crafts of
COLOMBIA
july 20 - 25, 2025
$3,400 USD per person, SHARED ROOM
$3,650 USD PER PERSON, private ROOM
Join us in Barichara, a cobblestoned pueblo flush with magenta bougainvillea and low-slung whitewashed buildings, as we experience the profound craftsmanship and artisan traditions of the verdant region. In this 6-day craft retreat, we will weave with the local agave fique fiber, learn about the regional-specific indigo practices, weave baskets and make our own paper.
Guests will also have the opportunity to explore the spectacular nature of the area, with optional visits to a bioreserve and day hiking available. Lounging by the hotel pool and pursuing the charming town are also encouraged.
ITINERARY
*Some details subject to change.
Guests will be notified if any changes occur.
-
Arrive to Barichara. Settle into your room at the hotel. If you arrive early, enjoy the rooftop pool, a walk through the bioreserve, or our curated suggestion lists of shops and galleries in town.
Group meeting and orientation by the pool at sunset, followed by welcome dinner at a favorite restaurant in town. -
Breakfast at the hotel.
Option 2.5 hour moderate hike on the historic Camino Real trail to a neighboring town. Enjoy the scenic views during this walk.
Fresh, seasonal lunch at a favorite restaurant.
Return to Barichara via a fun open-air jeep.
Cooking class using local ingredients.
Optional sunset stroll in the bioreserve.
Group dinner.
-
Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit the historic Taller de Papel, Paper Workshop. Learn about the process of turning agave and other plant fibers into natural ecological, handmade paper. Make a little notebook of our own.
Group lunch in town.
Afternoon visit with Zuahaza weaving cooperative to learn about regional cotton and their design practices.
Optional guided visit with other design studios in town.
Group dinner.
-
Group breakfast at the hotel.
Private 1 hour transportation to neighboring town to meet with families of weavers. Here will learn about processing agave fique fiber into threads used for weaving rugs, bags and other pieces. Option to weave a small rug of our own.
Group lunch.
Option to visit other family studios.
Private transportation back to Barichara.
Sunset by the pool.
Group dinner
-
Group breakfast.
Guided walk through the bioreserve connected to our hotel.
Indigo and natural dye workshop led by Angela Jimenez Perez. Dye on the some of the paper we created earlier in the week.
Group lunch.
Optional visit with basket weavers or other local artisans, or, choose to explore town independently.
Farewell group dinner at a world-famous restaurant.
-
Final group breakfast at the hotel.
Departures.
paper workshop
We’ll spend a day learning about how to make paper from agave fibers, followed by a day using natural inks and plant materials to print onto the paper. Each guest will leave with something they made.
Scenic Mountain Walks
The town of Barichara is surrounded by breathtaking mountain landscapes, which we will have the option to traverse, taking the historic Camino Real trail from Barichara to the neighboring town of Guane.
Our hotel is also located on a bioreserve, with access to peaceful walks on the reserve’s nature trails.
Boutique Hotel Accommodation
We’ll be staying at a charming boutique hotel, with a pool and beautiful common areas. Trip pricing is based on private room accommodation. Please email us if you would like to share a room with a partner.
Guided Artisan Workshops + Studio Visits
We’ll take you to visit some of the most talented craftspeople in the region. Highlights include an indigo workshop with artist Angela Jimenez Perez, a visit to a cotton weaving studio, and cotton spinning with maestro artesano Albeiro.
GETTING TO BARICHARA
There are several options to get to Barichara from within Colombia, including domestic flights, shuttles and private cars.
This trip fee includes roundtrip transportation to Barichara from Bogota or Bucaramanga via shuttle and/or small plane. Upon reserving your space on the trip, our team will be in touch to coordinate these logistics.
TRIP DETAILS
-
This trip starts and ends in a small town called Barichara.
Upon reserving your space on the trip, our team will be in touch to help you arrange your transportation to Barichara if needed.
