A 28-day small-group journey for up to 12 travellers, from Bogota's Gold Museum and the ancient statuary of San Agustin to Colombia's coffee haciendas, the Emberá communities of the Gatun River, and Panama's Caribbean reefs and cloud forests.
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This epic 28-day adventure through Colombia and Panama reveals the diverse cultural, historical, and natural wonders of two of Latin America’s most captivating nations. Beginning in Bogota, this itinerary is one of our popular Colombia Tours, taking you through the country’s colonial heritage, the spectacular Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, and the beautifully preserved town of Villa de Leyva. Journey south through the Tatacoa Desert, the archaeological treasures of San Agustin, and the elegant “White City” of Popayan, before continuing into the lush Coffee Region, where traditional fincas, sugar plantations, and rolling hills define the landscape. Crossing into Panama, explore the contrasts of Panama City – from the ruins of Panamá Viejo to the grandeur of the Panama Canal. There’s no shortage of incredible experiences in Panama City – meet the Indigenous Emberá and Ngäbe-Buglé communities. Discover the highlands of Boquete, the wildlife-rich cloud forests of La Amistad International Park, and the idyllic Caribbean islands of Bocas del Toro with their coral reefs and tropical tranquillity. Blending archaeology, culture, coffee, and coastlines, this immersive journey captures the essence of Latin America at its most authentic and varied.
Colombia and Panama – Bridging the Americas
Drawn from the full tour dossier — the standout days, encounters and views our specialists keep coming back to.
The tour opens in Bogota, where the Gold Museum, the Monserrate Hill cable car, and the Paloquemao market set the tone for a country of extraordinary cultural depth. The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, the pottery village of Raquira, and the beautifully preserved colonial city of Villa de Leyva — with its central plaza, Santo Ecce Homo convent, and Museo el Fósil — extend the journey northward before the route turns south-west to San Agustin's Archaeological Park, one of South America's most significant pre-Hispanic sites, where stone statues and tombs are spread across hilltop complexes including Las Mesitas, Fuente de Lavapatas, and Bosque de Las Estatuas. Popayan's whitewashed colonial streets and the riverside colonial port of Honda on the Magdalena River complete Colombia's historical arc.
Between the colonial cities and the Pacific approaches, Colombia's interior delivers a remarkable sequence of natural and agricultural landscapes. The Tatacoa Desert, crossed en route from Bogota to San Agustin, gives way to the cloud forests of Puracé National Park before the tour spends five days in Colombia's Coffee Region. Visits to a cocoa plantation at Hacienda Evelyza, a trapiche sugar factory, and the El Silencio cloud forest — where a hike among Quindío wax palms leads to Durango Waterfall and a tasting stop in the coffee village of Pijao — build towards two nights at Hacienda Venecia, where the full coffee production cycle is experienced at first hand. The optional village of Filandia and the Basilica del Señor de los Milagros in Buga add further texture to a chapter defined by richly varied terrain.
After a flight from Bogota, the tour arrives in Panama City and spends two days between its historic layers. The ruins of Panamá Viejo and the colonial lanes of Casco Viejo sit alongside the Mola Museum, Panama Canal Museum, Cacao and Chocolate Museum, and the Miraflores Locks Visitors Centre, where container ships pass through the Canal at close range. A dugout canoe journey up the Gatun River leads to an Emberá indigenous community for a cultural exchange and traditional lunch, and the UNESCO-listed Fort San Lorenzo on the Caribbean coast closes the day before the group flies west to the Gulf of Chiriquí National Park for snorkelling, mangrove paddling, and a secluded beach picnic.
Boquete in the western highlands serves as base for two days of cloud forest walks on hanging bridges, a specialty coffee finca tour, artisan rum tasting, and the forest trails and waterfalls of the UNESCO La Amistad International Park — with time to explore the town's artisan shops and geisha coffee café. The tour then crosses the continental divide to the Caribbean, arriving by water taxi in the Bocas del Toro archipelago for coral reef snorkelling, mangrove navigation, and a Ngäbe-Buglé community visit. Bastimentos Marine National Park delivers coastal rainforest trails and wildlife including sloths and red frogs before the tour closes in Panama City with wildlife walks through Soberanía National Park, the Rainforest Discovery Center observation tower, and the Biomuseo designed by Frank Gehry.
