8-DAY COLOMBIA: CARTAGENA & LOST CITY TREK

8-DAY COLOMBIA: CARTAGENA & LOST CITY TREK

8 DAYS

FROM $1.787

Trip type

Moderate adventure expeditionns in treeking, biking, rafting, hiking, snorkeling, kayaking and diving in the Ecuatorian Andes, Amazon and the Galapagos Islands.
Active Adventure

Activity Level

Daily activities may include short hikes and drives on bumpy roads. Voyagers should be in good health and wear comfortable walking shoes to endure standing for prolonged periods of time.
Moderate to challenging

Service Level

Basic tours offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences and up close encounters with local comunities. Accomodations are comfortable, well located and modest. Often in remote areas with limited access.
Casual

Small Group Departure

Max. 16 / Av. 10
Or call +001 305 2805599

TRIP OVERVIEW

Discover two jewels and the most epic cities of Colombia; Cartagena de Indias and The Lost City “Ciudad Perdida.” Explore the narrow streets of Cartagena, the most charming and romantic city in South America. Also, be part of this active adventure and travel through lush jungles and across streams passing by Indigenous villages, learning about one of the undiscovered regions in the hearth of Santa Marta mountain range. Arrive at Teyuna, “The Lost City,” and explore the uncrowded ruins at leisure, marveling at the thought of what would have been here in the ancient past. With its isolation, imagine that you discovered it first and had the Lost City all to yourself.

TRIP ACTIVITIES

Culture
Hiking
Trekking
Wildlife

Discover two jewels and the most epic cities of Colombia; Cartagena de Indias and The Lost City “Ciudad Perdida.” Explore the narrow streets of Cartagena, the most charming and romantic city in South America. Also, be part of this active adventure and travel through lush jungles and across streams passing by Indigenous villages, learning about one of the undiscovered regions in the hearth of Santa Marta mountain range. Arrive at Teyuna, “The Lost City,” and explore the uncrowded ruins at leisure, marveling at the thought of what would have been here in the ancient past. With its isolation, imagine that you discovered it first and had the Lost City all to yourself.

Culture
Hiking
Trekking
Wildlife

Welcome to Colombia and Cartagena! Officially named Cartagena de Indias, and once known as Calamari, this romantic city of Colombia is home to more than one million inhabitants. The city is located on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean coast region. Cartagena offers residents and visitors a wide variety of activities and amenities, combined with the picturesque beauty of its cultural and architectural past. Enjoy colonial churches and pre-colombian art in contrast with the futuristic high-rise buildings of a busy metropolis. There are no planned activities on your arrival day, so check into our hotel and enjoy the city. Your trip expert leader will hold a general briefing in the evening, normally between 7pm and 8pm (a note will be posted in the arrival hotel with details).

Accommodation: Hotel Don Pedro de Heredia or similar.

Meals included: none.

After breakfast, enjoy a walking tour through the old part of town, visiting key sites throughout the historical center of the city that were the inspiration for Colombia’s most famous author, journalist and Nobel Prize winner; Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Enjoy a beautiful afternoon at leisure exploring the old city by yourselves, particularly the inner walled town, perhaps visit San Felipe de Barajas Castle, the largest of the fortresses, or head out of town for a mud bath at Volcan de Lodo El Totumo. The nearby group of tiny coral islands and stunning expanses of Playa Blanca (White Beach) reveal the hidden beauty of Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Maybe choose to end this adventure with people-watching in the heart of Getsemaní, Plaza de la Trinidad, where kids play soccer and singers strum their guitars.

Accommodation: Hotel Don Pedro de Heredia or similar.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner.

Travel in the morning to Santa Marta for around 5 hours by the coastal shore of the Caribbean Sea. You’ll pass by important cities like Barranquilla, among the biggest in Colombia, and also see large sea ports located in the delta of Magdalena River, the largest in the country. Take the afternoon at your leisure to explore the colonial old city of Santa Marta.

Accommodation: Hotel Catedral Plaza or similar.

