Colombia Undiscovered

A trip through the highlands of Peru, Bolivia & Chile

This is Colombia beyond the postcards.
From vibrant Medellín to misty palm forests, remote Pacific beaches, and hidden natural pools where locals go to cool off. You’ll drink fresh coffee where it’s grown, hike through cloud forests, and discover the wild, lesser-seen side of the country we’ve totally fallen for — without missing the highlights.

  • Slide into natural jacuzzis

  • Enjoy lunch surrounded by the world's highest palm trees

  • Learn about organically grown coffee on a family-owned farm

  • Discover the raw beaches of the Pacific coast

  • Take a boat ride to breathtaking hidden waterfalls

  • See whales in their natural habitat (only between July and September)

  • Climb to the top of a rock allegedly brought by aliens

  • Explore Comuna 13 with a true local still living there

Highlights

Trip Itinerary

Day 1 - Cusco

Today you arrive in Cusco. You'll receive more information on the airport transfer in our WhatsApp group the week before the trip starts. In the evening, we will head out for a Welcome Dinner and get to know the rest of the group.

Included meals: dinner
Included transport: airport transfer
Included activities: welcome dinner

Day 1

Day 2 – Cusco

Once the centre of the Inkan Empire, Cusco is the base for everyone who wants to visit Machu Picchu and in general a city worthwhile exploring. Today, you will have the whole day to acclimatise to the altitude and wander through the ancient streets of Cusco. Make sure to take it slow today. The altitude can be quite demanding for the body. We recommend you drink lots of water and coca tea – the locals swear by it. There are many things to see: the scenic Plaza de Armas, bustling San Pedro Market, and the hip district of San Blas with incredible views of the city.

Included meals: breakfast

Day 2

Day 3 – Aguas Calientes

We will embark on our two-day journey to Machu Picchu. This is going to be an early morning. We will be leaving the hostel at around 6am and take a bus for about 5 hours. After a late breakfast we will take a short taxi and enjoy some hot springs in the middle of lush nature before heading to Hidroeléctrica , where we embark on our 2 hour hike along the train treks to Aguas Calientes. The route is scenic and at some point, you can even see parts of the Machu Picchu ruins. We will arrive in Aguas Calientes in the late afternoon. So you have some time to take a look around, have some dinner and get an early night, as we will get up quite early the following morning.

Included meals: breakfast
Included transport: bus and taxi to Hidroeléctrica
Included activity: hot springs, hike along the train tracks to Aguas Calientes

Day 3

Day 4 – Machu Picchu

Today is the day! We will get up quite early at around 4 am and start our hike up to Machu Picchu. We will arrive at the entrance about at 6 am and enjoy the morning by exploring the UNESCO World Heritage site first by ourselves and during the later morning also with our guide. Shortly before lunchtime, we will make our way back to Aguas Calientes, where you have time for lunch and exploring the town before we take the most scenic train back to Cusco. Be prepared for the views!

Included meals: breakfast
Included transport: train and bus to Cusco
Included activity: Machu Picchu with guide & scenic train ride

Day 4

Day 5 – Cusco

Today is for food lovers! After breakfast, we will be picked up and make our way to a small Quechua community in the Sacred Valley. Some of the women of the community will show us how to prepare Pachamanca an 8000-year-old cooking technique. This barbecue is traditionally used for special occasions, like weddings or big birthday celebrations. Hot rocks are heated up over hours and then potatoes, meat and vegetables are cooked covered with the hot stones. While the stones are doing their magic, we will get to know our hosts and learn about their traditional dresses, how they make the garments and what a day in the life of a Quechua woman looks like. At night we’ll take our first night bus from Cusco and wake up right at the shores of Lake Titicaca. Make sure to bring warm clothes including a hat on the night bus. Those buses are a bit unpredictable and can sometimes get quite cold.

Included meals: breakfast
Included transport: night bus to Puno

Day 5

Day 6 – Lake Titicaca

We'll arrive in Puno early in the morning, and after a warming breakfast, we'll hop onto our boat and make our way to the island of Taquile. There, we'll spend a night in the home of a welcoming local family. But before that, we'll make a stop at the Uros islands, where we'll immerse ourselves in the fascinating lifestyle of the people who reside on these floating islands. Prepare to be amazed by the simplicity and groundedness of the people living on the lake. Their connection with nature is truly inspiring and integral to the life that thrives around Lake Titicaca.

