Colombia - Emerald Mountains

If incredible scenery, dramatic Andean mountain passes and a Caribbean coastline, brought together by a network of well-surfaced roads tick your boxes, then this pioneering road cycling holiday in Colombia could be perfect for you!

This tour, which includes Alto de Letras, at 52 miles reputed to be the longest climb in the world, is possibly our most ambitious and exciting road trip to date, designed to appeal to adventure seekers who live to ride and love to climb.

Colombia has been through massive changes over recent years. Politically stable and with a well-developed infrastructure, the country has opened up to tourists and is safe to visit.

Whilst the rural regions remain delightfully unspoiled, traditional and rich in culture, the country's cities and larger towns are highly sophisticated. Due to the country's history however international tourism is still in its infancy and vast areas of the country have been largely untouched by foreign visitors. Beaming smiles, open arms and unrivalled hospitality await those adventurous enough to make the journey.

Cycling has been Colombia's national sport for decades and during the course of our tour we will encounter locals training on the roads on a daily basis, the same roads that, in recent years, have given us world class riders and Grand Tour winners such as Nairo Quintana, Rigoberto Urán and Egan Bernal. The annual Vuelta a Colombia is regarded as one of the toughest stage races in the world and a significant number of the country's top riders have gone on to do well on the international stage. Obviously we'll be taking things considerably gentler than the professionals, but we will get a taste of the magnificent Andean mountain roads which make those guys so strong.

It's not all climbing and hard work though as our journey takes us from the high mountain capital of Bogota at 2,625m above sea level to the warm waters of the Caribbean coast. Along the way we'll pass through some of the country's most beautiful landscapes, entering the famous Zona Cafetera, one of the world's primary coffee growing regions.

We'll also spend a couple of nights in Medellin, the 'City of Eternal Spring', a seductive city which will appeal as much to culture lovers as it will to those in search of nightlife.

The final stages take us into a coastal flatland and present a welcome change of pace to contrast with the challenges of the Andes and delivers us gently to the world-famous Caribbean resort and historic walled city of Cartagena, where we can relax in classic colonial style and soak up the wonderful atmosphere.

Highlights

• Exploring unspoiled Andean highlands
• The historic city of Cartagena
• The hospitality of locals, so proud to show off their country
• The challenges offered by Colombia’s dramatic mountains
• Cycling with the warm Caribbean breeze at your back
• Being amongst the first to ride in this emerging destination

Colombia offers a breathtakingly diverse landscape and our trip passes through everything from steamy lowland plains to lush rainforest and cloud forest to high altitude Andean mountain passes.