On our last trip, we had imagined trekking to Ciudad Perdida, so we spent a long time researching the possibilities and the various agencies offering Colombia’s most famous trek.
In the end, we were unable to make the trek, and it looks as though the itinerary we’re building for our next trip still doesn’t allow us to discover the Lost City.
That said, we’ve decided to write an post about this mythical trek, which most travellers remember as one of the most memorablemoments of their trip to Colombia!
In this post, you’ll find all the information you need to prepare for this great challenge!
Good to know
Annual closing 2025 : October
Every year, the trekking trail is closed for a month at the request of the indigenous people of the Sierra Nevada. During this time, they will perform “pagamentos”, rituals in which they return to the earth what has been taken from it and help recover ecosystems.
Disclaimer: we apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as our native language is not English (we're a Colombian-French couple), so we hope you'll forgive us and still enjoy the information we share with you! Please note that all the information on our blog is based on our own experience, and is checked and updated regularly.
Contents
Related posts
Exclusive 5% Off Discount For you
Best Travel insurance for Colombia
Our partner offers the best rates and a 5% discount for our blog readers! (regardless of travel dates)
The lost city, a little history
TREK of the CIUDAD PERDIDA
A little history, a little context, doesn’t hurt, especially when it comes to Cuidad Perdida. It’s not a place like any other, it’s not a simple mountain trek where you simply enjoy the scenery, the fauna, the flora, the nature..
To do the Ciudad Perdida Trek is to enter history with a capital H, that of the indigenous peoples of Latin America, Colombia and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
Building the Lost City
The city was built by the Tayronas in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, with the first constructions dating back to the 7th century A.D… It is thought to have been inhabited by several thousand people for several hundred years, until the arrival of Spanish settlers in the 16th century.
We don’t really know what caused the fall of the Ciudad Perdida, as its remote geographical location protected it from colonizers. But it is thought that the diseases brought back by the colonists may have decimated the Tayrona population, right up to the confines of the Sierra Nevada.
Good to know
Discovery of the lost city
Like many places in the Sierra Nevada, they kept its existence a secret for a long time, until looters discovered it in the 1970s.
This was followed by an all-out plundering of all the tombs it might contain. The treasures found their way to the markets of Santa Marta, and news of the city’s existence soon spread around the country, reaching the ears of the government. In 1976, archaeologists began the work of cleaning, restoring and inventorying the Lost City. Some of the goldsmith’s and silversmith’s pieces found there can be seen today in Bogotá’s Gold Museum.
Some specialists tell us that barely 10 th Ciudad Perdida has been explored to date. There are several hundred archaeological sites built on the same model across the Sierra Nevada, covering an area estimated at over 3.000 km2. It would appear that this constituted a network of Tayronas cities linked to one another by paved paths and stairways. The Lost City, by virtue of its size and importance, would have been a kind of “capital“, the political and economic center of the Tayrona population.
A Tayrona city
The Tayronas were the people who lived in this region of the Sierra Nevada before the arrival of the settlers, from whom the indigenous Koguis, Arhuacos, Wiwas and Kankuamos are descended.
The Ciudad Perdida is called Teyuna by the indigenous peoples, who consider it a sacred site. For the natives, the mountains surrounding Teyuna are also sacred. The Sierra Nevada is considered the“heart of the world”, i.e. where all life originated.
The indigenous people of the Sierra Nevada have a divine mission to protect nature, and their vision of the world is particularly striking at a time of global warming and the irreparable damage humans are doing to the planet. Their traditions and way of life have changed very little over the centuries, and they see themselves as humanity’s big brothers. Big brothers who have much to teach us “little brothers”.
Which agency to choose?
THE BEST AGENCY FOR THE LOST CITY TREK
The Sierra Nevada territory is a reserve administered by the indigenous people themselves. It is forbidden to enter without authorization from the communities. That’s why it’s not possible to get to Ciudad Perdida on your own. Not to mention the danger of venturing out alone.
As we explained in the introduction, we haven’t yet had the chance to do the trek, BUT we already know which agency we’ll choose when the time comes!
And it will be Adrian’s agency! Because we’ve been supporting Adrian from the outset in his project to set up a local agency based on indigenous initiative, with the aim of promoting the Sierra Nevada as an ancestral natural and cultural destination.
It’s an agency that’s as close as possible to our values and to our idea of community tourism in the Sierra Nevada.
Good to know: prices of the trek are regulated, so all agencies are obliged to charge the same rates (see prices)
Indigenous initiative
This is an indigenous initiative agency, offering in particular the Seydukwa tour we shared with you on the blog. We’ve established a real bond of friendship with Adrian, and feel it’s important to support initiatives like his.
We’d just as soon tell you that for us, it’s a no-brainer. If you’re aware of the territory you’re about to set foot on, if you’ve heard of the sacred nature of this mountain and the site of the Lost City, then you understand why we recommend using an indigenous agency.
Emancipation
The idea is to stop raving: these are indigenous territories, and who better than an indigenous person to decide how to accompany a foreigner on his land, talk about his culture, his relationship with nature, share his knowledge of the flora and fauna of his mountains and discuss the sacred nature of these places?
Responsible tourism
From our point of view, when you trek with an indigenous agency, you’re helping indigenous people to regain control of their territory, and you’re supporting sustainable tourism that takes into account the ancestral knowledge of communities and encourages the autonomy of indigenous families.
Lost City trek itinerary
distances and conditions
The Ciudad Perdida trek is a long, multi-day walk through the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains to the ancient, sacred archaeological site of Teyuna.
The geography of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is unique in the world. It is the highest coastal mountain range in the world, located just a few kilometers from the Caribbean Sea, with peaks reaching over 5.000 m in altitude.
