Please post this on your own sites, lists, etc. - Thank you!

So far, few outsiders have managed to visit this special place. But public order has made a comeback in the region, and in 2010, two groups of 20 people each (including a 1-year old baby girl!) traveled all the way to Colombia’s eastern plains to visit this unique community. (Click here to view pictures). The visits were a success, and the village now wishes to invite another 20 people for a fully hosted day visit. In addition, Gaviotas founder Paolo Lugari is personally inviting you to spend a few additional days in conversation with him and other Gaviotans in and around the Gaviotas office in Bogotá and in Villavicencio, where we will also spend one night. (I will be translating.)

During the 8-month rainy season the roads turn into mud and the Gaviotas landing strip is flooded - March is your chance to go before is starts pouring!

[APRIL 2012 UPDATE:  EVERYONE ON THE TRIP HAD A GREAT TIME!]

The price for 3 days of hosted events, including a chartered bus to Villavicencio, one overnight there, a chartered flight onward to Gaviotas, meals, tours and talks, is $1039 (US dollars), or less, if you sign up more than one person.

To make sure we fill up all the spaces, we are offering group discounts (2 or more people signing up at once) that can lower your per-person price to $939 (see pull-down price menu below).

Your payment will help pay for a charter plane with crew for a whole day (as they will have to wait for us at Gaviotas and fly us back out). Any surplus (if we get high participation) will support current initiatives at Gaviotas (including reforestation). You will make personal connections that may lead to further involvement and new friendships! Sorry, but we have no scholarship funds available at this time.

The 3 consecutive days of activities will take place during the third full week of March. For added safety, there will be no overland travel beyond Villavicencio, and no overnights at Gaviotas. You are encouraged to arrive in Bogotá by Sunday night (18-MAR) and depart on or after Friday (23-MAR) to allow for extra time with Lugari and your new friends. Suggestions for meaningful optional activities will be provided.

It is OK if you cannot commit to all the recommended 4 full days above, but please coordinate with us, to make sure you won’t miss the key event of the trip - the day visit to Gaviotas itself.

You will need to make your own arrangements for travel from your home country to Bogotá and back, as well as for your overnight accommodations in Bogotá. We suggest that everybody stay at the same hotel. We will coordinate with you about that once you are signed up. Monday night will be spent in Villavicencio (we will take care of that reservation and cost).

Sample U.S. round-trip airfares, if you are willing to be flexible with your dates: $570 from Los Angeles, $517 from NYC, $348 from Miami. (Spirit Air has the best offers currently. Search for more fares and airlines at www.kayak.com).

We are offering a full money-back guarantee - no questions asked - until the 1st of March, in case you change your mind about going. This way, you can ensure your spot without risk and lock in the current rate by clicking below. This will take you to the PayPal payment pages.

Important: Once you are on the PayPal site, before you hit ‘Pay Now’, please click on ‘Add special instructions to seller’ and enter names and email of each person you are signing up.

Once we have a solid list of participants, we will share email addresses ahead of time, so people can introduce themselves to the group and coordinate travel and extra days in Colombia.

Happy travels! - - - - - Robert (trip coordinator at Friends of Gaviotas)

From the Lonely Planet’s 2010 edition:

Colombia’s back. After decades of civil conflict, Colombia is now safe to visit and travelers are discovering what they’ve been missing. The diversity of the country may astonish you. Modern cities with skyscrapers and nightclubs? Check. Gorgeous Caribbean beaches? Check. Jungle walks and Amazon safaris? Check. Colonial cities, archaeological ruins, high-mountain trekking, whale watching, coffee plantations, scuba diving, surfing, the list goes on.

Read more at: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/colombia