Check into your hotel in Medellin and choose between relaxing or joining your guide on a walk to a lookout point with views over the surrounding, mountainous valley. Join the rest of your group for dinner at a local restaurant and sample some local Colombian cuisine as you get to know your fellow adventurers.

Get ready for a dramatic change of landscape as you travel to the colonial Andean town of Salento in the UNESCO-listed coffee zone, west of Bogotá. This road trip will take approx 7 hours by a very comnfortable public coach. As you pass through rolling hills and agricultural settlements, you’ll get a real insight into rural Colombia, before arriving at a beautiful country ranch where you’ll spend the night.

Begin the day ascending into one of Colombia’s crown jewels - Los Nevados National Natural Park. Discover snow-dipped peaks, wax palms (the tallest palm trees in the world), elevated lagoons and towering volcanoes as you emerge from the wispy cloud forest below.

Keep your eyes open for the alien-like frailejones that sprout from the paramo, as well as parrots and marmots. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a spectacled bear! Arrive at your overnight mountain lodge, grab a quick ‘tinto’ or ‘aromatica’ then settle in for the evening and take in the stunning views of La Tolima volcano.

Stop at a high-altitude lagoon (3980m). For those feeling the altitude, there is the option for a shorter loop hike, or you can carry on through the different ecosystems and tackle the summit of Paramillo del Quindio (4750m), one of the highest mountains in the national park. Be sure to look up during the day to see condors circling above the trail and at night for the blanket of stars above.

Set off early through the humid Cocora Valley and into the misty and mysterious cloud forest. Descend into the vibrant green valley ahead, making a quick stop at a hummingbird sanctuary, before returning to the ranch by jeep along a bumpy dirt track.

After a traditional Colombian breakfast of arepas (cornbread) with cheese and fruit, you’ll head to Periera for a short flight to Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast. Spend the night in an eco-friendly jungle lodge within a protected nature reserve and receive a warm welcome from the local Arhuaco indigenous community and perhaps even get involved in their ceremonies and customs.

Follow the small and winding path that connects the farming region to the jungle and take a refreshing dip in the river to recharge your batteries. Arrive at your camp in the mid-afternoon and relax before a dinner served to the sound of a jungle chorus - your soundtrack for the next few nights.

Trek through a humid jungle alive with native birds and wildlife, wading at times through waist-deep rivers. Wash under a waterfall and get a panoramic view over the coastal mountain range. Continue your journey towards the Lost City and learn about the sacred traditions, myths and legends of the local indigenous people and hear stories about the tomb raiders and grave robbers that once combed the land looking for gold and ancient artefacts.

Enter a sacred land shrouded in mystery and ancient traditions. Led by your guides, you’ll ascend the gruelling 1200 steps to the lost city of Ciudad Perdida built 650 years before Machu Picchu. As well as having time to explore, the group will also take part in a ceremony to pay tribute to the natural environment. Keep your eyes peeled for snakes hanging from the vines that have taken over this once-thriving city.

Hike to Machete, stopping to bathe under waterfalls and swim in rivers - a welcome relief after days of humidity. Head back to an eco-hotel located near the Don Diego River and choose between dinner there or in the small beachside village of Palomino. There’s nowhere on earth with higher mountains as close to the sea, and on a clear day you can swim in the Caribbean and see snow-capped mountains at the same time.

Wake one last time in Colombia and then head back to the airport in time for your flight home.

What do I need to bring?

Bags

• Small backpack (25-30 litres)

Clothes

• A light poncho-type of waterproof
• Walking boots
• Thermal under-clothing
• Long-sleeved t-shirts or shirts
• Warm fleece or similar
• Waterproof jacket with Gore Tex or similar
• Quick-dry trekking trousers
• T-shirts
• Thick walking socks
• Comfortable quick-dry shorts
• Thin walking socks
• Swimwear
• T-shirts or vests
• Shorts
• Sturdy waterproof sandals for river swimming
• Gloves
• Hat
• Buff

Other

• Sunglasses
• Sun-protection hat
• Reusable water bottle
• Head torch
• Suncream
• Lip balm
• Hand sanitizer
• Quick-drying towel
• Personal wash kit including toothpaste, toothbrush and toilet paper
• Personal medical kit including painkillers, blister treatment etc
• Biodegradable bags for toilet paper waste
• Biodegradable soap for washing in the jungle
• Hand sanitizer
• Camera (optional)
• Walking poles (optional)