Ciudad Perdida Tour: The Lost City Trek Colombia

Want to know more about the Lost City Tour?  You’re in the right place!  The Ciudad Perdida Tour and Lost City trek in Colombia is a challenging but fascinating adventure that I highly recommend.  Trekking through the Colombian jungle for 4 or 5 days is beautiful, sometimes strenuous, always sweaty and at times very wet!  See how I got on when I did the Lost City Trek Colombia and see how to book the Lost City Tour for yourself!

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Where is the Lost City?

The Lost City is La Ciudad Perdida in Spanish, and it refers to a city built by the Teyuna people around 800 AD (approximately 650 years before Machu Picchu was constructed!), deep in the forest of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in northern Colombia.

The city was abandoned during the Spanish conquest, but the Spanish never found it.  The city was ‘lost’ to outsiders for hundreds of years until it was finally rediscovered by accident in 1972 when local treasure hunters stumbled across some stone steps leading through the jungle up to the city.  

Trekking to the Lost City is one of the best hikes in South America, and while it might take a big chunk of time in your Colombia itinerary, it is definitely worth it!

How Much Does the Ciudad Perdida Tour Cost?

It is not possible to do the Lost City Trek without a guide, you have to join one of the Ciudad Perdida tours which leave from Santa Marta or Palomino.  As of April 2023, the Ciudad Perdida Trek price is $1.750.000 COP (Colombian pesos) per person, which is approximately $400 USD. 

Several different tour companies have permits to lead the Lost City Trek Colombia, and the price is fixed so there should be no difference between companies for the cost of a 4-day trek.

However, if you choose to pay in USD, the conversion rate varies and you could end up paying more, so I advise paying in Colombian pesos at the trekking office, not online in USD to make sure you get the best price.

Ciudad Perdida Treks can be easily arranged from Santa Marta on the Northern Colombian coast, and some can arrange pick up from Palomino.

Our Indigenous Guide Jose Luis at the Lost City
Our Indigenous Guide Jose Luis at the Lost City

The Best Tour Company for the Lost City Trek & Ciudad Perdida Tour

After looking at the reviews online and on the websites of various companies offering Lost City Trek Colombia tours, I chose to do a five-day Lost City trek with Wiwa Tours

They had excellent reviews on Tripadvisor, and their guides are indigenous, so they teach you a lot about the Wiwa and Kogui cultures as you pass through their lands on the way to the Ciudad Perdida. 

My guide Jose Luis was fabulous, and I learned a lot about the indigenous cultures along the way.  We also got to meet the Shaman during our Ciudad Perdida tour, which other tour groups I spoke to did not.

Wiwa Tours were also quick to respond to my email enquiries about the tour and were recommended by my hostel, the Dreamer Hostel, in Santa Marta too, so I was happy with my choice.  

You can book a tour with them online, by email or in person at their office in Santa Marta. 

G Adventures also use Wiwa Tours for their Lost City itineraries, so you can book with G Adventures if you prefer >>>GET MORE INFO HERE

In addition to the 4-day standard Lost City trekking experience, Wiwa Tours also offers 5-day and 6-day tours which include spending more time with the indigenous community in the Sierra Nevada.

The Best Time to do the Lost City Trek

The hike to the Lost City is hot and humid all year round as you are trekking through the rainforest so there isn’t really an ideal time to do the Lost City Trek.  I’d recommend planning your trip for the dry season and trying to avoid the rainy season if you can, which runs roughly between May to November in this region of Colombia.

I did the Lost City Trek at the beginning of June, and we had mixed weather – including heavy rain several afternoons.  Luckily we had finished hiking by then, but the mud made walking more difficult and heavy rain also makes the river crossings more difficult.

The trail is usually closed in September, so it isn’t possible to visit the Lost City in September.

