Day 1 Bogota - Meeting Day
All day
Today is an all-day gathering day, and everyone will take flights to Bogota, the capital of Colombia.
Itinerary presentation ※ First impression
丨Free gathering day
[Colombia] The New Year has rung, and the popularity of "One Hundred Years of Solitude" has swept across South America like a whirlwind of color, reaching every corner of the civilized world. Colombia, nestled at the northwestern tip of South America, is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Gabriel García Márquez. But Colombia is far more than just a symbol of Gabriel García Márquez!
Panama: Skyscrapers on the left, colonial walls on the right, straddling two oceans! First-time visitors to Panama, a country bisected by the canal, will be blown away by their imaginations—prosperity and ancient charm, modernity and wildness, truly coexist on the same wavelength!
[Costa Rica] As the first rays of sunlight gently awaken the land of Costa Rica, you'll experience the unique charm of this land. The tropical rainforest, golden beaches, numerous volcanoes, and azure waters—each scene is picturesque and unforgettable.
How to get to your destination
This itinerary meets in Bogota, Colombia. You can take Air France via Europe or Turkish Airlines via Turkey to reach El Dorado International Airport (Airport Code: BOG). China-TravelNote will arrange airport pickup based on the arrival time of your flight.
Day 2 Bogota Day Trip
·morning
After breakfast, visit the colonial-style buildings in Bogota's old town: Bogota is said to be one of the best-preserved cities in South America with colonial architecture.
Afterwards, take a city tour.
Plaza Bolivar: This is the center of Bogota, surrounded by the cathedral, parliament, presidential palace, etc.
Gold Museum: The world's largest gold museum, housing the world's largest collection of pre-Columbian gold artifacts. The museum's most iconic treasure, the Muisca Ship, on the third floor, is truly exquisite, bringing the legend of Lake Guatavita's "Golden Country" to life.
·afternoon
After lunch we will go to the Colombian coffee brand store JUAN VALDEZ to taste authentic coffee.
Special note: If you do not complete the morning itinerary, it will be adjusted to the afternoon.
·night
Sunset at Monserrate Mountain: Tourists take the cable car to the top of the mountain and watch an exotic sunset here.
Enjoy a Colombian three-course meal for dinner, including local specialties such as potato, chicken, and corn soup and tortillas.
Day 3 Bogota → Medellin (domestic flights to be announced)
·morning
After breakfast, we'll drive to the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira (entrance): a wonder of the world 200 meters underground, a real-life version of the Scarlet Monastery, a dreamlike otherworldly wonder. This magnificent, ingeniously designed, and uniquely conceived cathedral bears witness to the 400-year history of Zipaquira's suffering under Spanish rule.
·afternoon
Guatavita Sacred Lake: One of the legendary six treasures of the world, it is a sacred place and a center for religious ceremonies for the Muisca Indians. It is said that there are 50 million gold artifacts at the bottom of the lake.
Have a picnic by the lake for lunch and enjoy the warm tropical breeze of South America.
·night
Take an evening flight to Medellin.
Day 4 Medellin Day Trip
·morning
After breakfast, we will drive to Guatapé, a small town west of Medellin.
Guatape Rock: This massive rock rises from the ground, and the steps are like zippers. From the top, you can overlook Thousand Island Lake.
·afternoon
After lunch, take a boat tour around the reservoir on the lakeside of the colorful town to enjoy the beautiful scenery of lakes and mountains, and also see the former private estate of drug lord Pablo from a distance (without getting off the boat).
The colorful town of Guatapé: known as the most beautiful town in Colombia, it has colorful walls, unique reliefs, undulating streets and is full of vitality.
Day 5 Medellin → Panama City (domestic flights to be confirmed)
·morning
As the intersection of the flower capital and the drug lord legend, we arrange a 13-arrondissement city walk for tourists (about 2.5-3 hours).
Learn about the transformation of a region once considered one of the most dangerous in Colombia. Today, all that violence has been transformed into an artistic culture (break dancing, graffiti, rap, etc.). Also worth a visit is the famous escalator on the mountainside, which offers one of the most beautiful views of Medellín.
Accompanied by a local guide, tourists will explore the various neighborhoods of the 13th arrondissement, listen to history, witness changes, and appreciate art and its significance.
