Cali Food Tour: La Alameda Market

From $71 USD per person

La Alameda is where Cali does its shopping. Not a food hall, not a restored market building with a coffee kiosk, but the working market where the city buys fruit and fish and eats breakfast standing up. Three hours in it, private, with a guide who knows the vendors, is the fastest route into how this city actually eats.

It opens with a lulada, the tart lulo drink Cali drinks by the litre, and then five tastings, savoury and sweet, through the aisles.

Check live availability and prices — or read on for how the morning is built.

How the morning works

• Pickup and the drive in (about 1 hour). Your private guide collects you at your hotel and takes you to La Alameda, in central Cali.
• Fruit and the first tastings (about 1 hour). The lulada first, then through the stalls: five gastronomic stops covering savoury dishes, sweets and local drinks.
• The stories, then back (about 1 hour). Where each thing grows, what it is for, what people here believe about it. You talk to the vendors. Then private transport back to your hotel.

What’s included

• A private English-speaking guide
• Private hotel pickup and drop-off in Cali
• Five tastings: savoury, sweet, and local drinks
• All-risk insurance

Not included

• Extra food beyond the five tastings
• Extra purchases

Good to know

• Allergies and restrictions: tell us twice. Once when you book, and again to your guide at the start, so the route through the stalls can be adjusted.
• No vegan option as standard. Say so before booking and we will tell you honestly what is possible.
• Three hours on your feet. Flat ground, relaxed pace, but comfortable shoes matter.
• It is a real market. Crowded aisles, informal vendors, noise, movement. That is the point of it.
• Bring a little cash. For fruit or anything else you want to take away. The tastings are paid for.
• Rain or shine. The market is largely covered.

Frequently asked questions

What do you actually taste?

Five stops covering savoury and sweet, plus typical drinks, starting with a lulada. The exact line-up moves with what the market has that morning, which is how a market works.

What is a lulada?

Crushed lulo, a tart Andean fruit, with lime, ice and a little sugar. It is Cali’s drink, and it is the first thing you are handed.

I have a food allergy. Is that a problem?

Tell us when you book and remind your guide at the start. The route is private, so it can be adjusted around most things.

How much walking is there?

You are on your feet for most of the three hours, on flat ground, at a relaxed pace.

Is the tour private?

Yes. Private guide, private vehicle, hotel pickup and drop-off.

How do I get around Cali the rest of the time?

For the arrival, book a Cali airport transfer. If you are weighing up apps against a booked car, we wrote up using Uber in Cali.

Ready? Check your date and lock it in