Artemis: Colombia – The Rise of the Phoenix
A Fireside Adventures Experience for Women Who Rise, Renew & Reimagine
Colombia is a land shaped by resilience, rebirth, and radiant joy: qualities at the heart of Artemis women’s adventures. The Rise of the Phoenix invites women of all ages to explore Colombia through a meaningful, culturally immersive, and empowering journey built on connection, creativity, and courage.
We are excited to partner with Elcy Blanco from PHX Tours. Elcy has put her personal perspective on this Artemis to reflect the best of Colombia while also not shying away from the struggles and challenges.
From Cartagena’s vibrant streets and Afro-Caribbean roots to the jungled foothills of Tayrona National Park, this Artemis experience celebrates the strength of women: past, present, and future. It is a journey of rising: in spirit, in confidence, and in community.
This is not tourism. This is a transformational experience. This is Artemis: Colombia.
Photo: PHX DMC Group
2026 DATES
7-day: May 01–08, 2026
Optional 4 -day trek: Mar 08–12
9-day: Apr 01–09 & May 13–21
12-day: Aug 05–16
Price: coming soon
Customizable:
Days, activities, pace, and accommodations can be adjusted to fit your group.
More info: office@firesideadventures.ca
Why Colombia? Why Artemis?
Colombia embodies the Phoenix: reborn, renewed, and beautifully alive. Its Caribbean coast, Indigenous traditions, Afro-Colombian heritage, rich music, literature, and environmental renaissance create the perfect backdrop for an Artemis experience designed to ignite purpose and restore balance.
Guided by women, powered by community partnerships, and grounded in Fireside’s commitment to responsible and culturally respectful travel, Artemis Colombia offers a unique blend of adventure, creative expression, nature, and personal growth.
Every experience is designed to honour women’s stories: and help you deepen your own.
Photo: PHX DMC Group
THE EXPERIENCE
Cartagena: Art, Ancestral Drumbeats & Women’s Creative Power
Your journey begins in Cartagena, where colour, culture, and community meet.
Step into the heart of Cartagena’s most spirited neighbourhood: Getsemaní, where walls become storytellers, and the voices of women, families, and generations past and present are painted boldly into the streets. This guided tour offers a deeper understanding of Cartagena’s social fabric, told through murals depicting tropical landscapes, palenqueras, local flora and fauna, and the everyday resilience of the people who call this barrio home.
Once known for its rough edges, Getsemaní has reclaimed its identity through art, community pride, and the leadership of women who fought to preserve its truth and beauty. Each mural is a reminder of the neighbourhood’s history and the strength of those who shaped it. You’ll start at the iconic clock tower, walk along La Sierpe, visit Trinidad Square, and wind your way across the ancient city walls, leaving with a richer, more intimate understanding of Cartagena’s heartbeat.
Discover the art and courage woven into the DAMARTES project: an inspiring collective of women from La Boquilla who transformed coconut shells into economic independence and community leadership. What began as “Single Mothers and Their Coconuts” has grown into a powerful symbol of resilience and creativity.
In their oceanfront workshop, these women greet you with warmth, honesty, and artistry. You’ll hear their stories: stories of perseverance, motherhood, and reclaiming agency, and learn their traditional craft techniques. Create your own bracelet, necklace, or keepsake alongside them. You leave with more than a handmade souvenir: you carry a piece of their courage, their beauty, and the legacy of women uplifting women.
La Boquilla
La Boquilla welcomes you with rhythm, story, and soul. This historic Afro-Colombian fishing village carries more than 200 years of cultural resistance: rooted deeply in the leadership of women whose songs, movements, and stories protect ancestral knowledge.
Here, drums are sacred. They speak of lineage, resilience, and joy. Under the glow of sunset, you’ll join a bullerengue circle: an Afro-Caribbean tradition led largely by women, where dance becomes connection, and rhythm becomes memory. Guided by cultural expert Luis Eduardo Gómez Leal, you’ll experience a ceremony that celebrates land, sea, moonlight, and the unbreakable spirit of a community that has safeguarded its identity through art, dance, and the wisdom of its women.
Step into a living storybook as you taste your way through Cartagena’s Old Town. Inspired by the worlds created by Gabriel García Márquez, this culinary-literary experience reveals the flavours, characters, and places that shaped his writing.