·afternoon
In the afternoon, take a flight to Panama City, the capital of Panama.
Day 6 Panama City Day Trip
·morning
After the morning flight arrived, the tour guide met us at the airport and then started a one-day exploration tour of Panama City. Most of the sightseeing in Panama City was concentrated in the old town.
Visiting the Panama Cathedral, the unique gray facade on the outside of the church is made of gray stone from the ruins of Panama Viejo, and the white bell tower is inlaid with mother-of-pearl from the Pearl Island.
Visit the Canal Museum, which tells the history of the canal and displays some daily necessities left over from the construction of the canal.
Check out Plaza Francia. Facing the Pacific Ocean at the entrance to the Panama Canal, the plaza commemorates the French contribution to the construction of the Panama Canal. The plaza offers stunning views of the Panama City skyline and the bridge at the entrance, making it a great spot for panoramic city views. Nearby are many good restaurants and bars, as well as shops selling trinkets and local specialties.
Stroll through the local seafood market, Mariscos Market. The market is clean and tidy, with stallholders uniformly dressed in white uniforms. Each stall is numbered and offers a wide variety of seafood at affordable prices. Outside the market is a row of restaurants, where tourists can buy ingredients to prepare for the stalls.
·afternoon
After lunch, take a Panama Canal Cruise (about 5-7 hours), boarding the ship from the Pacific side of the pier, passing through the two locks on the canal to disembark at Gamboa Pier, and then take a bus back to the starting point.
The Panama Canal, connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, stretches 82 kilometers. Multiple locks are located at each end of the canal, allowing ships to be lifted from one side of the ocean, passed through the canal, and then lowered to sea level on the other side.
Note: Panama Canal cruises are only open on Saturday and Sunday mornings. The entire process takes a long time, passing through two locks, and most of the time is spent waiting.
·night
After the cruise, enjoy a [Panama local dinner] and then check into the hotel to rest.
Day 7: Chagres National Park Day Trip
·morning
After breakfast, we will drive about 1.5 hours to Chagres National Park to explore the rainforest.
After reaching the Chagres River, tourists will take a local canoe and sail for about 30 minutes to the waterfall, where tourists can walk or swim freely.
After that, we continue sailing for about 15 minutes to the indigenous village of Embela. As we sail up the river, tourists will enjoy the beautiful scenery of tropical rainforest flora and fauna.
·afternoon
Visit the Embela Aboriginal Village. The villagers will greet you with traditional instruments and dances, and explain their history, culture, lifestyle, and how they protect the rainforest ecosystem.
At lunchtime, the villagers treat tourists to traditional food, including fried fish, fried bananas, and fresh fruit. In addition, the villagers' traditional embroidery, depicting Panama's natural scenery, flora, and fauna, is worth collecting.
·night
Enjoy an exotic Chinese group meal for dinner, then check into the hotel to rest.
Day 8: San Blas Islands Day Trip
·morning
After a packed breakfast at the hotel, embark on a day trip to the San Blas Islands, where you'll explore the dreamy Jelly Sea. The San Blas Islands, comprised of hundreds of small, palm-fringed islands, lie within the Caribbean Sea and are home to Panama's indigenous Guna Indians.
On this tour, tourists can visit multiple islands in a single day and enjoy swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, and other fun activities.
The first stop is Pero Grande Island, where tourists can use the beach chairs, umbrellas, kayaks and paddleboards provided on the island.
Afterwards, you can relax on the beach on Isla Pelicano.
·afternoon
Next, we'll head to Pero Chico Island for lunch and snorkeling. Our final stop will be at a natural swimming pool in the ocean. We'll then return to the port and drive back to Panama City for a transfer to your hotel.
Things included in the Islands:
1. Simple lunch (fresh fried fish with salad and rice)
2. One drink (beer, bottled water, or soda)
·night
After the trip, return to Panama City to enjoy a Chinese group meal.
Day 9 Panama City → San Jose (Costa Rica)
·morning
This morning, tourists can sleep in or wander around Panama City freely, and then take a flight to San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, at noon.
·afternoon
After arriving in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, the tour guide met us at the airport and then started a half-day tour of San Jose city.
