John Faithfull
Colombia is a firm Latin favourite with John, who’s most memorable moment in the country included an exhausting hike through the wild (and lawless) Darien Gap with The Times journalist Martin Fletcher.
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The world’s highest coastal mountain range, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, trails dramatically through Colombia and unfurls towards the Caribbean Sean where it sets a majestic backdrop to Santa Marta.
Originally founded in 1525 by Spanish conquistador Rodrigo de Bastidas, Santa Marta was used as a base from which to colonise other regions in the area. The city also marks the final days of Simon Bolivar who died penniless at the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, a 17th century hacienda southeast of this sheltered harbour.
Combine a host of Colombia’s cultural highlights, spending time in vibrant cities, peaceful mountain villages and fertile coffee growing valleys, topped off with time on the coast.
This Colombian adventure unveils some of the nation’s most offbeat locations, while still taking time to privately tour the galleries and architectural highlights of the cosmopolitan capital.
An extraordinary trip for intrepid visitors to “the gateway to South America”, it traverses both the Amazon Rainforest and the Guajira Peninsula.
Serving today as the Caribbean’s third major commercial port, much of the city’s original colonial grandeur is shrouded amongst scores of contemporary structures, many erected on the wealth of its thriving tourist economy. Long sandy beaches and a tropical climate coupled with its charming Caribbean ambience make Santa Marta a popular resort destination.
For a truly memorable experience, trek for five days into the densely forested slopes of the Sierra Nevada and discover the Lost City of Ciudad Perdida. Etched onto the steep slopes of Cerro Corea and overlooking the Rio Buritica, Ciudad Perdita is the largest pre-Colombian citadel discovered in the Americas, providing a remarkable glimpse into early Tayrona culture.
Heading east from Santa Marta, visitors will find the village of Taganga, a good place to organise scuba diving trips. Continue on to the beautiful Tayrona National Park with its jungle clad mountains and palm fringed beaches making this an idyllic spot. Trekkers will be eager to explore the virgin rainforest beyond for chance encounters with its exotic wildlife and the opportunity to discover further remains of ancient Tayrona settlements, such as Pueblito.
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