Cycling Colombia

Land only passengers can arrive at the hotel in Bogota this
afternoon/evening.Accommodation: Monserrat Hotel & Spa or similar 

Passengers on our Avianca group flight will have flown overnight and arrive
today in the early hours of the morning. There will be time for a few hours
rest and breakfast before setting out with the tour leader in order to try
out your bike and cycle the car-free streets of Bogota as part of the weekly
'ciclovia' event. Every Sunday large parts of the city are closed to traffic
as residents cycle, jog, walk, roller-skate in a remarkable display of
utilising public space in the interest of leisure and togetherness. You'll
have a chance to see the modern Bogota and also visit a market in the
bohemian neighborhood of Usaquen. This immediate exercise is a great way to
minimise the effects of jetlag! You will have the afternoon at leisure and
we strongly recommend visiting one of the fantastic museums the city has to
offer, which all offer free entrance on Sundays.Accommodation: Monserrat
Hotel & Spa or similar

In the morning we will visit the famous and unique Zipaquira Salt Cathedral,
located inside a commercial salt mine. After the visit we will be driven to
Bogota airport to catch a flight travelling southwest to Cali. From here we
will be driven a short distance (approx. 1 hour 15 minutes) to the town of
Buga where we stay and prepare for the point-to-point riding that will
commence the following morning. Accommodation: Guadalajara Hotel or
similar 

Buga is one of the oldest settlements in the region and an important
religious place for the country as pilgrims flock to visit the Basilica which
contains an image of Christ. Buga is surrounded by sugar cane fields and is
located in close vicinity of the Cauca River. The tour starts out travelling
in a northward direction, staying parallel to the Cauca River as we pass
fields of sugar cane and fruit trees. Along the route we will stop to visit a
sugar cane farm. The vast majority of today's road is fairly flat or with
small undulations, and the route is very scenic thanks to the proximity of
the Andean Western Cordillera and the possibility to see peaks of the Central
Cordillera on a clear day. The temperature in the valley can get very high so
be sure to wear sun cream and stay hydrated. Our destination is the town of
Roldanillo and we will spend the night at a hotel just off the main
plaza.(Ascent: 515m, descent: 530m)Accommodation: Hotel Casa Blanca or
similar 

Another day of cycling on a predominantly flat road which will take us
through beautiful landscapes in preparation for the more mountainous rides in
the days to come. We'll stop for some grape juice along the way and continue
to the hotel on the outskirts of a small town called Cartago for a
refreshing dip in the swimming pool! There maybe some traffic to navigate
after our lunch stop. (Ascent: 381m, descent: 394m) Accommodation: Hotel
Don Gregorio or similar 

The first few kilometres of today's ride are along a flat road leading to an
intersection from where we'll take the first soft climb of the tour heading
south-eastwards to Alcalá and up into coffee plantation region. After
passing Alcalá we’ll have lunch in a village called Quimbaya and continue
through Montenegro. We’ll arrive at the hotel and have the afternoon free
to rest and enjoy the swimming pool and surroundings. In addition to coffee
plantations, the landscape is also home to banana and plantain, bamboo trees
and flowers. A short walk down the road from the hotel there is a coffee
theme park with a viewing platform at the entrance which is definitely worth
a visit.(Ascent: 890m, descent: 530m)Accommodation: Finca La Tata or
similar 

Today we start riding on a fairly flat road surrounded by coffee, banana and
pineapple plantations to the town of La Tebaida. After passing this town,
we’ll stop for a drink break and ride for a short section on a busier
route. At a point called 'La Y' we will deviate and take a secondary road to
enjoy a nice downhill to Rio Verde and then continue onwards to the town of
Buenavista. From Rio Verde there is a challenging steep uphill of about 4km
to get to Buenavista - this is the hardest climb of the tour but very
rewarding. We stop to have lunch in the town of Buenavista, and then there
will be an opportunity to try one of the region's best exported coffee brands
at a wonderful terrace with a beautiful view. After the break, there is still
some climbing to be done but after reaching the top it will all be downhill
back to Rio Verde on a different road. From Rio Verde, you will take the same
road previously ridden to the hotel for the night.(Ascent: 1000m, descent:
1147m) Accommodation: Finca Los Aperos or similar 

