9-10 day Colombia multi-generational trip
 

Dear fellow Fodorites:
I am planning a 9 or 10 day trip to Colombia for a multi-generational group in early March: Husband/me + 2 boys (11,13) - my family unit is very active -- + 2 grandparents (grandpa is in 80s and a bit slow walking but keen to come).

I am thinking of one of the following itineraries and looking for input. If we do some shorter hikes with the kids (not more than 5 miles), we would likely have the grandparents do an alternate activity.

OPTION 1:
Bogota - coffee region (Salento or Bambusa) - Cartagena
3 nights in each location
Salento - working coffee farm, hike in Cocora valley for younger set
Cartagena - day trip to Rosario islands
Note: might do 2 nights in Bogota and add a night to Cartagena w/side trips to islands

OPTION 2;
Medellin - Santa Marta - Cartagena
3 nights in each location
Day trip to Guatape [Jardin too far?]
Cartagena - day trip to Rosario islands
Santa Marta: Tayronaka + River Don Diego
[one downside to this trip is the length of the drive from Santa Marta to Cartagena]

Regardless of which option we take, I would want to take the kids to a functioning coffee farm so that they can learn about how coffee is harvested and processed.
Given length of trip, prefer short flights to long road trips.

Would welcome any thoughts about which itinerary might be best fit for multi-generational group. Also, any 'must do' items would be greatly appreciated.
Need to act quickly to book flights and hotels . . .
Thanks, in advance!

Musetta

if it were me, I would go with Option 1. Partly because I preferred Bogota to Medellin and we loved Salento esp. the Cocora valley. also visited a coffee farm there.

Some details and photos on our blog @ https://accidentalnomads.com/category/colombia/

Didn’t make it to the islands or Tayrona - too busy enjoying Cartagena - will have to return!

Musetta -

We are doing a trip in April similar to your OPTION 2. We are a family of five (2 adults and 3 young kids - ages 5 ,8, & 10) flying into Medellin and flying out of Barranquilla. We'll do 4 nights in Medellin (one of those in Guatape) and 4 nights near Santa Marta (Tayrona and Minca).

I've been finding it difficult to find info on taxis that will fit all of us. Most places I've talked with online have said we'd need to book 2 taxis. Have you looked into transportation for all of you yet? If so, have you found this to be the case for your crew?

I've seen that there are coffee farms in Minca if you decide to do option 2 and still want to see a working farm.

In Medellin I plan on taking the kids to Parque Explora, Communa 13, Plaza Botero, going on the metrocable. Any other suggestions that you've come across.

We also plan on hiking the rock in Guatape, hiking to the beach in Tayrona, and hopefully doing some swimming on the coast.