Private tour of Colombia

Planet

PLANET: CARBON REDUCTION
With environmentally-friendly tourism pivotal in all of our itinerary planning, this is a trip that perfectly encapsulates the cohesion of sustainability, luxury and adventure in Colombia. Our focus for all of our itineraries is spending longer in areas of natural beauty. This not only minimises the impact of visitors, traveling less with a conscious focus on reducing their carbon footprint, but also allowing time for them to learn from the locals, guides, hoteliers about the efforts locally how they are working to improve their own impact on the environment and work towards carbon neutrality.

Colombia is in the midst of a food revolution. Increasingly you will find restaurants which aim to serve as much 0 KM food as possible, ingredients that have been sourced locally and not imported. We encourage guests to eat fish by the sea, for instance in Cartagena and Tayrona, in the highlands, only sustainably sourced meat is served in the hotels we work with. Colombia is one of the most diverse food producers in the world, with over 7000 types of fruit and vegetables, many sourced in their Amazon basin. Much of this comes from local farmers with small plots growing produce in the natural way with multiple varieties on their small plot, which is better for the land, as well as ensuring organic production and minimal pesticides.

PLANET: ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE
All of the properties we work with in Colombia meet a minimum standard in terms of their efforts to minimise the impact on their local environment and ensure that the biodiversity of the area is maintained. EcoHabs in Tayrona National Park for instance goes to great lengths to ensure that the surrounding area remains protected. Local building materials have been used which has minimised the impact of the building. Trails have been created around the property which allow the local wildlife to pass through the property and bird and bat boxes can be found to provide friendly environments for the local fauna. A National Park fee is paid by all guests staying at the property which directly contributes to the efforts of the park rangers in maintaining the unique area. Coffee is a big deal in Colombia, and they take it really seriously, not just to ensure the high quality and taste, but to ensure that the cultivation of coffee isn't detrimental to the environment. In Solento you'll learn all about how the farmers plant indigenous non-coffee plants in each coffee hectare, including banana trees, guava trees, ginger plants, and more. These plants provide extra shade for the coffee, which results in a slower ripening process and more developed sugars. In addition to shade, the fallen leaves and fruit add to the organic composted mulch in which the coffee trees grow, and insects are attracted to the other plants instead of the coffee.

People

PEOPLE: LOCAL ECONOMY
Our itineraries are designed so you can spend more time in each area, spreading the financial benefits of tourism wider and deeper into communities With two full weeks exclusively exploring Colombia, in each area you will have the time to interact with local artisans, NGO’s, regeneration projects and start ups. In Medellin for instance, a visit to Comuna 13 will introduce you to a local guide who will explain how they’re utilising the roof space throughout their neighbourhood to grow organic food which is used to feed the poorest residents, with excess being sold to local supermarkets, the money going directly back into the project to help set up more farms. This is just one example of how the money from a tour is directly impacting a community.

In Cartagena, a visit to the beach to learn about Colombia music funds a project which aims to teach young disadvantaged children in the area dancing and drums. This provides opportunities for them to learn and grow and many have gone on to find jobs and also teach themselves as a direct result of this project.

PEOPLE: EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY
Every one of the tours we offer goes beyond a typical city or classic tour. We endeavour to ensure that in each area, cities and regions, you will have the chance to interact with locals, often from poorer upbringings.

Our partners in Colombia work with a number of projects in each area and have invested in the development of these projects, for example in Cartagena you will meet an indigenous family who are now funding their community through experiences offered to guests where you will learn to weave with traditional palms. The sales of their products and this experience supports a whole community.

In addition to this, many of our guides have been recruited by our partners and trained in guiding and English and paid a fair wage.