I had never even heard of the Lost City Trek before setting foot in Colombia, but after a bit of time chatting to other travelers it became pretty clear that it was an experience not to be missed. The idea of spending days trekking through the jungle in search of an abandoned city appealed infinitely to me– and it definitely didn’t disappoint.
After trekking to the lost city of Teyuna myself, I’ve written this guide outlining everything I learned, and what I wish I knew before I set off!
Overview & Important Things I Learned About the Trek
The Lost City Trek is one of Colombia's most popular multi-day hikes, through the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta to the ruins of the ancient city Teyuna. It involves a pretty challenging traverse through jungle terrain, and is usually completed in four to five days.
- The out-and-back hike covers a duration of 47 kilometres and reaches an elevation of 1,200 metres at the summit.
- It’s pretty moderate in terms of difficulty, particularly when the trail is muddy.
- Prices vary according to the different tour provider operators, but you can expect to pay between $1,750,000 - $2,150,000 Colombian Pesos. Prices are usually a full package including your guide, accommodation, food and transport.
- Most tours start in Santa Marta on Colombia's north coast, before driving around 2.5 hours to the trailhead in El Mamey.
- The trek is to the ancient Ciudad Perdida. It was believed to have been built between 700 and 800 AD, which makes it older than Machu Picchu, and it wasn’t discovered until the 1970’s.
How to Book the Lost City Trek:
Despite the Lost City Trek being one of the most popular activities to do in Northern Colombia, only a handful or tour operators are allowed to take visitors into the park. This is due to an agreement with the indigenous tribes that reside in the area, and ensures that their ancestral lands remain protected, and the tours benefit the tribes as well as the trekkers. Because of this, it is not possible to organise an independent trek to the Lost City.
You won’t struggle to find a tour operator for the Lost City Trek, and it’s easy to book online ahead of your trip or in person once you arrive in Colombia. I decided at the last minute that I wanted to do the trek, and booked Wiwa Tours with the company at their Santa Marta office. I chose them because they are the only tour operators that provide indigenous guides, and I was really keen to learn more about the groups in this region of Colombia after seeing them throughout my trip.
If you’re wanting to book the Lost City Trek online, I’d recommend this tour below - it’s one of the cheaper ones you can find online but offers everything you need and has great reviews.
My Experience on the Lost City Trek in Colombia
Day 1: Mamey to Camp Adán
My Lost City Trek began at the tour office bright and early at 8:00 am on day one. Here our group met our indigenous guide for a meeting, who explained to us a brief history of The Lost City and the indigenous tribes in the area.
The Ciudad Perdida was built by the Tairona people in around 800 CE. It was once the most important location in the region for politics and trade, and was abandoned when the Tairona people were forced to flee because of the Spanish invasion and rising cases of Tuberculosis.
After learning about the history of the Lost City, our guide ran us through the plan for the next few days as well as any safety points we would need to keep in mind. Once the presentation was finished, we jumped into a 4x4 and started the drive to Mamey.
We were in Mamey by around 12:00 pm, and fueled up on lunch before starting the trek. The hiking on day one was pretty easy, even for a certified non-hiker like myself. It was around 7 kilometres to the first overnight camp, and the terrain wasn’t too challenging, although it was quite steep in a few stretches.
After around three hours of hiking, we reached Camp Adán, where we set up base for the night. Our guide warned us that the following day would be a lot more challenging, so we spent the rest of the day relaxing. The accommodation was pretty basic here, with the camp consisting of a mixture of hammocks and beds in a dormitory style.
I pulled the short straw and ended up with a hammock, so I was a little nervous about how I would sleep. Surprisingly though, I slept like a baby. It gets pretty cold in the jungle at night and the blanket provided wasn’t very thick, so definitely make sure to pack plenty of layers.
Tip: a combination of the humidity in the jungle and sweating from the hike meant everybody's clothes got pretty damp, and we discovered in the morning that they hadn’t had time to dry out before we started hiking again. I really regretted not bringing more outfits when I had to start the day in wet clothes - I’d recommend bringing four different changes of clothing, and plastic bags to seal your damp clothes in.
Day 2: Camp Adán to El Paraiso
We were woken up for breakfast just before sunrise and set off pretty quickly after, as there was a long hike ahead to the next camp. The hiking on day two was, without a doubt, the most challenging traverse of the trip. We walked for around ten hours, and it was very steep for a decent chunk of this. Luckily there hadn’t been much rain in previous days so the path wasn’t muddy; I can't even imagine how much harder this would have made things.
There were ten people in my group and everyone had mixed hiking abilities, so it was easy to take the trek at our own pace. The scenery on this day was very impressive, so I took lots of stops to admire the views of the Sierra Nevada Mountains while catching my breath.
This region is home to a number of endemic species, and our guide had a keen eye for spotting wildlife. During the hike we saw a few toucans, tons of lizards and some monkeys as well. This definitely made the strenuous trek a little bit more enjoyable!
