Highlights of Colombia photo tour

What an absolutely fantastic trip to Colombia with Christopher….loved it!  It was one of those trips where all I could do was smile at all the wonderful things we saw and did! 
ANN B., JIM CLINE PHOTO TOURS, COLOMBIA 2023

Colombia is trending as a hot new travel destination now that peace prevails and the country has turned its back on past travails. There’s never been a better time to visit this scenically stunning, culturally diverse, and simply fascinating country. And few people know Colombia as well as renowned travel journalist Christopher P. Baker--the Lowell Thomas Award 2008 'Travel Journalist of the Year.' Chris has designed a sensational itinerary based on his many magazine stories on Colombia, plus five months in Colombia on assignment to write and photograph the National Geographic Traveler Colombia guidebook. Chris leads this tour on behalf of Jim Cline Photo Tours.

We’ll begin in Bogotá, the vibrant capital, where we’ll explore the colonial-era and administrative heart of La Candelaria, plus the colorful Paloquemao fruit and flower market. Then we’ll be wowed by a visit to a paso fino horse stable plus the world-famous Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá. A highlight will be our two full days in coffee country, where we base ourselves at a colonial-era coffee estate and focus our cameras in the lovely villages of Jardín and Jericó--each a "pueblo patrimonial" (National Heritage Site). 

Next, our three days in exciting Medellín include a visit to a formerly dangerous and impoverished comuna that is now visitor-friendly and offers sensational photographic opportunities. Plus, we’ll visit a flower farm in advance of the world-renowned Fería de Flores (Flower Festival). We end in Cartagena, where the boundless photo ops include colorfully-dressed palenqueras and colonial houses adorned with bougainvillea and tropical ice cream pastels, plus the earthy and über-photogenic Bazurto market. Finally, we'll journey to San Basilio de Palenque, a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage site.

ITINERARY (subject to change)

Day 1: Saturday
All participants arrive and settle into our hotel in Bogotá. Meet with Christopher in the evening for orientation and slide show, followed by a welcome dinner at El Son de Los Grillos. (If you arrive early for the tour, you can explore the Museo de Oro Precolumbino, or “Gold Museum,” displaying the world’s largest collection of pre-Columbian gold; it is closed on Mondays.)
Overnight: HOTEL LA OPERA

Day 2: Sunday
We begin with an early start to visit the colorful market known as Paloquemao. Founded in 1947, the market offers one of the most authentic experiences you can have in Bogotá. The photo opportunities are endless, notably of its outside flower section. We’ll then head to the nearby Puente Aranda Distrito ‘Graffiti District,’ to photograph street art that is supported by the Mayor's Office of Bogotá. After lunch at the Botero Museum, we’ll have time to admire Fernando Botero’s astounding “exaggerated” sculptures and paintings before exploring the colonial neighborhood of La Candelaria on a guided “Graffiti Tour,” focused on Bogotá’s amazing street art. Time and weather permitting, we might head to Bogotá’s highest skyscraper, the Torre Colpatria, to photograph the city from the rooftop into the “blue hour.” This evening enjoy a delicious three-course meal together at La Bruja.  
Overnight: HOTEL LA OPERA

Day 3: Monday
This morning we’ll journey beyond Bogotá to Zipaquirá, where we’ll visit the underground Roman Catholic church (unofficial) known as the Salt Cathedral. Considered one of the most notable achievements of Colombian architecture, the cathedral lies within the tunnels of a salt mine 200 meters underground. We’ll see and photograph icons, ornaments and architectural details hand carved in the halite rock. We then enjoy a traditional bandeja paisa platter lunch at Andres Carne del Res, a vast, vibrant, and astoundingly photogenic restaurant with themed actors and festooned with eclectic adornments. This afternoon we’ll return to Bogotá, stopping first at a breeding center for Colombia’s unique Paso Fino horses in Tenjo. We hope to arrive back in Bogotá in time to take a cable car to Monserrate hill for sunset photos.
Overnight: HOTEL LA OPERA

Day 4: Tuesday
Today we’ll fly from Bogotá to Periera, from where we’ll transfer to Hacienda Venecia, a venerable coffee-estate where we'll overnight after an introduction to (and opportunity to photograph) coffee production. The hacienda is extremely photograph, and the expansive estate offers tremendous opportunities for hiking and for photographing birdlife. Of course, don’t forget to schedule time—lots of time!—for a lengthy o utdoor snooze in a hammock!
Overnight: HACIENDA VENECIA