Meals included: Breakfast.

 

Start your Lost City adventure with a 2-hour drive on a 4×4, on a small road climbing up to the Santa Marta Range, to reach a small countryside town called Mamey. Here, we will have our lunch and get ready and start our trek to the magical Lost City. After 4 hours (5 mi/8 km), arrive at camp 1 to spend the night in this impressive tropical forest.

The overall climb on the first day is about 520 meters. We will have a hearty, well-earned, and relaxing dinner by candlelight.

Accommodation: Camp I

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Continue the journey and hike for approximately 5 to 7 hours (9.5 mi/15km) on the second day. Along the way, we will stop for lunch and pass camp 2 on our way towards campsite 3 and make a stop at the Indian Kogui’s settlements in the valley of the Buritaca River to get a feeling for the local Indigenous cultures and their way of living in these pristine villages; later we will arrive at camp 3 located on the foothills of Teyuna Lost City. You can also take a refreshing dip in the Buritaca River.

Accommodation: Camp III

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

 

Finish the remaining climb to the Lost City. We will start early in the morning, climbing up steps for one hour in the last part of the well-designed Tayrona trail that will take us to the monumental city of the royal Tayrona Culture. On the way, we will have magnificent views overlooking the dense jungle and rugged terrain, feeling the weather changing and the ecosystems morphing as we get higher in altitude and closer to the sacred place. Once we arrive, appreciate the magnificent terrain and the beauty of this place along a guided tour around the Lost City for about 3 hours. The local guide will give you a better understanding of how large and spectacular this place originally was and of the importance of the Tayrona Culture. Afterwards, trek back down hill for about 3 hours to camp 2 where we will spend the night.

Accommodation: Camp II

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

 

On the last day of our trekking expedition up in the sierra range, we will hike 5 hours back to Mamey town, our starting location. We will enjoy the last lunch provided by our trekking team and then get our transportation to take us back to the hotel in Santa Marta. We’ll have a celebration dinner tonight after the accomplishment of our challenging hike.

Accommodation: Hotel Catedral Plaza or similar.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.

International departures, end of services. Take with you memories and photos and leave a piece of your heart, as you will want to return to Colombia soon to experience more of this enchanted land. We wish you a “buen viaje”!

Meals included: Breakfast.

What’s Included?

  • Transportation: Comfortable land transportation, Jeep 4×4, trekking.
  • Activities: Cartagena Gabriel Garcia Marquez walking tour, Experience dinner at the local women´s jail, Salsa lesson in Cartagena , Santa Martha City, Lost City Trek 4 Days / Five nights, Half a day guided tour of Teyuna City (Lost City), Local encounter with the defenders from Tayrona tribe kogui.
  • Accommodation (based on double occupancy): Comfortable 3 to 4 star Hotels (4 nts) and 3 nights at basic camps along the Lost city trek ).
  • Meals: 7 Breakfasts, 4 lunches & 4 dinner Allow USD 120-200 for meals not included.
  • Staff & Trip Leader: Certified AJ expert English-speaking adventure leader and local guides.

What is not included?

  • Single supplement $329.
  • Entrance fees not listed.
  • International air (also applied to trans-border flights).
  • International airport transfers.
  • Applicable tourist visas.
  • Incidentals.
  • Mandatory Travel Insurance.
  • Airport taxes.
  • Tips or gratuities (recommended $8 per trip leader $5 per local guides, $2 for drivers NOTE: keep in mind that this is all per day per traveler).
  • Beverages.
  • Meals not mentioned above.
  • Optional tours or optional admissions not listed above.
Please select listing to show.

ITINERARY

Welcome to Colombia and Cartagena! Officially named Cartagena de Indias, and once known as Calamari, this romantic city of Colombia is home to more than one million inhabitants. The city is located on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean coast region. Cartagena offers residents and visitors a wide variety of activities and amenities, combined with the picturesque beauty of its cultural and architectural past. Enjoy colonial churches and pre-colombian art in contrast with the futuristic high-rise buildings of a busy metropolis. There are no planned activities on your arrival day, so check into our hotel and enjoy the city. Your trip expert leader will hold a general briefing in the evening, normally between 7pm and 8pm (a note will be posted in the arrival hotel with details).

