18 Nov 2024
I put together my own 4 week trip to Colombia and Peru using Viator to knit together local tours: Villavicencio, Bogota, Cartagena, and Medellin in Colombia. Cusco and Machu Picchu in Peru.
Although I was solo, I was always with a group or in a guided solo tour. The selections offered by Viator were terrific. I booked my own air travel and hotels. Often the tours picked me up at the hotel or I took an Uber or taxi to the meetup point.
Here are the key tour destinations, all of which I highly recommend:
Villavicencio - Los Ocarios Bioparque. Rescue sancuary of area wildlife. I only went to Villavicencio because I was visiting friends. It would not otherwise be on my itinerary.
Bogota - Montserrat above the city via gondola, Guatavita, Salt Cathedral, the Gold Museum. These were excellent tours. The Gold Museum was through the museum tour guide staff who spoke English. Wonderful museum. I was truly impressed.
Cartagena - 5 island all day (14 hours) boat tour, Walled City & San Felipe Castle (the fortress), walking tour of Getsemani and old town. Cartagena is extremely hot and humid. I had a wonderful time, but if I return to Colombia, I would not include Cartagena on my next trip due to heat and humidity.
Medellin - private tour of the Pablo Escobar history, group tour to Piedra de Peñol and Guatape village and lake boat tour, lots of little places along the way. Medellin is by far my favorite city so far. The climate at 4,000 ft elevation is very comfortable. My choice to go to Piedra de Penal and Guatape was because of a friend's recommendation. I highly recommend it.
Lima overnight. Then to Cusco.
Cusco: private tour of 4 local ruins (half day tour) and the llama rescue, small group tour excursion by van to Ollataytambo to tour ruins and to board the vista dome train to Aguas Calientes, launching place for tour of Machu Picchu. This two day tour from Cusco to Ollataytambo and Machu Picchu was more spectacular than expected.