Colombia Condor Tour
Cycling
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The Colombian Condor Route is the experience any cyclists is eager to live. In these exuberant landscapes Colombian national cyclists train every day.
The tour begins in the green mountains of the eastern Andes and ends in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea. During this tour you will see beautiful landscapes, cross flagship towns of the colonial era, enriched by its culture and gastronomy, and finally you will reach Cartagena – the iconic walled city of Spanish colonization.
This tour lasts 16 days during which you will pedal 1500 km and will gain 17095 meters of altitude.
Day 1: Arrival
Arrival to Bogotá, airport pick up. In the evening we will gather with all the participants in order to go over the trip details. If you are already in Bogotá, we recomend you to enojy a half day city tour in the historical center (extra cost).
Day 2: Chia – Tunja
This first stage is a good warm-up. You will start in Chia – a small town in the outskirts of Bogotá and you will pedal towards Boyaca department – this is where many famous Colombian cyclists come from. On the way to your first goal, you will visit the Bridge of Boyaca – a historical place, where the final independence battle of the New Granada (Colombia) took place. Soon after the Boyaca Bridge you will arrive at Tunja. Tunja is the highest Colombian city located at 2810 meters above sea level. In the evening you will visit The Plaza de Bolivar where the whole group will join for dinner. We will spend the night in a hotel in the center of the city. Distance: 120 kilometers. Altitude gained: 1746 meters.
Day 3: Tunja – Duitama – Santa Rosa – Sogamoso – Aquitania – Sogamoso – Paipa.
Today’s stage is where you can enjoy the majestic mountains and towns of Boyacá, this is where Colombian best cyclists train every day. Today you will pass impressive landscapes. The stage begins in Duitama 55 km from Tunja, the main goal is surround the magnificent lake of Tota, which is the largest in Colombia and the second highest and navigable in South America. Then you will focus to reach Paipa – a city famous for its thermal bath. Distance: 166 km Altitude gained: 2382 meters.
Day 4: Paipa –combita – moniquira – Villa de Leyva
At the end of this stage you will reach Villa de Leyva – a small town recognized for its white colonial buildings, cobbled streets and its huge main square. On the way you will pass another small town where the most important Colombian cyclist Nairo Quintana was born and raised. Today you will pedal around 130Km with total altitude gain of 2348 m.
Day 5: Villa de Leyva
Today is your free day in Villa de Leyva. This is a great place for some rest. You can relax in the hotel or stroll through the small streets of this beautiful colonial town visiting the souvenir stores and coffee bars. If you have enough energy, you can go hiking to Iguaque lake. There is a legend which tells that in Iguaque Lake the mother of the Muiscas (indigenous tribe) called Bachue gave birth to the humanity. During this hike you would be able to get familiarized with the particular ecosystem called Paramo which can only be met in some few countries in South America (this hike takes all day considering the driving and hiking time).
Day 6: Villa de leyva -Oiba – Guadalupe
In this stage you will leave behind the department famous for its cyclists, farmers and miners. You will pedal into Santander department characterized by its fluvial valleys and rugged terrain, such as the rugged mountains of the Chicamocha Canyon. Today our goal is to reach a small town called Guadalupe where the culture and gastronomy are well known. Distance: 137Km. Altitude gained: 2294 m.
Day 7: Guadalupe – Barichara
You will wake up early in the morning to do a short walk to the small river called “Las Gachas”. This is an idyllic place where you can find natural Jacuzzis with crystalline water. After a short bath, you will be ready to face the next challenge of 97 km in order to reach Barichara. This small town is famous for its particular architecture and sole color. It tells lots of stories about the Guanes indians. In the evening you will walk throw the small streets of the town. Distance: 97 kilometers. Altitude gained: 1885 meters.
Day 8: Barichara – Giron
In this stage you will feel the sun shining stronger, the hot breeze and the humid weather. Today’s goal is to reach Giron – located at 693 meters above sea level . This is the last stage of your effort crossing the vast east Andean mountains till you reach this beautiful city characterized by its white walls, huge ocher colored doors and paved cobbled streets. Giron is recognized as a National Monument of Colombia. During this stage, the guide will make a stop in order to enjoy the views of Chicamocha canyon. Distance: 123km. Altitude gained: 2403m.
