PART 1 – Day 1-15: Medellin and ID project in the region of the Eje Cafetero-San Carlos community

1. Medellin

• Exploration of Medellin, known as the City of Eternal Spring, lush and green mountainous landscape surrounding a large city. Sitting at almost 5,000 feet, Medellín maintains a warm temperate climate all year round with plenty of rainfall.Medellin is the second-largest city in Colombia and a world-class modern city with stunning architecture. Once considered one of the most dangerous cities in the world because of drug cartels, Medellin has reinvented itself into a pleasant place. Sprawling green parks, chic neighbourhoods, fun nightlife, and interesting museums.

• Guided visit of the neighborhood of Comuna 13.   Comuna 13 is a small urban community for the arts – a bustling oasis of creativity perched on the hillside overlooking the skyscrapers of this massive city. It wasn’t always this way. Comuna 13 was once the epicenter of one of the most dangerous cities in the world in the 1980s and 90s. The community perched on the steep hillside was detrimentally isolated from the rest of the city below. Homes were poorly constructed with little infrastructure or access to resources like clean water and electricity making residents vulnerable. It wasn’t until 2006 that the mayor of Medellín led the transformation of Comuna 13 with massive investments in infrastructure to improve the quality of life for residents. An appeal to tourists was never the intention, but rather to integrate the cut off neighborhoods with the rest of the city to provide better opportunities for the residents and reduce crime. A cable car to connect residents to the rest of the city was built in 2008 saving them massive amounts of time on their commutes and opening up opportunities with convenient transportation. Unlike typical cable cars for touristy purposes, the cable cars in Medellín were designed with a transformation of the quality of life for the residents in mind. These innovative cable cars were hugely instrumental in bringing the city together and providing a symbol of change and hope.

2. Eje Cafetero 
• Development project in San Carlos (Province of La Celia - Department of Risaralda): The Alyra team is committed to providing moral, ethical, and financial support for the development of sustainable projects in underserved communities, particularly where challenges are related to technological development and governance. Our primary goal is to enhance the quality of life in the communities we visit and collaborate with them to realize their projects. For 2027, the Alyra team will decide on the projects we will undertake based on the community's priorities.
3. Participative Workshops On some days, students will be divided into groups that will follow a coordinated rotation between work and leisure time. The goal is to create a balance between productivity and engaging workshops. This approach aims to provide students with the opportunity to discover the cultural life of San Carlos while participating in activities with local villagers.
• Coffee Culture Experience: Learn about local coffee practices, including sowing, harvesting, processing, utilization, and consumption.
• Banana Culture Experience: Learn about local banana practices, including sowing, harvesting, processing, utilization, and consumption.
• Sports and Dance: Play soccer with the locals and participate in a Cumbia dance lesson.
• Traditional Cooking Lesson: Make arepas from corn and banana cakes.
• Excursion to Valle de Cocora and stay in Salento to explore this charming village: The valley is part of the Los Nevados National Natural Park and is the principal location of Colombia's national tree and symbol, the Quindío wax palm. This area also boasts a wide variety of other flora and fauna, some of which are endangered, all protected under the park's status.
• Discover el Tejo game: El Tejo is a traditional throwing sport in Colombia. It is distinctive for its use of small targets containing gunpowder, which explode on impact.

Day 1: Flight from Montreal and arrival in Medellin.
2 nights in a hostel in Medellin
Day 3: Internal flight to Pereira (between 1h30 and 3 hours with a connection, this will depend of the availability of the internal flights)
Transfert from Pereira to the village of La Celia (2 hours) and then jeep transport from La Celia to the host community (25 min)
12 nights in homestays from a host community of the Celia region
1 nights in the village of Salento

PART 2 – Day 18-22: Northern coastline and Tayrona (itinerary coming soon)

1. Guatapé

• Visit of the charming town of Guatapé. Guatapé sits on the shores of the vast Peñol-Guatapé Reservoir, a man-made lake that adds to the town’s scenic atmosphere and is close to the giant Piedra del Peñol. The Peñón de Guatape is estimated to be around 65 million years-old and was worshipped by the Tahamí, the indigenous group that once inhabited the region. They referred to the stone in their language as ‘mojarrá’ or ‘mujará’. The rock became such a significant landmark that it was declared a national monument by the Colombian government.

