Cartagena To Rio (19 Weeks) Kingdoms & Carnivals

A highlight of any trip to Colombia is undoubtedly Cartagena. With its colonial past and Unesco World Heritage status, the old city is an ideal place to just wander the maze of cobbled alleys amongst churches, monasteries, plazas and bougainvillea draped balconies. Las Murallas, the thick walls built around the old city to protect it from pirates, are wonderfully preserved and make for an interesting walk, before stopping off in one of the hidden patio cafes. We spend our first night here to get a flavour of both the old city and also the trendy area of Bocagrande. We will also include a boat trip to Playa Blanca, which is one of Cartagenas most famous beaches with its turquoise waters and golden sand.
We then set off in the Truck heading eastbound with a quick dip in Volcan de Lodo el Totumo before we continue to Taganga where we spend a night in this chilled out Caribbean town with a strong alternative feel. Some of South America's loveliest coastline lies east of Taganga in Tayrona National Park. We spend time exploring trails to beaches set in deep bays, shaded by coconut palms. We have the option to snorkel and possibly scuba dive in some of the bays. Lack of roads means that we may hike with some of our gear to our overnight spots and sleep in hammocks!