The trek covers 50 km of mountain trails. Uphill, downhill, uphill, downhill – a classic hiking effort. But what makes it so special is that you’re walking in particularly hot and humid conditions.
Depending on your physical condition and the weather (which can make the trails difficult), walking times can vary by as much as a factor of two.
4-day Ciudad Perdida Trek itinerary
To sum up, the Lost City trek in Colombia is a 4-day hike of around 50 km.
Day 1 – 8km
- 4×4 transport from Santa Marta to Maguey indigenous village (early morning departure)
- 8 km hike to Cabaña de Adan camp (450 m altitude): stop for a swim and wildlife observation.
- Overnight stay
Day 2 – 15km
- 15 km hike from Cabaña de Adán to the indigenous community of Cabaña Paraíso Teyuna (830 m altitude): stopover in a Kogui community of Mutanzhi
- Relaxation and swimming
- Spend the night and talk to your guide about the indigenous culture and the significance of Teyuna.
Day 3 – 14km
- Climb the 1.200 steps to Ciudad Perdida (1.200 m altitude): visit the site
- 6 km walk back down to Cabaña Wiwa, Wiwa indigenous community
- Overnight stay
Day 4 – 16km
- 16 km hike back to starting point: swimming stop
- Return transport by 4×4 to Santa Marta (arrival late afternoon)
Itinerary and walking times may vary according to weather conditions
Contact to book the Lost City Trek
Local travel agency
Responsible tourism
Going through an agency that works with indigenous guides from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta seems to us a must for this trek to a site sacred to the four natives nations of the Sierra.
Ciudad Perdida trek price
Rates for the Lost City are regulated, and all authorized agencies offer the same rates for the same number of days. Only the tour philosophy, personal service and guides change.
Rates 2025
This price will applied for all tours booked in 2025:
- 4-day trek =
$2.150.000 COPPROMO $1.860.000 COP - 5-day trek = $2.150.000 COP
A 10% deposit is required to confirm your reservation for the Ciudad Perdida trek. The easiest way to do this in advance of your trip is to use Remitly, an international transfer platform that enables you to send money to Colombia at low cost (or even no cost at all on the first transfer, which is free). Easy, fast and inexpensive, Remitly is the best solution for sending money to Col
Important informations
Annual closure in October
Every year, the Trek is closed for a month at the request of the indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada. During this time, they will perform “pagamentos”, rituals in which they give back to the earth what has been taken from it, and help recover ecosystems.
General tips
- The Lost City trek requires good physical condition.
- No telephone signal for the duration of the trek
- Respect indigenous communities, do not take unauthorized photos
- Respect nature and sacred places, and bring your own garbage bag
- A word of advice: travel light!
What to pack for the Lost City Trek
The less weight you carry on your back, the better off you’ll be:
- Small, lightweight backpack
- Shorts and tee-shirt for walking, as everything will end up soaked (sweat or rain)
- Light pants and long-sleeved T-shirt for the evening and mosquitoes
- Small sweater for the chilly evenings
- Bathing suit
- Waterproof hiking boots
- Flip-flops or sandals
- Hat, cap or scarf for protection from the sun
- Quick-drying towel
- Insect repellent
- Biodegradable sun cream
- Biodegradable shower gel/shampoo
- Plastic bags to protect items in the bag: once wet, they won’t dry out!
- Headlamp
- Medication if needed (antidiarrhea)
- Yellow fever vaccine
Bunkuany, an alternative to Ciudad Perdida
Titre 3
If you’re looking for a less strenuous, more economical and less crowded alternative to the trek to Ciudad Perdida, we suggest you contact Adrian for information on the 3-day trek to Bunkuani.
Program:
- Cultural exchange with an indigenous Kogui family
- 3-day trek in the Sierra Nevada near Calabazo
- Meeting with local farming communities
- Discover the archaeological remains of the Bunkuani terraces
- Observation of petroglyphs
- Swimming in rivers
Where to stay in Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Hotel
Casa Mia Hotels
This is the hotel where we stayed during our stay in Santa Marta. We recommend staying on the top floor, where the rooms are brighter. Nice decor, good service, and conveniently located right in the historic center.
Santa Marta
Hotel
Hotel Cactus
A truly sublime hotel for those who want to enjoy one of the best hotels in Santa Marta, especially the loft room on the roof with direct access to the pool and views of the Sierra Nevada…
Santa Marta
Hotel
Catedral Plaza Hotel
Just for the rooftop swimming pool with a view of the Cathedral… a top-of-the-range hotel with meticulous attention to detail, but with attractive rates depending on the time of year. Treat yourself and enjoy a sunset over the rooftops of Santa Marta.
Santa Marta
Hotel
Casa de Isabella Hotel
A beautiful hotel in a superb colonial house, with huge rooms and a rooftop with a small pool and a view… all at a very affordable price! We understand why readers recommend it.
Santa Marta
Hostal
La Guaca Hostel
A hostal recommended by our readers, super welcoming, great atmosphere and with a lovely patio for cooling off. A little out of the way, it’s a 20-minute walk from the historic center and the Mercado Publico, but it’s not too bad and the price is right.
Santa Marta
Hostal
Republica Hostel
A new concept in the center of Santa Marta, all new and beautiful, with a particularly well-appointed decor and, of course, the swimming pool to match. Dormitories and double rooms.
Santa Marta
Hostal
Masaya Hostal
Opened in Bogotá by a group of French friends, Masaya’s success is such that they have opened the same concept in San Agustin and Santa Marta. The setting is ideal, a magnificent colonial house with swimming pool and rooftop.
How to get to XXX
Titre 3
Texte
