Trek Colombia’s Mountains and Lost City

Check into your hotel in Medellin and choose between relaxing or joining your guide on an optional short walk around the neighbourhood. 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 approximately seven hours by a comfortable 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 destination at La Argentina Farm, grab a quick tinto or aromatica then settle in for the evening, taking in the stunning views of La Tolima volcano.

Continue trekking through the beautiful mountains of Los Nevados from La Argentina Farm to La Playa Farm. Be sure to look up during the day to see condors circling above the trail and at night for the blanket of stars above. Should conditions permit, then it may be possible to trek an alternative route today and tackle the summit of Paramillo Del Quindio (4750m summit, approx. 10 hrs, 18km, +1350m -1000m). Note that this summit was closed to trekkers in 2023 and remains closed until further notice in 2024.

Set off early through the humid Cocora Valley and into the misty and mysterious cloud forest. Descend into the vibrant green valley ahead 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 Pereira Airport to fly up to Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is a richly biodiverse and unique ecosystem, home to several indigenous communities. Spend the night in Santa Marta.

Begin your trek to the Lost City, once the heart of the ancient Tayrona civilisation. 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 Parque Tayrona and enjoy your final evening together. 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. Remember if you are flying home from Medellin rather than directly from Santa Marta, you will need to book your own internal flight back to Medellin - see our getting there section for details.