There are 3 main options to get to Barichara:
1. Go by land from Bogota to Barichara (7.5 hour drive; shuttle is included in trip price)2. International fight route to Bucaramanga (Copa has flights through Panama City), or domestic flight from Bogota to Bucaramanga. From Bucaramanga, it is a 3 hour drive to Barichara. This shuttle is included in trip price, but the flight is not.
3. Domestic flight from Bogota to San Gil. From San Gil it is a 30 minute drive to Barichara. Flight is included in the trip price (pending enough guests to charter the plane).
-
Barichara has cobblestone streets and very hilly terrain and is therefore not handicap accessible. A level of fitness is required for moving around town and participating in certain activities. Please contact us before reserving if you have mobility requirements, to see if we can accommodate them.
-
July 20 - 25, 2025
-
We will be staying at a boutique hotel overlooking this charming, historic town.
There is option for guests to reserve either private or shared room. If opting for shared room, guests must be reserving together and willing to share a king size bed.
-
A $1275 non-refundable deposit is required in order to reserve your space on this trip. The remaining balance can be made at your convenience at least 60 days prior to the trip start date.
When making a reservation, there is the option to Pay it Forward. These contributions are directed exclusively towards our Artisan Exchange Program.
-
In-Country Transportation: We offer a shuttle service from Bogota or Bucaramanga to Barichara and back. Or alternatively, guests can make their way to Barichara at their leisure. We will employ a secure local driver who knows the roads and can safely drive us through the mountainous terrain.
Accommodation: Single or double occupancy boutique hotel accommodation.
Food: Wholesome meals cooked daily by talented local chefs using fresh, local produce and traditional recipes, combined with dining out in some of the country's best restaurants.
Art Education: An agave paper workshop, a natural dyes workshop, a fique rug weaving workshop, and a visit to a weaving studio.
Extra Activities: Guided hike and time to visit local studios
Support: Two trip facilitators will accompany the group during the trip, offering participants translation and their combined knowledge of the country, while making sure everything runs smoothly. In addition, Thread Caravan staff is available to answer questions and assist with trip preparations beforehand.
Gift: Special arrival gift curated by Magda Made.
Carbon Emissions Offset: We’ve partnered with Trees for the Future to plant 50 trees on your behalf in order to offset the carbon emissions of your travel to Colombia. If you’d like to plant additional trees on your behalf, you can select that option at check out.
-
Airfare
Personal Travel Insurance: We require all participants to have personal travel insurance. This will cover things like illness, flight cancellations, theft, etc.
Expenses During Free Time: We will have a little bit of free time at the end of each day. Some guests choose to use this time to relax; however, if you’d like to arrange any extra activities not already scheduled into the itinerary, we are happy to help you coordinate things. All activities during free time are at the expense of guests.
-
No vaccinations are required; however routine vaccinations, Covid, Hepatitis A, and Typhoid are suggested by the Center for Disease Control.
-
During this trip we will be walking on unevenly paved and dirt, sometimes with many steps and sometimes at an incline. If you think any of these tasks will be difficult for your physical abilities, please contact us to see if we can accommodate you.
-
Citizens from the United States do not need to apply for a VISA if they are staying in Colombia for 90 days or less. If you are traveling from a country other than the United States, please check with your local government or contact us to determine if you need to apply for a VISA.
In order to enter Colombia, your passport must be valid for at least 90 days following your departure date. You must also have at least one blank page in your passport. -
Travelers must agree to Thread Caravan's Booking Terms and Conditions in order to join this experience.
“This trip was just wonderful, I didn’t know what to expect as this was the first time I traveled in this format with people I did not know, I must admit I was a bit nervous at first but It turned out to be a most beautiful experience. We spent the week in a magical little town in Santander visiting workshops, getting to experiment with local crafts and enjoy the most delicious meals. I loved it and highly recommend taking this trip!”
- Hagar Aviram
