“There’s not a single line in all my work that does not have a basis in reality. The problem is that Caribbean reality resembles the wildest imagination.” – Gabriel García Marquez
Over fifty years have passed since the world first opened the pages of One Hundred Years of Solitude, and yet Gabriel García Márquez’s masterpiece endures as vividly as ever. The recent Netflix adaptation has reignited the fascination with the world he created, shining a new light on the places and people that inspired his narrative.
This 12-day journey invites you to discover the Colombia that shaped his stories: a land of dense tropical jungles, stark deserts, mist-draped mountains, and colonial towns suspended in time. Step into the living history of his fictional universe and feel the lines between the past and the present, the mythical and the real, blur at every turn.
DAYS 1 – 3: CARTAGENA
Your journey begins in Cartagena, the jewel of Colombia’s Caribbean coast, and a city forever entwined with Gabriel García Márquez — or ‘Gabo’, as he is affectionately known to Colombians. It was here, in the sun-drenched streets of the Walled City, that he honed his journalistic craft, observing the gritty reality of life along the Caribbean shore. Cartagena has changed since Gabo’s time, but its spirit remains.
Check into Hotel Casa San Agustín, a restored colonial mansion with grand arches and cool, tiled courtyards. After settling in, stroll through the city at your leisure; as the sun sets, make for the fort walls where Gabo once took his evening walk to watch the fading light bathe the Caribbean Sea in a warm glow. Take dinner at La Cevicheria, renowned for its seafood, followed by a rum on the terrace at Casa Pestagua.
The following day, join a local historian to tour the Palacio de la Inquisición, the Iglesia de San Pedro Claver, and Plaza Santo Domingo, where Gabo once found inspiration in the urban cacophony of vendors and street musicians. At La Merced Monastery, a bust of the author stands in the lush courtyard where his ashes are laid to rest.
A final day in Cartagena is an opportunity to explore further. Rise early for a visit to the vibrant Bazurto Market, where locals trade everything from tropical fruits and flowers to handcrafts. Head to the colorful Getsemani neighborhood, visit the formidable Castillo de San Felipe, or charter a boat for a day of island hopping.
DAYS 4 – 5: MOMPOX
“Mompox doesn’t exist,” García Marquez wrote, “we sometimes dream about her, but she doesn’t exist.“
Today, you’ll journey to Mompox, a small, sleepy colonial town in the swamps of Bolivar province, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It bears an uncanny resemblance to Macondo, the fictional setting of One Hundred Years of Solitude; perhaps unsurprising, as Gabo spent a great deal of time writing here. It isn’t a place to stick around too long – the stifling heat shrouds everything with a dreamy haze – but it is magical.
While not easily reached, much of the fun is in getting there; by road it’s a six-hour drive from Cartagena, or a breezier 75-minute helicopter ride. Spend a couple of nights at the excellent Casa San Rafael, a restored 17th-century colonial house with splendid high ceilings and lush tropical gardens. The owner, British journalist Richard McCall, is a goldmine of information about the quiet town he’s made his home; his brilliant podcast Colombia Calling digs deep into the country’s politics and history.
The town itself is an open air museum, with a beautiful ornate cemetery. By afternoon, take to the water – McCall recommends hiring a local fisherman to guide you along the Magdalena River and through the wetlands by motorised canoe. Here, where the populations are believed to be amphibian due to their proximity to the water, bird life and howler monkeys abound.
True Gabo followers can make the pilgrimage to his birthplace Aracataca, a quiet, steaming hot town 230km north in the Sierra Nevada. This place of tropical forests and banana plantations is where a young Gabriel García Márquez’s imagination once took flight. The town itself is largely unremarkable, but clings tightly to the legacy of its famous son; admire its murals and visit the Casa Museo, his former childhood home now open to the public.
Those with time on their hands can take the new Ama river cruise from Cartagena to Mompox, a 4-day journey along the Magdalena River that runs the length of Colombia.
DAYS 6 – 8: SIERRA NEVADA
Today, travel into Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, where the land shifts from coastal city to lush mountain landscapes, an area that Gabo referred to as ‘the borders of the magical’. Here, set in the cloud forests at 1,600 metres above sea level, lies Casa Oropéndola. Tucked away along an unpaved road, an hour from the closest village, the final part of the journey will be in a 4×4.
Time passes slowly here. Rise early and follow a local naturalist through the rainforest for the opportunity to observe some of the areas’s 628 bird species, or trek to spectacular waterfalls and nearby ruins. Join the chef to learn to prepare Colombian dishes and local delicacies, take to the terrace for a spot of yoga or simply while away the afternoons reading and snoozing in a hammock, lulled by the sound of birdlife.
DAYS 9 – 10: LA GUAJIRA
From the cloud forests, you’ll travel north to La Guajira, Colombia’s most northerly region. This vast, wild desert landscape is where much of One Hundred Years of Solitude was filmed, and the stark surroundings echo its themes of solitude and mysticism.
A helicopter ride along the coast delivers you to Punta Gallinas, where you’ll tuck into a seafood lunch before travelling overland to your camp for tonight, La Ranchería. There is no hotel infrastructure out here, but the cabins are comfortable, with basic amenities.
La Guajira is home to Colombia’s largest indigenous group, the Wayuu, known for crafting the mochilas (colourful woven bags) that have become a symbol of Colombian culture. You’ll have the opportunity to spend time with the community, learning about their artisan traditions and way of life. In the afternoon, visit the Taroa Sand Dunes in a 4×4, then watch the sunset from the Punta Gallinas lighthouse.
The next morning, try your hand at fishing with a local in the traditional Wayuu manner. Travel across Bahia Honda on a motorboat and witness the beauty of this stretch of water. By afternoon, return to Riohacha by boat then car before catching a flight to Bogotá.
DAYS 11 – 12: BOGOTÁ
Your journey concludes in Bogotá, Colombia’s capital and the intellectual heart of the nation. Here, Gabo’s life as a journalist began, and the city remains a living testament to his influence on Colombian culture. You’ll be staying at Casa Medina, a restored colonial mansion in the hip Chapinero neighbourhood.
Begin your day with a stroll through the city’s historic centre, passing Parque de los Periodistas, where Gabo worked at El Espectador in the 1940s. Visit Café Pasaje where he and other intellectuals once exchanged ideas over coffee, and explore Plaza Bolívar, dominated by its towering statue of Simón Bolívar. Later, dine at Mesa Franca or Leo – two of the biggest hitters on Bogotá’s ballooning food scene – then make for Bar Enano for a nightcap.
The remainder of your time in Bogotá is dedicated to delving into its thriving art scene. The city is home to numerous private art collections and artist studios, offering an insider’s view of Colombia’s contemporary art world. Through our connections, you’ll have the opportunity for private access, including personal meetings with the artists who are shaping the country’s creative identity today.
Over these twelve days, you’ve stepped into the Colombia that shaped García Márquez’s world: the sweltering, hypnotic streets of Cartagena, the dreamlike stillness of Mompox, the misty slopes of the Sierra Nevada, the wind-carved expanse of La Guajira.
This journey isn’t just about seeing the places that inspired his stories; it’s about feeling the rhythm of a country where time bends and memory is a living thing. As you leave Bogotá’s heights, you may find that Colombia isn’t something you leave behind – it travels with you.
Get in touch with our specialists today to experience its magic for yourself.
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