Embark on an epic journey that will take you from the bustling capital city of Bogotá, to the charming colonial towns of Villa de Leyva and Barichara to the ancient Lost City in the middle of the jungle! You will experience the diversity of Colombia from it's metropolitan cities to its indigenous villages, and everywhere in between!
Right for You?
One of our local experts in Colombia will make this the perfect trip for you!
Base Price:
$1,864/person
Speaks: Spanish and English
Highlights
- A guided 3- day trek in the jungle to the ancient Lost City.
- Climb to the top of Monserrate to see the urban sprawl of Bogotá.
- Visit the famous salt cathedral in Zipaquirá, built almost 180 meters under the ground!
- Hike to the lagoon of Iguaque, located a few miles from the colonial town of Villa de Leyva.
- Explore the cobblestone streets of the gem of Colombia, Cartagena de las Indias.
Details
Itinerary
Discover La Candelaria and the city center, embark on a visit to the city’s main attractions, including the main square, the Botero museum, the world famous Museo del Oro (Museum of Gold) and Monserrate mountain, from where you’ll have amazing views over the city.
Night at Hotel Casa Deco.
Transfer from Bogotá to Villa de Leyva.
On the way, visit the famous Salt Cathedral in Zipaquirá, built almost 180 meters underground in a salt mine that was first exploited during pre-Columbian times. It is an important religious monument for Catholics and houses an important number of salt and marble sculptures. It is also considered the first of the seven wonders of Colombia.
Night at Hotel Villa Roma.
Hike from the high Andean jungle to the páramo, the area above the continuous tree line and an ecosystem unique to the region. Here you will find the sacred lagoon of Iguaque, the source of water and Muisca mythology, the Legend of Bachué. This is also an ideal spot for birdwatching, and for observing other flora and fauna.
Night at Hotel Villa Roma.
Explore Barichara, one of Colombia's prettiest towns, renowned as a fine example of colonial architecture with an oasis of tranquility. You can walk along the tranquil cobblestone streets admiring the adobe houses and visiting artisan workshops and handcraft stores. The most distinctive features include the cobblestone streets, the rammed-earth houses, the bahereque building style, mud tiles and stone monuments made by well-known Barichara’s artists.
At the end of this hike you will find Guane, a little village with a rich archaeological history. Here you can visit a small museum which houses an important collection of aquatic fossils and a mummy of the Guanes, a curious indigenous group that inhabited the Santander Region before the colonization of the Americas.
Night at Mision Santa Barbara hostel.
Private transfer from Barichara to Villanueva.
Early in the morning, you'll leave in a private transfer to the starting point near Villanueva from where you will start this trek. This route follows the mountains from Villanueva to Jordán, a spectacular and unique landscape with a wide variety of fauna and flora.
This trail is framed by the immensity of the Chicamocha Canyon contrasting with the small size of Jordán, a tiny village located in the depth of the canyon that seems frozen in time.
Upon arrival in Jordán, enjoy a fresh cooked lunch before jumping into the river where you can take a bath.
Accommodation in hammocks at Shangrila, near Jordán.
Walk a colonial cobblestone road through the marvellous landscape of Jordán, the Chicamocha canyon and Los Santos plateau. The trail starts at the McCormick Bridge, which spans the Chicamocha River. This hanging bridge, built in the 19th century, was the first of its kind in Colombia, and marks the entrance to a Spanish-style colonial town. Jordán begins to look like a scale-model from the distance, hidden in the depths of the canyon
Transfer from los Santos to Bucaramanga.
Night at Hotel Tryp.
Transfer to Bucaramanga airport. Flight to Santa Marta. Transfer from airport to Santa Marta.
Night at Hotel Casa Verde.
After breakfast, pick up from your hotel and private transfer to Machete Pelao where your Lost City adventure will begin.
After lunch in Machete Pelao, we will start our walk, the first part of the route will be rather steep and will take 4 hours to complete until we reach the Native Cabin 1.
In the evening, we will have a delicious dinner at the local settler’s farm. Here we will sleep in hammocks. Mosquito nets are provided.
Breakfast will be served at 7am before our 7-hour trek to Native Cabin 3. The trail is very beautiful with abundant vegetation and memorable views.
After lunch we continue our journey, reaching the valley of the Buritaca River, where there will be an opportunity to enjoy some swimming. On our way we will pass by indigenous settlements, like Mutant, where the Kogui people live.
We will hike an hour through creeks to meet Mamo Romualdo, the main religious authority for the local people, at his residence.
After dinner, you will stay overnight in hammocks with mosquito nets.
Early breakfast before the hike to the archaeological area. You will climb the 1200 stone steps to reach Teyuna, the Lost City of the Taironas, a sacred site for indigenous communities living in the mountains. Explore the remains of this ancient city, look at the archaeological excavations and experience its' architecture.
There will be spare time to enjoy the landscape and take photos. We will have lunch at Native Camp 3 before trekking 6 hours back to Native Camp 2 for the night. Back to the native camp 3, we will have our lunch before trekking back to native cabin 2 for the night.
Hammocks or beds are available, both with mosquito nets.
After breakfast we will 5 hours to Machete Pelao for lunch. Admire the lush vegetation and wildlife of the Sierra.
shuttle from Machete Pelao to Santa Marta.
Night at Hotel Casa Verde.
Today you'll have the opportunity to explore Cartagena's walled city. Within its fortifications you will find a unique culture and history that seem to blend reality and fantasy.
Stroll the cobblestone streets and admire the colonial buildings. 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 built during the colonial era to protect Spanish interests from invasions by the English and French. Explore Cerro de la Popa, where you will find a church and colonial convent constructed in the 17th century.
Night at Hotel Kartaxa.
Fishing in Cartagena
Local fishermen will meet us in La Boquilla to take us fishing in the Cienaga de Juan Polo and the Cienaga de la Virgen. We will learn about their trade and you will be able to keep anything you catch, and to have it cooked at a local restaurant afterwards!
San Basilio de Palenque
Palenque is one of the first liberated slave villages that was founded by Benkos Biohó, a slave who escaped and saved 36 other men and women. Until the sixties, there was no connecting road between the main road and Palenque which is why creole is still widely used. The small village was declared UNESCO World Heritage Site.
From Cartagena, it will take us about 1.5 hours to San Basilio de Palenque, where we will meet our local tour guide. We will visit the village and cultural center to learn more about the history of Palenque, to see an Afro-Colombian music performance and to eat a traditional Palenque lunch.
National Aviary of Cartagena
The aviary is a conservationist entity which promotes knowledge about Colombian diversity through Its modern and representative avifauna exhibition. You will be taken to Baru Island and a local guide will point out native and migratory birds from the region.
Majagua Tour to Rosario Island
You will ride in a speedboat to Rosario Island, a charming coral archipelago located only 60 minutes from Cartagena. You will have time to explore the beautiful beaches of the National Park of Corales. You'll have the option to kayak or snorkel and be back in Cartagena by 4pm.
What's Included
Your Local Host
Phoenix Travel Group
Locally Owned Business
Phonix Travel Group is a tour operator in Colombia which specializes in experiences that bring people closer to nature, history, and culture.The Phoenix team is extremely passionate, loves nature, and knows the country better than anyone. Their experiences tak
Getting There
