Vaya Adventures Announces New-for-2015 Bespoke Vacations to Colombia

Vaya Adventures (http://www.vayaadventures.com/), the experts in designing premier bespoke vacations in South America, announces new-for-2015, Vaya-branded itineraries for private travel to Colombia.

“Politically there are very few countries in the world that have been able to turn their nation around as quickly as Colombia has. The same goes for ramping up services and facilities for visitors so that they can begin to enjoy, among others, a biodiversity unrivaled in the world, stunning and intact vestiges of a colonial past and the energy behind a world-class coffee production,” Vaya Adventures founder Jim Lutz says.

Newly-designed guided programs starting at just $2,517 per person (double) for nine days offer what Lutz calls “unparalleled value” for a South American destination. All accommodations and transfers, some meals, guiding, excursions and entrance fees are included in a base rate for diverse tours that offered year-round. Travel dates are flexible to accommodate client requests.

For more details, trip ideas and suggested itineraries please see: http://www.vayaadventures.com/destinations/colombia/

According to Lutz, Colombia holds a unique position and allure in the expanding world of adventure travel.

Colombia is listed (by the United Nations’ Convention on Biological Diversity) as one of the world’s “mega diverse” countries, hosting close to 10% of the planet’s biodiversity. Worldwide, it ranks first in bird and orchid species diversity and second in plants, butterflies, freshwater fishes and amphibians. With 314 types of ecosystems, Colombia possesses a rich complexity of ecological, climatic, biological and ecosystem components. Colombia was ranked as one of the world’s richest countries in aquatic resources, which is explained in part by the fact that the country’s large watersheds feed into the four massive sub-continental basins of the Amazon, Orinoco, Caribbean, Magdalena-Cauca and the Pacific.

Among Colombia tour highlights are:

• Bogota, with cobblestone streets below a panoramic view of this Andean plateau from atop Mount Monserrate (10,341 feet), Botero Museum (founded in 2000 when perhaps South America’s most recognizable artist, Fernando Botero, donated 208 pieces of his art) and the Gold Museum (the world’s most important collection of pre-Colombian gold).
• The pirate history that imbues Cartagena’s stone walls and location on the Caribbean.
• The Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia, dedicated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, viewed afoot and from an open-top jeep so guests can brush shoulders with the hard-working, real-life Juan Valdez’s of the world.
• Villa de Leyva, a charming colonial city in the Andes with excellent, off the beaten path hiking options.
• Tayrona National Park, one of the untrammeled gems of the country, on a gorgeous stretch of the Caribbean coast east of Cartagena, where guests can also explore the pre-Hispanic ruins at El Pueblito. 

An itinerary can be as culturally or actively (think hiking and horseback riding) focused as a client prefers, Lutz adds.  Visits here can also be combined with trips to Ecuador for snorkeling with sea lions and to the Incan ruins at Machu Picchu.

Jim Lutz on Colombia
“Colombia is a destination that is still well enough off the beaten path to feel like a real adventure. A lot of things help make travel in this country captivating, and those who have gone describe it as one of the highlights of their personal travels. Perhaps it’s that it feels like stepping back in time, experiencing what travel to South America was like decades ago, before major destinations gained widespread popularity. Colombia missed out on most of the rapid growth in tourism that many other parts of the continent have experienced. That will change, because the country’s troubles have receded far enough into the background that people now feel comfortable traveling here. Now is the right time to visit!”

For more information, trip planning, availability and reservations please visit:http://www.vayaadventures.com or call 800-342-1796.

About Vaya Adventures
Jim Lutz founded Vaya Adventures in 2004 out of a desire to share his passion for South America with others. This private custom-travel company leaves no stone unturned when it comes to understanding the history and culture of the regions its guests visit, thanks to extensive first-hand research and an expansive network of contacts in each destination, including the finest private guides. Vaya Adventures emphasizes accommodations, restaurants, and neighborhoods that reflect the best of the local culture, studiously avoiding the generic, the touristy, and the corporate.  Through low-impact tourism and a sustainable supply chain, Vaya Adventures strives to create a strong positive incentive for the preservation of both historic and natural environments in South America.  Lutz is also President of the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association, an organization of over 40 companies working to promote conservation and sustainable tourism in the Galapagos Islands.  

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