colombia schedule & budget
DESCRIPTION
Dates: Aug 8-Aug 20 - You fly out Aug 8th and arrive on Aug 9th. There are two options for booking flights, see pdf "Day One". Locations: Cartagena - Mucura Island - Bogota - Medellin Cost: $1350 (including food, drink, sleep, activities, transport -- NO AIRFAIRE). Budget breakdown in the back of the pdf. Details: To plan the schedule, I talked with the second year who planned last years GSB South America trip (which included Columbia) and picked the best of the trip and then added some spice of my own (based off of recommendations from friends, etc.) We are open to moving some things around if people have suggestions as nothing is 100% booked yet. Just email me [email protected]TRANSCRIPT
Mon, August 16: Bus to Medellin (4)
Sat, August 14: Fly to Bogota (3)
Getting Crazy in ColombiaLocations: Cartagena – Mucura Island –Bogota – MedellinDates: August 8th – 20th
Cost: $1,350/person (all-inclusive, w/o airfare)
Schedule:
Mon, August 9: Arrive in Cartagena (1)
Tues, August 10: Tour Cartagena
Wed, August 11: Fly to Mucura Island (2)
Thurs, August 12: Chillin in Mucura Island
Fri, August 13: Chillin in Mucura Island
Sun, August 15: Bogota Sunday Funday
Tues, August 17: Tour Piedra de Penol
Wed, August 18: Guatape Houseboating
Thurs, August 19: Fly to Bogota
(1)
(2)
(4)
(3)
Fri, August 19: Fly home
Date: August 9th (Monday)
Schedule: Arrive in Cartagena
Details: • Everyone responsible for getting to the hotel, then we rendez-vous for a group dinner. Quick FYI on
flights, two options: (1) Fly in to Cartagena and out Bogota w/ one-way in-country from Cartagena to Bogota on Aug 14th. (2) Roundtrip to Bogota w/ an in-country roundtrip to Cartagena from Bogota (in Aug 9th/out Aug 14th). It will make more sense once you check out the schedule.
• Hotel – Renting a house on the water. Exact location TBD, but there are tons of these – all look amazing. http://www.vacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/Cartagena-Colombia.html
• Dinner – La Vitrola http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g297476-d779934-Reviews-La_Vitrola-Cartagena.html
Pictures:
Cartagena Airport
Downtown Cartagena
Day 1
Cost: $45/person
Cartagena Beaches
Date: August 10th (Tuesday)
Schedule: Tour Cartagena
Details: • Free reign on exploring the city or beaches as you please. For ideas on tourists sites, check out:
http://www.cartagenainfo.net/glenndavid/things.html• Hotel – Same as previous• Dinner – La Cevicheria http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g297476-d1161396-Reviews-
La_Cevicheria-Cartagena.html
Pictures:
San Felipe de Barajas “Infamous” Chiva Tour
Day 2
Cost: $65/person
Beach-side
Street-side
Date: August 11th (Wednesday)
Schedule: Fly to Mucura Island
Details: • Fly to Punto Faro Resort on Mucura Island. Last year’s GSB group stayed here and absolutely loved it.
It’s an all inclusive resort (minus alcohol).• Hotel – Hotel Punta Faro www.puntofara.com• Dinner – Group dinner arranged by the resort Pictures: (No these are not fake!!!)
Along the shoreline
Amazing beaches
Day 3
Picturesque setting
Cost: $110/person
Date: August 12th (Thursday)
Schedule: Chillin in Mucura Island
Details: • Day to hang out. There are numerous activities - snorkeling, sailing, kayaking, boating and diving
(center has a certified Padi diving center), bicycling, jogging, volleyball, football, crocket, ecological walks around the island, etc.
• Hotel – Hotel Punta Faro www.puntofara.com• Dinner – Group BBQ arranged by the resort Pictures:
Snorkeling
Volleyball
Kayaking
Day 4
Cost: $100/person
Date: August 13th (Friday)
Schedule: Chillin in Mucura Island
Details: • Day to hang out. There are numerous activities - snorkeling, sailing, kayaking, boating and
diving (center has a certified Padi diving center), bicycling, jogging, volleyball, football, crocket, ecological walks around the island, etc.