Included meals: breakfast
Included activities: Lake Titicaca boat tour

Day 6

Day 7 – Lake Titicaca

Today we leave after breakfast at around 9am. You can enjoy the quiet morning on the lake before we take the boat back to Puno. After that we’ll hop on a minivan and make our way to the border from where we’ll transfer to La Paz. Not going to lie, this will be a long travel day. But you will be rewarded with scenic views of Lake Titicaca and the sight of the highest capital in the world at night.

Included meals: breakfast
Included transport: boat back to Puno and transport from Puno to La Paz

Day 7

Day 8 – La Paz

Get a first glimpse at this literally breathtaking city – La Paz lies at about 3600m above sea level!  You can take it at your own speed and explore the city. We recommend taking the coolest public transport and explore La Paz by cable car. It is super inexpensive, and the views are mind-blowing. Another thing not to be missed is the witches’ market and the cute shopping streets, where you can make sure to get some souvenirs.

Included meals: breakfast

Day 8

Day 9 – La Paz

You can just stroll around the city and try some Bolivian street food like papa rellena, bread with chorizo and a freshly squeezed orange juice. All super delicious! If you are a foodie, you might also want to check out La Paz’ fine-dining scene. You wouldn’t believe it, but there is plenty. And it is quite affordable. Make sure to eat an early dinner today as we will head to Uyuni via night bus. And again, make sure to bring some warm clothes on the bus!

Included meals: breakfast
Included transport: night bus to Uyuni

Day 9

Day 10 – Uyuni

We arrive in Uyuni quite early. So, our first stop will be breakfast and some much-needed coffee. After breakfast, there is some time to explore the town before we start with our 3-day adventure of the world’s biggest salt flats and the surrounding Andean highlands. On this day of the tour, we will visit the train cemetery and explore the incredibly beautiful salt flats. If the tour is during or at the end of rainy season, we even get the chance to experience the mirror effect. But either way, you will most likely be speechless because of the natural beauty. We have some cool activities on top of that: we will cycle through some part of the salt flats and at the end of the day have some drinks and snacks while watching the most incredible sunset you might ever have seen in your life.

Included meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Included activities: Uyuni Salt Flats tour

Day 10

Day 11 – Uyuni

This will be an early morning, as we head out to the salt flats for sunrise. Make sure to put on some warm clothes, it is really chilly in the morning! After that, we’ll have a stopover at our hotel for breakfast and then hop on our car to drive into the Andean highlands. Here we will see colourful lagoons, pink flamingos, gigantic rock formations and arrive at our very remote sleeping place right in time to jump into the hot springs for sunset!

Included meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Included activities: Uyuni Salt Flats tour

Day 11

Day 12 – Uyuni

Get up early, it will pay off! The sunrise over the lagoon, while sitting in the hot springs, is worth every second of sleep you lose. After breakfast we will head towards the Chilean border to see the Dali desert and explore more lagoons until we exit Bolivia in the middle of the desert and transfer to San Pedro de Atacama to enter into Chile. The rest of the day you are free to explore the town of San Pedro - in the middle of the driest place on earth, the Atacama Desert.

Included meals: breakfast
Included activities: Uyuni Salt Flats tour and transfer to Chile

Day 12

Day 13 – Atacama Desert

This is an active day. In the morning we head out to some really cool salt pools in the middle of the desert. For conservation purposes you cannot always swim in them. We’ll just see how it will be on the day that we visit as rules and regulations can change on very short notice. Nevertheless, we’ll explore the surrounding area and the stunning pools and afterwe head back to San Pedro to relax in the afternoon and maybe take a little nap. Because we will need all our energy at night to go stargazing in one of the best places in the world. As the Atacama Desert is the driest place on earth and has very little light pollution, the stars here are insane!

Included meals: breakfast
Included activities: salt pools and stargazing

Day 13

Day 14 – Atacama Desert

This morning we’ll head out early again and do some exploring. We start by venturing out to some local hot springs, where we can enjoy the morning in between lush nature. After we head back to San Pedro for a well deserved lunch and some relaxation before we head back out in the afternoon and explore Valle de la Luna, a truly peculiar landscape that actually makes you feel like you just went to the moon.

Included meals: breakfast
Included activities: hot springs and Valle de la Luna

Day 14

Day 15 – Atacama Desert

This is goodbye! Today you depart at any time. If you don't leave too early, we can still have breakfast together. We hope you had an incredible two weeks filled with adventures!