Day 9: Giron / San Alberto – Banco /Mompox
A new day, a new challenge. You will wake up early in the morning to have breakfast and the transportation will take you to San Alberto – where the longest of all The Colombian Condor Tour stage begins. You will cross three different Colombian departments (Santander, Cesar and arrive to Magdalena). You will do 183km pedaling out of 356km of the total today (including the transportation). The pedaling ends in Banco – a small hell city, from there you will take again the transportation to get to Santa Cruz de Mompox. This time it is not the mountains that dominate the landscape, it will be flat terrain with intense and suffocating heat, infinite flats and lots of humidity. The reward will be to reach one of the most emblematic places in Colombia, Santa Cruz de Mompox – world heritage city on the banks of Magdalena River (altitude 33 m.a.s.l.). Distance: 183km. Altitude gained: 830m.
Day 10: Mompox
Free day in Mompox – this is a great place to have a resting day. You can get up and relax in the hotel or stroll through this beautiful city. We recommend that you walk around the town in the morning hours before the sun gets too strong. In the afternoon we recommend the navigation tour of the Margdalena river for bird watching and sunset.
Day 11: Mompox/Bosconia – Santa Marta
Early in the morning you will be transported to Bosconia (150 km), a small town, where you will begin your pedaling stage to Santa Marta. You will make a short visit to Aracataca, the small town where The Nobel Prize Winner – Gabriel Garcia Marquez was born. This is the most difficult stage in terms of hours which you will spend in a car and riding a bike. At the end of the day you will take a good rest with many amenities that the hotel can offer. Distance 160 km. Altitude gain 590m.
Day 12: Santa Marta – Palomino
This day will be full of joy, this is the shortest stage of the entire tour surrounded by green and exuberant vegetation where the birds will accompany us with their songs. The heat and the breeze will be determining factors. When you arrive at Palomino you will enjoy a delicious lunch in front of the beach where you can cool off and take a swim in the Caribbean Sea. In the afternoon if you still have energy you can enjoy a small “rafting” activity (extra cost), where you have to walk for half an hour and then descend on a tire appreciating the nature that springs from the jungle on the banks of this river that flows into the sea. Distance 72Km. Altitude gained 726m.
Day 13: Palomino – Barranquilla
Congratulations, there are only two stages left to crown the Colombian condor tour. This will be a hard stage on a flat road with oppressive heat and a breeze hitting our face. Today the city of Barranquilla is your goal. On the way you will cross the Cienaga Grande de Santa Marta. Distance 168,74Km. Altitude gained 1030m.
Day 14: Barranquilla – Cartagena
The last stage of the Colombian condor tour has arrived! After having pedaled 1500 km you have finally reached the jewel of the emblematic cities of Spanish colonization. As a gladiator you have crossed the Andes eastern mountain range, valleys, rivers until you reach this magnificent Caribbean city. Here you can enjoy the architecture of the Spanish colonial era. This city was strongly fortified against constant battles between pirates and settlers. Today it has become the top tourist destination of Colombia – this is where you will enjoy the well-deserved rest. Distance: 118 km. Altitude gained: 861m.
Day 15: Cartagena
Free day discovering Cartagena. We recommend a day tour to Islas del Rosario (by fast boat) in order to rest in some nice beach. In the evening do not miss a walk throgh the historical part of the city.
Day 16: Transfer out
- Although Colombia is a tropical country and in most of the territory the climate is hot and warm, the Andes mountain areas present colder climate. Do not forget to bring long pants and a jacket when visiting these areas (the temperature might go down to 10-15 C when it is raining).
- For paying mostly cash is used, still it is possible to pay with credit cards in hotels, supermarkets and similar. For this reason our recommendation is that travellers bring cash in EUR or USD and then change the money at money exchange points (no banks offer this service). It is also possible to take out cash from ATM, but keep in mind that very often the ATM have limited money withdraw amount per day, which means that you might not be able to withdraw large amounts.
- During your travel you will only be able to pay in Colombian Pesos (when paying in cash). Normally paying in dollars is not accepted.
- Tourism activities are carried about between 8 AM and 5-6PM on average. It gets dark around 6PM in the whole country, around the year.