This special travel program is designed around the singular Expoartesanias Colombia, the largest and most important gathering and showcase of Colombia’s artisans and their art. The Expoartesanias handcraft fair, is entering its 29th year and features the finest in Colombia’s diverse traditional and contemporary craft from the entire country. Our tour will offer travelers insider opportunities to meet the artisans and learn about their culture, to include the Wayuu, Aruaco, Zenu, Waunaan, Amazona people. Taking place in Bogota, we’ll enjoy getting to know highlights of Bogota, such as the Gold Museum, Botero Museum and other City Highlights. From Bogota, the tour moves to Medellin, where we’ll explore the relationship between history, memory and renewal in urban planning, design and fashion.

Day 1 –  Dec. Bogota: Arrive, Welcome Dinner (D) Arrive at Bogota airport, where you’ll be met and transferred to our well located hotel. Depending on arrival time, we’ll enjoy dinner together. (if not, we’ll reschedule our dinner!)

Day 2 –  Dec. Bogota: Expoartesanias Feria Day ONE (B, L) Today is the opening day of Expoartesanias Colombia, and we’ll be among the first to arrive to tour and experience this incredible gathering of the finest artisans of Colombia. From La Guajira, the Pacific, Tuchin and other regions, the Wayuu, Waunaan, Zenu people will showcase their famed “mochilas”, werregue fiber and the sombrero “vueltiao” or turned hat, that is Colombia’s iconic symbol. We’ll be hosted and escorted by Artesanias de Colombia personnel, who will help us navigate the expo. We will visit artisans dedicated to: Contemporary Fashion, Homewares, Jewelry, Ethnographic craft, Experimental Design “Laboratory”, Cuisine and more! It’s truly outstanding in its concentration of the finest artisans and crafts of Colombia!

Day 3 –  Dec.  Bogota, Expoartesanias Feria Day TWO (B) Today we will enjoy our 2^nd full day at the Expo Artesanias, as one day is definitely not enough. The fine folks of Artesanias de Colombia will help us with packing and shipping, should we need this! We’ll enjoy specially arranged meetings and talks with some of Colombia’s great masters. Artesanias de Colombia will also help us better understand the importance and role of craft in their country’s future and economy. The economic well-being of the artisan sector of Colombia is key in their goals to secure long term peace and stability. Beyond this, they also recognize the importance of sustaining their cultural identity, of which craft is one of its greatest expressions. (Note: the craft we’ll see is an integral part of Colombia’s diverse ethnographic cultural expression). Artisans and designers are also joining forces for new and contemporary designs and expressions. We’ll meet with the Director of Moda Viva, Living Fashion, who will inform us of their collaborative work between fashion designers and artisans from various communities.

Day 4 –  Dec. Bogota, Bogota City Tour (B, L)

Today, we’ll explore the highlights of Bogota to include: The Gold Museum, Botero Museum, La Candelaria and other important stops and visits in this bustling capital city.

Day 5 – Dec. Bogota to Medellin, City Tour (B, L)

We’ll take a morning flight to Medellin, a fascinating urban setting. On our city tour, we’ll visit a community that has transformed from a center of conflict to a center of art, music and dance. We’ll visit with community members to learn about how this transformation came about and what it means to them today. We’ll ride on the Metro Cable, an innovative transportation system that helped bring marginalized people into the city to work and have more dignified and viable livelihoods. The Urban Renewal of Medellin is a global model of transformation through education, the arts and transportation. We’ll enjoy a regional lunch, before going to the Historic Center to learn about artist Fernando Botero, and his contributions here in his homeland. Our dinner is at leisure.

Day 6 – Dec.  Fashion in Medellin: Tradition and Innovation (B, L)

Today we’ll focus on the forward fashion of Medellin. While it’s forward looking, it also looks back, to its past and heritage. We’ll meet with local and renowned designers in Colombia who are working in creative ways to articulate Colombia’s past, present and future through fashion

Day 7 –  Dec. Medellin – Carmen de Viboral and Guatape, Overnight Guatape (B, L, D)

We’ll begin our day visiting the pottery town of Carmen de Viboral, before going to the colorful and charming town of Guatape. We’ll walk the town and learn about the architecture, town layout, zocalos, in the Spanish style. Lunch in town. We’ll visit this amazing natural phenomenon, a huge rock formation and enjoy the views here. We’ll also enjoy a fun boat ride to see the views from the water. Overnight in Guatape. (B, L, D)

Day 8 –  Dec.  Return Flights or Extend to Cartagena or other region of Colombia