Trip Report: Adventures by Disney Colombia

Inspired by a trip report I saw online and an episode of The Amazing Race, we decided our seventh Adventures by Disney (AbD) family vacation would be to Colombia. This itinerary, which debuted in 2024, is one of the newest AbD vacations. Because of school and work schedules, we chose the trip running from December 27th through January 3rd.

While I wasn't sure what to expect in Colombia, I left with a special fondness for this beautiful country and its people. I'd highly recommend a vacation there, and this itinerary is perfect for families with older/adult kids. Unlike some of the other AbD trips I've taken, this particular agenda drew inspiration from Disney's Encanto, with lots of mentions of the movie throughout our trip.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, and a purchase through one of these links may result in a commission paid to us at no additional cost to you. We did attend a 2-night complimentary NYC AbD in 2018 but paid full price for our seven longer trips to Europe and Latin America.

Trip Report: Adventures by Disney Colombia

We began our journey with two long flights to Bogotá, with a connection at DFW. This wasn't the original flight I booked; however, a few months before our trip, we were rebooked on this less-than-optimal route. After a brief delay (the second flight requiring additional servicing), we arrived in Bogotá after midnight.

Immigration took about 45 minutes, but our bags were already on the carousel when we arrived. After retrieving our bags, we had to pass through a security screening before exiting the airport and meeting our AbD driver.

Our hotel, Sofitel Bogota Victoria Regia, was about a thirty-minute drive from the airport. We checked in, quickly retrieved our toothbrushes and pajamas (we had packed them in our carry-on for convenience after arrival), and went to bed.

Day 1: Bogota

We started our next morning with a delicious buffet breakfast at the hotel. While I did enjoy breakfast at each hotel, the one at the Sofitel was our favorite. Then we met up with our guides, Austin and Daniel, before walking around the area near the hotel (the Chapinero neighborhood).

Bogota, especially the area around the hotel, surprised me. It was much more cosmopolitan than I expected. Daniel and Austin provided us with a map showing key locations, and we selected a lunch restaurant from that list: Central Cevicheria. The food there was so good - it ended up being one of our favorite meals on the vacation.

After a short nap, we got ready for the first official Adventures by Disney event - the Welcome Dinner. We began in a hotel conference room, where we received an overview of the trip and met all the families on our adventure. This was the largest AbD Colombia trip so far, with 37 guests.

Then we took the bus to dinner at Harry Sasson in Bogotá. During the conference room debrief, we were given an overview of the prix fixe menu and had several options to choose from. Appetizers, side dishes, and desserts were served family-style, so we could try several. The food was great, and it was nice to meet our fellow travelers for the week.

Day 2: Bogota

Day 2 officially started after a buffet breakfast at the hotel. We met our local guide, Luchito, and boarded our bus for a drive into downtown Bogotá. Because the main road is closed to cyclists on Sundays, we had a bit of a roundabout journey to reach the Plaza de Mercado 12 de Octubre, a food market offering fruit, cheeses, flowers, handmade wares, and much more.

Once we arrived, we learned from the vendors and sampled local specialties, including fresh fruits and cheeses. It was a great way to experience Bogota directly. Next, we drove to another central hub to begin our walking tour of the historic city center. There, we saw beautiful buildings, murals, graffiti, and more.

Next, we had a brief break from the walking tour to explore the Botero Museum, which features mostly works by Colombian artist Fernando Botero. In addition, it includes art from his personal collection, including works by Monet. After our time there, we headed to El Tailer de Cocina.

At El Tailer de Cocina, we participated in an arepa-making lesson, then sat down for a traditional Colombian dinner of chicken stew, arepas, and dessert. This was some of my favorite food during our entire adventure.

Next, we walked to the Museo del Oro (Gold Museum), a modern museum located in central Bogota. We started with a brief walking tour with our local guide, and then had free time. Because we were tired, we decided to visit the museum's cafe to try some coffee and pastries.

After a walk back to our bus, we had the rest of the afternoon/evening for dinner. We also needed to pack, because this was our last evening in Bogota. Because we loved the Central Cevicheria so much, we returned for dinner.

Day 3: Coffee Region

After an early bag pickup, we drove to the Bogota airport for our short flight to Armenia, in the Coffee Region. The flight was about 45 minutes, and then we had to wait at baggage claim for our suitcases. From the airport, we drove directly to the Hacienda Combia hotel, restaurant, and coffee plantation. We also met our Coffee Region local guide, Omar.