Key moments for Colombia and Panama – Bridging the Americas
Full itinerary · 28 days
Reserve your place with a 10% deposit. Final balance due 70 days before departure. Single-room supplements optional — most travellers happily share.
| Departs | Returns | Status | Price pp | Single supp. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Feb 2027 | 7 Mar 2027 | Guaranteed | £6,545 | +£1,350 | Book now |
Every one of our Colombia journeys can be rebuilt around your dates, pace and interests — or we’ll design something entirely new.
Shared across all tours that visit this destination. Read alongside your individual tour dossier for trip-specific details.
Before travelling, consult the latest UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/colombia. The FCDO advises against travel to certain border regions and rural departments; our itineraries are designed to avoid these areas. US travellers should check travel.state.gov for current guidance.
Independently verified reviews from travellers who joined Colombia and Panama – Bridging the Americas. Rated 4.9 Excellent on AITO by 250+ reviewers.
“This was an imaginative itinerary that began and ended in Bogota. The stand-out was San Agustin, with its incredible archaeology. Their great strength lies in their imaginative and well-planned itineraries.”
Cantab
Colombia
“An amazing trip! We had the most amazing holiday — over two weeks we had a taste of the cities, the culture, the mountains, a safari, and time at the beach. Our driver/guide made the whole trip very relaxing, and we were welcomed warmly by everyone we met, enjoying fabulous food and drink along the way. Undiscovered Destinations planned a really amazing itinerary for us with great hotels, a fabulous guide/driver, and interesting places to visit — they took great care to ensure we had an excellent holiday. We look forward to booking another holiday with them in the future. Thank you, Mark!”
Anna
“This adventure was always going to be very full-on, which is how we like our trips. I didn't count on getting bronchitis and ending up in hospital, however. The itinerary was quickly amended to avoid high-altitude destinations as much as possible while still making sure we had a chance to enjoy interesting experiences. While obviously sad to have missed some of the original sites, the revised itinerary was the only sensible option under the circumstances. I was extremely impressed with how Undiscovered Destinations and their local team handled the situation — taking the stress out of it, smoothing the way, rearranging the itinerary and booking new hotels, translating for me with the medical staff, and making sure I always had transport, medicines and anything else I needed. Nothing was too much trouble, and they kept in touch with me, each other, and the insurance company throughout. I can't recommend them enough!”
Grete
“My wife and I had a wonderful tour with Undiscovered Destinations. We had a different guide at each stop, and all of them were friendly, cheerful and knowledgeable. The local people were welcoming, and we always felt safe and comfortable. The beaches were spectacularly beautiful and empty of people, with warm, clear water, and each stop had its own character — some we loved for their unspoiled scenery, others for their history and the warmth of the welcome. We took the opportunity to snorkel on one of the most pristine reefs we've experienced, swimming with sea turtles and enormous manta rays that came right up to us out of curiosity. A wonderful destination for nature lovers.”
Frank
“Excellent. Action packed. Our local agent was excellent, and a good choice by Undiscovered Destinations. Because there were only two of us on the holiday, we had different guides at each stop, each one making sure we were handed over safely. All manner of transport was used, and we appreciated the different guiding strategies, the wealth of information given, the high level of English, and the genuine wish to show off their country at its best. Excellent.”
Cathy
“Far exceeding my expectations, this was one of the best trips I've ever done. A beautiful destination, with interesting history, lively ceremonies, lovely people and — surprisingly, for somewhere that sees so few tourists — absolutely no hassle on the streets. Excellent service from start to finish, with a first-class tour leader.”
Lynn
“We had a two-week trip with Undiscovered Destinations, flying in for two days first to break up the journey. It was a great trip, because we managed to see so much more than just the capital cities. This was the fourth trip we've taken with Undiscovered Destinations, and each one has been wonderful. Our guides were lovely — very professional and helpful. We rate UD very highly.”
Andy
“We had a fabulous trip with an excellent local guide, who took great care of us and enthusiastically shared his knowledge of both ancient and recent history, with lots of fascinating personal stories of his own life. We highly recommend this trip — Undiscovered Destinations were great to work with, and we hope to use them again.”
Jennie
“Everything was great — we got to witness a wonderful variety of wildlife, and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and the hospitality of the people. A fabulous trip from start to finish.”
Debbie
“Excellent all-round trip. Drivers were conscientious and careful, accommodation was better than expected, and the scenery was stunning throughout.”
Alexis
“This was an imaginative itinerary that began and ended in Bogota. The stand-out was San Agustin, with its incredible archaeology. Their great strength lies in their imaginative and well-planned itineraries.”
