A Spiritual and Ecological Beacon:
Trek to La Ciudad Perdida
Highlights
- Spend four days trekking in the majestic and legendary Sierra Nevada Mountains, through jungles, forests, and streams, all the way to La Ciudad Perdida (The Lost City).
- You will immerse in a land that is sacred to many indigenous communities. The land is believed to sustain an ecological and spiritual balance for the world.
- The rare opportunity to disconnect from the modern world and be fully present with nature and the people you are embarking on this adventure with. Click here to read our blog post on why La Ciudad Perdida would make an impactful charity challenge for your community.
Day 1: Arrival in Bogota, Colombia
Bienvenidos a Colombia! Arrive at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá where you will be met by a driver and transferred to your hotel.
Spend the afternoon at your leisure, relaxing before the group convenes for a welcome dinner to get to know each other and kick off this week’s adventure!
Day 2: Flight to Santa Marta
After breakfast, you will transfer once again to El Dorado Airport for a morning flight to Santa Marta, the first Spanish settlement in Colombia and gateway to Tayrona National Park. You will have the day at leisure to explore the city and prepare for the trek ahead.
Day 3: Trekking Day 1: Santa Marta - Machete Pelao / El Mamey - Adan’s Cabana
After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel for an adventurous 2.5 hour drive, on dirt roads in the mountains to the town of Machete Pelao. After having lunch at a local restaurant, the trek will begin today with a four-hour hike from El Mamey, stopping along the way for snacks and beautiful viewpoints.
You’ll hike all the way to tonight’s campsite; Adan's Cabaña. The camps are rustic, open-air cabins with hammocks and mattresses for sleeping.
Enjoy a shower, delicious traditional Colombian dinner, and a comfortable bed to rest up for tomorrow’s full day of trekking!
Trekking Distance: 4.66 miles (7.5 kilometers)
Trekking Time: 4 hours
Elevation Start: 163 meters
Elevation End: 477 or 625 meters
Day 4: Trekking Day 2: Adan’s Camp - Wawi Camp - Paraiso Tayuna
Start the day early today, hiking along the beautiful Buritaca River on relatively flat terrain. Today will include multiple crossings of the river, so be prepared to get your feet wet!
You will have opportunities to stop, rest, and have snacks along the way. The first long break today will be at the Wiwa campsite where you will have lunch and an opportunity to swim in the refreshing waters of the Buritaca River. After lunch, you’ll put your packs back on and trek through Mutanyi, an indigenous village inhabited by the Kogui people.
Continue your ascent to tonight’s camp at Paraiso Teyuna. Here, your Guide will give you context about the importance of Teyuna and the history and customs of the indigenous peoples of the region.
Trekking Distance: 9 miles (15 kilometers)
Trekking Time: 8 - 9 hours
Elevation Start: 477 or 625 meters
Elevation End: 848 meters
Day 5: Trekking Day 3: Paraiso Tayuna - La Ciudad Perdida - Wiwa Camp
Today you will reach The Lost City! Climb 1,200 narrow, rocky steps to reach the ancient city. You’ll continue hiking up the mountain, and as you advance, you will find yourself in terraces and ancient villages that were built more than a thousand years ago.
Finally, you will reach the archaeological remains that were the foundation of the main settlement of the extinct Tayrona culture. During this guided tour, we will learn more about La Ciudad Perdida and enjoy the mountainous, jungle landscapes.
At the end of the tour, walk back down the 1,200 steps, back through rivers and forests to the Paraiso Teyuna campsite for lunch and a swim. You will continue your trek in the afternoon to the Wiwa campsite, where you will spend the night with people of the Wiwi indigenous community and get a glimpse into their culture and traditions.
Trekking Distance: 9 miles (15 kilometers)
Trekking Time: 8 hours
Elevation Start: 848 meters
Elevation End: 397 or 417 meters
Day 6: Trekking Day 4: Wiwa Camp - Mamey - Transfer to Palomino and Rioacha
One final early morning as you set out for your final day of trekking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Start your way from the Wiwa campsite all the way to Mamey, stopping for breaks along the way as you soak up your final moments in the mountains. From Mamey you will board jeeps to start the drive to Rioacha, on the northeast coast of Colombia, stopping for lunch in Palomino along the way.
Trekking Distance: 8.7 miles (14 kilometers)
Trekking Time: 8 - 9 hours
Elevation Start: 397 or 417 meters
Elevation End: 163 meters
Day 7: Full day in Cabo de la Vela
Today we will pass by Uribia, the capital of La Guajira, known as the Indigenous capital of Colombia, and then we will visit Manaure (the largest salt complex in Colombia), where we´ll see the salt extraction process, learning more about this important activity for the region. Later we go towards Cabo de la Vela, a remote desert village on the Caribbean Sea. This stunning beachside town is the perfect place to relax or keep your adventure going with some kitesurfing, something these beaches are known for.
After a day at the beach, you will return to Rioacha for a group farewell dinner before you part ways tomorrow.
Optional Full-Day Tour - Manaure Waleker Experience: History and culture are preserved in Manaure, where you will be surrounded by a beautiful contrasting landscape of the white salt ponds and the sea. During this excursion, you will tour the salt ponds as you learn about how the Wayuu people extract and process salt and how it is integral to their economy. You’ll also visit the Wualapuinje ranch and learn more about the Wayuu people and their culture - their traditions, rituals and cuisine.
Day 8: Departure from Bogata
After breakfast, transfer to the local airport in Riohacha for your domestic flight to Bogota, where you will catch an international flight home or continue with any extension travel you have planned.