We started with lunch, which we had preordered the day before. Then we had a coffee tasting, trying both fresh coffee from the plantation and supermarket coffee to see if we could tell the difference by smell and taste.

Next, we took a guided walk through the plantation, where we learned about the elements essential to growing great coffee. Be sure to bring your bug repellent and sunscreen on this tour. Although we'd gone right from our flight to the coffee farm, liquids are allowed on domestic flights in Colombia.

After the tour, we split into two groups because of our adventure group's size, and we all met up to paint little coffee cups. Then, we drove to the hotel, the Hotel Mocawa. This converted hacienda offers two pools, a game room, a fitness center, a restaurant, and colorful buildings offering bright, cheerful rooms.

Typically, this is Junior Adventurer Night (where the younger kids eat dinner with the guides and watch a movie while the adults dine together), but we had only one younger kid in our group. Instead, we had a choice to either eat and watch Encanto outside or dine in the restaurant. Our whole group decided to watch the movie, so we had a fun, casual movie night on the hotel's lawn.

Day #4: Coffee Region

The next day began early as we headed 90 minutes into the Cocora Valley for our first hike of the trip. We had a restroom stop about halfway, at a cafe where guests could also order coffee or other drinks to go. Because this week (right after Christmas) is a popular vacation week for Colombians, the Cocora Valley was especially busy.

We stopped to try a delicious Colombian hot beverage (most of us thought it tasted a bit like spiced hot apple cider) and to use the restroom before embarking on our hike. This hike was on a path but was very uphill, so I'd recommend bringing good hiking sneakers.

The Cocora Valley is filled with towering wax palm trees and mountains, and served as a major inspiration for the landscape of Encanto. While the Coffee Region is at a lower elevation than Bogota, it's still well above sea level. We were glad to be prepared with sunscreen and bug repellent.

Overall, we spent a few hours in the Cocora Valley before heading down to get back on the motorcoach. Anyone who didn't want to do the full walk (it was quite steep) could stay at the bottom or walk at their own pace.

After our hike, we headed to lunch at a nearby restaurant (Donde Laurita en Salento). Unfortunately, there was a car accident on the very narrow road that led to us being delayed by a bit. Luckily, we had preordered lunch, and it was ready for us shortly after arrival.

After lunch, we regrouped for a surprise activity before getting back on the bus. We were led on a short walk through the forest to a spot where each family was able to plant their very own palm tree. It was a very special experience for every family.

Next, we drove to the small, colorful town of Salento for some time on our own. Guests could either spend the time exploring the small town or join Omar to learn the traditional Colombian game, Tejo. We had wanted to do some shopping, so we opted to spend our time exploring the town.

From there, we went back to our hotel to show and change for our evening asado. This traditional outdoor barbecue featured Colombian culinary specialties such as chicken, arepas, sausage, and steak. After dinner, we learned we'd have to wake up very early the next morning (December 31st, New Year's Eve). We had to leave our bags outside at 4 am and meet the group at 4:30 am for our departure from the hotel.

Day 5: Cartegena

Day 5 was the longest day ever, with an early wakeup and a late bedtime (due to New Year's Eve). Because we departed before breakfast was open, we were given box lunches at the hotel to eat on the coach. We drove about 90 minutes to the Aeropuerto Internacional Matecaña airport in Pereira. This wasn't the airport we arrived at (that was the Armenia Airport), which is why the drive was much longer.

Upon our arrival in Pereira, we checked our bags and had some free time to grab coffee and any extra breakfast. The airport was clean and modern, with lots of easy food options. Our first flight was a quick trip back to Bogota, and we had about 90 minutes to grab any additional food and drinks there. Then, we flew to Cartagena.

After getting our luggage, we loaded it onto separate shuttles bound for the hotel, then boarded small Sprinter vans to the center of Cartagena. There, we met our next local guide, Felipe. He gave us a quick tour as we walked towards our next activity - a walking food tour.

During our Encanto-themed food tour, we tasted several Colombian delicacies, including fruit, candy, savory cookies, stuffed arepas, coconut water. Then, we walked to our last stop of the afternoon for a rum tasting.

At the rum tasting, guests could either sample the rum or head downstairs for a chocolate tasting. The rum tasting also included food, including chocolate. There were lots of rum samples, and everyone enjoyed finding their favorites.

Our vans picked us up there, and we headed to the hotel for a short break to get ready for New Year's Eve. Typically, this would have been an on-your-own night, but instead AbD bought us tickets to the hotel's New Year's Eve party. Because of this, we stayed at a different hotel than what is typical for this agenda - the Bastion Luxury Hotel.