Accommodation: Hotel Don Pedro de Heredia or similar.

Meals included: none.

After breakfast, enjoy a walking tour through the old part of town, visiting key sites throughout the historical center of the city that were the inspiration for Colombia’s most famous author, journalist and Nobel Prize winner; Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Enjoy a beautiful afternoon at leisure exploring the old city by yourselves, particularly the inner walled town, perhaps visit San Felipe de Barajas Castle, the largest of the fortresses, or head out of town for a mud bath at Volcan de Lodo El Totumo. The nearby group of tiny coral islands and stunning expanses of Playa Blanca (White Beach) reveal the hidden beauty of Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Maybe choose to end this adventure with people-watching in the heart of Getsemaní, Plaza de la Trinidad, where kids play soccer and singers strum their guitars.

Accommodation: Hotel Don Pedro de Heredia or similar.

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner.

Travel in the morning to Santa Marta for around 5 hours by the coastal shore of the Caribbean Sea. You’ll pass by important cities like Barranquilla, among the biggest in Colombia, and also see large sea ports located in the delta of Magdalena River, the largest in the country. Take the afternoon at your leisure to explore the colonial old city of Santa Marta.

Accommodation: Hotel Catedral Plaza or similar.

Meals included: Breakfast.

 

Start your Lost City adventure with a 2-hour drive on a 4×4, on a small road climbing up to the Santa Marta Range, to reach a small countryside town called Mamey. Here, we will have our lunch and get ready and start our trek to the magical Lost City. After 4 hours (5 mi/8 km), arrive at camp 1 to spend the night in this impressive tropical forest.

The overall climb on the first day is about 520 meters. We will have a hearty, well-earned, and relaxing dinner by candlelight.

Accommodation: Camp I

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Continue the journey and hike for approximately 5 to 7 hours (9.5 mi/15km) on the second day. Along the way, we will stop for lunch and pass camp 2 on our way towards campsite 3 and make a stop at the Indian Kogui’s settlements in the valley of the Buritaca River to get a feeling for the local Indigenous cultures and their way of living in these pristine villages; later we will arrive at camp 3 located on the foothills of Teyuna Lost City. You can also take a refreshing dip in the Buritaca River.

Accommodation: Camp III

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

 

Finish the remaining climb to the Lost City. We will start early in the morning, climbing up steps for one hour in the last part of the well-designed Tayrona trail that will take us to the monumental city of the royal Tayrona Culture. On the way, we will have magnificent views overlooking the dense jungle and rugged terrain, feeling the weather changing and the ecosystems morphing as we get higher in altitude and closer to the sacred place. Once we arrive, appreciate the magnificent terrain and the beauty of this place along a guided tour around the Lost City for about 3 hours. The local guide will give you a better understanding of how large and spectacular this place originally was and of the importance of the Tayrona Culture. Afterwards, trek back down hill for about 3 hours to camp 2 where we will spend the night.

Accommodation: Camp II

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

 

On the last day of our trekking expedition up in the sierra range, we will hike 5 hours back to Mamey town, our starting location. We will enjoy the last lunch provided by our trekking team and then get our transportation to take us back to the hotel in Santa Marta. We’ll have a celebration dinner tonight after the accomplishment of our challenging hike.

Accommodation: Hotel Catedral Plaza or similar.

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch.

International departures, end of services. Take with you memories and photos and leave a piece of your heart, as you will want to return to Colombia soon to experience more of this enchanted land. We wish you a “buen viaje”!

Meals included: Breakfast.

PHOTOS FROM OUR GALLERY

What’s Included?

