Overview

Dissected by voluminous rivers carving valleys through rugged Andean ranges to marshy outlets to the Caribbean Sea, Colombia’s interior has always presented challenges to the traveller. River craft routes have now in many places been superseded by road and air networks, but both along the banks of the River Magdalena and along the mountain roads towards the Venezuelan border are a string of long forgotten colonial towns of great architectural beauty and a lazy lifestyle. Some of these, such as Villa de Leyva, Honda, Barichara and the river port of Mompós have become popular weekend spots.

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Holidays Colombia’s heartland

From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.

Guatape

Group - Classic

Colombia

Chachalaca: Colombia’s Colonial and Coffee Culture

14 days from £3,864pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

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Private Journeys

Colombia

Self-drive Colombia: Exploring the coffee region and beyond

12 days from £1,710pp

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Private Journeys

Colombia

Signature Colombia: Culture and coffee

14 days from £2,690pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Cocora Valley

Group - Discovery

Colombia

Weaverbird: Spirit of Colombia

16 days from £2,904pp

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Things to do

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Where to go when - our guide to Colombia’s heartland

Cocuy Colombia

The weather in Colombia’s heartland is wide and varied

Dotted across the River Magdalena and its surrounding mountain ranges are the colonial towns of Villa de Leyva, Honda, Barichara and Mompós. While these are tranquil, sleepy towns during the week, they tend to be busier on the weekends. Villa de Leyva and Barichara remain in the 20s°C year round, with most rain falling in Apr - May and again between October - November. July is a good time to visit Villa de Leyva to catch the Virgen de Carmen celebrations, a popular religious festival with live folk music. While it can feel fairly humid and hot throughout the year, the best time to Mompós is April- June. It is best to avoid October - November as the town is prone to flooding during these months. During Semana Santa (Easter week) the quaint cobbled streets come alive with grand processions and parades.

View our Colombia’s heartland weather guide

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Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

  • Millie
    Millie Davies - Travel Expert

    Having caught the travel bug as a child, Millie has travelled all over Latin America before making her home in Buenos Aires for 3 years.

  • Mary
    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

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