5 Days 4 Nights
Colombia
15
1
BAHIA SOLANO SOFT 5D4N
Bahía Solano is a great nature travel destination in the north of the pacific coast of Colombia, offering a great level of conservation as there are no big cities nearby or roads that connect this place with the rest of the country. From July to mid October you can enjoy the whale-watching season in this 5-day tour, where you will enjoy a comfortable lodge in front of the ocean with great facilities and options to enjoy the destination beyond the whale-watching.
Itinerary
Itinerary
Day 1 – WELCOME TO THE RESERVE IN BAHIA SOLANO
On this day, you will have a direct 45-mins. flight from Medellin to Bahía Solano. You will be welcomed by the local team that will take you in a tuk-tuk to the hotel in front of the beach where you will check-in. Once there, you will have lunch and will have a jungle hike in the afternoon by the natural reserve where the lodge is located, looking for continental wildlife such as frogs, monkeys, birds, among other endemic species of the region.
Day 2 – WHALE-WATCHING ACTIVITY
On this day, after breakfast you will have a 3-hrs. whale-watching activity in the ocean in shared boats (only available from July to mid-October) with the guidance of an expert bilingual biologist. In the afternoon, you will visit the Olive ridley sea turtle conservation project, where you can do a liberation activity of baby turtles and with some luck you can observe the mother turtles nesting before coming back to the lodge.
Day 3 – UTRIA NATIONAL PARK
On this day, you will have a 1-hrs. boat transfer towards Utria National Park, where you will explore the very well-preserved mangroves ecosystems of the protected area while learning about the conservation efforts of the local authorities. You will also have time to enjoy the great diverse beaches of the national park, having some free time in “Playa Blanca”, which is one of the few white-sand beaches in the area, before being taken back to the hotel.
Day 4 - DAY AT LEISURE
On this day, you will have the day at leisure in order to relax and enjoy the beaches in front of the hotel or hir different tour options directly at the destination such as visiting the Utria National Park, do a tubing activity by the Tundó river,visit the waterfalls of Chadó, or El Tigre, do a second whale-watching activity, do a turtle liberation activity do snorkeling or scuba diving activities, sufing classes among others.
Day 5 – FLIGHT OUT
On this day, you have the breakfast included at the hotel. You can optionally wake up early in the morning in order to see birds or just have time to enjoy the ocean and the lodge facilities. You will have a transfer in tuk-tuk to the airport of Bahia Solano according the time of your flights 2-hrs. before your flight back to Medellin.
Cost Info
Cost Info
Price includes
ACCOMMODATION Ecolodge in front of the ocean, with great details in a private natural reserve in standard private rooms. ROOMS - El Almejal: Standard double, triple or family rooms depending on availability. ACTIVITIES All the activities mentioned in the plan, all in shared tours and transportations. MEALS - 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners. TRANSFERS All land/water transportation in shared vehicles and boats. GUIDANCE Spanish speaking guides throughout the trip for all activities. MEDICAL ASSISTANCE CARD The tour includes a travel assistance card for all the days that covers possible accidents, medical attention and emergency transportations for a quick response in case of being necessary according to the evacuation time during the activities and level of medical attention at the destinationPrice excludes
- National and international flights. - Tourist entry to Bahia Solano tax that can only be paid in cash at tour arrival to the airport: o Colombians or national residents elder than 18 years: 30.000 COP (8 USD approx.). o Foreigners elder than 18 years: 30.000 COP (8 USD approx.). o Children under 18 up to 11 years old: 12.000 COP (3 USD approx.). - Fees of entrance to Utria National Park paid in cash once there: o Colombians or national residents: 25.500 COP (7 USD approx.). o Foreigners: 76.000 COP (20 USD approx.). - Activities, additional drinks or elements not described in the plan. - Tips, snacks and souvenirs. - Personal items not described in the itinerary. - English or other languages speaking guides/translators.Add-ons & optionals
Add-ons & optionals
- Flights from & to Medellin or any other Colombian city. The price would depend of the dates and the anticipation the flights are booked.
- English or other languages speaking guides/translators, according to availability of guides for the desired date, in this case it is advisable to book in advance.
- Private tours for smaller groups that don’t want to have shared activities and transportations.
- Private single rooms for just one person (price under request).
- Specialized guides for special itineraries.
What to take?
What to take?
- Hat and/or other protection for the head and neck.
