01
Getting to know you
We introduce VAOVA, understand the school, the organizers' expectations and the type of activities the cohort wants to include.
University Treks Colombia · Since 2017
University treks where tomorrow's leaders meet Colombia for the first time.
VAOVA designs university treks in Colombia for graduate programs, MBA cohorts, executive education groups and faculty-led trips that need academic access, cultural immersion, student choice and a local team strong enough to move large cohorts without making the trip feel generic.
- 12,000+
- travelers hosted by VAOVA on university treks in Colombia since 2017
- 15-600
- travelers per university trek, from intimate cohorts to large school groups
- 18/20
- top US MBA programs represented, alongside other university groups
- 4
- Colombian destinations a cohort can combine in one trek
Source: VAOVA internal program records, 2017–2025. The 12,000+ figure includes university trek travelers operated by VAOVA across MBA, graduate, executive education and faculty-led programs since 2017. The “18 of 20” figure refers to the top 20 US MBA programs as ranked by major business-school league tables; full school list visible below.
The trust we’ve earned
Eighteen of the
top twenty trust VAOVA
with their cohort.
Harvard
Harvard Business School
Wharton
The Wharton School
Stanford
Stanford GSB
Columbia
Columbia Business School
Booth
Chicago Booth
Yale
Yale SOM
MIT Sloan
MIT Sloan
Kellogg
Northwestern Kellogg
Haas
Berkeley Haas
Tuck
Dartmouth Tuck
Fuqua
Duke Fuqua
Darden
UVA Darden
Ross
Michigan Ross
Stern
NYU Stern
Johnson
Cornell Johnson
Tepper
Carnegie Mellon Tepper
Anderson
UCLA Anderson
Marshall
USC Marshall
School lists shown reflect ongoing and historical trek partnerships. Specific cohorts and seasons vary year to year.
What makes a VAOVA trek
One cohort.
Many ways to experience Colombia.
A university trek needs more than a beautiful itinerary. It needs student choice, academic access, social energy and an operations team that can make several experiences happen at the same time.
Academic, cultural and social activities at the same time
A VAOVA trek is not one bus following one guide. Academic sessions, cultural activities and social experiences can run simultaneously so each student chooses the version of Colombia they want to live.
Designed around the cohort, not a fixed template
Every school arrives with different expectations: entrepreneurship, peacebuilding, finance, social impact, food, design, nightlife, climate or Latin American business. The itinerary is rebuilt around that cohort.
A platform and support system before arrival
Trip leaders are supported before the trek with launch materials, trip information and a traveler platform where students can choose details such as domestic flights, hotels and roommates when the program requires it.
VAOVA staff on the ground from landing to goodbye
From the moment students arrive, VAOVA staff, guides and operations teams accompany the group. Transport, hotels, venues, meals, activities and support are handled by the same local team.
How do we do it?
From first conversation to on-the-ground execution.
The current VAOVA trek model already has a proven process: understand the school, design a proposal, help launch the trip, support travelers before departure and accompany the group once they land in Colombia.
02
Sending a proposal
We design a tailor-made proposal with itinerary and quotation, including accommodation, internal flights, transfers and optional add-ons when needed.
03
Trip launch
We support the launch at the university, virtual or in person, with promotional material and presentation support for the organizing team.
04
We've got you
Our customer service team helps students feel confident before the trip and answers questions as the group prepares to travel.
05
The trek
Before arrival, travelers receive recommendations and trip details. Once they land, VAOVA staff accompanies the group throughout the destination.
VAOVA activities portfolio
A trek agenda built around what students want to live.
Students can move between parties, learning sessions, outdoor adventures, wellness moments and cultural experiences. The portfolio is flexible, so each cohort can shape a Colombia trek that feels like its own.
Events and Parties
Guatapé Local Fair
Medellín
Climb the stairs of a natural landmark, discover a magical town, and celebrate in a festival-inspired party.
Events and Parties
Colombian Fantasy Party
Santa Marta
Explore Colombian magical realism through picturesque scenes, local flavor and an immersive celebration.
Events and Parties
Party in the World's Heart
Santa Marta
A pool party connected to nature, traditional lunch and the sounds of the Sierra Nevada.
Events and Parties
Champeta Vibes Party
Cartagena
A party inspired by Cartagena's independence traditions, Caribbean culture and champeta rhythms.
Events and Parties
'La Bogotana': Cosmopolitan Party
Bogotá
Explore downtown Bogotá and close the day with Colombian sounds in a restored colonial house.
