Personalized trips to Colombia
for independent travelers

We had an incredible experience during our recent trip to Colombia. From start to finish, every aspect of the journey exceeded our expectations.

Hotel Reviews

BH Bicentenario

Bogotá

The location of this hotel was superb. Within walking distance from the main attractions, shopping and promenades. Security was very tight and overall service was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Very comfortable stay and well attended to every details.

Location

Great location.

Staff

Super friendly and helpful. The staff at the reception helped us book Uber and their suggestions about places to eat was super helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable. The housekeeping was very efficient and attentive.

Bh El Poblado

Medellín

Excellent location, close to malls and shops .

Authenticity & Character

We flew from Santa Marta early in the morning, and reached the hotel a few hours early before the check in time. We would appreciate if we could get our rooms a bit early and not wait until 4 pm.

Location

Excellent location, close to shopping and accessibility to bus, metro and train stations is very convenient.

Staff

Fairly friendly staff. The staff at the restaurant were amazing though.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable

Villa Maria Tayrona, a Kali Hotels

Los Naranjos

Great experience in staying in the log cabins in this resort.

Authenticity & Character

Although the resort is in the deep forest, we never felt short of any supplies. The kitchen offered various choices of meals and breakfast was sooo amazing.

Location

Very comfortable and luxurious amidst the wilderness of the dense forest. Easily accessible and close to hiking places.

Staff

Very very friendly staff. It felt like returning home every time after the day out.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds and blankets were clean and comfortable.

GHL Hotel Armería Real

Cartagena

Comfortable and local charm

Authenticity & Character

Very comfortable stay reflecting local culture and very friendly and helpful staff

Location

Staff

Eager to help with finding local places to eat and very cooperative.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The property maintained its local decor with much hygiene and cleanliness.

Activity Reviews

Medellín Transformation Tour (Public Transportation)

Medellín

Amazing and very motivating. Our journey to Comuna 13 in Medellín, a neighborhood known for its transformation from violence to vibrancy. The guided tour showcased the community's resilience and creativity through street art and local stories. The colorful murals depicted themes of hope and renewal, and we were inspired by the community's spirit. The visit also included a ride on the famous escalators, which have made the area more accessible.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Claudia was our tour guide in Medellín. She was exceptional and her knowledge of the history and local customs truly enriched our experience.

Transport

Awesome and comfortable

Visit the Silletera Culture & The Flowers of Santa Elena

Medellín

Amazing experience. Carlos the owner of the farm was a very humorous person. He showed us how the flowers were arranged and millions of flowers carried on the backs of silletas ,for the show . He also took pictures with us that we will cherish later in our memories.

Quality of Experience

The vibrant flower displays, showcasing the beauty and creativity of Colombian culture.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Claudia was our tour guide and she was simply amazing. Carlos the guide of the Silletas was very humorous and fascinating.

Transport

Comfortable vehicle was provided to us .

Michael, our advisor and chief planner was excellent throughout the process. Thank you.

Each of our guides and drivers chosen by Chaska tours was excellent. They were efficient and did more than was needed without hesitation.

Sandra in Cartahena, and Claudia, in Medellin were both excellent. Claudia warm, shared many stories and the history of Medellin, and we enjoyed her company.

One of us felt tired on our hike in Tayrona. Our guide helped us back via a short cut when we needed to come back.

Hotel Review

Villa Maria Tayrona, a Kali Hotels

Los Naranjos

Authenticity & Character

Constructed from locally sourced material, the cottages blend in.

Location

In the jungle.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Medellín Transformation Tour (Public Transportation)

Medellín

We used public transportation for this tour. It was a transformative experience. Medellin and Communa 13 was a highlight of our trip.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Booking our trip through Kimkim was incredibly easy. For many years now, I've wanted to go birdwatching in Colombia but knew so little about the country and where to go. Michael put together an amazing itinerary starting in Bogota, ending in Santa Marta, and including Manizales in the "coffee triangle". We saw over 200 species of birds, most of which were lifers, and stayed in some of the most beautiful places I think I've ever seen. Hacienda Venezia was a spectacular historic home on a coffee plantation; El Dorado had "glamorous" huts on the top of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, with panoramic views of the entire planet, it felt; and Senda Koguiwa felt like a luxurious tropical resort. Even the HAB hotel, where we stayed in Bogota, was chic, comfortable, and upscale. The guides were incredibly knowledgable and everyone was kind and attentive. There were some live changes to the itinerary, but that's par for the course.

There were just a few issues, all of which could be ironed out with a few adjustments:

1. The breakfast box supplied by Senda Koguiwa was awful: a dry bread roll with tasteless cheese and ham, and nothing else. It was clear to me that they don't usually put these together for guests.

2. The accommodations at El Dorado were beautiful but they were dangerous. The pathways that lead from the huts up to the main restaurant were loose, slippery, and muddy and didn't have any hand railing to help people stabilize themselves. The wooden boards that were used to create steps in the mud were rotting and collapsed when stepped on. Someone literally could break their leg hiking this path. They also haven't strung up any lights along these pathways and so when you walk back from the restaurant at night (it's a good 8-minute walk to the furthest cabins!) you essentially do that in the pitch blackness. We weren't prepared for this: no one told us to bring torches for the journey.

3. Our final guide for the trip (and I won't mention his name here) was extremely knowledgeable but he lacked experience actually GUIDING people, particularly larger groups. He didn't really look after us at all but rather walked ahead, birded, and told whoever was closest to him what they were seeing. He didn't explain anything, didn't make sure the whole group had seen the birds, and didn't wait for the stragglers to catch up. We had some older folks in our group and he never waited to help them up/down slippery slopes or difficult obstacles. He just forged ahead and if someone had dropped off the edge of the mountain, he probably wouldn't have noticed. I learned how to work with him—by sticking closely to his side and asking him relentless questions—but the rest of the group struggled. He also never explained what we were doing or what to expect so we were often ill-prepared for the activities we were doing. I'm able to say these things about him because the other guides we had were so wonderful with the group.

4. Finally, birding is a long and physical activity. It would be nice if all the guides kept a cooler in the back of the van with bottles of cold water, soft drinks, and perhaps some snacks (health bars / fruit or whatever) on trips that are longer than 3 hours. There were many early mornings we left to bird and weren't given any coffee or tea at all, and had to wait until mid-morning breakfast or lunch to eat or drink again. It would take so little to address this and it would have a major impact on the happiness of your future birders.

5. Recommendation for Senda Koguiwa: put up bird feeders! They have such a gorgeous property with so many birds already but with feeders, you'd attract birdwatchers by the thousands!

None of these are criticisms but rather intended as feedback to help Kimkim fine-tune its services for birders. Overall, we had the adventure of a lifetime and it was wonderful to sit back and enjoy the ride!