Colombia · 1-DAY TOURS
The 15 best 1-day tours you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is there for a reason, so start at the top.
Spend about 10.5 hours with a bilingual guide such as Mario, César, or Naomi, traveling by themed bus from El Poblado to Guatapé. Visit Hacienda La Manuela by boat, see El Peñol, explore colorful Guatapé, and add ATVs, jet skis, paintball, or the rock climb for extra cost.
“Amazing trip with Cesar and Alex! We’ve seen so many things and got a lot of interesting information!”
Travel from Santa Marta to Minca for a guided jungle hike, coffee tasting, river-pool swim, mountain lunch, and hands-on chocolate making. Guides such as Tony, Gustavo, and Sadam bring strong knowledge of nature, coffee, and local culture. Expect steep sections, insects, and a long day outdoors.
“This was a great way to get away from the city and into the jungle. It was great to learn about coffee & make chocolate. Lunch was delicious with an incredible view. I wished we could have swam more. My only negative comment is the guide talked for a long time, especially next to the river & bog where we were all being bitten by bugs. Don’t forget bug spray!”
Leave Neiva or Villavieja with guides such as Juan, Serafín, or Camilo for a full day of river scenery, desert trails, a local lunch, a spring-fed pool, sunset, and telescope viewing. The astronomy talk is mainly in Spanish, but guides can provide English support.
“Our trip to the Tatacoa desert was amazing. Our guide Juan was very knowledgeable and was very patient and flexible, allowing us to decide how much time we spent at each place and taking lots of photos for us. We were very glad we went with a guide as it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to navigate the two deserts without one and a lot of the areas are private property, with the owners being known to our guides. The food was delicious and the swimming pool in the middle of the desert was a lovely break from the heat. Seeing the sunset over the desert and watching…”
Travel by private vehicle and boat from Cartagena to Barú and the Rosario Islands. With guides such as Luis, Sofia, Valentina, or Jonathan, you’ll eat breakfast and lunch in a local home, tour mangroves, snorkel coral reefs, visit a beach, and meet village artisans.
“The trip is a delightful way to experience both the country outside of Cartagena and the Rosario islands. Be warned you have some lovely time on the beach and in the water snorkeling but it is not nearly enough! Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the local wildlife (including fish), history of the area, and flexible to what we want. We ate local meals in a local home and had a place to wash off afterwards. Conditions at the home that serves as a base are primitive but authentic and sanitary. Great communication to make sure our questions were answered before the trip.”
Spend eight hours traveling from Cartagena to Barú Island, then walk to Playa Tranquila for beach time and a typical lunch of fish or chicken, coconut rice, patacón, and salad. English and Spanish assistance is advertised, but beach facilities, chairs, drinks, and snorkeling cost extra.
“Tudo aconteceu como descrito no anúncio. Porém não tem muita comunicação, não falam qual bar/barraca vc vai poderá ficar, ficamos na primeira que não tinha uma vista bonita e estava cheia de motos aquáticas e barco em frente, perguntamos se podíamos mudar mais lá pro final e mudamos. A comida estava muito boa, tinham 3 opções, escolhermos peixe e frango e estava bom. A aqua da praia onde nos deixam não é tão azul como nas fotos, o lado esquerdo perto dos hotéis tem águas mais claras e pode ir tirar fotos, de resto foi tudo dentro do previsto e pelo preço valeu a pena”
Leave Cartagena in the morning for a panoramic drive through Manga, Bosque, and Mamonal, then cross to Barú for Playa Blanca. You get air-conditioned transport, a bilingual Spanish-English guide, lunch, fruit, and water. Expect beautiful water, busy beach areas, vendors, and a sandy walk.
“The staff was on time for pick up, very informative and polite. The provided cooked lunch was prepared well and was delicious. It's definitely worth the money.”
Travel from Medellín or Rionegro to La Ceja for a private adventure with a bilingual guide such as Fabian or Diego. Fly across a 1,400-meter zipline, rest in hammocks 150 meters above the ground, and hike to the base of 100-meter El Salto del Buey waterfall.
“Fabian was an excellent guide. His knowledge and enthusiasm shone through from the start. Would highly recommend Fabian for this tour as nothing was too much trouble and from the moment he picked us up he shared with us his knowledge and enthusiasm for all things Colombian. He is an excellent ambassador for the tour company.”
