You will start this 10-day itinerary by visiting Cartagena after transferring to Santa Marta where you will start the search of the famous Lost City, one of the main archaeological sites in Colombia. Accompanied by your guide, you will get to know the legacy of the Tayronas indigenous people on various trekking routes. Finish your trip relaxing at Tayrona National Park.
Suggested itinerary
Day one: Arrival to Cartagena - Guided Visit of Cartagena
Upon arrival to Cartagena, you will start a private guided visit of Cartagena, Colombia’s walled city. Visit the city’s plazas, galleries, churches, and vaulted walkways where crafts and antiquities are sold. Visit the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and explore Cerro de la Popa, where you will find a church and colonial convent constructed in the 17th Century.
Day two: Explore Cartagena
Free day to enjoy this beautiful city on your own.
What else can you do in Cartagena?- Visit the UNESCO San Basilio de Palenque, the first freed-slave city of the Americas
- Evening Street Food Experience
- Mangrove Guided Tour by the locals of La Boguilla
- Fishing Experiences with Locals
Day three: Transfer to Santa Marta
Transfer to Santa Marta(4h) towards the town of Mamey, where we will regain strength with a light lunch. After lunch, we will start our first hiking route. During the three-hour tour, approximately eight kilometers long, we will enjoy the natural landscapes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
At the end of the afternoon, we arrive at the first camp, in its surroundings, we will find rivers, natural pools, and waterfalls to have a relaxing moment; and then we have dinner and spend the night in hammocks.
Day four: Explore the Muntanyi Indigenous Village
Muntanyi indigenous village, whose inhabitants will show us their customs and traditions. After knowing this village we will taste a traditional lunch in the area and we will resume our route. You will finish the day at Romualdo’s cabin, a camp where we will have dinner and spend the night.
Day five: The Lost City
After breakfast, we will start walking for approximately three hours a distance of eight kilometers. The effort will be worth it since at the end of the journey the Lost City awaits us. We will visit the archaeological remains of this important enclave, where we will learn about the way of life of the Tayronan indigenous people who inhabited this place.
Once our strength has been restored with a good lunch, we will start a new hiking route crossing the beautiful natural space bathed by the waters of the Buritaca River. We will conclude the itinerary at Gabriel’s cabin. We will have dinner at this camp, where we will also rest until the next day.
Day six: Mamey
After breakfast, we will start our march on foot. The six-hour journey and an average distance of 15 kilometers will take us to Mamey. After having lunch in the town, we will drive to Santa Marta.
Day seven: Transfer to Tayrona National Park
Breakfast at your hotel and check out. Today a private transfer will take you to Tayrona National Park, where you will have time to rest after 4 days of hiking.
Day eight: Enjoy a Day in the Caribbean Beaches
Today is an easy excursion into Tayrona National Nature Park to see some of the park’s gorgeous beaches which are backed by mountains and shaded by coconut palms. Visit Arrecifes, La Piscina, another small village where you could swim in the natural pools and coral reefs, perfect for snorkeling. Continue your hike to La Cabo, this famous picturesque beach is one of the most recognizable in the park
Day nine: Explore Tayrona National Park
Today you will have a free day to explore Tayrona National Park. You could maybe relax at the beach or decide to do a hiking activity.
Day ten: Depart
Breakfast at your hotel and check out. Pick-up at the hotel to transfer to the Cartagena airport for your flight back home
What more?
Your accommodations
To make your experience as local as possible we use small boutique hotels where you can find personalize service. All the hotels in our portfolio whether they are 3, 4 or 5 stars, would be well-located and rooms would have a private bathroom, non-smoking and air conditioning.
Your experience
It’s a given that during your trip, you will see the highlights and historically important sites but what really sets the experience apart is our local guides and local experiences. You discover the most spectacular places in Colombia as well as see how Colombians really live in a unique and personalized experience.
Why travel with us?
Customized and private trip
We’re full of ideas and we take time to design a trip for you that ticks all the boxes. We have the knowledge and contacts to ensure that your trip is a once in a lifetime. Our local Colombian guides bring the country to life through their personal stories and life experiences, They are all about showing you the real Colombia to discover things you won’t find out about any other way.
Responsible travel
We pride ourselves on delivering an enriching ‘local’ experience in Colombia– and therefore we feel it’s our responsibility to leave a positive impact as well as reduce negative impacts. We are committed to working in a socially and environmentally conscious way, and making a positive difference. Click here for more details about our responsible travel journey.
Great Reviews
Over the years we’ve been creating inspirational and immersive trips for our clients, and what better testament to this than to hear the great things they have to say about their experience, and our service. We have plenty of great reviews to share, be sure and click here to read some.