Where to Stay in Santa Marta Before the Lost City Trek

I stayed at the Dreamer Hostel, which was a great base for exploring the Caribbean coast of Colombia.  They have a swimming pool, onsite restaurant with cheap and tasty meals, and a large luggage storage room to leave your big backpack before the trek.  I also stayed here before going to Tayrona National Park and Minca, it is in a great location just outside the centre of Santa Marta.  BOOK NOW>>>

BOOK YOUR HOSTEL

What To Take on the Ciudad Perdida Tour

The key here is to pack light.  You’ll be carrying your own day pack with everything you need, so make sure it is comfortable.  Check out my other post with my full Lost City Trek packing list, but as a minimum, I’d advise comfortable hiking boots, clean underwear & t-shirt for every day, 2 pairs of hiking trousers or shorts (one to wear & one to dry), and dry socks for every day. 

You’ll also need sandals for crossing the river, flip-flops won’t stay on your feet so look for something like these hiking sandals.

Mosquito repellent is essential, and on the day actually inside the Lost City I’d advise wearing long trousers instead of shorts as you will get bitten to death!!  A swimsuit, quick-drying towel and sunscreen are also a good idea.

Setting off on the lost City Trek
Setting off on the Lost City Trek

My Experience on The Lost City Trek Colombia 

On the first morning of the Lost City Trek, Wiwa Tours offers a pick-up from your hostel or from their office if you need to pay the final balance the morning of the tour.  I had already gone to their office to pay the day before so was picked up from my hostel at about 9.15am.

After an hour’s drive on asphalt and another hour on a horribly bumpy windy dirt track that made me want to vomit, we finally arrived in the town of Machete in the Sierra Nevada region of Northern Colombia.

A lunch of chicken, rice and salad was served, then we bought extra water and last minute supplies, used the bathroom and then set off on the Lost City trek.  It was very hot when we left the town at 1pm; not the ideal time to start hiking, but what can you do. 

At the beginning of the trail to Ciudad Perdida we stopped at a map while our guide Jose Luis explained the route for the next five (four) days. The Lost City Hike began with a 7 km hike from Machete to the first camp, nestled in a valley alongside the Puritaca river. 

The hike was a mixture of ups and downs, flats and jungle.  We passed some Wiwa villages along the way and we had some spectacular views when we reached the tops of the hills, before descending again into the valleys.  Finally, we came down a steep hill to the river where the first camp was.  We crossed the river on a wobbly bridge, to where we would sleep for the night.

 

Our Camp on Day 1 of the Lost City Trek to La Ciudad Perdida, Colombia - A hut surrounded by green trees
Our Camp on Day 1 of the Lost City Trek to La Ciudad Perdida, Colombia

The camps all have places to swim and cool off after a hard day’s hiking.  La Piscina (literally “swimming pool”) at the first camp was a waterfall and pool deep enough to dive into from 5 metres up.  Needless to say, I didn’t jump but climbed down the stairs to the last rung, then splashed into the water in my usual graceful manner.  The water was cold but clear, and beautifully refreshing after a sweaty hike!

This camp is not indigenous, the Colombians who live here have electricity and even satellite TV!  The Copa de America was on when we were there and everyone gathered around to watch the match.  The food was cooked by a Wiwa lady, and it was good too – fried fish with rice & salad.  And a chocolate bar was a welcome treat!

As we were eating, it began to rain – a lot!  Groups that arrived after us were soaked, and muddy from slipping down the hill that led to the camp so I was glad we arrived before the deluge.   After dark, a plague of flying ants descended on the camp, I’m not sure if it was due to the rain, or simply the season. 

Huge toads came out from the river to feast on them, gorging themselves on the easy meal, and lazily sticking their tongues out to capture their next victims.  The toads provided good entertainment for those who didn’t want to watch the football!

When it came to sleeping, a row of bunk beds with mosquito nets greeted us.  We could have chosen to sleep in hammocks if we wanted but we all opted for beds.  The beds weren’t the most comfortable but after walking with our packs they were better than hammocks! 