As you walk through narrow streets and vibrant plazas, each tasting becomes a window into coastal Caribbean life, guided by tradition-bearers who keep these recipes alive. This tour blends food, memory, and imagination, celebrating the Colombian women who preserve these culinary legacies and who have long been the quiet architects of magical realism’s sensory world.
This immersive day invites you to contribute directly to marine conservation in the Rosario Islands. Begin with a guided snorkel focused on coral restoration, where you’ll learn about fragile ecosystems and plant your own coral fragment: becoming part of a global restoration effort.
Orika
Beyond the water, visit Orika, an Afro-Colombian community shaped by ancestral coastal traditions and the strength of the women who protect them. Explore the Museum of Living Memory, where the oral histories, crafts, and cultural practices of the Rosario Islands come alive. This experience blends environmental stewardship with cultural truth: honouring both the land and the women who have safeguarded its stories.
PhotoS: PHX DMC Group
Optional Additional Trek; The Poderosas Challenge- Expedition to the Lost City
Photo: PHX DMC Group
This multi-day hike is an available extension for those looking for a more physically active adventure. This incredible trek will be directly supporting the Poderosas organization, a non-governmental program that provides empowering sexual education for young adults around Colombia. This is a vital initiative that enhances leadership skills and fosters support networks within youth.
If your group has guests who may have physical limitations or prefer not to take the trek, transportation to the airport will be provided.
Beginning in Santa Marta, you will be welcomed to Colombia, and presented the Podersosas project expedition logistics. Settle into the seaside city and ask all your questions about the upcoming trek at the informative Q&A. Staying in an ocean-side hotel surrounded by busy streets, historic buildings and beautiful parks, there is lots to explore in this community.
The 4-day trek follows a trail of lush vegetation and incredible vistas, encountering indigenous dwellings and small settlements. Guided by locally informed leaders, this hike allows time for reflection, leadership and inner transformation. Steep inclines and river crossings through verdant jungle fauna and flora will lead you to various native cabins with mosquito net hammocks. You will meet with spiritual leaders of the local community and experience life in the small settlement of Mutanzi, home to the Kogui People. Finally, this trek leads you to the ancient and sacred site of Teyuna, immersing yourself in unique architecture and deep sacred importance for the Indigenous communities of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
This journey will provide you with the physical challenge of the Poderosa Challenge, combined with valuable space for self-reflection from the trip, inner strength, and resilience.
THE ARTEMIS DIFFERENCE
Artemis adventures rise above typical “women’s travel” categories. This is not yoga-on-the-beach tourism or Instagram-style escapism. Artemis Colombia is:
Culturally Rooted
Created with Colombian women, artisans, and leaders who guide the experience.
Emotionally Grounded
Designed to foster confidence, community, personal exploration, and healing.
Environmentally Responsible
Integrated with reforestation, coral restoration, and sustainable community projects.
Inclusive & Welcoming
Open to women of all ages, backgrounds, experience levels, and identities.
Adventure With Purpose
Street art walks, drumming circles, hands-on ateliers, ecological restoration, coastal hiking, and reflective workshops.
This is an experience for women who value authenticity, creativity, and meaningful travel.
WHO THIS JOURNEY IS FOR
Artemis Colombia is designed for women who want to:
Travel with intention: not consumption
Support women-led community projects
Immerse themselves in art, culture, food, music, and nature
Reconnect with creativity, confidence, and personal story
Experience Colombia’s landscapes through a respectful, responsible lens
Be part of a supportive intergenerational adventure community
Whether you are 20 or 70, a seasoned traveler or stepping outside your comfort zone for the first time: this journey meets you where you are and invites you to rise.
THE RISE OF THE PHOENIX
Every Artemis experience has a symbolic thread. In Colombia, the Phoenix rises through:
Women reclaiming economic independence
Communities safeguarding culture through music and craft
Coral reefs restored by collective hands
Cities transformed by creativity and leadership
Participants discovering new versions of themselves
This journey is about emerging: brighter, braver, and more whole.
Photo: Fireside Adventures
Photo: Fireside Adventures
Photo: PHX DMC Group
Photo: Fireside Adventures