Cantab
Colombia
“An amazing trip! We had the most amazing holiday — over two weeks we had a taste of the cities, the culture, the mountains, a safari, and time at the beach. Our driver/guide made the whole trip very relaxing, and we were welcomed warmly by everyone we met, enjoying fabulous food and drink along the way. Undiscovered Destinations planned a really amazing itinerary for us with great hotels, a fabulous guide/driver, and interesting places to visit — they took great care to ensure we had an excellent holiday. We look forward to booking another holiday with them in the future. Thank you, Mark!”
Anna
“This adventure was always going to be very full-on, which is how we like our trips. I didn't count on getting bronchitis and ending up in hospital, however. The itinerary was quickly amended to avoid high-altitude destinations as much as possible while still making sure we had a chance to enjoy interesting experiences. While obviously sad to have missed some of the original sites, the revised itinerary was the only sensible option under the circumstances. I was extremely impressed with how Undiscovered Destinations and their local team handled the situation — taking the stress out of it, smoothing the way, rearranging the itinerary and booking new hotels, translating for me with the medical staff, and making sure I always had transport, medicines and anything else I needed. Nothing was too much trouble, and they kept in touch with me, each other, and the insurance company throughout. I can't recommend them enough!”
Grete
“My wife and I had a wonderful tour with Undiscovered Destinations. We had a different guide at each stop, and all of them were friendly, cheerful and knowledgeable. The local people were welcoming, and we always felt safe and comfortable. The beaches were spectacularly beautiful and empty of people, with warm, clear water, and each stop had its own character — some we loved for their unspoiled scenery, others for their history and the warmth of the welcome. We took the opportunity to snorkel on one of the most pristine reefs we've experienced, swimming with sea turtles and enormous manta rays that came right up to us out of curiosity. A wonderful destination for nature lovers.”
Frank
“Excellent. Action packed. Our local agent was excellent, and a good choice by Undiscovered Destinations. Because there were only two of us on the holiday, we had different guides at each stop, each one making sure we were handed over safely. All manner of transport was used, and we appreciated the different guiding strategies, the wealth of information given, the high level of English, and the genuine wish to show off their country at its best. Excellent.”
Cathy
“Far exceeding my expectations, this was one of the best trips I've ever done. A beautiful destination, with interesting history, lively ceremonies, lovely people and — surprisingly, for somewhere that sees so few tourists — absolutely no hassle on the streets. Excellent service from start to finish, with a first-class tour leader.”
Lynn
“We had a two-week trip with Undiscovered Destinations, flying in for two days first to break up the journey. It was a great trip, because we managed to see so much more than just the capital cities. This was the fourth trip we've taken with Undiscovered Destinations, and each one has been wonderful. Our guides were lovely — very professional and helpful. We rate UD very highly.”
Andy
“We had a fabulous trip with an excellent local guide, who took great care of us and enthusiastically shared his knowledge of both ancient and recent history, with lots of fascinating personal stories of his own life. We highly recommend this trip — Undiscovered Destinations were great to work with, and we hope to use them again.”
Jennie
“Everything was great — we got to witness a wonderful variety of wildlife, and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and the hospitality of the people. A fabulous trip from start to finish.”
Debbie
“Excellent all-round trip. Drivers were conscientious and careful, accommodation was better than expected, and the scenery was stunning throughout.”
Alexis
Make Colombia and Panama – Bridging the Americas your own — adjust the route, dates, pace or who travels, or start from a blank page with a specialist. We'll bring the details of this trip straight into your enquiry.
Join a small-group departure, or let our Colombia specialists craft a private journey shaped around your dates and interests.
Common questions
Maximum 12 travellers — that's the cap on every Undiscovered Destinations small-group tour. Small enough to eat in a local family home; large enough to share the wonder with other like-minded travellers.
Yes — there's no compulsory single supplement on our small-group tours. You get your own room at no extra cost. About 60% of UD travellers come solo, so you'll be in good company.
Fitness requirements vary by itinerary, from gentle to demanding. The day-by-day tour dossier sets out walking distances, terrain and any altitude so you know what to expect. If you have specific concerns, speak to our team before booking — they can talk you through a typical day.
The next available departures are 8 February 2027. See the "Pick your departure" table further up the page for the full schedule and per-departure pricing.
Included items vary by tour — see the full list above. On this trip, expect: Arrival and departure transfers; All accommodation; Ground Transportation; and more. International flights and travel insurance are not included.
This tour visits Colombia and Panama. Each destination has its own page with practical information, climate, and the attractions our specialists recommend — linked from the itinerary above.
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