• Hotel – Hotel Punta Faro www.puntofara.com• Dinner – Group BBQ arranged by the resort Pictures:
Scuba-diving
Boating
Day 5
Day Excursions
Cost: $100/person
Date: August 14th (Saturday)
Schedule: Fly to Bogota
Details: • The nightlife – especially on the weekends – is unbelievable in Bogota. On Day 6, we will be hitting
the club scene. There are a bunch of clubs in many different districts (Le Parque de la 36 is supposed to be the place to go), so we can jump around. See: http://www.bogotatravelguide.com/where-to-club-in-bogota.php
• Hotel – Hotel Casona del Patio http://www.lacasonadelpatio.net/02_english/home-english.html /• Dinner – TBDPictures:
City landscape
Local drinks of choice
Day 6
Up in da club
Cost: $290/person
Date: August 15th (Sunday)
Schedule: Bogota Sunday Funday
Details: • Head to the Salt Cathedral and then off to Andres Carne de Res for the best evening of your life. Last
years class said it was “the best place they visited in Colombia” and trip advisor bloggers said they would “fly back to Bogota just to go again for one night.” Here’s the low down: restaurant/nightclub that goes from 3pm-3am. Great food; great music. See:http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g815502-d939879-r55376979-Andres_Carne_de_Res-Chia.html
• Hotel – Hotel Casona del Patio http://www.lacasonadelpatio.net/02_english/home-english.html /• Dinner – Andres Carne de Res
Pictures:
Day 7
View from inside Salt Cathedral
Yes, it glowing; No, I don’t know why
Andres Carne de Res (AKA – Heaven)
Cost: $162/person
Pictures:
Day 8Date: August 16th (Monday)
Schedule: Fly to Medellin
Details: • Fly out in the late am. Airfare is reasonable (about $150-$200/ticket) and much easier on the body
after the ridiculous hangover. We are busing on way home to conserve cash. There are some great recommendations on ways to spend the day/evening in Medellin like the trolley (best views by taking J-Line to Aurora Station on end of the B-Line to San Javier) and visit to Pueblito Paisa (Antioquian town built at the top of the 80m-tall hill - Cerro Nutibara.)
• Hotel – http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g297478-d657144-Reviews-Hotel_Poblado_Alejandria-Medellin.html
• Dinner – TBD
Pictures:
Trolley rides around city day/night
Hike to Pueblito Paisa
Visit Jardin Botanico
Cost: $59/person
Date: August 17th (Tuesday)
Schedule: Tour Piedra de Penol (option to tour longer in Medellin)
Details: • El Penol is a large free standing rock in the middle of a picturesque countryside about an hour from
Medellin, Colombia. The road to get there a bit curvy so be prepared to get sick if you are prone tothat type of thing. There is a hike to the summit which offers amazing views of Medellin. We can alsosnag a canoe tour around the reservoir on a “launcha”, if desired. Our whole group will meet up inGuatape in the evening ( 1 hour outside Medellin), where we will stay that evening.
• Hotel – Lakeside house rental: http://www.checkoutcolombia.com/guatapeing.html• Dinner – TBD
Pictures:
Day 9
View from the bottom
View from the top
Our sweet pad in Guatape
Cost: $59/person
Date: August 18th (Wednesday)
Schedule: : Guatape Houseboating
Details: • Guatapé is about 4km from Piedra de Penol and about 1.5 hours from Medellin. Its known as the
“hidden gem” of Medellin. The colorful village is known for their Zócolo frescos on all the buildings,cobblestone streets, and house-boating (yes, I said house-boating). The town is lake front, witheverything to offer ( wave runner/watercraft rental/ziplines/party barges/ porch front cafes/etc).
