BEST OF COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, GALAPAGOS ISLANDS & PANAMA

Assemble at Changi Airport for our flight to Bogota, Colombia’s capital.  

Arrive in the Colombian capital founded in 1538, Bogota (2600m asl).  Here we can meet the dilapidated colonial grandeur and the seething vitality of a modern metropolis. 

Drive to Monserrate (3048m) and ascend by cable car for a magnificent view of the valley and the city. The chapel was built by a Spanish cleric in 1650.   

Admire La Candelaria, a historic neighbourhood with Spanish Colonial and Baroque styles architecture.  Walk to Bolivar’s Square where various government buildings stand, including the House of Flowers where the independence movement started.   

Visit the Gold Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of pre-Columbian gold items.  

Take a leisurely drive to Zipaquira, a beautiful town with a warm and welcoming atmosphere.  Visit the remarkable Salt Cathedral carved within the tunnels of an active salt mine about 180m underground.  The cathedral has various chambers, each representing different Stations of the Cross and adorned with salt sculptures.  We will also find elements of modern design and illuminations incorporated, adding to its ethereal beauty. 

Enjoy lunch at the only restaurant with traditional dishes prepared in a salt oven.  In the late afternoon, board a flight to Pereira in the Coffee Triangle famous for rolling hillsides of coffee plantations to plunging valleys and snow-capped peaks. 

Appreciate the beautiful landscape as we travel towards Cocora Valley where the world’s tallest palm trees can be found. Follow the guide for a walk in the cloud forest to appreciate the biodiversity of fauna and flora.   

Hop onto Jeep Willys, normally used to carry fruits and coffee, to Salento, the region’s oldest village.  Walk through narrow streets to admire the colourful balconies and small shops.  

Drive through the hilly landscapes of coffee plantations and small villages.  Learn about the history of coffee growing from the growers and the process of coffee from beans to drink. 

In the afternoon, fly to Medellin, nicknamed the ‘City of Eternal Spring’ for its temperate weather.  Sculptures by Fernando Botero decorate the old quarter of his hometown. 

Put on our walking shoes for a visit to Pueblito Paisa built on Cero Nutibara and situated right in the center of Medellin.  Experience traditional culture and street food tasting in this life-size replica of a traditional Antioquia town with cobblestone streets, colourful buildings and an amazing view of Medellin.   

Commune 13 was notoriously dangerous in the 80s and 90s.  Community projects and a series of outdoor escalators have helped turn this poor district into one of the city’s most colourful communes.    

Visit Plaza Botero with its 23 sculptures gifted to the city by the renowned Colombian artist, Fernando Botero.  Walk around the famous Palace of Culture and visit the stunning Metropolitan Cathedral. 

Today, experience the Silleteros Route in Santa Elena.  This township is in the Arvi Nature Reserve and is known for its flower exports.  

See where the flowers are grown, learn about the growers and one of Medellin’s most beloved festivals, Feria de las Flores (Festival of the Flowers), a vibrant and colourful celebration deeply rooted in the Colombia’s culture and tradition.   

With guidance from the farmers, learn how to arrange flowers on the silletas.  Silletas are large, ornately decorated flowers and fruits arrangements traditionally carried on the back using a wooden structure.  Each one often tells a story or represents a cultural or historical aspect of the country.   

Return to the airport for our flight to Cartagena, a cultural mosaic on the Caribbean coast and the undisputed queen of the Caribbean coast. 

Drive to the La Popa Monastery located on Cartagenas Hills.  Enjoy a wonderful panorama over the city and the bay.  Visit the massive San Felipe Fortress (UNESCO Heritage Site), one of Cartagena’s most iconic landmarks.  Immerse in its 480 years of history and how it stands proudly to this day.    

In the afternoon, stroll the labyrinthine cobblestone streets of the historic center.  See seamless fusion of Caribbean, Colombian, Spanish and African cultures visible in architectures, people and food. 

Travel to the Quito, the capital of Ecuador located at an elevation of 2850 above sea level on an early flight.  The historic center of Quito is one of the best preserved in the Americas and one of the first declared by UNESCO as World Cultural heritage Sites. (Note: Many cities and sites in Ecuador are situated more than 3000 meters above sea level.  Some people may experience headaches, nausea or heart palpitations.  Please employ the following precautionary measures that may eliminate altitude sickness.  Get enough rest, avoid over exertion, exercise & speaking loudly. Refrain from consumption of alcohol, eat light meals and drink lots of water.  Please seek advice of doctor before travel if in doubt.) 

Visit the Equatorial Line Monument called ‘Middle of the World’.   Here, we can experience standing in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres simultaneously.  The monument marks the spot where the 18th century French expedition established the exact position of the Equator.  Visit the Ethnographical Museum which showcases the history of Indian cultures in Ecuador. 

Enjoy the colonial history of Ecuador as we walk through the culturally diverse old city.  See Independence Square with the Government and Bishop Palaces as well as the Cathedral.  Visit the most ornate and richly sculptured façade and interior of the La Compania.   

Drive along the ‘Avenue of the Volcanoes’, named by Alexander von Humboldt.  The highway winds its way through the Andean Mountain chain.  One a clear day, be treated to a spectacular view of the perfectly formed Cotopaxi Volcano, one the world’s tallest.   

Visit the Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador’s most attractive ecological reserves.  The park is home to deer, pumas, condors, wild horses and llamas.   

Continue to Riobamba, a small, charming Andean city with colonial architecture, cobblestone streets and impressive plazas.  The Riobamba Cathedral uniquely incorporates traditional Catholic elements that are mixed with indigenous symbols.  A prominent example is the circle above the entrance that aligns with the sun which natives regard as a god.   