Day 5: Wednesday
Today we drive through the mountainous Eje Cafetera--Coffee Country--to Jardín, considered by many to be the most exquisite of Colombia's colonial-era mountain villages. We’ll settle into our hotel in the heart of this colorful and vibrant colonial hill-town, with its many Willys Jeeps, gaily-colored chiva buses, and geranium-adorned filigreed balconies and traditional street life. And we’ll want to photograph the local farmers as they ride into town on their horses during the “golden hour” to socialize in the main plaza.
Overnight: WJ BOUTIQUE HOTEL

Day 6: Thursday
This morning is a good day for a dawn photoshoot as the town comes to life. After breakfast we depart for the short mountain drive to Jericó, another delightful and perfectly preserved pueblo patrimonal, known as the center for the production of carrieles (traditional, intricately adorned leather Antioquian purses). Here we’ll visit a leather workshop to photograph carrieles being handcrafted. We’ll then drive down the mountain to Medellín.
Overnight: HOTEL PARQUE 10

Day 7: Friday
This morning we’ll take a guided walking tour of downtown, including Plaza Botero, with its remarkable Botero statues, and Plaza Alpujarra, for its contemporary architecture. There’ll be plenty of street photography ops as we stroll between the two plazas. The afternoon is free to relax, or to explore Medellín at leisure.
Overnight: HOTEL PARQUE 10

Day 8: Saturday
We begin with an early morning Metro-Cable tram ride over the Santo Domingo shantytown to Comuna 1 (“Popular”) and Comuna 3 (“Manrique”), once-dangerous barrios and drug-cartel and paramilitary fiefdoms brought back from the abyss by bold revitalization. We’ll engage with locals and achieve some astounding photography as we explore, guided by guides from the local Klan Ghetto Popular (KGP) youth collective. We’ll photograph the neighborhood’s graffiti and murals as our guides share their stories of growing up in Medellín—and how art has played a pivotal role in reshaping their city, and their own futures, for the better. From here, we’ll continue uphill on the Metro-Cable to Parque Avri, from where we’ll drive into the hills south of town to visit a flower farm in Santa Elena—a chance to photograph farmers putting the finishing touches to their silletas—flower arrangements—for the following week's flower festival parade.
Overnight: HOTEL PARQUE 10

Day 9: Sunday
Our group will transfer to the airport to fly from Medellín to the coastal colonial city of Cartagena. After lunch and a siesta, we’ll take a guided walking tour around the historic walled city, offering great street photography amid the vibrant street life and colonial architecture. We end with a late afternoon “golden hour” private photo shoot with palenqueras—female Afro-Colombian fruit-sellers dressed in traditional rainbow-hued costumes.
Overnight: HOTEL CAPELLAN

Day 10: Monday
After an early breakfast, we’ll head out of town to UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Site of San Basilio de la Palenque. This village was founded in the 17^th-century by runaway slaves and retains an exclusively African-heritage population that clings proudly to ancestral traditions. We’ll roam the community with a local guide, with visits that might include the Batata drumming school and with local families. After a siesta, we’ll take advantage of the late afternoon light with another photo walk in the Casco Histórico to check off some of the iconic photo venues me may have missed, such as Calle 36 (Calle de Don Sancho, with its picture-perfect perspective of the Catedral de Santa Catalina) and the endlessly photogenic streets immediately southwest of Plaza de San Diego. We’ll end with sunset vistas over the city as we enjoy rooftop sundowner cocktails atop La Movich hotel.
Overnight: HOTEL CAPELLAN

Day 11: Tuesday
This morning we’ll journey outside the walled city to visit the authentically untouristed and astonishing Bazurto open-air fruit, meat and fish market. Superb photography here! We’ll then make enjoy more street photography on a walking tour in Getsemani, with its vibrant street art centered around Plaza de la Trinidad, and the “umbrella streets” of Calle de la Magdalena and Callejón Angosto, plus Calle 29 for kites and Calle de la Sierpe for flags. The afternoon is free for you to enjoy at your leisure. This evening we’ll close with a presentation of everyone’s favorite images, then enjoy a farewell dinner together at Marea harborfront restaurant.
Overnight: HOTEL CAPELLAN

Day 12: Wednesday
This morning we’ll transfer participants to the airport to connect with their flights home.