Colombia has everything to make your end-of-year trip a unique experience: diverse climates, varied gastronomy, modern cities, and colonial towns with an unmatched cultural and historical richness. Visiting Colombia at the end of the year is an experience you will never forget. Here are 5 plans you should include in your itinerary to enjoy everything the country has to offer at this time.
How to make crafts? Learn in Ráquira
Ráquira, known as the 'artisan capital of Colombia,' is one of the country's most important ceramic centers and a must-visit for Colombian handicrafts.
Upon arriving in Ráquira, you will be welcomed by colorful facades and the friendliness of its inhabitants. In addition to the charm of its architecture and its commercial streets, where you can find more than 2,000 varieties of clay objects, Ráquira offers the possibility of getting to know the local culture up close through pottery and ceramic workshops.
There are numerous companies and hotels like Otilias, Raquirarte artisan workshop, Villa Terracota, and the Hostería campestre San Fermín that will allow you to experience the magic of this artisan tradition. You can learn how to model an object with clay using potter's wheels, pass the figure through the kiln, and take it home. There's nothing better than making your own souvenir to remember your visit to this charming Colombian municipality.
Discover: Villa de Leyva International Jazz Festival
Have a cultural exchange with ancestral communities
Living with Colombian indigenous cultures is a different tourism option that will give a special touch to your end-of-year trip. There are different regions where you can experience this cultural exchange, which in some cases is promoted by the indigenous people themselves, and which aims to get to know the ancestral traditions and cultural richness of the country up close.
Some of the communities that offer the possibility of living a cultural exchange are the Tucanos in Vaupés, the Wayúu indigenous people in La Guajira, the Kogui, Wiwa, and Arhuacos in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, and the Guambiano and Nasa peoples in the Cauca department.
In addition to tours of beaches, mountains, and jungles, where you can appreciate the richness of flora and fauna in the country, you will have the opportunity to witness ancestral customs and rituals of the different indigenous communities, as well as participate in environmental conservation activities and workshops for making typical crafts of each village.
Ecotourism in the Amazon
The Amacayacu National Natural Park, located near Puerto Nariño, Amazonas, is the ideal place if you want to include an ecotourism experience during your end-of-year trip to Colombia.
Ecotourism in Amacayacu revolves around the conception that the Ticuna indigenous people have of nature. For this reason, a tourist circuit has been created within the park, known as 'the jungle trail' or environmental interpretation trail. There, under the guidance of the indigenous people, you can see nature in a new way and understand concepts such as the alliance of man with his environment, the wisdom to navigate the forest, the will to take paths, respect for life forms, and the balance of the jungle.
Amacayacu is home to over 150 species of mammals, including some endangered species such as the jaguar, manatee, and otter; around 500 species of birds; and a huge variety of primates, with the titi monkey standing out as the world's smallest. During your visit, besides seeing the richness of flora and fauna in the Amazon, you will have the opportunity to navigate the Amazon River, take walks through the tropical rainforest, and hike in the Loma del Tigre, among other activities.
Go salsa dancing in Cali
Another way to enjoy the December holidays is to take advantage of the nightlife to move to the rhythm of music. Cali, known as 'the Salsa World Capital', is a destination you must include in your itinerary if you want to learn to dance like the best (or at least polish your steps before hitting the dance floor).
The city has over 100 schools to learn salsa dancing. After class, you can practice at the different bars and clubs in the city, such as Tin Tin Deo, La Bodega Cubana, La Topa Tolondra, or the famous Club Discoteca Changó, known worldwide as the mecca of salsa.
However, it's not all about salsa. Cali also has a wide range of bars to enjoy nightlife to the rhythm of other musical genres. Among the most visited places are Kukaramakara, Praga, Martyn’s, la Pérgola Clandestina, Levels Rooftop, and Living Night Club.
Experience extreme sports in San Gil
Colombia has a wide range of tourism options for lovers of adventure sports. One of the recommended municipalities to celebrate the end of the year with a dose of adrenaline is San Gil, Santander.
Whether you're traveling with your family or friends, San Gil offers you a variety of unique experiences, including rafting on the Ponce and Suárez rivers, canyoning in the Quebrada La Chorrera, paragliding in Curití, bungee jumping over the Ponce River, spelunking in La Vaca cave, and paragliding over the Chicamocha Canyon.
