Lost City Trek from Santa Marta: 4 days through jungle and ruins

Four days crossing mountain and jungle to reach an ancient city built before Machu Picchu

This 4-day trek from Santa Marta takes you into the Sierra Nevada to Ciudad Perdida (Lost City), an 800 A.D. Tayrona archaeological site reached by climbing 1,200 stone steps through jungle terrain. You walk between camps over four days, spending nights in beds, hammocks or tents, with a guide leading you through native villages, natural pools and the ruins themselves. The trek requires moderate fitness and crosses rivers and mountain passes; children are welcome from age 15.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Santa Marta to Camp 1 trek

• Drive 3 hours to El Mamey
• Walk 4 hours to Camp 1

Day 2 — Camp 1 to Camp 3 via Mutanzi

• Leave Camp 1 at 6:30 am
• Walk 2.5 hours to Mutanzi village
• Stop for observation and photos
• Walk 1 hour to Camp 2 for lunch
• Free time at natural pool
• Walk 4 hours to Camp 3 (El Paraíso)

Day 3 — Lost City tour and return to Camp 2

• 4-hour tour of Lost City archaeological site
• Return to Camp 3 for lunch
• Walk 4 hours to Camp 2

Day 4 — Return trek to Santa Marta

• Leave Camp 2 at 6:30 am
• Walk 3 hours to Camp 1
• Drive 3 hours back to Santa Marta

The Experience

The trek starts with a 3-hour drive from Santa Marta to El Mamey, then a 4-hour walk into the Sierra Nevada to reach Camp 1. You'll sleep your first night in a bed or hammock before the harder days ahead. The second day leaves at 6:30 am and covers 2.5 hours to the native village of Mutanzi—a stop where you can photograph and talk with the Tayrona people who still live in the region—then another hour to Camp 2, where there's time to swim in a natural pool before a final 4-hour push to Camp 3 (El Paraíso).

Day three is the payoff: a 4-hour guided tour of the Lost City itself, walking the archaeological zone and seeing the terraces and stone work the Tayrona built into the mountainside. You'll return to Camp 3 for lunch, then walk 4 hours back down to Camp 2. The final day leaves at 6:30 am, takes 3 hours to reach Camp 1, and then a 3-hour drive back to Santa Marta. Accommodation includes three nights in camps; the operator contributes your fee to indigenous communities, peasant communities and the Colombian archaeological institute. A guide speaks English or Spanish throughout, and the van is air-conditioned for the road sections.

This is not a casual hike. The 1,200 stone steps, river crossings and sustained elevation gain demand moderate fitness and acclimatization to mountain terrain. Travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy or cardiovascular concerns should not book. If you eat vegan or vegetarian, notify the operator when you reserve so meals can be arranged. The trek moves at a pace that lets you absorb the landscape and the people you meet, not a race to check a box.

What’s included

• Three nights of accommodation in camps (bed, hammock or tent).
• air-conditioned van transport from Santa Marta to El Mamey and back.
• a guide fluent in English or Spanish.
• travel insurance.
• and a contribution to indigenous communities, peasant communities and Colombia's archaeological institute.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Travesia Pro Agency

Is this one for you?Book this four-day trek if you're comfortable with sustained daily walking through jungle and river crossings to reach remote archaeological terraces—the physical demand keeps groups small enough to move respectfully through indigenous villages.

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Top questions

What is the Lost City and why is it harder to reach than Machu Picchu?

Ciudad Perdida is an 800 A.D. Tayrona city in the Sierra Nevada, built centuries before Machu Picchu. It sits deep in jungle terrain accessible only by foot, requiring a trek through mountain passes and across rivers; there's no train, no cable car, and no paved approach—only the 1,200 stone steps carved into the mountainside and the jungle paths between camps.

How many hours of walking happen each day, and what's the terrain like?

Day one is 4 hours after the drive; day two is 7.5 hours split across the morning and afternoon with a lunch break and pool time; day three is 8 hours total (4 hours at the ruins, 4 hours walking back); day four is 3 hours of walking plus the return drive. The terrain is mountain jungle with river crossings, stone steps and muddy sections that get slick in rain.

Do I stay in hotels or in the camps, and what's the sleeping situation?

You sleep in the camps for three nights in beds, hammocks or tents depending on availability and preference. Camps are basic—no electricity or running water—and you'll share space with other trekkers. The first night is in a bed or hammock; nights two and three offer the same options plus tents.

Will I meet indigenous people, and what's included about that?

Yes. On day two you stop at the native village of Mutanzi for observation, photography and conversation with Tayrona people who live in the Sierra Nevada. Your trek fee includes a contribution to indigenous communities as well as peasant communities in the region, supporting the people whose land and culture you're moving through.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to bring or arrange?

Included are three nights of accommodation, the air-conditioned van to and from El Mamey, a guide in English or Spanish, travel insurance, and the contributions to local communities. Not included is breakfast on the first day. Bring sturdy hiking boots, rain gear, sun protection, a headlamp, and any personal medications; notify the operator about dietary restrictions when you book.

Is there an age limit, and can children do this trek?

Children are welcome from age 15. Younger children are not recommended due to the physical demands of the trek, the elevation and terrain, and the duration of daily walking.