Visit the Inca ruins of Ingapirca, the most important pre-Columbian ruins in Ecuador.  The Temple of the Sun, the only one of its kind in the Incan empire, stands on a hill and offers panoramic views over the surrounding countryside and fascinating history.   

Continue to Cuenca, reputed to be Ecuador’s most beautiful city with its markets, sunny squares and historic buildings.   

Visit the market to learn about local products used daily by the locals.  Stroll around the main square with the old and new Cathedral.  Admire terraced houses located along the Tomebamba River.  End the tour with a visit to a Panama hat factory to learn about its fabrication.   

Travel to Guayaquil, Ecuador’s largest and most populous city and a gateway to the Galapagos Island.  Stroll along Malecon 2000, an urban renewal project overlooking the Guayas River.   

Board our flight to the Galapagos Islands, an archipelago thirteen main islands and six smaller isles about one thousand kilometers from mainland Ecuador.  The Galapagos archipelago is renowned for its unique and fearless wildlife, such as giant tortoises, sea lions, penguins, marine iguanas and different bird species.  Strict controls on tourist access are maintained to protect the natural habitats.  (Remarks: itinerary in Galapagos is subject to weather conditions and national park regulations) 

Visit the Giant Tortoise Breeding Center at the Charles Darwin Research Station which is surrounded by an enormous prickly pear cactus forest and hundreds of land birds.  This station is home to the park’s scientific investigation, conservation and administration.  Travel towards the cooler highlands of Santa Cruz where the ecosystem is entirely distinct.   

South Plaza 

Visit Plaza Island known for its incredible turquoise waters that contrast against the white sand and black lava shoreline.  Scarlet sesuvium succulents blanket the ground of a grove of bright green prickly part cacti, around which yellow-grey land iguana lounge.  Patiently waiting for the fruit to fall.  See also sea lion colonies, frigates, swallow-tailed gulls and shearwaters.  

 

North Seymour 

Transfer to Itabaca Channel to board the yacht.  North Seymour is a wonderful island to hike, swim and snorkel.  Here, we can see the Palo Santo (incense stick) forest, blue footed boobies, swallowed tail gull sitting on cliffs and many frigate birds with their enormous red pouches handing up from their necks.   

 

Bartolome Island 

Board the yacht for a trip to Bartolome Island, which has the most beautiful and photographed landscapes of the islands.   On arrival, climb 114 meters to the top of the extinct volcano to take in the spectacular landscape.  See the pinnacle rock, a big lava formation that has eroded over time.  Spend some time at the beach.  With luck, we may see Galapagos Penguins and sea turtles swimming in shallow waters.  (Wet landing on the beach) 

 

Santa Fe 

Santa Fe (Barrington Island) is the oldest island resulted from geological folding and its volcanic origin.  It has a beautiful turquoise lagoon which is frequented often by turtles.  Most of the wildlife here is endemic due to its geological nature and age.   Its corrugated cliffs offer shelter to swallow-tailed gulls and other birds.   

Note: Depending on the approval from the Galapagos National Park regulations, visit either one of the above islands each day (3 islands covered in total). 

South Plaza 

Visit Plaza Island known for its incredible turquoise waters that contrast against the white sand and black lava shoreline.  Scarlet sesuvium succulents blanket the ground of a grove of bright green prickly part cacti, around which yellow-grey land iguana lounge.  Patiently waiting for the fruit to fall.  See also sea lion colonies, frigates, swallow-tailed gulls and shearwaters.  

 

North Seymour 

Transfer to Itabaca Channel to board the yacht.  North Seymour is a wonderful island to hike, swim and snorkel.  Here, we can see the Palo Santo (incense stick) forest, blue footed boobies, swallowed tail gull sitting on cliffs and many frigate birds with their enormous red pouches handing up from their necks.   

 

Bartolome Island 

Board the yacht for a trip to Bartolome Island, which has the most beautiful and photographed landscapes of the islands.   On arrival, climb 114 meters to the top of the extinct volcano to take in the spectacular landscape.  See the pinnacle rock, a big lava formation that has eroded over time.  Spend some time at the beach.  With luck, we may see Galapagos Penguins and sea turtles swimming in shallow waters.  (Wet landing on the beach) 

 

Santa Fe 

Santa Fe (Barrington Island) is the oldest island resulted from geological folding and its volcanic origin.  It has a beautiful turquoise lagoon which is frequented often by turtles.  Most of the wildlife here is endemic due to its geological nature and age.   Its corrugated cliffs offer shelter to swallow-tailed gulls and other birds.   

Note: Depending on the approval from the Galapagos National Park regulations, visit either one of the above islands each day (3 islands covered in total). 

Leave Galapagos Islands for our flight to Panama City, the capital framed by the Pacific Ocean. 

Visit the ruins of Panama la Vieja, remains of the Pacific’s first Spanish city which flourished from the gold and silver from America converging there.  Explore the colonial Casvo Viego (UNESCO World Heritage Site) with its charming streets before going to the modern part of the city. 

The world-famous Panama Canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans is a must-see for visitors to Panama City.  Visit the Miraflores Locks to see the engineering marvel in action.  Witness cargo laden ships squeezing through with inches.  

Pay a visit to an Embera indigenous village, Rivers are integral to the Embera lifestyle which is clearly visible from their staple of fish and plantains.  The Embera carry a strong mission of environmental conservation, and they work hard to minimally impact their surroundings.  

It is time to bid farewell to Latin America and travel home with fond memories of the sights, sounds, and stories we have collected on this incredible journey.