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540 US APPROXIMATELY

This ancient indigenous Tayrona civilization, which is currently an archaeological ruin, is located within the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Natural Park and you can only visit this eco-tourist attraction through a Trekking or Excursion.

There is no doubt that the Lost City of Tayrona is an archaeological tourist destination very similar to the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru and that you must visit on your visit to Colombia.

It is not always possible to go on an excursion in the jungles of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta with native indigenous guides, making trips along mountain trails, mighty rivers and most importantly, getting to know the culture of the indigenous communities of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

How to Get to the Lost City in Santa Marta

The Lost City of Tayrona, also known as the Teyuna Archaeological Park, represents archaeological ruins of an ancient indigenous civilization from many years ago, called the Tayrona Indigenous People, a people from which four indigenous communities descend today: the Koguis, Wiwas, Arhuacos and the Kankuamos, responsible for the sustainability and spiritual maintenance of all the ecosystems of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

The only way to connect with this ancestral destination is through a guided tour (hike) along rainforest trails, mountain roads and river crossings.
The Trekking to the Lost City is in part a journey through peasant territories and territories of native indigenous communities of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.


What is the Best Travel Agency to go to the Lost City?

There are several agencies that offer this Tour to the Lost City with traditional tour guides except for Wiwa Tours, which is the only agency that operates with native indigenous guides, direct descendants of the ancient Tayrona.
This adventure trek is much more enjoyable with the help of native indigenous guides who will make you live a unique experience.
The indigenous guides are people who have traveled the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta all their lives and thanks to their culture, they have very important ancestral knowledge.


How to get to Ciudad Perdida, characteristics of the experience
The Tour to the Lost City of Teyuna is divided or segmented by several cabin-type camps, strategically located throughout the trek.
As the adventurers advance in the excursion, they will spend the night in camps, in addition to stocking up on water, eating and resting a little from the fatigue of the walk, in some they will have accommodation in cabins or hammocks depending on the season.


Campsites available along the entire trail to Ciudad Perdida:

Vista Hermosa Campground – 500 masl
Adan Cabin – 450 masl
Wiwa Cabin – 400 masl
Mumake Campground – 820 masl
Paso Lorenzo Cabin – 820 masl

The total distance from the start of the hike to the Lost City and back to Mamey is approximately 60 km.
As a recommendation, it is very important to warm up your muscles before starting any hike, since any tear or cramp during the hike would be a problem, making your experience very unpleasant.

Remember that there is an additional service for transporting luggage from camp to camp. A heavy suitcase is uncomfortable and somewhat hot when walking on steep trails, that's why this local service transports luggage on mules, so you can walk lightly on the trails without any weight affecting you.

How long does it take to get to the Lost City?
Well, now you know how to get to the Lost City, we recommend these options or ways to take this excursion with Indigenous Guides.
3-day tour to the Lost City
4-day tour to the Lost City
Exclusive 5-day plan to the Lost City
5-day tour to the Lost City
6-day excursion to the Lost City

First of all, we are going to tell you that the difference between the 3 options of Trekking to Ciudad Perdida is that in the 5 and 6 day Tours, you will visit a Wiwa Indigenous Community, called Gotsezhy.

How to get to the Lost City – Tour Itinerary
Day 1 – Beginning of the Adventure – Vista Hermosa Cabin – Peasant Territories of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta

During the first day, all travelers are looking forward to meeting the indigenous guide or guides who will take them into the jungles of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in search of the Lost City of Colombia.
Important information will be shared by the indigenous guide during the induction of the Trek to the Lost City. The tour begins very early at the main Wiwa Tours Office and a van or 4×4 truck takes the adventurers to Mamey (Peasant Territory).

After lunch, the adventurers get ready to set off on a hike along an ecological trail where they will find majestic landscapes full of vegetation typical of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The indigenous guide takes advantage of any pause or rest during the trek to give instructions and check on the hikers.

The hike on this day is actually a bit easy compared to the following days, the journey takes place along moderately steep paths that cross the peasant territories of the region.
Hikers can take photographs of special places and natural settings full of life and vegetation.