However, the beds smelt musty, here it seemed nothing properly dries out with the rain and humidity.  I wrapped myself in the blanket provided, as it smelt fresher.  I lay in bed listening to the toads’ croaking chorus, and the high-pitched shriek of cicadas, and tried to get some rest before the next day hiking to the Lost City.

The path to the Lost City
The path to the Lost City

La Cuidad Perdida Tour – Lost City Trek Day Two

Despite my tiredness, I didn’t sleep particularly well, and felt awful when we were woken the next morning at 5am.  We ate a tasty breakfast, packed up our things and headed out. 

A steep hill out of the valley greeted us; luckily the rain had stopped but it was still slippery in parts.  After that, the terrain varied up and down for an hour or so, then there was another steep downhill that would make me pay on the way back! 

It was a 2-hour hike to reach Camp Wiwa where we had a couple of hours break – to swim and to have lunch – and a quick snooze in the hammocks.

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After lunch we set off on the hike again, my legs groaning in protest.  It was another 5 hours till we would reach the next camp – Paraíso (Paradise) which was just a 3km hike from La Ciudad Perdida, the Lost City itself. 

It was a tough walk. The path wound through the forest, along the river bank then over mountains when the uphill stretches felt as though they would never end.  Then it started to rain.  It is common here to have rain in the afternoon.  I had brought my waterproof coat, so wasn’t bothered by the rain – light drizzle was nice and cooling but the heavy burst luckily came as we were reaching a rest stop. 

Views of the Sierra Nevada from the Lost City Trek
Views of the Sierra Nevada from the Lost City Trek

The downhill that followed wasn’t too steep, and the path continued without too much variation, until we descended again to the river. But there was no bridge here.  There was a kind of tarabata cable car on a rope and pulley system, but the guides weren’t convinced by its safety.  Not disagreeing with them, we were faced with crossing the now raging river, filled with the rain that was still falling gently.

Another group arrived at the river around the same time, and the guides discussed the best option for crossing.  One of them crossed with a rope, and tied it to a tree on the other side.  Now we had a rope to hang on to as we waded across, one by one, slipping & fighting against the current as we went.  On the way back, the river was much easier to cross, and was easily walked in sandals.

After 7 or 8 hours hiking on day two, we finally arrived at Paraíso Camp around 4.30pm.  Next to the river, you can swim here too.  It is the camp for all the groups, so busier than the others, and the bunk beds are just as musty and damp.  By now I was so exhausted I slept slightly better, and woke excited to finally reach the Lost City!

The Last Few of the 1200 Steps to the Lost City
The Last Few of the 1200 Steps to the Lost City

Lost City Trek Day 3: La Ciudad Perdida Tour

La Ciudad Perdida is a relatively short walk from the Paraíso Camp, perhaps an hour away from the actual city.  Our group was the first to leave, we crossed the river again and made our way to the stone steps that led to the ‘discovery’ of the city in 1972.  The steps are uneven, and slippy in parts due to the moss that covers the stone.  Climbing the steps, I felt my excitement growing. 

Finally, we were here in the Lost City!

We arrived at a round terrace, and our guide Jose Luis explained a ritual we should perform in order to be welcomed into La Ciudad Perdida.  We followed him around the stones and entered the city.  We headed up to the highest point, to make the most of the spectacular views before the other groups arrived.  We weren’t disappointed.

Teyuna, La Ciudad Perdida (Lost City), Colombia
Teyuna, La Ciudad Perdida (Lost City), Colombia

The Teyuna (Tayrona) people used the city they called Teyuna as their political and residential centre.  The indigenous people still living in this region believe that their ancestors the Teyuna people had black and white magic powers, and the ability to move the huge rocks with only the power of the mind – explaining how the Lost City was built high in the Colombian rainforest. 

