COLOMBIA
LOST CITY
JUNGLE to SEA
Adventure
The legendary Lost City Trek is only half of this epic Colombian Adventure that will take you from the colorful City of Cartagena, to the lush jungles of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, to the sandy beaches of the crystal clear Caribbean Sea. Discover this magical region that is as rich in biodiversity as it is in culture and history!
HIGHLIGHTS
Cooling off in waterfalls, crossing rushing rivers, rocking to sleep in hammocks, and trekking through the sacred jungles of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta guided by local campesinos who call the region home
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Taking in the vibrant, colorful culture of Cartagena
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Hiking in to La Ciudad Perdida, Colombia’s Lost City, an ancient site built by the Tayrona people dating back to 800 AD (over 650 years older than Machu Picchu!)
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Taking a healing (and messy) mud bath in Totumo Volcan
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Learning about the indigenous communities who are direct Tayrona descendants and still live harmoniously with the wildlife surrounding them in the Sierra Nevada mountains
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Watching the sunset and feasting on fresh seafood on the sandy beaches and azure waters of Palomino
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Connecting with the vibrant and talented women of DAMARTES in the fishing village of La Boquilla and creating sustainable coconut handicrafts
WHAT TO EXPECT
This adventure is all about discovery - discovering the Lost City and Colombia’s unparalleled biodiversity. It goes from Colombia’s colorful city of Cartagena, to the lush, green jungles and sacred lands of the Sierra Nevada, to the sandy beaches of the crystal clear Caribbean Sea! Each day we’ll uncover a new and exciting side of Colombia. Please thoroughly read the Daily Breakdown to get the full scoop on all you can expect on this adventure of a lifetime!
THE CONDITIONS
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
The most challenging part of this adventure takes place in a tropical jungle, which means lots of heat, humidity and Mother Nature at her wildest and awesomest (Luckily there will be waterfalls to cool off under!)! We’ll technically be in the dry season, but be ready to put on your rain layer and dance when it rains, which you can pretty much count on. Check out our Ultimate Colombia Packing List to make sure you’re ready for it all, from bugs to beaches. And remember, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong gear!
TRAINING
HITTIN' THE TRAILS
This adventure is packed full of hiking and exploring, so plan on being on your feet and in the elements a lot more than you normally are. As with all WHOA Adventures, the better trained you are, the more enjoyable your experience will be! Stay active, train on hiking trails as often as you can (remember to train for the uphill AND downhill), and start breaking in your hiking shoes ASAP.
ITINERARY MAP
COLOMBIA
Lost City Jungle to Sea Adventure
10 D / 9 N
5 days hiking through the jungle to the Lost City + 5 days exploring Colombia's colorful Caribbean coast
Check out the DETAILED DAILY BREAKDOWN for more info
WHAT'S INCLUDED
We plan our adventures with most of the logistics taken care of, so you can focus on lacing up your hiking shoes and being your best adventure self! Click below for a complete list of everything that’s included on our Colombia Adventure.
CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE
COLOMBIA
LOST CITY JUNGLE to SEA ADVENTURE
$3,900
LOST CITY JUNGLE to SEA ADVENTURE
$3,900
GET ON THE WAITLIST
The early birds got the worm and some of our adventure dates are already sold out! That said, good things come to those who…add themselves to the waitlist!
TALK TO OUR TEAM
VAMOS A COLOMBIA!
Connect with one of our Adventure Aficionados to get answers to all your burning questions!
MAKE IT PRIVATE
Dates not quite right for you? Want to bring along your entire family? We can design a Colombia trip on your timeline, with your rules. Our private trips have all the TLC that come standard on our group adventures, but are specially organized, personalized and maximized for you!
PAYMENT TERMS
Putting down a $750 deposit will reserve your spot on this WHOA Adventure! You’ll be invoiced and must pay in full at least 3 months before your adventure starts. All deposits are non-refundable.
THE ULTIMATE COLOMBIA
LOST CITY ADVENTURE
PACKING LIST
From the best hiking shoes to our fav daypacks, here’s everything you need to go from jungle to sea in Colombia!
COLOMBIA
LOST CITY JUNGLE TO SEA ADVENTURE
DAILY BREAKDOWN
NOTE: All distances are approximate!
DAY 1
Bienvenida
CARTAGENA
Welcome to Cartagena! The WHOA team will greet you at the airport (CTG)*, and in the evening we’ll enjoy one of our special WHOA Welcome Dinners together and get briefed on the amazing adventure ahead!