- Sunglasses to protect your eyes from the reflection of the sun.
- Long-sleeved shirts to avoid sunburn and mosquito bites during outdoor activities.
- Comfortable pants and avoid wearing jeans.
- Waterproof and preferably quick-drying clothing and a rain poncho.
- Bathing suit and towel, as there will be an opportunity to swim in the sea, rivers, waterfalls and streams of the destination.
- Sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
- Protection for electronic devices since they may be susceptible to damages due to humidity and/or rain.
- Non-disposable rigid container to refill water (canteen or thermos).
- Hands-free backpack, please avoid suitcases with wheels as much as possible.
- Day-packs for carrying personal stuff, hydration, snacks and other elements during the outdoor day activities.
- Personal documents and count with your own medical insurance.
- Personal medicines and first aid kit.
Map
Map
Gallery
Gallery
Recomendations
Recomendations
The ecosystems of Bahia Solano area are special and have environmental and ethnic significance, therefore, it is important to follow the recommendations in order to avoid or diminish any negative impact on them, as well as being prepared for a pleasurable experience, according to that:
- It is necessary to have an acceptable physical condition, since you will do some hikes and outdoor activities in nature.
- It is important to reduce waste generation (single-use plastics). Accordingly, it is important to bring your own rigid, non-disposable container for liquids.
- Follow and abide by the instructions of the guides and authorities during each of the routes and tours.
- Take your cautions against mosquitoes, such as long-sleeved clothes, repellent, among other cautions you or your doctor might consider.
- You must be vaccinated against yellow fever, ideally at least 10 days before your visit to the destination.
- Currently, there are no major outbreaks of contagious diseases or mosquito transmission in the areas to be visited. However, if there is a major outbreak or biological risk in the destinations to be visited, it will be reported in a timely manner prior to the trip.
- Keep in mind that the ocean transports are run according to the tides, which rise or fall approximately every 6 hours and change their schedules by some minutes every day.
- We recommend the use of binoculars to observe wildlife and cameras protected against humidity.
- During the whales’ sightings, these mammals do not always jump or do spectacular movements, sometimes they are calm and the boatmen are not allowed to chase them, so take into account that they are in their natural habitat and humans can’t control or influence in their behavior.
- Excessive consumption of alcohol and psychoactive substances during the activities mentioned in the plan can be harmful to your health and safety.
FAQ´s
FAQ´s
WEATHER CONDITIONS & BILINGUALISM
It is necessary to be properly prepared for the weather conditions in the destination, which is one of the rainiest areas not only in Colombia but in the world, and which are detailed below, but as this is an approximation, please note that they may vary. Also, keep in mind that it is difficult to find bilingual staff or people at the destination.
Bahia Solano:
Temp. Min: 23ºC Max: 30ºC, very humid climate / (0-50 m.a.s.l.)
ATM´S
It is advisable to carry cash for extra expenses during the trip since access to ATMs and dataphones at the destination may be limited or present problems in the area.
PHONE SIGNAL & WIFI
You will visit a destination where there might be poor phone and internet signal. Once you visit rural areas or open sea you will hardly have any phone or internet connection.
The hotel offers Wi-Fi, but the signal is not the best.
TIPPING
Tipping is not mandatory, but if you consider you can tip the guides and/or other staff with an amount from 20.000 to 50.000 COP (5 to 12 USD approx.) per day of service.
SEASONS
- The whale watching season normally begins in mid-July and ends in mid-October, however, it can be shorter or longer depending on natural phenomena and the criteria of the local authorities.
- Accommodations on weekends with public holidays during whale season may be much more limited or private accommodations may be difficult to arrange. Also, on holidays you should be prepared for many tourists visiting the destination.
- It is advisable to travel on weekdays or non-holiday weekends during whale season, or if you decide to travel on a holiday weekend you should book well in advance.
- It is difficult to predict a month or period of time during the whale season where you will have the best whale sightings, additionally keep in mind that whale watching is considered successful after seeing the mammal's back.
- From December to March the weather tends to be drier and have less rain than the rest of the year with sunnier days.
- From April to November, it is very common to have heavy rains in this destination which is one of the rainiest and wettest in the world.
- The sardine schooling season is usually in May and attracts very interesting fish and marine fauna with the possibility of seeing whale sharks, marlins, mahi-mahis and other fishes with some luck.