National Museum of Costa Rica: This museum, housed in a converted prison, showcases Costa Rican history, primarily from pre-Columbian times to colonial times and the War of Liberation. The most fascinating aspect of the museum is the jungle design at the entrance, complete with numerous butterflies to admire. Ecological balance is a hallmark of this country.
San Jose Central Plaza: Check out the San Jose statue and admire Costa Rica's Caribbean architecture.
San José Central Market: Founded in 1880, it is currently the largest market in Costa Rica and one of the largest in Central America. The market's dazzling array of goods, colorful stalls, and unique architecture make it an irresistible photo opportunity for tourists. Additionally, the market's cafes and restaurants offer opportunities for tourists to relax and sample local cuisine.
·night
For dinner, we went to Mirador Tiquicia, a restaurant nestled on a hillside in the western suburbs of San Jose. While enjoying local cuisine, we could overlook the entire San Jose nightscape.
Day 10 San Jose → La Fortuna
·morning
After breakfast, we will drive to La Fortuna, stopping at two places for sightseeing.
Visit the Starbucks Farm: This is Starbucks' only farm worldwide. Acquired by Starbucks in 2013, it currently serves as Starbucks' global R&D facility and working farm, boasting over 800,000 coffee trees.
Following the theme of "Understanding the People and Stories Behind a Cup of Coffee," park staff will demonstrate the coffee planting, harvesting, and processing process, from the seed nursery to the coffee fields, wet mills, drying terraces, and coffee cellars. Visitors can experience the process of picking coffee beans, stirring them during the sun-drying process, and breaking and tasting beans at different stages of processing. Park staff will also offer visitors a few hand-brewed cups of coffee for tasting.
Tourists also sit in this semi-open cafe located halfway up the mountain to enjoy the complete landscape of the coffee farm and the waterfall pouring down from the volcano.
·afternoon
Enjoy a simple local meal at Restaurante Freddo Fresas for lunch.
We'll then pass by La Paz Waterfall Park. The park features five waterfalls, and between the park entrance and the waterfalls, you'll see flora and fauna unique to Costa Rica and Latin America, including toucans, macaws, butterflies, hummingbirds, sloths, poison frogs, jaguars, pumas, and parrots.
·night
After checking in at night, you can have your own meal and end the day's itinerary.
Day 11: Day trip around La Fortuna
·morning
After breakfast, tourists will start their day trip to explore the surrounding areas of La Fortuna, the most interesting area in Costa Rica.
Tourists will begin their cruise on the calm Rio Balsa, where they will drift smoothly down the river while spotting the tropical animals that inhabit the riverbanks.
Next, tourists will visit Cala Fortuna Waterfall, descend 500 steps, and take a refreshing dip in the cold pool at the base of the falls.
·afternoon
Enjoy a traditional Costa Rican lunch.
After lunch, we will go on a volcano hike through Arenal Volcano National Park. Tourists will learn a lot about the biodiversity and history of this park and volcano.
Short hikes (3.4 km or 2 km) through the national park pass through secondary forest and lava fields left over from previous eruptions. Park rangers closely monitor volcanic activity and will not hesitate to close trails or parts of the park if they deem it unsafe.
After the hike, we headed to El Choyin to relax and unwind. The water flows directly from the volcano through the jungle, making it clean and hygienic.
·night
The tour ends with a free dinner.
Day 12 La Fortuna → San Jose
·morning
After breakfast, we will drive to Nicaragua, passing through Costa Rica's landmark park [Blue River Falls National Park].
·afternoon
The hike takes about three hours, and even in the dry season, it's still wet, with occasional rain. Be sure to bring mosquito repellent and anti-itch medication! Observe your surroundings as you walk, and you'll be pleasantly surprised to discover toucans, beautiful butterflies, insects, lizards, and snakes. The plant foliage is truly unique, something I'd only seen in National Geographic pictures before.
As for the Blue River Falls, the splashing water is no different from ordinary river water, but when they converge together, they appear Tiffany blue.
·night
Then return to San Jose for check-in.
Day 13 San Jose Disbandment Day
·morning
Itinerary Presentation ※ Farewell丨End of America Chapter
This morning, tourists can sleep in or explore San Salvador freely. Check out at 12:00 PM, concluding this journey of exploring Central America.