Events and Parties
Coffee Landscapes Party
Coffee Region
A celebration of Coffee Region culture, traditions, landscapes and local warmth.
Promoters
The best thing that can happen to you is to become an agent of change.
Promoters help classmates discover a destination, shape the itinerary and become the person who makes the trek possible.
Create a trip tailored to your group
Promoters help shape a trip around their classmates while contributing to the socio-economic development of the destinations they visit.
Network in a creative and fun way
The trek strengthens connection between classmates through cultural experiences, fun activities and unforgettable places.
Transform the image of destinations
Promoters become agents of change by encouraging a more genuine way of seeing Colombia through culture, art, landscapes, music, food and regional joy.
Enjoy an extraordinary trip
Each member of the group can experience the destination differently, no matter how many people are traveling.
Benefits
Benefits for the students who lead the trek.
- One Cardinal package for every twenty travelers, which promoters can give to travelers of their choice.
- A US$120 voucher redeemable in optional activities throughout the trip.
- The ability to select flights and hotels 24 hours before the rest of the group.
Promoter testimonials
What trek leaders say.
“It has been one of the best experiences I have had not only on CBS but in my life.”
Daniela Zuluaga
Columbia Business School
“I did not know if I wanted to bring people here, but when I met VAOVA I realized that it was going to be very easy.”
Juliana Zapata
MIT
“I managed to show Colombia how I wanted to show it, and change the image of the news a bit.”
Juan Camilo García
Wharton
“The only reason why I was relaxed is because we did this with VAOVA.”
Andres Gomez
Harvard
Where treks go
Colombia gives students multiple versions of the country in one trip.
Bogotá
Business access, government, entrepreneurship, gastronomy, museums and the most connected airport in Colombia.
Medellín
Innovation, social transformation, urban culture, Guatapé, nightlife and conversations about what a city can become.
Cartagena
Caribbean culture, history, walled-city venues, islands, food, music and closing nights that feel like a reward.
Coffee Region
Nature, coffee culture, haciendas, biodiversity and slower moments for reflection outside the major cities.
University trek FAQs
Practical questions for student trek leaders.
These are the questions schools, student clubs, faculty teams and promoters usually ask when planning a Colombia university trek with VAOVA.
- What is a university trek?
- A university trek is a student-led or faculty-supported trip designed around academic access, cultural immersion, networking, nightlife, nature, gastronomy and destination learning. VAOVA specializes in Colombia treks for graduate programs, MBA cohorts, executive education groups and other university communities.
- Does VAOVA organize MBA treks and other university programs in Colombia?
- Yes. MBA treks are one of VAOVA's strongest formats, but we also organize Colombia treks for graduate programs, executive education groups, student clubs, faculty-led programs and broader university communities. Since 2017, VAOVA has hosted more than 12,000 university travelers across schools including Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, Columbia and Chicago Booth.
- Which Colombian cities work best for university treks?
- Bogotá, Medellín, Cartagena and the Coffee Region are the core destinations. A trek can combine business access, entrepreneurship, social impact, culture, gastronomy, nightlife, nature and Caribbean celebration.
- Can each student choose different activities?
- Yes. VAOVA's trek model allows academic, cultural and social activities to run simultaneously, so students can choose their preferred sessions and meet classmates in different settings.
- How large can a university trek in Colombia be?
- VAOVA has operated university treks for groups ranging from 15 travelers to 600 students. The model adapts to small graduate cohorts, MBA clubs, executive education groups, faculty-led programs and large multi-school groups with parallel activities, transport, hotels and on-the-ground staff.
- Who usually organizes a university trek?
- Many treks are led by student promoters or trek leaders, especially in MBA and graduate programs. Others are coordinated with university staff, faculty, executive education teams or student clubs. VAOVA supports the organizing team with itinerary design, launch materials, operations planning and local execution in Colombia.
- Can a university trek combine academic access with nightlife and nature?
- Yes. A Colombia university trek can combine company visits, conferences, entrepreneurship sessions, social impact, gastronomy, nightlife, Cartagena, Medellín, Bogotá, Guatapé, the Coffee Region and Caribbean-style closing events.
- Why do MBA and graduate programs choose Colombia for university treks?
- Colombia combines business transformation, entrepreneurship, culture, food, music, nature, nightlife and strong air access in one country. For graduate students, MBA cohorts, executive education groups and faculty-led programs, it is a Latin American destination that feels current, layered, highly social and very different from a traditional study trip.
For program leaders
Planning your school's next Colombia trek?
We've hosted Harvard, Wharton, Stanford, Columbia, Booth and Yale. Tell us which cohort is coming and what they want to learn.