When we finally arrived at camp, we had time to jump in the river Buritaca and cool off before dinner. We spent the evening talking to the guide and learning more about the four indigenous communities that live in the region, to whom La Ciudad Perdida is a very sacred place. They inhabited the site before they were forced to flee by the Spanish, but continued to make secret pilgrimages after its abandonment.
He shared some of his tribe's customs and traditions with us, and I found the evening very insightful. I had spent three weeks on the North Coast around Palomino and Tayrona prior to this, and had seen various indigenous tribes walking barefoot in their distinctive white robes, so learning more about them was a real highlight of the Lost City Trek in Colombia.
Day 3: Last Push to Ciudad Perdida
The whole group was very excited when we woke up on day three, as it was finally time to complete the last section of the hike and arrive at the Ciudad Perdida. The final bit of the hike is very short, and the hardest part is the sheer volume of steps - there are 1,200 stone steps to climb to reach the first tier of the Lost City.
After one final push, we were at the top and the Lost City sprawled out ahead. I wasn’t sure how I would feel once I had reached it; sometimes these attractions can be a bit underwhelming in real life. However, after spending the first few days of the Lost City Trek learning about its history, seeing it in real life was far from underwhelming.
I liked that it didn’t feel crowded here at all. The strict rules around who can enter the park mean a limited number of people are trekking to the Lost City at any given time. The quiet atmosphere made it a lot easier for me to reflect on its history, and imagine what it would have been like as a thriving center before its abandonment.
We spent some time exploring before starting the descent back to the Wiwa indigenous camp. We first stopped at where we had slept the night before to collect our luggage, and then trekked for five hours to our last stop of the day.
Day 4: Trekking back to Mamey
Day four was spent making our way back to the trailhead at Mamey. Our group took this at a very leisurely pace, and we stopped by a few swimming spots on the way - it was a really enjoyable hike.
We ate our final meal of the trek once we reached Mamey, and then travelled back to Santa Marta in a 4x4. Everyone was exhausted after a few days of not sleeping much and a lot of walking, and I spent most of the car journey asleep. It felt great to arrive back in Santa Marta having completed the hike and I was very ready for a hot shower and a meal that didn’t involve rice!
Where to Stay Before the Lost City Trek
The best place to stay before and after the Lost City Trek is the city of Santa Marta - most tour pickups and drop offs are here. It’s about a three hour drive from here to El Mamey.
On the last day you’ll arrive back at around 4:30 pm - you might be tempted to book your onward travel for that evening, but I’d really recommend staying an extra night if time allows. Trust me, your legs will thank you!
- Budget: I stayed at Masaya and can’t recommend it enough - the dorm beds are incredibly comfy and clean, and the privacy blinds allow a very good nights sleep ahead of the trek.
- Mid-Range: Hotel Boutique Casa Carolina is a great, centrally located choice.
- Luxury: Hotel Don Pepe would be a great place to rest and relax before the hike. There’s also a spa on-site for that very well-earned massage upon your return as well.
Tip: look for somewhere with hot showers when booking your accommodation - you’ll thank me later! This isn’t standard in Santa Marta and none of the showers on the Lost City Trek are hot, and you’ll be craving one when you finish.
Review: Is the Lost City Trek Worth It?
In my opinion, trekking to the Lost City is absolutely worth it if you have any interest in Colombia's indigenous history. If not, while it’s still a nice hike, there are definitely other hikes you can do around the area that offer similar scenery but are a lot cheaper. For example, there are some fantastic hikes around Minca which are free to do but have equally as impressive views as the Lost City.
If you aren’t a huge hiker, it’s very doable. I’m by no means a hiking fanatic and have an average level of fitness; I found it a bit challenging at points, but not impossible.
The weather made a huge difference to my experience. The trails were all dry, and it would have been a lot more challenging if there had been a lot of rain in previous days. After I finished the trek, the north of Colombia was hit with some intense storms and I can't imagine what my experience would have been like if I did the trek a few days later. Keep an eye on the weather forecast, and definitely reschedule if the weather isn’t dry.
The Lost City Trek in Colombia isn’t cheap. For me, it was absolutely worth the money but Colombia is the first country I’ve visited in Latin America, so it was my first chance to experience this style of archaeological ruins. If you’ve visited (or are planning on visiting) places like Machu Picchu in Peru, Tikal in Guatemala or Palenque in Mexico - the price of the Lost City Trek might not be justifiable.
It’s also worth mentioning that the Lost City Trek might not be doable if you have any time constraints. Even if you choose a shorter tour of three or four days, you’ll need to factor in staying in Santa Marta before and after the hike - you should allow five days minimum for the trek, which may not be doable if you’re on a shorter trip.
To summarise, I had a fantastic experience and it was worth every penny for me. If you aren’t a huge hiker but enjoy challenging yourself, have an interest in history and have plenty of time to spare in North Colombia - it’s very worth it! If not, it might be worth reconsidering.