Included: Welcome Dinner
Stay: Nacar Hotel or similar
*Please plan to arrive by 3PM
DAY 2
C-ART-agena
CARTAGENA
After breakfast (and some of that famous Colombian coffee), we’ll visit the fortress of San Felipe, the Popa Hill and walk around the beautiful colorful streets of the walled city. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the Boquilla district to meet the women of DAMARTES for a coconut craft workshop. The DAMARTES Project (Damas y Madres del Arte – ‘Women and Mothers of Art’) is led by seven women who were the first from their community to generate their own income creating jewelry, accessories and vases from coconuts. They’ll tell you their stories and teach you their techniques so you can create a masterpiece of your own! You’ll have the evening free to grab dinner in Cartagena.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Stay: Nacar Hotel or similar
DAY 3
On the Road
Transfer to Santa Marta
Approx. Driving Time: 5-6 Hours
Mid-morning we'll hop in our ride and start our road trip to the port city of Santa Marta. After settling into the hotel, we'll have some free time to stroll around the historic center of the city and prepare for the trek. In the evening, we'll meet our hiking guides for dinner and have our briefing for the Lost City Trek!
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Stay: Hotel Boutique Casa Carolina or similar
DAY 4
Vámonos!
LOST CITY TREK
Machete Pelao to Camp 1
Approx. Distance: 8 km
We’ll leave our hotel bright and early in order to reach Machete Pelao, the trailhead for our out and back hike. Today’s hike takes us into the jungle of the Sierra Nevada mountains to our first Campamento of the trek where we’ll spend the night.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Stay: Camp 1
DAY 5
Onward
and Upward
LOST CITY TREK
Camp 1 to Kogui Village to Camp Paraiso
Approx. Distance: 15 km
Today we’ll continue into the jungle along the Buritaca River, pass by a traditional Kogui village and learn about the indigenous culture. In the evening we’ll rock ourselves to sleep in hammocks at Camp Paraiso.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Stay: Camp Paraiso
DAY 6
Lost and Found
LOST CITY TREK
Camp Paraiso to Lost City to Camp Mumake
Approx. Distance: 10 km
Today we’ll rise bright and early to climb the 1200 stone steps up to La Ciudad Perdida, the Lost City! Once at the Lost City we’ll have a couple of hours to explore, learn and imagine how this site was used over 1000 years ago and is believed to be only 10% uncovered. Afterwards, we’ll retrace our steps to Camp Paraiso for lunch and then will make our way to Camp Mumake for the night.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Stay: Camp Mumake
DAY 7
Chasing
Waterfalls
LOST CITY TREK
Camp Mumake to Camp 1
Approx. Distance: 8 km
Today we’ll continue our way back to Camp 1, and have the chance to visit a beautiful waterfall about 40 min from camp. In the evening we’ll spend our last night on the trail together!
Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Stay: Camp 1
DAY 8
Back to Where We Started
LOST CITY TREK + PALOMINO
Camp 1 to Machete Pelao
Approx. Distance: 8 km
On our last hiking day we’ll trek from Camp 1 back to Machete Pelao – our original starting point. From here we will be transferred to beautiful Palomino, where we’ll rest in an eco lodge next to the beach, enjoy some tasty and much deserved cocktails!
Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Stay: Aite Eco Hotel or similar
DAY 9
Life’s a Beach
PALOMINO
Today is all about resting, recovering and taking in the beautiful Caribbean coast and all it has to offer! In the evening, we will gather for a Celebration Dinner together and “Cheers!” to the epic journey we shared!
Included Meals: Breakfast, Celebration Dinner
Stay: Aite Eco Hotel or similar
DAY 10
Adios Amigas
CARTAGENA
Approx. Driving Time: 6 hours
Around 8 AM we’ll head back to Cartagena to say our “see you laters.” You can book your flights home or on to your next stop after 8 PM.
Included: Breakfast
Itinerary subject to change based on availability and unforeseen conditions, but that's part of the adventure! Even when things change, trust you'll be well taken care of with WHOA quality, professionalism, and TLC!
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Here at WHOA, we strive to make everything we do sustainable and of true value to our partners. For that reason, our itineraries and partnerships can vary depending on the season, organization's needs, and the abilities and desires of our group. We do our best to seek out local partners that are thoughtful and sustainable, and we work closely with them to understand their needs to create an experience that will truly be of value to everyone involved.
“I have now completed three very different WHOA adventures, and each has been so amazing. There's always the face value part of the trip I know I'm going to get...but then there's the people and the experiences that shape it that you can't predict. This company attracts a certain type of person and it's a privilege to be able to interact with such amazing groups of strong, intelligent women.”