Lost City Trek

Detailed Itinerary

Day One – Start of your Holiday to Colombia

We will meet you at the airport in Colombia's vibrant capital of Bogota and take you to your hotel in the city's metropolitan north side. After you’ve checked in why not take a stroll to one of the area's many restaurants and bars where you can enjoy your first taste of Colombian food... or maybe just the rum!

Day Two - Tour of Bogota

We’ve kept this morning free to give you chance for a leisurely breakfast and some time to introduce yourself to the city. In the afternoon we will pick you up from your hotel and give you a guided tour of Bogota's historic centre, known as La Candelaria. On the tour we will visit the grand Plaza de Bolivar, as well as the city's astonishing Gold Museum. After an afternoon exploring Bogota's culture and history we will take you back to your hotel, so you can head out for dinner. (Breakfast included)

Day Three – On to Cartagena

After breakfast today we will pick you up and take you the airport for a flight north to Cartagena, on the Caribbean coast. Cartagena is often referred to as Colombia's most beautiful city and it’s easy to see why! From its amazing colonial architecture to its coral reef-lined shores, Cartagena truly is the pearl of the Caribbean. Upon your arrival we’ll take you to your hotel, just inside the walls of the old city. After checking in, why not take a stroll through the city's many alleyways and side streets, before heading to the Plaza Santo Domingo in El Centro to enjoy a traditional Caribbean dinner of fresh fish, coconut rice and plantain? (B)

Day Four - Cartagena City Tour

You will have a free morning to relax and then we will pick you up to begin a tour of this fascinating city. We will climb to the top of the Iglesia de la Popa, constructed in 1606. The church and monastery is located 140 meters above sea level and gives you fantastic 360-degree views of the city. After this we will head to the San Filipe fortress where we’ll walk through the tunnels and passageways to discover how the fortress defended the city through years of (largely English) piracy... Lastly we’ll make a visit to the handicrafts zone of the Bovedas: once the city’s prison; nowadays it’s a great artisanal centre and handicraft market. (B)

Day Five - Free Day in Cartagena

A full free day to enjoy the sights and sounds of Cartagena, take a horse and carriage ride through the cobbled streets of the old city or venture down to the beach to enjoy some Caribbean sunshine. In the evening why not relax at the famous Café del Mar and enjoy some rum whilst watching the sunset? (B)

Day Six - Travel to Santa Marta

After breakfast this morning we will pick you up and take you along to the coast to the beachside town of Santa Marta. We’ll arrive at around lunchtime and we will take you to your hotel so you can check in. You’ll have the rest of the day free to explore South America’s oldest city. Founded in 1525, Santa Marta is steeped in history and culture. This evening why not venture out and try some of the town's great barbecued chicken which is famous throughout Colombia? (B)

Day Seven - Free Day in Santa Marta

We've given you a full free day to explore the historic city of Santa Marta. We’d recommend a quick visit to the Cathedral, before heading on to the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, the house where Simon Bolívar passed away in 1830. As well as the house being an excellently-preserved example of a colonial mansion, it’s now home to the fascinating Museo Bolivariano, which comprises a large art collection, botanical gardens and sculptures from all the countries liberated by Simon Bolivar. In the evening, you can’t do much better than heading down to the beach to enjoy a drink whilst watching the sunset... (B)

Day Eight - Start of the Lost City Trek

After breakfast this morning we will pick you up in our 4x4s and begin our drive to the small village of Machete Pelao, where we will start our trek to the Lost City. After a morning of hiking we will stop for lunch at a farmhouse where we can enjoy our food at the foot of the lovely Vereda Waterfall. After lunch we continue our trek on to a Wiwa camp on the shores of the Buritaca River. We will be staying in a local farmhouse tonight where we will have dinner before bedding down in our hammocks. (B/L/D)

Day Nine - Mutayni and the Buritaca River

This morning we’ll continue to head deeper into the forest and through the Buritaca Valley before stopping at the Kogi Village of Mutanyni. Here we’ll have amazing views over the Sierra Nevada so don’t forget to bring your camera. After stopping to take a few photos we will head down the valley and cross the Buritaca River to get to Mamo Kogui’s farm house. After lunch at the farm house we’ll have some free time to swim in the river and freshen up under a beautiful waterfall. After dinner we’ll head to our hammocks, ahead of an early start the following morning. (B/L/D)

Day Ten - Trekking on Ancient Trails

We will spend today following an ancient Kogi trail through the jungle, crossing the River Buritaca several times before we arrive at a natural swimming pool at the base of the Buritaca waterfall. We will stop for lunch here, before continuing on our way to Mamo Romualdo’s farmhouse, where we will have dinner and enjoy a peaceful night in our hammocks tonight. (B/L/D)

Day Eleven - Arrival at the Lost City of Teyuna

Today is the day you’ve been waiting for! We will get up early and begin our trek further into the forest. After an hour’s hike, we will arrive at one of the ancient entrances to the Lost City. From here we will begin the climb up the 1200 stone steps that lead to the site, which overlooks the jungle and the hills of the Sierra Nevada. Once we reach the top we will have time to explore the many terraces and learn more about the ceremonies that took place here. In the late afternoon, after plenty of time to explore every nook and cranny of the site, including the legendary Fountain of Youth, we will begin our trek back down the steps to Mamo Romualdo’s. After dinner we will get some rest before beginning our journey back the following morning. (B/L/D)

Day Twelve - Back Through the Jungle

After breakfast this morning we begin our walk back to civilisation. We will follow the same ancient trails that we took to get here, with several crossings of the Rio Buritaca. After stopping for lunch by the waterfall, we continue on to the local farm house where we spent the first night of our trek, and then get a good night’s sleep ahead of the final day of trekking. (B/L/D)

Day Thirteen - Return to Santa Marta

This morning we will begin our hike back to Machete Pelao. On route we will have another chance to freshen up under the waterfall and have a swim before getting back on to the 4x4s and returning to Santa Marta where we will take you to your hotel for some well-earned relaxation! (B/L)

Day Fourteen - Last Day of Your Trekking Holiday in Colombia

After a final free morning relaxing in Santa Marta, we will pick you up and take you to the airport for a short flight back to Bogota. Most flights to the UK leave in the evening, so you’ll arrive with plenty of time to check-in for your international flight home. (B)

What's Included?

Our standard price for this trekking holiday in Colombia is £1995 per person, which is based on two sharing a double or twin room in our standard hotels.

That price includes all your accommodation, internal transport, transfers, tours, guides and entrance fees, plus all meals on the trek and breakfast every day.

We don't have any "local payments" or sneaky charges: everything you have read about on this itinerary is included in that price. And because everything we do is tailor-made, we don't have fixed departure dates or minimum numbers for our trips. Outside of national holidays or other special events, this price is valid for the whole of 2020.

International flights

So with the exception of a few meals, everything on your holiday is included. What we don't include as standard is your international flights, because with these you have a huge range of options depending on the date you want to travel, the route you want to fly, and your preferred departure airport in the UK.

We aren't tied to any particular airline, and we will be delighted to discuss all options with you, or you can even book the flights yourself if you prefer: it's totally up to you.