  • Transportation: Comfortable land transportation, Jeep 4×4, trekking.
  • Activities: Cartagena Gabriel Garcia Marquez walking tour, Experience dinner at the local women´s jail, Salsa lesson in Cartagena , Santa Martha City, Lost City Trek 4 Days / Five nights, Half a day guided tour of Teyuna City (Lost City), Local encounter with the defenders from Tayrona tribe kogui.
  • Accommodation (based on double occupancy): Comfortable 3 to 4 star Hotels (4 nts) and 3 nights at basic camps along the Lost city trek ).
  • Meals: 7 Breakfasts, 4 lunches & 4 dinner Allow USD 120-200 for meals not included.
  • Staff & Trip Leader: Certified AJ expert English-speaking adventure leader and local guides.

What is not included?

  • Single supplement $329.
  • Entrance fees not listed.
  • International air (also applied to trans-border flights).
  • International airport transfers.
  • Applicable tourist visas.
  • Incidentals.
  • Mandatory Travel Insurance.
  • Airport taxes.
  • Tips or gratuities (recommended $8 per trip leader $5 per local guides, $2 for drivers NOTE: keep in mind that this is all per day per traveler).
  • Beverages.
  • Meals not mentioned above.
  • Optional tours or optional admissions not listed above.

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About YOUR ADVENTURE

TRIP DETAILS

Colombia is a wonderful, colorful and friendly country to visit. It is, however, a very different culture. So to ensure that you are fully prepared for the trip and enjoy your stay here we provide the following travel tips:

GENERAL (TRAVEL IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY): Colombia is a developing country and many regions still live in poverty. Although the tourism infrastructure is reasonably good considering that this is very new industry. Though it is growing and improving each year, it can still be difficult at times to travel.

You will often be needing a little patience as things tend to run on “latino time” – buses often depart late, people often arrive late to meetings, and things generally happen more slowly and with less urgency than in other countries.

The best way to deal with these differences is to look on the bright side and take each challenge as part of your travel experience. Relax and enjoy these sides to Latin culture.

ETIQUETTE & BEHAVIOR: Colombia is one of South America´s most hospitable nations. Even in the overburdened metropolis of Bogota, people are happy to give directions, chat, and ask a question. You´ll often hear “De donde vienes?” (“Where are you from?”). Colombians can be extremely knowledgeable and proud of the history of their country.

In the cities women who know each other often greet each other with a single kiss on the cheek, while men shake hands.

SHOPPING & BARGAINING: Colombia has many colorful markets – both for handicrafts and local products. Before buying you should always bargain in price as this is the custom and the locals often try to charge extra to the tourists. There is no general guideline as to how much you should pay for any individual item – you should decide how much you are willing to pay, start your offers lower than that amount and compromise little by little trying to get the seller’s price down to your ideal price. Bargaining can be fun, and a great chance to improve your Spanish while interacting with the locals!

When in regular shops/malls you should pay the quoted price as it is considered rude to bargain.

CAMERAS & PHOTOGRAPHY: Colombia, with its majestic landscapes and varied city scapes, is the dream of every photographer. However, you should respect the locals and follow these simple rules when photographing them:

Always ask permission before taking someone´s picture. People in remote villages often don’t like being photographed.

TIPPING: It is recommended to Tip our Drivers and Guides as this is not included in the price of the trip, for drivers we recommend $3 USD per person per day and for the guides $10 USD per person per day.

Tipping is also standard practice in most cafes and restaurants – 10% is normal.

ALTITUDE SICKNESS: Soroche (altitude sickness) affects some visitors in the Colombian Andes. Headache, dizziness, and shortness of breath are common.

To avoid such effects it is recommended to take it easy on your first day, drink plenty of water or coca tea, and eat chocolate. Always inform your guide or hotel staff if you feel any symptoms and they will help you out.

FOOD & DRINK: Another health risk in Colombia is traveler´s diarrhea caused by eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water. It is therefore very important to watch what you eat - do not eat anything from street vendors, avoid ice unless you are sure it is made from purified water, avoid uncooked or under-cooked food and unpasteurized milk, drink bottled and boiled water, even when brushing your teeth. In the case of illness always inform your guide or hotel staff who will help you deal with it and ensure that you drink enough water to maintain hydration.

