Amazing Columbia

Hi Julie, thanks for another wonderful trip. Karen and I both agree that the trip exceeded all expectations.  First off, we ALWAYS felt safe even when walking to restaurants at night. The guides were excellent and we learned so much about the history, culture, wildlife, etc. I think I even understand 100 years of solitude. 
 
All the hotels were excellent. We loved Medellin, particularly Comuna 13, the gondola ride over the poorer sections and Botero works. Such extremes of poverty and wealth.
 
Guatape was fun with the view from the rock and the zocalos. On the way to Jardin the guide took us to his ranch for a home cooked breakfast and horseback riding. Jardin is a real gem – like Guatape and Solento but with virtually no tourists (we saw maybe 6 other tourists). The hikes to both waterfalls were enjoyable but we are still sore from the steep slippery slopes. I got to see my Andean Cock of the Rock red bird. 
 
The drive from Jardin to Solento was an adventure worth taking with lots of birds (we saw over 100 different species) and interesting little towns. My favorite was the Cocora Valley with the wax palms ( and more birds). 
 
I think we lucked out on the weather, we were worried when the forecast said 95% chance of rain every day, but we found out that meant a 30 minute shower in the late afternoon. So we really only had 1 hour of rain the entire time when we were outside. Colombia is worth visiting, I would encourage it. 

— George & Karen
February 2026