning backdrop for hikes and horseback rides. Up to 60 metres the Quindian wax palm reaches in height, making it one of the tallest species of palm trees in the world - a fascinating sight. After having enjoyed these fascinating trees weg o on to a tour of the Hass avocado plantations in the middle of agro-ecological trails belonging to the Parque Nacional Natural de los Nevados. During the tour which takes around 2 h we get to know all the aspects related to the production of avocado and we finish the tour with a tasting of different types of avocado and drinks based on it.Our return trip leads through a picturesque backdrop of hillsides and quaint haciendas. A stop at the traditional and colourful town of Salento, one of the most beautiful of the coffee villages, rounds off our day out. We can stroll the streets and main square in a quest for delicious coffee and lovingly made handicrafts.

DAY 11:                          PEREIRA          (B/L/D)

Are you ready to play golf again? At Club Campestre Pereira (71 par) we will have the next opportunity to do so. Just like the other days of golf, our guide takes us to the club and accompanies us throughout the entire day.

DAY 12:                          PEREIRA          (B/L/D)

Today we visit an authentic coffee finca: In the middle of the coffee axis just 50 minutes away from Sazagua, in the mountains of Palestina, Caldas, live Lilia, Gabriel, Karen and Gelen, a family of the region waiting for you to live a typical day with a Colombian peasant family accompanied of stories, our local cuisine and lots of coffee.

An authentic experience where you can plant your own coffee plant and periodically receive pictures of the state of it. A prove of the synergy that exists between tradition and tourism.

Enjoy your free afternoon at the hotel.

DAY 13:                          PEREIRA - CARTAGENA          (B/L/D)

Today we leave the coffee region and fly to Cartagena. Here, colonial chic meets Caribbean flair, old city walls and fortresses bear witness to gold treasures and pirates, and cobbled alleys, green plazas and colourfully painted facades carry us away and right into the novels of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The perfectly restored historic town, an UNESCO world heritage site, is best explored on foot, by horse carriage or by bicycle – in any case slowly and delightfully. From the top of the city walls, let your gaze wander over the sea of terracotta roofs on one side and the Caribbean Sea on the other. The nearby Rosario Islands seem to come straight from a postcard. Their white sandy beaches and crystal clear Caribbean Sea offer the picture-perfect backdrop to relax. 

We spend the following three nights at the luxurious hotel resort Conrad Cartagena that comes with its own onsite golf court.

DAY 14:                          CARTAGENA          (B/L/D)

Today we explore Cartagena de Indias: We start our fascinating half-day tour to the sights of Cartagena at the convent of La Popa (the highest point of the city – around 140 m high) and the Fort of San Felipe de Barajas, the biggest military construction ever built by the Spanish in their colonies. During the visit of approx. 1 hour we can appreciate this masterpiece of military architecture in coral stone and get a good idea about the defense strategy of the city in front of pirate attacks in the 17th and 18th century. Afterwards, we are heading to the historical center and walk approx. 2 hours to the most beautiful squares, churches and streets. The eclectic mix of colonial architecture, gastronomy and culture make Cartagena deserve the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site and an unforgettable destination.

DAY 15:                          CARTAGENA          (B/L/D)

Another golf day, spent at the hotel´s onsite, 18 hole golf court (72 Par) Kariban.

DAY 16:                          CARTAGENA          (B/L/D)

Today we can choose to either golf again or simply enjoy a free day at the hotel.

DAY 17:                          CARTAGENA          (B/L/D)

The time has come to say goodbye Colombia. We are taken to the airport and start our onward journey.