HYGIENE: Hygiene standards are generally lower than those you are used to in North America or Europe. One very important difference is that the sewage system cannot cope with toilet paper being flushed into the toilet. There is usually a basket next to the toilet which should be used to deposit used toilet paper, and although unpleasant, this method is more pleasant than the toilet overflow that will occur if paper is flushed!

SAFETY AND SECURITY: Safety and security is an important issue as pick-pocketing and robbery of tourists can and does occur. It is important not to be paranoid when traveling as most Colombians you meet will be very honest and friendly people, but there are some basic precautions that you should take: Unless necessary never carry anything valuable with you (i.e. expensive watches / jewelry) or large amounts of money. Guard your cell phone and keep zippers zipped and pockets closed when out and about.

EXTRA IMPORTANT DETAILS

ITINERARY DISCLAIMER: It is our intention to adhere to the itinerary described; however, due to our travel style, on occasions, it may be necessary or desirable to make small changes. Weather conditions and unpredictable local circumstances may lead us to make alterations to the route and/or travel times. Hotels and flight schedules might change according to availability. Any mention of specific wildlife in the itinerary or trip details is not a guarantee that it will be seen during the trip.

SEASON: All year.

DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Easy to Moderate - We consider this expedition as a soft adventure, so children and adults can do it with no problem and for people that want to take a break or just avoid any of this adventures can always hang out with the driver doing something else. For people that may want to do a bit more challenging, our guides will be happy to coordinate something to help them.

NOTE - For specific details of activities please view the Full Itinerary.

ACCOMMODATION: All prices are based on double-occupancy. If you are traveling solo, you will be matched with another participant of your same sex. If you prefer to have a single room, please contact AJ prior to your departure to arrange your accommodation at an extra cost, it is very important to notice that the hotels listed on the Itinerary description may change according to availability so we do not guarantee you stay there, but we will make sure you will stay in a similar one of the same category.

MEALS: Traveling with ADVENTURE Journeys you will have the possibility to experience and taste local food and snacks. Your guide will help you identify typical food and suggest the best places to enjoy it. Some meals are not included in order to give you some flexibility about where, what and with whom to eat. You have the option to share these meals with the group, however there is no obligation to do this. If you have any allergies or food restrictions, please inform AJ prior to your departure.

Vegetarians, Vegans and Gluten Free people are very welcome in our trip, our guides are always ready to coordinate with chefs and restaurants fantastic meals for them, as Ecuador is very well known for its great diversity of gastronomy.

YOUR TRIP LEADERS AND GUIDES: All AJ guides and trip leaders are highly experienced, licensed from the Tourism University to operate in Ecuador and certified as Wilderness Adventure First Aid respondents. They all have approved several extra training courses for kayaking, rafting, biking and horse riding, besides this they all are Ecuadorian and have a fantastic personality. We always carry a complete first aid kit in our trips.In some locations and for some activities, local guides join the trip leaders to provide an added service and make sure we practice sustainable tourism involving local indigenous people in our operation.

In the Galapagos Islands, minimum 4 participants for the AJ trip leader service are required.

SUSTAINABLE ECO AND CULTURAL TOURISM: Clients receive interpretation and education about the ecology and conservation of the Andes, Amazon rain forest and Galapagos Islands, and learn about the factors that threaten it. We aim to promote long-term conservation of both local people cultural identity and the environment. We transport out and recycle all non-organic garbage and we prefer to work with local suppliers. Your visit will encourage the local communities to support responsible eco-tourism as a sustainable alternative for their living.

HEALTH INFORMATION: Please inform AJ of any existing medical conditions (i.e. pregnancy, diabetes, etc). Yellow fever, Hepatitis B vaccination and Malaria Medication are mandatory for this trip. We strongly recommend to ensure that routine immunizations such as tetanus and diphtheria are up to date and to consider Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccinations. Please ask your doctor for advice.

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