Whether you believe that or not, La Ciudad Perdida is an impressive feat of construction.  Although it lacks the grandeur of Machu Picchu, the location is equally stunning, overlooking mountains and lush forests.

Beautiful views from La Ciudad Perdida, high in the Colombian jungle
Beautiful views from La Ciudad Perdida, high in the Colombian jungle

There is a military camp at the site – strange to us, but necessary to protect the site from potential grave robbers and ousted coca farmers, and guerrilla conflict.  A huge portion of the area used to be dedicated to growing coca for the cocaine trade, but all that stopped when the government cracked down hard on such plantations, and the military took control of the area to prevent the illegal farms from returning.

We had passed another outpost along the trail, marked with a Colombian flag and occupied by perhaps 10 to 20 soldiers.  I later learned that in 2003 a group of tourists had been kidnapped here and held to ransom, and although the tours here have been continuing without incident since 2005, I was glad to have extra protection there!

The Shaman and an Indigenous Guide in the Lost City
The Shaman and an Indigenous Guide in the Lost City

We took some time to explore the Lost City, swimming in a pool there, and meeting the Shaman of La Ciudad Perdida.  He explained more about the city, and his role, and gave us each a bracelet as a gift. Some of us gave a gift in return, a bracelet and a coin from their home country.  There are still a couple of families who live in the city, but most are in the villages around.

All too soon it was time to leave, and as we descended the slippery steps, I felt the magic of this place slowly leave me.  We hiked back to the Wiwa camp that we had rested in on day two, and had lunch there. 

Those who were doing the four-day itinerary then continued to the 1st camp to sleep.  My legs refused to take me any further, so I stayed here for the night, resting in the afternoon & swimming in the river.

At the Wiwa Camp the river flows around large rocks, perfect for jumping off. Again, I didn’t leap in, more shuffled as close as I could get and plopped in.  It was gorgeous, with yellow and white butterflies flitting above the water, and small fish visible in the shallows.

The second time I visited this part of the river I was alone, and stood on a submerged rock as the cool water flowed over me, reviving my aching muscles.  Soon after two of the Wiwa children arrived, splashing and swimming around, enjoying the water.  They share a lot of the same loves as we do despite living quite differently – and even have a small football pitch next to the camp.

The following day we hiked back to the first camp, and on the 5th day back to Machete.  I was exhausted.  I really should know by now that hiking is not my forte, but I simply couldn’t resist the chance see the Lost City!

What I loved about Wiwa Tours & the Lost City Trek:

Wiwa Tours is the only company that has indigenous guides, so I felt we had a more ‘authentic’ experience.  We learned a lot about the culture of the people, and met the Shaman, whereas other groups did not.  This added an extra, fascinating dimension to the tour which we otherwise would have missed. 

Our guide Jose Luis was very knowledgeable and chatty, but not intrusive.  On the last day, the others joined with another guide to hike the 4-day itinerary, and Jose Luis stayed with me so we chatted together some more.

The house of the Shaman in the Lost City
The house of the Shaman in the Lost City

What I didn’t like about the Ciudad Perdida Tour:

Wiwa Tours’ five-day itinerary was different than other companies as they spread out the walking instead of just splitting the last day into two. Or so I thought. The company had mixed our group of eight people – two of which were a couple who only had 3 days to do part of the trek then visit an indigenous village for an hour, 5 of us on a 5-day trek and one guy on a 4-day trek.

With only one guide we had little choice but to follow the schedule for the 4-day itinerary, which I found very difficult – up until the fourth day when our group split.  However, this seemed to be the norm with other companies too.

From the information provided on their website, Wiwa no longer offer this split itinerary.  Instead they have a separate 5 day experience which includes more time in the indigenous community, so this seems like a better option.

Is the Lost City Trek Worth It?

Overall, the Lost City Trek was a tough hike, but it was definitely worth it to see more of the Colombian jungle and the remains of the beautiful Ciudad Perdida.  Meeting the shamen was very interesting, and I loved learning about the indigenous cultures here.  

