With layovers this will take most of the daylight hours. We will arrive, eat and sleep some great Colombian food.

Because we are in Bogota, we will take the opportunity to see both the high Andean landscape and visit one of the most sacred places in the Andes. Lake Guatavita, the secret of El Dorado, is the Muisca people's most sacred lake and an amazing trek. The landscape is in the Paramo, a high altitude tropical biome. Afterwards we will go to Guatavita town and enjoy more great food.

The flight to Leticia, Colombia. It's a short flight. When we arrive we go to Habitat Sur Natural Reserve in the Amazon jungle. There we will be introduced to their circular economy model and other local projects. We will also sleep and eat there. It is an amazing place where you can explore the jungle and see animals.

We will hike through the Jungle to a Maloka. Maloka’s are traditional large thatch structures where ceremonies, important meetings and events are held. There we will break into groups to learn about traditional agriculture (chagra), birds, how Mambe is prepared and its significance in local culture, and we will be able to swim in a nearby creek.

After breakfast we will board a boat and set off for Santa Sofia, a small village on the banks of the Amazon River. Once there we will meet our Tikina guides. The guides will work with us as we prepare local Amazonian food and how to set up a hammock in the jungle. After lunch we will trek into the Jungle. We will sleep in the jungle.

The early morning sounds of the jungle will get us out of our hammocks at day break. We will pack up and hike out of the jungle after breakfast. We will set out to complete our loop back to Santa Sofia. Once there we will explore a turtle conservation project the community has adopted as well as a an ongoing reforestation project.

We can not control nature, but we will set out to find Omacha, the Amazonain pink river dolphin in Yahuarcaca Lake. Along the way we will see birds, monkeys and whatever else we can observe. If the river is high we will be able to kayak into the forest for a magical paddle that will amaze. We will also hike into the jungle for a silent observation.

Four days of activities on the River and in the jungle offers a great time to have a restful day. With the help of the local community we will explore local traditions and discover Wituk, a traditional skin paint. We will have the opportunity to ask questions about Tikuna and Jagua traditions, beliefs and customs. Food will be plentiful and delicious.

Breakfast will be served early. Next we will board a boat and head south on the mighty Amazon to Habitat Sur. There we will learn about their inspiring conservation project and do two days of service.

At this point in the trip, our brains will be filled with new ideas and countless memories. We will take this opportunity to write, draw, or record these experiences. The Amazon and its inhabitants live in such a different world, and have a lot to teach. This is our opportunity to put this down. In the afternoon we will fly to Bogota.

The bus to Mongi will take four hours. The drive is spectacular. Once there we will visit a local potato plantation and learn about Colombian agriculture. The town itself sits high in the Andean mountains and is breathtaking. We will explore the village and eat local Andean cuisine.

The cold morning air will make us want to stay by our traditional hot cocoa served in the morning. But we will strike out on a trek through the paramo and towards the village of Mongua. Once there we will eat more delicious food and then visit a local hot spring to give our body what it needs before the journey home.

We will meet our families and sleep in our own beds.