Your adventure begins with a journey aboard an air-conditioned bus that ventures along scenic mountain roads to cooler temperatures and the village of Minca. Here, you will leave your bus and board a 4x4 vehicle for the final ascent to Hacienda Victoria, which lasts 30 minutes.

Founded by a British couple during the reign of Queen Victoria, the aptly named Hacienda Victoria is now owned by a German family. Today, it is the only major coffee farm and processing plant in Colombia’s coastal mountains. Touring the farm and facilities, you will see how the plant still uses the original machinery, which was built in England, shipped across the Atlantic, and hauled up the mountain by mule train.

A farmworker will explain the entire process of the hacienda’s cultivation methods and how the fine coffee beans (many of which are organic) are hand-picked.

Afterward, rejoin the 4x4 for the return drive to the village of Minca and a short, guided walk through the community. With its cooler climate, Minca is where the wealthier inhabitants of Santa Marta escape the heat of summer. More recently, it has become a mecca for birdwatchers from all over the world. Enjoy a refreshment of fresh tropical fruit salad or juice on the terrace of a small local hotel with views of the mountain landscape and the visiting humming birds, who are attracted to the feeders on the hotel terrace.

All too soon, it will be time to depart this idyllic location and board your bus for the return drive down the mountain to the pier and your ship.