Only my SECOND trip to South America as a travel photographer, and I have been dreaming of Colombia for a long time. I love cities that are vibrant and colorful and I love experiencing new cultures and just wow – Colombia did not let me down. I booked a tour group that’s geared to a 30’s and 40’s age group, called Flash Pack. It was a bit more expensive than some group trips I’ve done in the past, but it was by far the nicest. Nicest hotels I’ve ever stayed at, the most things included, no additional add-ons or expensive extras once you get there, the most food included. I barely spent any money once I got there, and I would’ve never originally stayed at hotels this nice! So, I will absolutely travel with Flash Pack again. A link to my exact trip is here: Vibrant Colombia.

Bogotá, Colombia

After touching down in Bogotá and meeting some people in my group, we had dinner together for the first time at one of Colombia’s most famous night spots, Andrés Carne de Res, with an atmospheric evening of live music, local cuisine and performance art. Truly an experience to remember LOL – the performance art changes nightly and for us they were giving Lady Gaga monster vibes. On our second day, we started the day off with a graffiti tour around the city. We stopped for lunch at a local restaurant that’s part of the Mama Luz family — whose award-winning Ajiaco soup made her a Netflix documentary star. We ended the day at a local bar where we learned the infamous local drinking game (Tijo) that involves throwing a metal disc at a gunpowder target. While you’re drinking. Yes.

Guatapé, Colombia

VERY early the next morning we took a flight to Medellín – once the world’s most dangerous city, now a vibrant cultural hub – and started off the day by FIRST petting and feeding llamas and alpacas, a highlight for me. Then we were off to climb El Peñol de Guatapé, a giant ancient rock with incredible city views. With over 700 steps – we actually timed ourselves and taking our time we climbed it in under 17 minutes! So it’s not as crazy as it seems, it’s just high elevation so I was feeling that more than anything. Then we went into Guatapé for lunch and a wander, it’s one of the most colorful towns in Colombia filled with pastel-colored homes and lively waterfront streets. We shopped, we ate, we ate some more, we pet cute dogs, I truly loved this little day trip! One of my favorite stops for sure. And then to another epic part of the day: a cruise across Guatapé reservoir on a private boat to see the ruins of Pablo Escobar’s estate – an eerie relic of the Medellin drug cartel which disbanded in the 1990s.

Medellín, Colombia

Our first full day in Medellín started off with a visit to Communa 13 – a neighborhood once controlled by Pablo Escobar, with street art depicting scenes of peace and solidarity. We were VERY involved in some street performances, indulged in the local coffee (and affogato), and had lunch and a cooking demonstration with the local women at Las Berracas, a community project that empowers single moms and domestic violence survivors. For dinner, we got fancy and all went to El Cielo Restaurant, famed for the exquisite molecular cuisine, and we enjoyed the most insane meal I’ve ever had. It was actually so many courses I can’t even remember how many… something like 17 courses? Each one with its own unique presentation.

The next day, we traveled across the mountains to a family-run coffee hacienda where we learned about how farmers work in the plantations and all about how coffee is made. We then had a free day after that and a bunch of us chose to book a Pablo Escobar tour where we went to a few different locations and learned more about the history. We saw the memorial built for everyone who died during his reign (40,000 people), we saw the neighborhood that he built for the poor, and we saw the place that he died.

Cartagena, Colombia

We flew to Cartagena and wow wow wow. Not only is it a tropical vibrant colorful paradise but it is a VIBE. A sweaty one, but this city had such a different feeling than the others. We did a walking tour, we tasted exotic fruits, I went a little photo crazy, we ended the night at a rooftop bar, and then ended it again at our own hotel’s rooftop. This was by FAR my favorite hotel I’ve ever stayed in in my life so it deserves its own shout out. It’s called Open Social House Getsemaní, Cartagena. Go there. However, it was so hot in August, that even the pools felt like hot tubs LOL.

We had a whole free day in Cartagena so my new besties and I started with some shopping (which we all totally failed at because it’s daunting to shop in Cartagena), and made sure to try more local coffee and definitely found our favorites. We spent hours at the hotel pool, eating the delicious hotel snacks and drinks and being lazy. We spent the evening at a local rum tasting (ouch) followed by some of the best fast food tacos I’ve ever had in my life and then finished the night at a multiple-hours-long salsa lesson! We started on a rooftop, sweat our absolute lives away, learned the steps, and then went to a local bar and danced all night. I snuck away for the coldest shower of my life at the end of the night.

On our last day, we spent it exploring the Rosario Islands by private boat; an archipelago of 27 coral islands. We felt like we had our very own private island for the day, it was gorgeous. Swimming, eating, drinking coconut drinks, and forcing all of my new friends to buy friendship bracelets from a man selling them on the beach. Our final night we went out to dinner, ended on another rooftop, and then had to wake up in the morning to say goodbye to all of our people. I truly had the best trip, and I can’t wait for my next visit to South America.