Itinerary
- Day 1
Cartagena
You'll arrive in Cartagena for a 6 pm welcome meeting at your hotel. If you get there early, spend time walking through the walled city and checking out the old churches and colonial mansions scattered throughout. When the group gathers, your leader takes you on an orientation walk to get your bearings around town. The evening wraps up with an optional dinner where you can meet the other travelers, or you can grab food on your own if you prefer.
Included Activities
- Orientation walk of hotel neighbourhood
Optional Activities
- Explore historic walled city
- Visit local churches and monasteries
- Visit heritage mansions
- Dinner with group
- San Felipe de Barajas Castle tour
- Walking tour of Cartagena Walled City
- Walled city and Getsemani District Tour
- Mangroves Tour
- Gabriel Garcia Marquez Walking Tour
- San Basilio de Palenque Full Day Tour
Landmarks Cartagena Walled City 
- Day 2
Cartagena to Santa Marta
A private vehicle picks you up for the drive to Santa Marta, about 3 hours from Cartagena. Once there, you'll take a walking tour through downtown with your leader, learning about the city's history and what local life looks like here. You'll walk past the cathedral, Parque de los Novios, and Plaza de Bolivar. The rest of the day is free, and your leader can point you toward good restaurants if you want dining recommendations.
Included Activities
- Santa Marta orientation walk
Optional Activities
- Visit Santa Marta Cathedral
- Dinner at local restaurant
Landmarks Santa Marta Cathedral Parque de los Novios Plaza de Bolivar 
- Day 3
Lost City Trek - Day 1
Early morning brings a 4WD vehicle up rough mountain roads to Machete Pelao (about 395 ft elevation). From there, you start hiking into tropical rainforest with your guide. At one point you'll participate in planting a tree and get to name it yourself as a way of giving back. After lunch in the forest, you continue hiking with mountain views opening up around you. By evening you reach camp at roughly 1,475 ft and have dinner outside under the night sky.
- Meals
- Lunch, Dinner (Dinner with the group under the stars)
Included Activities
- 3 Night/4 Day Lost City trail guided trek
Landmarks Sierra Nevada Mountains - Day 4
Lost City Trek - Day 2
The sun rises over the Sierra Nevada mountains while you're still at camp. From there, you hike jungle trails with river crossings, making your way toward Teyuna, the Lost City. Crossing the Buritaca River comes partway through, and then you climb roughly 900 stone steps that lead into the city's first stone rings. Your leader and local guides show you around in the afternoon, explaining the site's history and why it matters that this place is older than Machu Picchu. You'll notice fewer tourists here in the afternoon hours.
Included Activities
- Guided tour of the Lost City of Teyuna
Landmarks Lost City of Teyuna Buritaca River Sierra Nevada Mountains 
- Day 5
Lost City Trek - Day 3
This morning you hike back to the Wiwa community camp, crossing rivers again with your local guide helping you navigate. Once back at camp, the day is yours to rest and recover. If the weather cooperates, you can swim in natural pools nearby. Later, you'll meet El Mamo, a spiritual leader and sage of the community, who explains how the community lives, talks about gender roles, and shares what the Sierra Nevada means spiritually to the people here.
Included Activities
- Wiwa Indigenous community camp visit
Optional Activities
- Swim in natural pools
Landmarks Wiwa Community Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta - Day 6
Lost City Trek to Santa Marta
You wake early for the final hike back down to Machete Pelao, moving at a pace that lets you take in views of the Sierra Nevada. There are stops built in for resting along the way. After lunch, you board your private transfer back to Santa Marta. You arrive with the evening free to relax at your hotel. If you want, you can join other travelers for a farewell dinner to talk about what you all experienced on the trek.
- Meals
- Lunch
Optional Activities
- Farewell dinner with fellow travelers
Landmarks Sierra Nevada Mountains - Day 7
Santa Marta
After breakfast, your trip officially ends and you can leave whenever you want after checking out. If you're not ready to head home, Santa Marta has beaches nearby if you want a few extra days to unwind. If you'd like to book more nights, contact your booking agent before your arrival.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Extend stay in Santa Marta
- Relax on beaches