• Hotel – Lakeside house rental: http://www.checkoutcolombia.com/guatapeing.html• Dinner – TBD
Day 10
Aerial view of Guatape
Houseboating action
Cobblestone streets
Pictures:
Cost: $41/person
Date: August 19th (Thursday)
Schedule: Bus to Bogota
Details:• We will be heading back to Bogota via bus. The bus ride is about 8hrs, but the price is right ($25) and
the “bus experience” is something we can’t leave Colombia without doing. We should get intoBogota in the early evening, assuming we take one of the early morning bus.
• Hotel – Hotel Casona del Patio http://www.lacasonadelpatio.net/02_english/home-english.html /• Dinner – TBD
Pictures:
Day 11
It can’t be that bad, right? Views from the bus
Almost romantic!
Cost: $110/person
Date: August 20th (Thursday)
Schedule: Fly out from Bogota
Details: • This is our final hurrah. Bogota is your oyster until the flight home. Safe travels!
Pictures:
Day 12
In the words of our friends from the sound of music: “So long, farewell…”
Cost: $25/person
Budget BreakdownDay 1: Arrive in Cartagena ($45)Food: $20.00 Half day
Housing: $25.00 House/Condo Rental - Condo sleeps 6 at 100-150/night or house sleeps 10-20 for $500-$1000/night. Estimating
about $25/person/night (most likley will be cheaper.
Acitivities: $0.00
Total: $45.00
Day 2: Tour Cartagena ($65)Food: $40.00 Full day
Housing: $25.00 Same as previous
Acitivities: $0.00 Activities are on your own; Maybe small costs for renting water equipment (surf boards, wave runners, etc.)
Total: $65.00
Day 3: Boat to Mucura Island ($110)Food: $25.00 Food is all-inclusive, but need to add for alcohol
Housing: $75.00 Punta Faro Hotel (all-inclusive)
Acitivities: $10.00 Boat to Mucura Island
Total: $110.00
Day 4: Chillin in Mucura Island ($100)Food: $25.00 Food is all-inclusive, but need to add for alcohol
Housing: $75.00 Punta Faro Hotel (all-inclusive)
Acitivities: $0.00
Total: $100.00
Day 5: Chillin in Mucura Island ($100)Food: $25.00 Food is all-inclusive, but need to add for alcohol
Housing: $75.00 Punta Faro Hotel (all-inclusive)
Acitivities: $0.00
Total: $100.00
Day 6: Fly to Bogota ($290)Food: $50.00 Half day + Alcohol
Housing: $30.00 Hotel Casona del Patio ($109/3 person)
Acitivities: $210.00 Boat ride off the island ($10); Bogota flight ($200); Club Admission ($10)
Total: $290.00
Budget Breakdown (Cont’d)Day 7: Bogota Sunday Funday ($162)Food: $120.00 Half day + Andres Carne de Res ($100)
Housing: $30.00 Hotel Casona del Patio ($109/3 person)
Acitivities: $12.00 AdmissionFee ($7), Bus Transport ($5)
Total: $162.00
Day 8: Fly to Medellin ($240)Food: $40.00 Full day
Housing: $25.00 Hotel Pobledado ($100/ 4 persons)
Acitivities: $175.00 Flight to Medellin ($175.00)
Total: $240.00
Day 9: Tour Piedra de Penol ($59)Food: $40.00 Full day
Housing: $10.00 Staying in Guatape. Found an amazing place that is $150/night and sleeps 16 people
Acitivities: $9.00 Admission Fee ($4), Bus Transport ($5)
Total: $59.00
Day 10: Guatape Houseboating ($41)Food: $25.00 Full day (Food is much cheaper in Guatape)
Housing: $10.00 Same place as night before
Acitivities: $6.00 large houseboats cost about $5/person (transport) and $2/person (alcohol)
Total: $41.00
Day 11: Bus to Bogota ($110)Food: $40.00 Full day
Housing: $30.00 Hotel Casona del Patio ($109/3 person)
Acitivities: $40.00 Bus from Medellin to Bogota ($50)
Total: $110.00
Day 12: Fly home ($25)Food: $20.00 Half day
Housing: $0.00
Acitivities: $5.00 Cab (to airport)
Total: $25.00