Our Team 
Our Tour Experts 
Heroes and Heroines 
Where to Stay
Every captivating tailor-made itinerary needs a perfect base. Our team has handpicked this collection of properties to give you luxury options in styles to suit any adventure.
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![Amy Waters snow biking]()
Our Team Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
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![William Dalrymple]()
Our Tour Experts We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
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![Liz Bonnin]()
Heroes and Heroines The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.
Cartagena
Founded in 1533 by the Spanish conquistadores, Cartagena de Indias, the queen of the Caribbean coast, became one of the most important ports in South America, where much of the plundered jewels and gold from the continent was shipped to Spain, the mother country.
The essence of Cartagena’s old city is immortalised behind the robust fortresses and thick walls constructed to defend it from pirates and plunderers alike during the 17th century. It has now become one of Latin America’s great cities, well known for its friendly people and vibrant nightlife. It is a captivating city crammed with enough restaurants, museums, galleries and colonial churches to willingly lose time over.
Itinerary Suggestion
Highlights of Colombia & Sail Rosario Islands
This journey through Colombia takes in a host of the nation’s highlights, from the grand colonial churches and street art of Bogota to the UNESCO World Heritage city and coffee-growing regions of Cartagena.
With just a sprinkling of internal flights and some indulgent nights spent aboard a privately chartered yacht exploring the turquoise waters of the Rosario Islands, this is a beyond the ordinary way to experience the “gateway to South America“.
Itinerary Suggestion
Off-the-Beaten-Track in Colombia
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.
A little more about Cartagena
Board a horse and carriage or wander aimlessly through the Puerta del Reloj, the old entrance to the city, and along the narrow cobblestone streets flanked by well-preserved colonial mansions and their overhanging flower-filled balconies. Sample delicious sweet delicacies sold along Portal de los Dulces and explore the beautiful yet grisly Palacio de la Inquisicion (Palace of the Inquisition). Taste tropical fruit juices on the Plaza de Santo Domingo and contemplate the twisted bell tower that looms above the city’s oldest church, Santo Domingo, which according to local folklore was sabotaged by the devil.
Experiences
What do you really love doing? We’ll tailor your itinerary to suit you.
Meet our experts
A passion for travel runs right through every one of our experts - meaning they're always ready with first-hand insight about their specialist countries.
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.
Talk with our experts
- 1 740 4000644
Start planning your trip
Bogota
Bogota is a vibrant and cosmopolitan capital city, 2,640 metres above sea level and brimming with architectural contrasts.
Coffee Region
The Coffee Region, also known as La Zona Cafetera or Coffee Triangle, is a beautiful region of Colombia which lies between the…
Colombian Amazon
The Colombian Amazon accounts for almost a third of the country’s land mass and is located in the south east of the…
Guajira Peninsula
Spanning an area of more than 20,000km², the peninsula is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north and Venezuela to the…
San Agustin
San Agustin enjoys a wealth of history and incredible archaeological sites, and should certainly be considered amongst Latin America's most important historical…
San Andres and Providencia Islands
Just over 800 kilometres northwest of Colombia’s Caribbean coast and only 150 kilometres east of Nicaragua lies a series of idyllic islets…
Santa Marta and Tayrona National Park
The world’s highest coastal mountain range, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, trails dramatically through Colombia and unfurls towards the Caribbean Sea…
Why Choose Steppes?
Our knowledge and expertise set us apart. So too our curiosity. It is this that drives us to create a journey that is really bespoke to you, all the while ensuring we travel and operate sustainably.
Are you ready to discover extraordinary once again?
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