Last week I was invited by ProColombia (the government agency to promote tourism) to attend the Colombia Nature Travel Mart in Manizales Colombia, after having attended it virtually the year before. Fortunately there were a lot of local nature tour operators attending this year that were not there last year, so I was able to broaden my knowledge of the touring possibilities in all of the regions of Colombia.
Of course in a place with as much biodiversity as Colombia, nature tours can encompass a variety of subjects such as active tours, adventure tours, cultural tours and birdwatching tours, as I will explain below.
Of course in a place with as much biodiversity as Colombia, nature tours can encompass a variety of subjects such as active tours, adventure tours, cultural tours and birdwatching tours, as I will explain below.
Since Colombia has more bird species than any other country, I met with several of the top birdwatching tour operators, who operate all over the country and one even specializes in tours for women. Some of these companies even offer tours focused on mammals, or butterflies or reptiles, photography, etc. and there are some that have fixed departure dates so that individuals can join without having to pay for private services.
Since Colombia cyclists have been doing well in international competitions lately, the country has been becoming more popular as a destination for bicycle tours. I met with a variety of representatives who offer road bike tours regionally and nationally, several mountain bike tour operators and even a hotel operator who caters to self-guided cyclists. Several of these companies even offer electric bikes, for those who want to participate, but maybe aren't sure if they can handle the fitness level required to complete some of the rides.
Hiking and trekking are big in Colombia and I met with several operators that offer those. Whether you want to hike to the top of snow-covered mountain peaks, through the lush fields in the coffee region or in the deep jungle, I met with qualified people who can offer that.
Of course coffee and chocolate are big in Colombia, so there were companies representing haciendas where those are grown and processed. So if you visit those, not only can you learn about the process, you can experience the culture surrounding the haciendas and you can bask in the lush natural landscapes of the areas. We can incorporate these experiences along with others in the area to make a wonderful package of delightful touring.
One of the big attractions of Colombia, that you might not be aware of, are the people themselves. Warm, friendly and happy, they are a pleasure to be around. On a trip with other agents from around the world, we emphasized to the people of the local communities that we visited that visitors will want to be around and interact with them because they have so much to offer.
So, if you're interested in going to Colombia, rather than just picking a standardized tour from out of a brochure, contact us so that we can help you to have an experience that will show you the real Colombia.
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