TRAVEL TO CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA

TRAVEL TO CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA Romancing the Stone
Veterans Day Weekend | November 11 – 16 | 25 spots available
Up in the Air Life presents the opportunity to attend Romancing the Stone -­‐ Cartagena, Colombia hassle-­‐free. We secure your lodging. We arrange your City Tour, Mud Volcano, Palenque visit, and other activities. We take care of your all your meals except one dinner. We assist you with flight recommendations. We connect you with other world-­‐class travelers. And you? You have one job. Have fun. © Up in the Air Life, Inc. 2015 All Rights Reserved What's included?
• Up in the Air Life Virtual Concierge: Months prior to the trip we provides calls, a private Facebook group, and 24-­‐hour email support. • Welcome Packet: A packing list, departure checklist, and destination information. • Onsite Staff in Cartagena: We’ve arranged for you to have an UITAL representative who will be onsite so you can relax and enjoy your vacation. • Lodging Accommodations: Hotel accommodations for 6 days and 5 nights. • Meals: All Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinners are included with the exception of one night in which you are free to venture out on your own. • Tours, Activities, and Excursions: City Tour, Mud Volcano Tour, Day Trip Excursion to Playa Blanca Beach, Tour of Palenque, Pool Party, and more • Airport Ground Transfers: We will pick you up from the airport and provide transportation to your hotel on arrivals and departures. • Local Transportation: Transportation for all tours is also included. • Up in the Air Life Swag Bag: All UITAL trips include a personalized Swag Bag created by Up in the Air Life • Flight Booking Assistance: Recommendations to book the most economical flight for your trip • A few extra surprises along the way! Shhhhhhhhhh!! Not included in the Tour Cost: • Flights and/or other transportation to/from Colombia • Unlimited alcoholic drinks are not included • One dinner is not included • Transportation within Colombia outside of organized activities • Souvenirs or meals not specified on Tours © Up in the Air Life, Inc. 2015 All Rights Reserved • Optional activities • Travel/health insurance • Passport/visa fees *Note: This trip is ALL INCLUSIVE of meals and tours except one dinner is not included. Some Alcoholic drinks are included at events but Unlimited alcoholic drinks are not included. Arrival Airport -­‐ Cartagena, Colombia (CTG) Lodging Accommodation Options Bastion Luxury Hotel
(http://www.bastionluxuryhotel.com) Centro historico, Calle del Sargento No. 6 – 87, Centro, 130001 Cartagena de Indias, Colombia Balcones de Alhelí B&B
http://www.balconesdealeli.com Calle 35 # 7-­‐17, Bolívar, Colombia © Up in the Air Life, Inc. 2015 All Rights Reserved Day 1 (Wednesday, November 11th): Arrivals. Check into your hotel. Relax, your vacation has just begun. Welcome Reception with cocktails at Cafe Del Mar tonight followed by dinner at a local restaurant. Sitting pretty on the historic walls, Café del Mar, has been a landmark of Cartagena's nightlife scene for more than a decade. It's privileged position atop the Baluarte Santo Domingo, the westernmost point of Cartagena's 17th century fortifications, underpin the bar's enduring appeal. The unbroken sea views and refreshing breeze make Café del Mar the undisputed king of Cartagena sundowners and attract an international crowd that don't mind paying New York prices for the chance to knock back a Mojito and watch the sun sink into the sea. © Up in the Air Life, Inc. 2015 All Rights Reserved The popular bar's top tables hug the walls providing a romantic spot for couples to canoodle their way into another evening in the most seductive city in the Caribbean. Day 2 (Thursday, November 12th): Breakfast at hotel. We leave in the morning for the Cartagena City Tour (4 hours) – The guided city tour starts with the transfer from the city centre to La Popa Convent. You will have a great view over the whole city from the convent. From there we proceed to the biggest fort the Spaniards had built in their colonies in South America, the fortress San Felipe de Barajas. We will visit all parts of the fortress and some tunnels, as well as the statue of Don Blas de Lezo. From the fort we walk to Cartagena’s historical centre. We cross one of the oldest parts of the city (Getsemani), where the main character (Florentino Ariza), from the book “Love in Times of Cholera” by the author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, lived. We enter the walled city centre through the official entrance, which nowadays is the town’s landmark: the Clock Tower. Behind it lies Los Coches Square with the Monument of Don Pedro de Heredia, who founded Cartagena de Indias 1533. We walk through the narrow colorful alleys, pass by beautiful squares and parks and come to the church of San Pedro Claver. We continue walking to the Bolivar Square next to the cathedral of Cartagena. Santa Catalina de Alejandria Cathedral was built in 1577 and is the home of the archbishop. Afterwards we visit the Santo Domingo Square, where the oldest church of the city is located. From there we proceed over the city walls to the Santa Teresa Square to the Naval Museum and from there we continue to the Clock Tower where our tour ends. Lunch at La Casa de Socorro – Enjoy delicious authentic cuisine at a local restaurant. La Casa de Socorro is located on the other site of the city behind the theatre. We will walk there after our tour. © Up in the Air Life, Inc. 2015 All Rights