Today’s ride is 90% uphill! But don’t worry as it is not too steep. There
is a steady climb after crossing the river all the way up to Boquia (near
Salento), and we may encounter some traffic. Our first stop will be at
the Quindío Botanic Gardens where we will learn about the local flora and
also visit a butterfly farm. Afterwards we will have a coffee experience tour
at Finca La Pradera and have a chance to learn about the process of growing
coffee. We have l here before we ride the last portion of the route involving
a very scenic final downhill to Boquia. The finca for the next two nights is
beautifully situated and is a peaceful place for us to be based. After dinner
some kids from the area will give a folklore performance. (Ascent: 591m,
descent: 282m) Accommodation: El Rancho de Salento or similar 

You may wish to rest today and take a well-earned break from the saddle,
remaining in the surroundings of our beautifully located ranch just outside
of Salento. Alternatively you can opt for a wonderful walk in Cocora Valley
to see the picturesque endemic Wax Palm trees. For those who want to cycle up
to the highest point that we’ll meet on the tour (2410m above sea level),
the ride from the accommodation and up to Cocora involves a 1000m
climb.(Ascent: 1000m, descent: 1000m)Accommodation: El Rancho de Salento or
similar

Today we tackle an initially tough climb out of Boquia and the valley up to
join the main road to take us towards the pretty coffee town of Filandia.
Some traffic maybe expected today. It is claimed that because of its
architecture, landscapes and hospitable nature of the locals, that Filandia
is one of the most charming and attractive towns in the whole of Colombia.
We’ll take a break here before setting off on a beautiful stretch of road
down to Quimbaya and onwards to Alcala for lunch. This stretch from Filandia
to Quimbaya is one of the tour highlights. In the afternoon we continue in
the direction of Pereira and take a left turn before the city in order to
reach Cerritos, our location for the night. (Ascent: 1220m, descent:
1830m)Accommodation: San Antonio del Cerro or similar 

Our penultimate day of cycling has it all. We start off gently with a fun
downhill section leading to the Cauca River from where our route plateaus out
as we are flanked on both sides by sugar cane fields. After lunch at a
roadside restaurant with an adjoining tilapia farm, we follow a branch of the
river northwards (Rio Risaralda). As the road becomes steeper and offers up
spectacular views on our final climb into the highland town of Anserma. The
town’s location on the edge of a mountain makes it completely different
from other places seen on the tour, and several of the streets are too steep
to be cycled so it lends itself to being explored on foot in order to get the
maximum enjoyment! We will have dinner at a local restaurant and there are a
couple of nearby bars to explore afterwards.(Ascent: 955m, descent:
375m)Accommodation: Mirador Santana or similar 

Our last day of cycling is another stunning ride as we navigate some hilly
sections on our way to Risaralda. From here we face a delightful downhill to
cross the Cauca River once more and stop for refreshments in nearby La
Rochela. Afterwards we will climb around 8km to Finca La Romelia, where we
will stop for lunch. You will also get the opportunity to see thousands of
orchids. After lunch you will be transfered to your hotel where you will
spend the last night in Colombia.(Ascent: 874m, descent:
1481m) Accommodation: Hotel Curazao or similar

After breakfast we will transfer by private bus to Pereira airport where the
tour will end and we'll fly back to Bogota in order to connect with
international departure flights. Those who have booked the Cartagena trip
extension will fly via Bogota up to the Carribean Coast.If there is a long
wait at Bogota airport between arriving from Pereira and departing in the
evening, it is possible for the tour leader to organise additional services
for you should you wish. They will be able to organise this locally for a
small charge.