15 Days | Experience Colombia’s diverse culture, then hike to the Lost City
Head into the serene highlands of Colombia's famed coffee region and learn how to roast the perfect blend during a tour of a working coffee plantation. Discover the laidback pace of Salento, explore the nightlife of Medellin, then trade the country's lush interior for its coast. Explore the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Cartagena and Santa Marta, then hike to the ancient archaeological site of Teyuna, or the Lost City. Within the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains, this site can only be reached by a guided multi-day trek. Meet local Indigenous leaders, sleep in mountain campsites away from the hustle and bustle of modern life and spend four days in the mountains, hiking through rainforest and jungle to this sacred Colombian site.
Trip overview
- Start
- Bogota, Colombia
- Finish
- Santa Marta, Colombia
- Theme
- Explorer, Walking & trekking
- Destinations
- Colombia
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Original
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 16
- Trip code
- GGXSC
- Hike to the Lost City to Tayrona (or Teyuna) – the most important archaeological site in Colombia. Explore this sacred place with our local guides and revel in the secrets of a site only reached my multi-day hiking.
- Discover the new face of Medellin – an arts and culture haven that’s bursting with trendy cafes, epic views and the best nightlife in Colombia – salsa anyone?
- Spend a couple of days learning about the world's favourite bean during a stay on a traditional coffee estancia deep in Colombia's coffee country.
- Visit the Indigenous WIWA Community, where a spiritual guide and leader of the community will share their ways of life, including the roles that local women and men have within the community.
- Explore the cobbled alleys of Cartagena – a UNESCO World Heritage-listed town that combines Caribbean splendour with irresistible old-world charm.
- Colombia enjoys a stable year-round climate, but it can get particularly hot and humid in the north. Be sure to drink plenty of water and wear adequate sun protection, especially in Cartagena on the coast.
- There are four days of strenuous trekking on this trip. You'll be trekking between 4 to 6 hours a day, the highest altitude reached is 1200 m (3937 ft) at the Lost City itself. The humidity and the heat make this trek challenging. Throughout the year the daytime temperatures are generally between 30 to 45 degrees Celsius.
- In the dry season (December to March), the Lost City trail can be dry and dusty. In the wet season (April to November), there can be heavy rain and muddy conditions.
- You’ll need to carry your own backpack on the trek. Your fully packed trekking backpack should not exceed 10 kg total weight.
- You’ll get to experience a wide range of accommodation types on this trip – from hotels to dormitory style accommodation in hammocks or rustic bunks. Their unique locations and proximity to nature is what makes them special.
Itinerary
Inclusions
13 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners
Private vehicle, Plane, Local bus
Hotel (9 nights), Coffee Estancia (2 nights), Hammocks or Bunks (3 nights)
- Bogota - La Candelaria Walking Tour
- Salento - Traditional Tejo Game
- Bogota - Visit to Paloquemao market
- Coffee Hacienda- Coffee plantation tour & tasting
- Medellin - Barrio Transformation Tour
- Medellin - Flower Garden tour
- Metrocable to Acevedo station and up to Santa Elena
- Cartagena - Orientation walk of hotel neighbourhood
- Santa Marta – Orientation walk
- Lost City - 3 Night/4 Day Lost City trail guided trek
- Lost City - WIWA indigenous community visit
- Lost City – guided tour of the Lost City of Teyuna
- Bogota - Montserrate cable car - COP29500
- Bogota - Gold Museum - COP5000
- Bogota - Zipaquira Salt Cathedral + Guatavita sacred Lagoon Day Tour - COP390000
- Bogota - Villa de Leyva Magic Town Day tour - COP380000
- Bogota - La Chorrera waterfall hike Day tour - COP270000
- Bogota - Museo Nacional - USD10
- Bogota - Local Graffiti Tour - COP50000
- Bogota - Zipaquira Salt Cathedral Tour - COP270000
- Medellin - Comuna 13 Tour - COP150000
- Medellin - Guatape + Penol Rock Day Tour - COP140000
- Medellin - Violence + Posconflict Tour - COP50000
- Medellin - Museo de Antioquia entrance fee - COP30000
- Medellin - Historic Downtown Tour - COP50000
- Cartagena - San Felipe de Barajas Castle - COP33000
- Cartagena - Walking tour Cartagena Walled City - COP50000
- Cartagena - Walled city + Getsemani District Tour - COP50000
- Cartagena - Mangroves Tour - COP150000
- Cartagena - Gabriel Garcia Marquez Walking Tour - COP50000
- Cartagena - San Basilio de Palenque Full Day Tour - COP300000
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Days 3,4 (Coffee Estancia) and days 11 to 13 (dorm style hammocks or bunks) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport) in order to purchase Entrance tickets to certain sites. Additionally on certain trips it's needed to book bus, train or flight tickets. Fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing new tickets. Delays to provide this information may result in booking fees or changes to your itinerary.
3. This trip starts with an orientation walk of Candelaria at 1pm on Day 1 in Bogota. There will be a formal welcome meeting at 6pm for the whole group including those that missed the orientation walk. If you are unable to find a suitable flight it is possible to book additional nights at the joining accommodation.
4. In order to comply with tourist regulations set by the Colombian government, a copy of your passport will be required. This will be emailed to our local office in Colombia, your tour leader will assist you with this on day 1.
5. This trip is a combination of two of our most popular departures. As such the make up of the group and the tour leader may change on Day 9
6. You will need to carry your own backpack on the trek, so please read the packing list and our recommendations carefully. Your fully packed trekking backpack should not exceed 10kg total weight. Excess luggage can be stored in Santa Marta for the duration of the trek.
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