Trek to Colombia’s Lost City and Relax on the Caribbean Coast

At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.

Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.

BACKGROUND

Colombian cuisine is shaped by its diverse landscapes, from the Caribbean Coast to the Andean mountains, and centres around fresh, locally sourced ingredients and simple, hearty dishes. Meals typically feature staples such as rice, beans, plantain, corn, eggs, meat and fresh fish, often accompanied by tropical fruits and fresh juices. While food is generally flavourful and nourishing, it can be less varied than in more internationally influenced destinations, particularly in rural and remote areas. On this trip, you’ll experience a mix of meals in towns, eco-lodges and during the Lost City trek. In cities like Santa Marta and Minca, there is a wider range of options and greater flexibility for dietary requirements. However, during the trek itself and in more remote locations, menus are more fixed and based on what can be transported and prepared in basic conditions. This means choice can be limited, and meals may be repetitive.

That said, hosts are experienced in catering for a range of dietary needs where notified in advance, and will do their best to adapt meals accordingly. Fresh ingredients are widely used, but cross-contamination can be harder to control in remote kitchens. Travellers with dietary requirements should be prepared for simpler substitutions and less variety at certain points in the trip, particularly during the trek. Breakfasts are typically simple (eggs, bread, fruit, coffee), lunches are often local set meals or packed for trekking days, and dinners are hearty and designed to refuel after active days.

SPECIAL DIETS

Vegetarian
Vegetarian diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance.

Vegan
Vegan diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance.

Kosher
Fully certified Kosher kitchens and supervision are rare and usually cannot be guaranteed unless expressly confirmed in advance by your host. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

Halal
Certified Halal supply varies by location and may not always be possible. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

INTOLERANCES

Gluten-free (for Coeliac, please see Allergies section below)
Gluten-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance.

Lactose-free
Lactose-free diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance.

ALLERGIES

Our host has confirmed that they are able to accommodate mild allergies to the 14 allergens identified by the UK Food Standards Agency, where these are disclosed in advance. However, if you have a severe or life-threatening food allergy, please get in touch with our Customer Experience team prior to booking, to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip. This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority. Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip.

You should avoid drinking tap water in this region of Colombia. While trekking to the Lost City, you will be provided with clean drinking water to top your own bottles up with. The hotels you'll stay at in Santa Marta, Minca and Los Naranjos will also have safe drinking water to top up your water bottles with, ahead of each day. If you're keen to bring along your own water filtration system to fill up from fresh water sources in Minca and along the Lost City route, please have a read of our guide to the best water filters for adventurers.

You'll have two tour leaders throughout the adventure, and in addition, an indigenous guide from the Wiwa community joins the group for the Lost City portion of the trip. For group sizes of five and fewer, there will be one tour leader alongside the Wiwa guide, rather than two.

Yes – any luggage you don’t need for the trek can be safely stored at the hotel in Santa Marta while you’re in the jungle. You’ll just need to pack a smaller bag with the essentials for the Lost City trek. Your main luggage will be kept securely and will be returned to you when you arrive back at the Caribbean Coast at the end of the trek.

Adventure travel in remote and wild places doesn’t always run exactly to schedule – and that’s part of the experience. Your host and guides are highly experienced in operating in this region and will always prioritise your safety while adapting plans where needed. On the Lost City trek, conditions can change quickly. Heavy rain can make trails muddy, rivers higher and crossings slower, which may affect hiking times or daily distances. In very rare cases, extreme weather or local conditions may require route adjustments or changes to camp locations. The pace of the trek can also vary depending on the group, and your guides will manage this to ensure everyone completes the journey safely.

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 are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

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 are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers 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. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.

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:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.