Spend 11 hours traveling from Medellín to Guatapé and El Peñol. You’ll ride a boat, tour the zócalo-lined town, visit the Rock Temple, and climb 740 steps for reservoir views. Spanish guides lead the group, with bilingual help available when requested. Breakfast and lunch are included, but the rock ticket is extra.
Start at Monserrate with skip-the-line access, then explore the Gold Museum, La Concordia Market, La Candelaria, Plaza Bolívar, and Banco de la República museums. Private transport, hotel pickup, and a local guide are included. Guides such as Diego, Lina, Rafael, and Santiago are praised for clear English and local insight.
“Tours are usually perfect because of the guide/host. Which is why this was a perfect day from the beginning to the end. Rafi is extremely knowledgeable and attentive. We learned so much about Bogota in the time we spent with him. Mount Monserrate was beautiful and the ride up and down was also a true experience. (Beware of the Sunday crowd, its insane.) The price was definitely worth the tour, you get more value than you think with this team. My husband is not a big museum fan but I am, so I loved getting to see the Museo del Oro and walk around La Candelaria and take photos of…”
Travel by air-conditioned bus from Cartagena to Barú, take a boat to the reef, and spend about an hour underwater with an instructor. Lunch, photos, lemonade, equipment, and beach time are included. English and Spanish support is offered, but confirm your language before booking.
“I asked for a guide in English, but had someone who only spoke Spanish. What was good was that the bus came to the hotel. An hour late, without letting me know or responding to a message. Furthermore, I got the entire explanation in Spanish. The guide did not know that I was registered for scuba diving. I had to find out for myself. Diving was very good, only the description said one hour of diving and this was only 20 minutes. Even after that I had to figure out where I had to go myself, the guide, Mary, was nowhere to be seen and did not respond to whatsapp…”
Leave Medellín early for Hispania, Andes, and Jardín with a Spanish-speaking guide such as Jhon, local lunch, Macanas coffee, rice pudding, and a church visit. Expect about 13 hours, winding roads, limited time in each town, and possible motorcycle taxis near Jardín.
“Top! Lorsque vous êtes à Medellin c est un tour à faire!”
Leave El Poblado in a private air-conditioned car with an English or Spanish-speaking guide and spend the day around Jardín. Tour a coffee farm, taste unlimited samples, watch roasting in town, ride a mountain cable car, and shop for beans. Guides David, Daniel, and Ivan have earned special praise.
“The worst experience we had in Colombia! A three hour drive to get to a coffee plantation ( ok scenery was good ) they said the tour would be bilingual, it was all in spanish, we were struggling to follow the tour… by the end of the tour we had to return ( thank God for our nice driver Ivan 🙏if it wasnt for him we would still be there) never saw Jardin and didnt have time for lunch! An absolute disaster… dont fall in this trap! Its absolutely impossible to make this trip in a day… we were never even informed the drive was 3 hours there and three…”
Travel by private vehicle from Bogotá to colonial Villa de Leyva, then descend 656 feet into Zipaquirá’s salt mine. An English- or Spanish-speaking guide leads both visits, with hotel pickup, admission, snacks, and round-trip transport included.
“La guía y el conductor excelentes!! Súper puntuales, amables y con información interesante. El tour bien planeado.”
Leave Bogotá by private vehicle for Tequendama Falls, a dramatic but polluted river gorge, then continue to Hacienda Coloma near Fusagasugá. A bilingual guide such as Diego or Alejandra can explain local culture, coffee production, and the story of the restored El Salto hotel. Lunch and drinks cost extra.
“Great trip. My guide and driver were super nice. I enjoyed the day very much.”
Travel from Cartagena to San Basilio de Palenque with a local English or Spanish speaking guide such as Moises, Abraham, or Thierry. Spend four hours exploring the house museum, music, dance, traditional medicine, boxing, Benkos Biohó’s story, local food, and a tropical raspado.
“Very interesting and pretty little village. Guide Moises was good but too much time spent hanging around waiting to move on. Also, too many requests for tips or to spend small amounts of money for what was already an expensive day out.”
Pick a coastline, a mural or a coffee farm.
