Things to do in Caldas

Your tour guide will pick you up from your hotel at 7 AM. From there you will be transported in a new, comfortable, and private vehicle with air-conditioning, tinted windows and insurance. It is a 3-hour drive to the coffee plantation, lay back and relax while your certified coffee expert guide delights you with all the intricacies of the land, history, and culture. On your way to Jardin, enjoy a delicious breakfast on the house. Your first stop in Jardin is an early morning horseback ride through the towering and majestic Andes mountains to a sublime waterfall. You can get off your horse and go for a dip or just unwind and be mesmerized by the nature and the blissful sound of the waterfall cascading down the mountain. Next, visit the coffee villa nestled on top of the Andes mountains, where you will learn the full coffee process while surrounded by nature and exotic flowers. Enjoy a typical Paisa lunch and delight your eyes with magnificent vistas as you relish a fresh cup of coffee.  The colorful town of Jardín's is where you will get to experience live roasting at the main square roastery. The town plaza will enthrall and fascinate you with all it's charming, vibrant edifices, stunning architecture, church, restaurants, cute shops, souvenir stores, colonial-style homes with opulent balconies adorned with flowers hovering over you, and much more. After a gratifying stroll, proceed to take a smooth ride in the cable car, where you will also enjoy imposing views of the grandiose evergreen mountain ranges that stretch for miles. Last, you will be dropped off at your hotel at approximately 7 PM, depending on traffic and climate conditions.

You will be picked up at either 7:30AM or 11:00AM from Salento or Pereira, from where you will be taken to the Coffee Hacienda near Manizales, Caldas. When you arrive, you will notice the enormous size of the coffee plantations and the steep hills in which they grow. Your first stop will be to the coffee lab to learn about coffee's history, origin, worldwide distribution, and varieties. Following that, you will learn to differentiate between different types of coffees and appreciate the qualities, species, preparation methods, and production. After some sips and a lesson from experts, you will head to the plantations to learn the different stages of coffee, from seed to drink. You will see the different machines involved in coffee processing, understanding why Colombian coffee is so famous and desired worldwide. During the tour's final stage, you will experience the importance of a good coffee roast and delight your senses with wonderful aromas produced by freshly roasted coffee. Following your tour's completion, enjoy the view while you savor a typical meal for lunch before returning to Salento or Pereira.