The New Year's Eve party included a Mediterranean-themed buffet and one alcoholic drink. Everything else was at our own cost. There was a fantastic DJ, and the rooftop location made it the perfect spot to ring in the New Year. We also loved experiencing the New Year's Eve Twelve Grapes tradition. But right after the clock chimed midnight, we headed to bed, because we had an early morning wake-up the next day to visit Proyecto Titi.

Day 6: Cartegena

I'll admit I was very, very tempted to sleep in and skip our early-morning visit to Proyecto Titi. In fact, ten members of our group did just that. But I woke up when my husband did, and decided to drink lots of coffee and go. And I'm so glad I did, because it was one of the major highlights of the trip.

While the ride to Proyecto Titi was expected to take 90 minutes to 2 hours, it took us only an hour. Because it was New Year's Day, there was no traffic at all. We headed into the foundation's main building, where we were fitted for boots and learned the morning schedule.

Typically, guests must wear boots, long-sleeved shorts, long pants, and long socks. However, because this was the dry season, the boots were optional. I chose to wear my hiking sneakers, but the rest of my family opted for the provided boots. We were also given the option to carry a portable stool for the hike, and I'd highly recommend it. We sat frequently.

Proyecto Titi works to conserve the Cotton-Top Tamarins (Titis), among the most endangered primates in the world. The Disney Conservation Fund provides funding to Proyecto Titi.

Shortly after setting out on our hike, we spotted a group of Titi monkeys playing in the trees. These adorable monkeys are so tiny, and we were thrilled to see them immediately. While I got some pictures on my cell phone, a proper camera with a zoom lens would have been beneficial.

After sitting for a while, we headed out on the hike. Overall, we were gone for two hours, but it was a straight walk with no real hills. During the walk, we saw bats, various birds, Titis, and howler monkeys. It was hot and muggy, and the portable fan I brought was very useful!

At the end of the walk, we met with a farmer who talked about how Proyecto Titi helped his family business, and then had the opportunity to plant another tree (one per family). Then we got back in the vans and headed to the main building to learn about another community program within Proyecto Titi.

Eco-Mochilas is a program in which local women create traditional Mochila bags from recycled plastic bags. Several of the crafters joined our group and showed us how the create the stitches right from the bags. After a traditional Colombian lunch, we had some shopping time to purchase bags, t-shirts, and stuffed Titis before heading back to the hotel.

After arriving back from Proyecto Titi, we were given some time to change clothes before the next part of our trip - a walking tour of the Fort and the Getsemane neighborhood. This is, however, where our lack of sleep caught up with us so we opted to nap instead of joining the tour.

The rest of the day was scheduled on your own time, so we explored the local area. Ultimately, we dined at Verona, an Italian restaurant located a block from our hotel. The food was fantastic, and I would definitely recommend it.

Day 7: Cartegena

The next day, we woke up for our final full day in Colombia. This was one of the days we were most eagerly anticipating - a trip to the Rosario Islands off the coast of Cartagena.

We started with a drive (in a full-size bus this time) to a waterfront resort (Hotel Las Islas) where we met our boat. We were also fitted for flippers for the snorkeling part of the excursion.

The boat itself was like a speedboat, yet it fit all of us. The seats were a tight fit, however. Once we arrived at our snorkeling spot and picked up our masks, everyone jumped off the boat and followed our guides. Snorkeling was optional, and some guests chose to stay aboard.

After about 45 minutes of snorkeling, everyone got on the boat, and we headed to the island for our pre-ordered lunch. First, we changed out of our swimsuits. Bags were provided for us to store our wet clothes. The views from this resort were stunning, with beautiful turquoise waters. I'd love to return to spend more time there.

After lunch, it was a quick boat ride back to the resort to catch our bus back to the hotel. Once we were there, we had a little time to pack our suitcases and shower/get changed for our farewell dinner.

We met in the lobby and were then guided through Cartegena to the restaurant for our farewell dinner. It was a beautiful restaurant, with really delicious food. While typically our farewell dinners have been in a private room, this one was at separate tables in the restaurant. Then we were guided back to the hotel to a private room for a dessert buffet and our final farewells.

Day 8: Flight Home

Our flight back to Boston (via Miami) wasn't until 2:30 pm, so we had some free time on the morning of our departure. We ate a leisurely buffet breakfast at the hotel, and then walked through town to get some final photos. Then we took our van to Cartagena Airport and said goodbye to Colombia. We left with fantastic memories of this beautiful country, and hopes to return again in the future.