Included meals: breakfast
Included transport: airport transfer

Day 15

  • Accommodation

    14 Nights in hostel
    1 Night bus

    Food

    14 breakfasts
    3 lunches
    4 dinners

    Activities

    Welcome & Goodbye Dinner
    Sunset at Monserratte
    Las Gachas natural pools
    Casa Terracotta
    Tejo (traditional local game)
    Tour to the highest palm trees in the world
    Local coffee farm tour
    Sunset boat tour
    Luminous plankton experience
    Waterfall boat tour
    Kayaking & Stand up paddle board
    El Peñol (entrance fee)
    Comuna 13 guided tour

    Transport

    Airport transfers
    All transport between cities and to and from activities.

  • International Flights
    Visa fees (If you require a visa for Colombia)
    Any meals not mentioned in the included section
    Any activities not mentioned in the itinerary
    Personal expenses
    Travel Insurance

Next Dates

Sat 16 Aug 2025 Wed 27 Aug 2025 Sold Out £1830 / $2330

Sat 29 Aug 2026 Sat 12 Sep 2026 9 Spots Available £1830 / $2330

  • Can I sign up as a solo traveller?
    Of course! You can sign up for our trips whether you are solo or with a group of friends. Our groups are a mix of open-minded people, who usually become friends within a second.

    Does the tour include flights?
    As people will join our tour from different parts of the world, we decided it is easier to not include the flights in the tour. We are happy to help you find the best flight deal for your trip. Just let us know in the notes section, when booking the tour and we will get in touch with you to help you find your flights. In general, we usually use Skyscanner to find the best deals.

    If my flight has a layover in the USA or Canada, do I need a visa?
    US: Even when transiting through the US, you still need ESTA. Make sure to apply in advance as it may take up to 72 hours for the application to be processed. Check the official ESTA website for more information: https://esta-center.com/en/transit/index.html

    Canada: For Canada you don’t need to apply for the normal visa, but will need a certain kind of transit visa depending on your country of origin. Check for more information here: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/transit.html

    Do I need to purchase travel insurance before the trip?
    Yes, it is obligatory for everyone who joins us to have travel insurance before departing. We can help you find the right travel insurance for you. Just contact us via Email or WhatsApp.

    Airport transfers: how does it work?
    When you book your flight, let us know your flight number and the time you arrive as soon as possible. That way we can stay on track for any delays of your flight. When you arrive at the destination airport, one of us will be there to welcome you and bring you to the car that will take you to the hostel. At the hostel, there will also be one of us to help you with the check-in.

    What type of luggage should I bring?
    To make the trip easier for you, a backpack or duffle bag is a must. We are heading to some quite remote locations, where access with rolling suitcases is quite hard. Think of minivans with little space, 4x4s, motos or even boats. Ideally, this bag shouldn't be bigger than 40l, which is also hand luggage size and will save you some money on your flight to the destinations.

    Is it a tiring trip?
    We guess you know you are not signing up for a two-week spa holiday with us. This trip in Colombia's central region and the Pacific coast, has a couple of longer bus journeys, for example between Salento and Buenaventura or between Buenaventura and Medellín. But we promise: every long bus is totally worth the journey! Apart from that, you'll be calmly enjoying every second of this little hidden piece of paradise on earth.

    How is the accommodation throughout the trip?
    We are going to stay at hostels because of the more social atmosphere. Unless you book private accommodation, you will be in a 6-bed dorm with mainly private bathrooms and only with people from our group. (The room capacity may differ depending of the place we're staying at). If you want to know more about the accommodation, just contact us via Email or WhatsApp.

    Can you provide me with a list of the hostels we will be staying at?
    Sure, just get in touch via Email or WhatsApp and we can send you a list of the hostels. In very rare cases it might happen though that we will stay in another hostel. If you wish, we can also inform you about any changes, if they come up.

    Is Colombia a safe country?
    Colombia is a safe country to travel. As everywhere in the world it is important that you take the usual safety precautions. Especially in bigger cities, as there is always the risk of pickpocketing.

    Can I drink the tap water?
    In big cities like Medellín and Bogotá tap water is perfectly safe and drinkable. In smaller towns it depends and you are best to ask the local staff in the hostel. Around the Pacific coast it is advisable not to drink the tap water at all.

    What should I pack?
    To make it easier for you to know what to bring, we have put together a packing list for this trip here.

    In case you have further questions don’t hesitate to contact us via Email or WhatsApp.