Reserved Fresh Limes, Hot Salsa, Sour Cream and Festival of the Sea Platter pictured. Afternoon on your own. Explore the walled city at your leisure. Dinner: Join us for an intimate group dinner at Santo Domingo Square – which you visited earlier. Day 3 (Friday, November 13th): Breakfast at hotel. Today we venture off on a Day Trip to Playa Blanca (7 hours)– Their beach is better!!! Playa Blanca on Isla de Baru is a long, gorgeous white sand beach with gentle warm turquoise water. The kind of beach that is so insanely beautiful that you end up taking the same photo over and over because it is just so damn beautiful! From Cartagena, Playa Blanca is 45 minutes by speedboat. © Up in the Air Life, Inc. 2015 All Rights Reserved As we arrive, vendors will be offering an array of corral necklaces, stone carvings, fresh lobsters, coconut cocktails and 30-­‐minute massages. Here we will have a typical Caribbean lunch: Fried Fish with plantain, coconut rice and salad. After lunch you have more time to enjoy the beach until the speedboat takes you back to Cartagena around 3pm. Group Dinner tonight: Details and location are a surprise. Shhhhhhhhh!!! Rumba en Chiva (8pm -­‐ midnight) – Experience a traditional Colombian Party Bus this evening! Chivas are traditional buses that used to provide transportation from village to village. We will get into a colourful open Chiva Bus and drive along Laguito, Bocagrande, Castillo Grande, the city centre, Manga and the Castillo San Felipe. The tour guide, in this case an animator, provides a great atmosphere and explains the sights. The band plays with accordion and guacharaca Colombian Music (mainly Vallenato and Cumbia). We stop at the Bovedas and eat typical Cartagenero Fritos (fried pastry made of corn, yucca or potato flour, filled with meat, egg and cheese). Late Night Dancing in the nightlife district on your own. The tour ends at midnight in Cartagena’s nightlife district, the Arsenal Street, where many clubs and bars invite you to keep partying. © Up in the Air Life, Inc. 2015 All Rights Reserved Day 4 (Saturday, November 14th): Breakfast at hotel. Leave in the morning for a Day Trip to Volcano of Toumo (The Mud Volcano) for 6 hours. El Totumo Mud Volcano (or Volcán de Lodo El Totumo in Spanish) lies about one-­‐and-­‐a-­‐half hour's drive from Cartagena. Technically it's not a real lava-­‐spewing, ash-­‐throwing volcano, but rather a 15-­‐metre-­‐high mound full of mud, which makes for a unique Colombian spa experience and endless fun. The Volcano is not everyone's cup of tea -­‐ or pot of mud to be exact. It's perfect for adventurous souls who love the idea of swimming in a crater full of warm mud -­‐ which definitely has its upsides. You get a relaxing mud massage, and because of the high buoyancy, it's a truly hilarious experience trying to swim (or even remain upright) in the brown viscous mud. Most visitors will tell you it's an incredible sensation being covered in mud, and makes for great pictures. The Volcano also has alleged healing qualities as its minerals are said to help rejuvenate the skin. And, according to local folklore, El Totumo once spewed lava and ashes, but it was then turned to mud after a local priest, who believed the Volcano was the work of the devil, sprinkled holy water into it and banishing the evil spirit. Lunch at Manzanillo del Mar where you can take a walk on the beach, relax or go swimming. Late afternoon we will head back in Cartagena. Dinner & Night out on your own – we can provide you recommendations to dance the night away. Day 5 (Sunday, November 15th): Breakfast at hotel. Meet in Lobby at 9:00am for Day Trip to Palenque, the last standing colony built by freed African American slaves. Return to hotel at 1pm. © Up in the Air Life, Inc. 2015 All Rights Reserved From Cartagena we drive about 60-­‐90 minutes to San Basillo de Palenque, where we meet our local tour guide (a Palenquero). We visit the village as well as the cultural centre and learn about the history. Founded by escaped slaves during the 17th Century, this tiny village was heritage listed by UNESCO in 2005 due to its strong African linguistic, musical and cultural traditions. It is considered the first free town in the Americas and is definitely worth a visit in order to gain a fuller picture of Cartagena, the history of slavery in Colombia and Latin America and to observe a community where Afro-­‐roots and traditions have been preserved and maintained including a distinct creole language (Palenquero), folkloric dance, cuisine, dress, hairstyles, political organization and social structure. Benkos Biohó an escaped slave from Guinea Bissau hid here with 36 more men and women. Until the sixties there was no connecting road to San Basillo de Palenque. The Palenquero originated there, a language that is not spoken in any other part of the world. Palenque has a fascinating history and is the origin of the Mapalés de Bullerengue and the origin of all Afro-­‐Colombian styles of music and dances. Lunch in Palenque: Afterwards you will be offered a refreshing beverage and you can taste a typical dish from Palenque for lunch. After lunch we drive back to Cartagena. ALL WHITE Farewell Dinner at Casa de la Cerveza. While overlooking breathtaking views of Cartagena we will induldge in a delightful dinner at one of our favorite rooftop restaurants. © Up in the Air Life, Inc. 2015 All Rights Reserved Day 6 (Monday, November 16th): Breakfast at hotel. We bid you farewell and shall see you soon. Your pick-­‐up times will be confirmed on Sunday. © Up in the Air Life, Inc. 2015 All Rights Reserved