After approximately 5 hours of walking along rocky trails and in some muddy sections, you will arrive at the first camp, Cabaña Vista Hermosa, where you can rest and have a cup of coffee or chocolate before going to bed.
As a recommendation before going to rest, pay attention to the instructions of the guide, who almost always informs travelers of the itinerary for the next day.

Day 2 – In search of the Lost City, Wiwa Cabin, Paso Lorenzo Cabin
On this day you must hydrate and eat well, since you need extra energy for this long walk. During the journey, hikers will climb uncovered paths full of jungle and vegetation.
Well, the moment of truth has arrived. On this day, adventurers will have plenty of time to meditate as they advance with the walk, but don't worry, all this effort is worth it, I assure you.

At midday or earlier, depending on the pace of the group, the hikers begin to arrive at Wiwa Camp, where they rest a little to have lunch and immediately continue with the Trek. At this Camp, travelers will have the option of visiting a very beautiful waterfall called Wiwa Waterfall, a place where they can cool off and take a delicious bath.

After lunch, the adventurers continue their hike, observing a more pronounced jungle and the weather begins to change, giving us a warning that the Lost City is near.
This section of the trail takes approximately 4 hours and in my opinion it is the most demanding segment of the route since at this height the body begins to feel physical exhaustion. Well, the adventurers reach the Paso Lorenzo Camp and begin to feel a cold that tells us that we are very close to our objective.

At this camp, travelers will find accommodation and will be able to enjoy a well-deserved rest.
Before going to bed, the indigenous guide will give a very detailed talk about the Lost City of Tayrona, its history and the sacred meaning for the native indigenous communities descended from the ancient Tayrona.

Day 3 – The Lost City of Tayrona, Archaeological Ruins of an Ancient Indigenous Civilization
This day is one of the most important of the excursion, since all the hikers are eagerly awaiting to see the archaeological ruins of the Lost City.

The day begins very early and with a lot of motivation on the part of the travelers, the journey of approximately 1 hour begins along paths full of jungle until reaching the crossing of the Buritaca River.

When all the hikers have crossed the Buritaca River, they will be able to see the first stone stairs of these ancient archaeological ruins. They climb approximately 1,200 steps to reach the first terraces of the Lost City of Tayrona. At this point, all the travelers in the group are expected to be together to follow the protocol for entering this Archaeological Park.

The entry protocol by Wiwa Tours to the Lost City is a payment made by our indigenous guides. No agency has this ancestral ritual where all members of the group make a small spiritual payment, getting rid of all negative energies and asking permission from the ancestral Tayronas, since these are sacred territories.

On this day, adventurers will say “It was worth this personal challenge” to arrive on time to the highest terraces of Teyuna (1200 meters above sea level) and to be able to take the best photographs of the place, is without a doubt the best part of the trip and if you are lucky you will be able to meet and interact with MAMO ROMUALDO (Spiritual leader of the Kogui culture), this person will make you see life from another point of view, since he will advise you to leave bad habits and negative energies and to put your spiritual and material life in order.

Through the indigenous guide, you will learn the entire history of the Lost City of Tayrona and the events that marked the life of one of the most important indigenous civilizations in Colombia.
The relationship that indigenous cultures have with Mother Nature is something spectacular since they protect the ecosystems and sustainability within the territories of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta at all costs.


After the internal tour of approximately 3 hours you will have an unforgettable feeling, you will see that the Lost City of Tayrona is more ancient and magical than you expected.

After the Lost City Tour, you will begin to descend the stone stairs until you reach the Buritaca River, immediately after arriving at the Paso Lorenzo Camp, where you will have lunch and almost immediately continue your descent to the Wiwa Camp, where you will spend the night.

Day 4 – Return to the city of Santa Marta, meeting again with civilization.

On this day, travelers just want to return to where it all began and rest. They will spend the last effort walking for approximately 5 hours along difficult trails, from the Wiwa Camp until reaching the point where it all began, Mamey.

If physical exhaustion defeats you, you have the option of taking a mule that will allow you to descend comfortably until you reach Mamey. This option is commonly taken by travelers who have become ill or have had an injury along the way.

Here in Mamey a delicious lunch will be waiting for you, as well as the vehicle that will take you back to Santa Marta. Therefore, this is where the experience of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta ends. Tired and happy, the experience is undoubtedly rewarding and will leave a lesson in our hearts.

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