• Guided visit of the neighborhood of Comuna 13.  
  Comuna 13 is a small urban community for the arts – a bustling oasis of creativity perched on the hillside overlooking the skyscrapers of this massive city. It wasn’t always this way. Comuna 13 was once the epicenter of one of the most dangerous cities in the world in the 1980s and 90s. The community perched on the steep hillside was detrimentally isolated from the rest of the city below. Homes were poorly constructed with little infrastructure or access to resources like clean water and electricity making residents vulnerable.
  It wasn’t until 2006 that the mayor of Medellín led the transformation of Comuna 13 with massive investments in infrastructure to improve the quality of life for residents. An appeal to tourists was never the intention, but rather to integrate the cut off neighborhoods with the rest of the city to provide better opportunities for the residents and reduce crime. A cable car to connect residents to the rest of the city was built in 2008 saving them massive amounts of time on their commutes and opening up opportunities with convenient transportation. Unlike typical cable cars for touristy purposes, the cable cars in Medellín were designed with a transformation of the quality of life for the residents in mind. These innovative cable cars were hugely instrumental in bringing the city together and providing a symbol of change and hope.

2. San Rafael El Arenal offers a range of excursions and learning experiences. Known for its rich water sources, it has earned the nickname “Enchantment of Crystal Waters,” renowned for its numerous streams and natural pools. Exploring this area, affectionately called the “Last Corner of Eastern Antioquia,” provides a truly magical experience of well-being.

• Tubbing in El Arenal River
• Hike and birdwatching in the Quebrada Boqueron
• Cacao ceremony: A cacao ceremony is a unique opportunity for people to gather in an intentional space to enjoy ceremonial cacao, while possibly setting new intentions and sharing heartfelt insights. These ceremonies are not a recent phenomenon. In fact, people in Central and South America, particularly within Mayan and Aztec cultures, have been participating in cacao ceremonies for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence of cacao use dates back 3,900 years in Central America, and recent genetic evidence traces it back 5,300 years in the Amazon.Traditionally, these ceremonies served to unite communities, foster sharing and connection, and plant positive intentions and manifestations for upcoming natural cycles, thereby promoting the production of healthy crops and abundance in all forms. Beyond this communal purpose, cacao has also been used for spiritual, medicinal, and ceremonial purposes, offering pathways for inner awakening and creative guidance. Cacao ceremonies provide a profound opportunity for deep healing, introspection, goal setting, self-love, and personal transformation.
• Music workshops and jam sessions with our friends from Vereda El Arenal. Enjoy collaborative musical experiences in a vibrant and welcoming environment, perfect for fostering creativity and connection through music.

• Preps

  Payment Terms

  June 17, 2026: 637$ (500$ deposit +137$ of insurance fee)
  September 14, 2026: 1600$
  November 13, 2026: 1600$
  December 15, 2026: To be determined by the number of travelers

  PAYMENT  METHOD

  1. INTERAC  EMAIL TRANSFERS  –
  Please proceed with the INTERAC email transfer after signing up online. Ensure you include the student’s name in the wire message.
  The email to send the transfer: finance@alyraexpeditions.com
  Question: which destination?
  Answer: colombia
  

  Cancellation / Modifications By The Traveler

  In case of cancellation, the Traveller, even in cases of events outside of their control. The minimum cancellation fees are as follows:

  • a) 121 days or more prior to departure: 1st deposit 
  • b) 91 to 120 days prior to departure: 50% of trip package
  • c) 46 to 90 days prior to departure:75% of trip package
  • d) 45 days or fewer prior to departure: 100% of package

  Travel documents

  A valid passport that expires at least 6 months after the date of your return flight back home.

  Luggage

  The least amount of luggage possible. We recommend bags that are practical and easy to carry. One large bag and a small day back-pack is ideal.

  Health

  We recommend you consult your local medical travel clinic (or doctor) a few months before leaving in order to ensure you have the necessary vaccines. Your medical insurance card might not cover costs incurred due to injuries or health costs when you are abroad. If you need to travel with medication of some kind, please bring a doctor’s prescription.

  Safety

  We recommend you bring a concealed belt that can hold your important documents, credit cards and currencies. It is illegal to take any objects found in archeological sites or any natural resources from any of the national parks, ecological reserves, protectorates or any other sites visited.

• These prices include

  • International flights from Montreal and back;
  • Alyra’s CO (Creative Organizer) accompanying the group 24/7;
  • Local transportation;
  • Lodging (in the community): in host families, 2 or 3 per family for students;
  • Lodging (outside the community): multiple occupancy for students;
  • Food: 3 meals a day (Local authentic food will be served);
  • Snacks and potable water at all times;
  • Organization of the community projects and coordination with the local community leader and members;
  • Activities/visits mentioned with local guides (when mentioned);
  • Entrance tickets for museums, parks, sites, etc mentioned in the itinerary;
  • Tips to local guides, drivers, restaurants, etc.;                                                                  •  Insurance Package: Medical coverage.
  • 0.1% for the OPC (Consumer Protection Office).

• These prices do not include

  • Visa expenses (for non-canadian passports)
  • Souvenirs/gifts you decide to buy;
  • Transportation from the school to the airport and back;
  • Laundry and any other personal expenses.