Colombia Photography Tour | Indigenous People, Coffee Haciendas and Tropical Forests of Caribbean Colombia | May 2020

The first exploration day of the Colombia photography tour starts with the fruit and vegetable market of Paloquemao. You get to see and capture a typical side of Colombia while strolling through the retail market, one of the largest in the country. Most of Bogotá’s restaurants get their supplies here, which makes it very lively. You will get to see different kinds of fruits and vegetables you would never have heard of!

You will then be taken to a street photography session around the old center of the city and have a unique travel photography experience in Colombia. You will discover the colonial district of la Candelaria and its squares and markets. It is a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the local culture and photograph the Colombian way of life.
During the late afternoon and early evening, you will visit Bogotá’s iconic Plaza Bolívar and Ciclovia to take the perfect angle shots. Then we all go up a high skyscraper with an amazing view of the Colombian capital to take photos at sunset.

The third day of the Colombia photo tour starts with a morning transfer to Bogotá airport to take a short flight to Pereira.
Around lunchtime, we arrive at the beautiful coffee hacienda (farm) where we will be staying during our third night of this photography holiday.
In the afternoon, around 3 pm, we get to see the plantations and meet the locals before exploring the small factory where the coffee is processed. The drink that boosts our mornings will have no secret for you after some coffee tasting with full explanations from our local host.
We spend the night at Hacienda Combia.

We leave the hotel in the morning to continue our Colombia photography tour in Salento, a friendly and colorful town.
We do not stop for a long time as we will take a typical old car towards the Cocora Valley in the east. This is the start of a unique hike on the shores of Quindio River and through a forest of huge palm trees called „Palma de Cera“, the Colombian national tree. This part of the photography holiday in Colombia will give you a chance to reconnect with nature.
We return to Salento to enjoy its colonial houses and musicians on the street corners. With an incredible diversity of handicrafts and the unique trout on Patacón, this charming place is a must-see for all visitors of Colombia. It is also an ideal place for a practical photography workshop.
After that, we will have a late lunch in town, plus a chance in the afternoon and evening to explore Salento and get another unique travel photography experience.
We spend the night at Reserva El Cairo.

In the morning, we take a short flight to get to Santa Maria. Upon arrival, we will take private transport to Tayrona National Park and check-in to Maloka Barlovento, located right on the seashore.
We spend this beautiful afternoon of our Colombia photo tour doing landscape photography and also enjoy a unique blue hour shot in the hotel surroundings. Later, you can have a photography workshop with Tristan and discuss your travel photography experiences so far.

Our Colombia photography tour continues with a morning trip to the entrance of Tayrona National Park (30-minute car transfer).
The 3-hour photography hike inside the park will take you to a stunning place located between mountains, the tropical forest, and the sea. You will discover the most untouched white sand beaches of Colombia and ancestral volcanic rocks in the crystal clear Caribbean Sea. This breath-taking scenery is ideal for travel photography.
Together with Tristan, you explore and photograph the jungle and beaches of Tayrona Park. You start with a hike in the tropical jungle from Cañaveral, then enjoy the exotic beaches of Arrecifes and stop at La Piscina, ideal for swimming and snorkeling.
We continue to the Cabo San Juan del Guia, a wonderful bay of white sand surrounded by huge volcanic rocks. On the way, we get to see the local fauna and flora of this magnificent park. This is one of the highlights of our Colombia photo tour.
We’ll have a delicious picnic lunch and spare time to enjoy the Park and its beautiful beaches. A unique and wonderful experience in this photography holiday in Colombia is that we get to spend the night in hammocks.

OUR ADVICE

We will meet our guide at the park entrance. Bring the copy of your passports, sun protection, mosquito repellent, hiking shoes, a swimsuit, towels and a plastic bag to protect your belongings in case of rain.

The seventh day of the Colombia photography tour starts early with a morning sunrise photo workshop at the beach with Tristan.
Afterwards we go for a photography hike and get a chance to photograph wildlife before heading to the village of Minca.
We will have lunch at Minca and photograph the locals. From there we continue in 4x4s to Mundo Nuevo. Next to our eco-hostel lies La Candelaria Coffee and Cocoa Farm, which we can visit. The same welcoming local family has managed the place for several generations and will share its passion for this treasure with us. You will get a chance to take amazing photos and also taste the end product of the farm.
Tristan will coordinate a sunset photo shoot over a stunning view of Minca and the town of Santa Maria. We spend the night at Mundo Nuevo Hostel.

