Sail Caribbean waters on a private boat, snorkeling and swimming along the coastal fringes of Tayrona National Park
Hike trails less traveled to the summit of Cerro Kennedy, weaving through the jungle of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
SUP among the mangroves of Cienaga and kayak along the Don Diego River, from steamy jungle to tropical beach
Day 1
Welcome to Colombia's stunning Caribbean Coast! Your host will arrange an arrival transfer from Santa Marta Airport to your hotel in central Santa Marta. Get together this afternoon to meet your guide and fellow travelers, starting with an optional walking tour of central Santa Marta.
Day 2
Set sail on a thrilling adventure from Santa Marta, traversing the rugged and wild coast of Tayrona National Park by boat. The coastline is a protected area, and home to the world's highest coastal mountain, Pico Cristóbal Colón (18,799 ft). Dive into the inviting Caribbean waters at several snorkeling sites along the way, encountering marine life on the coral reef below. Bask in the sun on a secluded beach before returning to Santa Marta in the afternoon.
Day 3
Enjoy a two-wheel exploration today, pedaling along the rugged rainforest tracks that surround the town of Minca. The distances covered are short but the undulating natural terrain of this environment can be a bit tricky in sections - there is the option to hop off your bike and walk if preferred. First stop is Finca San Rafael to visit a cacao farm, then back to Minca to refuel with a traditional lunch before a short uphill ride for a well-earned bathe at a beautiful waterfall. Learn all about the rainforest habitat from your guide today. Tonight, you'll sleep in a rustic eco-lodge on the outskirts of the town that features a wonderful sunset view.
Day 4
Leave Minca in 4x4s and drive up to a coffee farm, where you'll stop for a tour and a caffeine boost. You'll drop your main luggage off here, and continue on carrying only what you'll need to hike tonight and tomorrow on the mountain. The hike into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range is uphill, and typically takes around two hours, ending at Santa Elena Farm where you'll spend the night (7200 feet above sea level). Enjoy the spectacular sunset views from the nearby lookout point.
Day 5
Grab an early start to watch the sunrise – it's worth it! After breakfast at the farm, your ascent to the summit of Cerro Kennedy (9,740 ft) begins. The first part of the hike takes around three to four hours, following mostly uphill trails, topping out at the summit of Cerro Kennedy where you can kick back and take in the wonderful views. A two-hour downhill hike brings you back to the farm for lunch, after which you'll walk onwards, descending for several miles to the end point where a transfer vehicle will be waiting. Drive southwest to the low-lying coastal town of Cienaga, arriving in the early evening with some time to explore the center on foot.
(It is possible to opt out of the summit portion of the trek today and join the hike from the farm after lunch if preferred. In this case, you'd be hiking around 2 mi over 1.5 hours, with no elevation gain and a descent of approximately 1,804 ft.)
Day 6
Sun hats at the ready – today, you'll take to the water for a SUP adventure among the mangroves. This biodiverse wetlands habitat is a designated sanctuary for plant and animal life. Afterwards, take a boat ride to visit a mangrove conservation project and stop for lunch in the floating village of Buenavista. In the afternoon, you'll drive for about 1.5 hours to your jungle eco-lodge close to the Caribbean coast.
Day 7
A short walk along a trail heading inland from the eco-lodge will take you to an embarkation point on the banks of the Don Diego River, from where your kayaking adventure begins. Paddle downstream, flanked by jungle on either side, winding your way the short distance down to the Caribbean Sea. End with a drink at the beach to toast an exhilarating and eye-opening week spent exploring the very best natural wonders of Colombia's Caribbean region.
Day 8
Time to say your goodbyes to this tropical paradise and transfer back to Santa Marta Airport for onward travel. Those choosing to stay longer can be dropped off in Santa Marta city.
Paul S. May 2026
Katherine April 2026
Robert M. February 2025
Dovenia C. September 2024
Christopher B. March 2024
Lauren B. February 2024
Andrew H. February 2024
Darius P. February 2024
Wendy S. April 2026
“The trip was great. I selected it for the specific variety of activities. The sequencing with hiking followingbthe mountain biking was perfect. It likely would have been even more difficult to ride the challenging terrain after the long Cerro Kennedy hikes. Sol, our guide, was fantastic- very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about Colombia and the changes the country has gone through culturally, politically, environmentally, etc. She's super personable and attentive to all details. The day guides for sailing, the cacoa plantation and the floating village/kayak were also exceptional. Food was plentiful and good everywhere. While I expect eco lodges to be basic (I've stayed at ones before), this was a bit lacking. The shared room had only a small bench for 2 people to squeeze two small duffel bags on with nowhere to spread out the contents which was particularly difficult for re-packing for the return trip home. Also, the open air restaurant was very hot with no fans and the tables were never wiped clean - all had pollen or something on them. It would also be nice if the path between the outdoor shower and our building had pavers vs. being dirt/mud. The setting however was very unique and I loved that we had to take a boat to get there. The first and last full days were likely my favorite but I loved it all. It was also nice that the auto transit times were not long. The tuk tuks to the kayak spot were a nice touch.”
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The bikes used for the biking activity are manufactured by the brands Scott and Trek. These front suspension mountain bikes are set up with gearing and tires which are ideal for the terrain. There are a range of frame sizes to accommodate different heights.
Helmets are included (and it's obligatory to use them), and a safety briefing takes place before you bike. We cannot guarantee that the quality of the locally provided helmets will be of the same standards as those required in the US – you may, therefore, wish to bring your own.
Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip for good service.
You'll have access to safe drinking water at each accommodation, and your host will also carry water giving you plenty of opportunity to refill water bottles and stay hydrated throughout the day. Tap water in rural locations should be purified or boiled before drinking – your guide will be able to provide location-specific advice. You may wish to read our guide to water filters here.
No, as you won't be returning to a hotel in Santa Marta (unless you have reserved an extra post-trip night) it isn't possible to leave any excess luggage anywhere.
The sailing trip is weather dependent, so conditions outside of the host's control (namely, rough seas) might require cancelation on health and safety grounds. In such a case, the host would endeavor to either replace the activity with something appropriate or rearrange the running order of the itinerary.
There are also occasional National Park closures that can be announced at short notice by the park authorities in Colombia. This sometimes happens with Tayrona National Park. Your host will endeavor to share info right away whenever a change is announced that will impact part(s) of the published itinerary.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers review the practical information available on the UK Government’s FCDO website, where you can find up-to-date advice by searching for your destination(s).
If you are based in the United States, you can also check the latest travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State.
For customers joining from other international locations, we recommend checking the official travel advice issued by your country of residence, as guidance may vary.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
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All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips typically consist of a mix of solo travelers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves, and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
Santa Marta and the Sierra Nevada region has a tropical rainforest climate, characterized by warm temperatures year-round and occasional heavy rainfall, with little variation throughout the year. There is high humidity, and temperatures typically range from the mid-70s to low-90s°F.
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre program, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 164kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
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