During the morning, our tour leader Tristan will accompany you to the Mundo Nuevo Awindua project which began with the construction of Wiwa indigenous houses as found in their native villages. A truly unique experience and one of the highlights of our Colombia photography tour, this trip allows us to learn a lot. We get to discover unique local bio-construction methods and also photograph and visit families from the indigenous community. No concrete or other similar materials are used in building the houses.
We have lunch at Mundo Nuevo before taking a 4×4 to go on a photography shoot and discover the waterfall of Marinka. Here you can also take a little bath to refresh yourself.
We get back to Mundo Nuevo for another sunset photography workshop and spend the night there in private rooms.

In the 9th day of our Colombia photography tour, we get up very early (around 3 am) to photograph the sunrise over the Sierra Nevada and observe the snowy peaks.
We first go from the lodge to the starting point of the daytime activity (a 2h 30min drive). Then the photo session will last for about three hours and we will reach an altitude of 2,600-2,700m.
From there, you will experience a superb view of the Sierra Nevada which will provide us an amazing panorama of the mountains, especially the snow-capped peaks of Bolivar and Colon. The walk takes different paths for a more diverse trek, crossing streams, water sources and giving you the opportunity to observe many endemic species living in the region. You will get the chance to capture spectacular travel photography images. We may also encounter coffee farmers and other locals on the way.
After our photoshoot, we will get back to Minca before leaving Sierra Nevada to head to the town of Taganga. Once there, we go down to the beach to watch the fishermen boats and observe the local life. Here, we will have another photography workshop during the sunset.
We spend the night at Ecohabs Taganga.

We start the 10th day of the Colombia photo tour with a trip to an area called Cienaga Grande. It is the widest and most important lagoon of Colombia and also one of the main fishing spots of the northern coast. It is considered as a strategic point and of vital importance for the planet.
The fishermen communities in Cienaga Grande live in picturesque villages, which you will be able to photograph.
We take a boat for a 4-hour trip to reach the mangrove and see the small village of Buena Vista. We get off there and meet the fishermen to photograph and understand their day-to-day way of life. During this trip, you will have the chance to create lively and stunning travel photography.
We have lunch in the nearby colorful village called Nueva Venecia (“New Venice”). And indeed, the place is an indigenous version of the Italian city with houses built on water pillars and people mostly traveling around by boat. An amazing chance for great portrait photos during this photography holiday in Colombia.
We also get to visit the school and interact with the Palafitos inspired by afro culture. In the afternoon, we leave for the city of Cartagena where we have dinner and spend the night at Monaguillo Hotel.

Get up early to witness the beautiful historical center of Cartagena at sunrise for a unique photo workshop.
During the 11th day of our Colombia photography tour, we will follow the footsteps of famous pirates and discover the “Pearl of the Caribbean”, an exotic city rich in culture, diversity, and heritage. This stroll around the streets of Cartagena will bring you back to colonial times, amidst colorful houses and lively squares.
We will walk through the colonial neighborhoods of San Diego and Santo Domingo. During this photo shoot, you will get to see iconic places such as Plaza de Los Coches, Plaza de la Aduana, Parque Bolívar, el Museo del Oro, el Palacio de la Inquisición, Plaza de Santa Teresa, Plaza de Santo Domingo, Las Murallas and Las Bóvedas.
We have lunch in the city center and then you will have a free afternoon to enjoy Cartagena and perhaps buy gifts for friends and loved ones. You can also take more travel photography and to make the most of your Colombia photo tour.
Tristan will coordinate a sunset photography session in the historical center before taking you for a cocktail and dinner. You also have the chance to review your travel photography images and discuss feedback with Tristan.
We spend the night at Monaguillo to prepare for departure the next day.

We all meet for breakfast and do a round-up of the Colombia photography tour you have just had. Tristan and our local partners are ready to help you organize your departure and can also give you tips should you decide to stay for longer or come back.
It was great to have you as part of our Colombia photo tour and hopefully nos vemos pronto!

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