If you have the time to spare, I definitely recommend spending the 4, 5 or even 6 days doing the Ciudad Perdida tour to learn more about the culture in Colombia, and to enjoy the beautiful scenery here.

Have you done the Lost City Trek Colombia? Did you enjoy it? Let me know in the comments below.

Lost City Trek FAQ

As of July 2022, the Ciudad Perdida Trek price is $1.400.000 COP (Colombian pesos) per person, which is approximately $360 USD if you book direct with the tour companies in Santa Marta such as Wiwa Tours.  The price is fixed so there shouldn't be a difference between prices with different tour companies.

The Lost City Hike is a challenging hike, rated 5/5 difficulty on G Adventures, and 8/10 difficulty on Wiwa Tours website.

While the distance of 45 km might not sound too bad, the heat and humidity involved with jungle hikes make it more challenging, together with the increase in altitude up to 1,200 m (3,937 ft) above sea level at the Lost City means that the Lost City Trek is not an easy hike!

The final stretch of the Lost City Trek is climbing up the 1200 stone steps that lead to the Lost City.  It was these steps that led to the rediscovery of the Ciudad Perdida by the outside world.

No.  The Ciudad Perdida is a sacred site on land belonging to the indigenous people of the region, and visitors are not allowed to do the Lost City Trek alone - you must be accompanied by a tour guide.  The only way to visit the Lost City is to join a guided tour.

The hike to the Lost City is hot and humid all year round as you are trekking through the rainforest so there isn't really an ideal time to do the Lost City Trek.  I'd recommend trying to avoid the rainy season if possible, which runs roughly between May to November in this region of Colombia, but it isn't essential.

The trail is usually closed in September, so it isn't possible to visit the Lost City in September.

It is now!  In the past, this area of Colombia used to be dangerous but the Lost City Trek is now considered safe.

A huge portion of the area used to be dedicated to growing coca for the cocaine trade, but all that stopped when the government cracked down hard on such plantations, and the military took control of the area to prevent the illegal farms from returning.  When I visited, there was a military camp at the Lost City to make sure the area stays secure.

I later learned that in 2003 a group of tourists had been kidnapped here and held to ransom, and although the tours here have been continuing without incident since 2005.

The Lost City is in Colombia, within the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta National Park in the north part of Colombia.

The Teyuna people built the Lost City around 800 AD (approximately 650 years before Machu Picchu was built!) and abandoned the city during the Spanish conquest.

After it had been abandoned, the city was ‘lost’ to all outsiders for hundreds of years until it was rediscovered by local treasure hunters in 1972 when they stumbled across the stone steps leading through the jungle up to the city.

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This article was not sponsored in any way.  I paid for the Lost City Trek myself, and had a really great experience so I wanted to share that with you.

24 thoughts on “Ciudad Perdida Tour: The Lost City Trek Colombia

  1. Claire says:

    Hi Guga, the quickest way would be to fly to Simón Bolívar International Airport in Santa Marta, or Cartagena, otherwise you are looking at long bus rides. I did take the bus from Santa Marta down to Bogota, and spent a couple of days in Bucaramanga to break the journey – I’m not sure about Medellin.

  2. Mark says:

    Great review! Since 2020 there’s a new operator called Teyuna Tours which is pretty good too – and it’s the only company owned directly by local guides

  3. Claire says:

    Hi Tanis! Thanks for reading 🙂 There are several different campsites along the route, so different companies have different sites – except the last campsite closest to the Lost City, I think that is the same for everyone. I didn’t come across any bed bugs – that could have been luck, a different campsite, or perhaps last year they had more problems with them, I’m not sure.

  4. Tanis says:

    Hi Claire
    thanks for the great post! Wondering….I was reading on a trip advisor review, done thru another company, very bad bed bugs at the camping site. This was for a trip in May 2017. Supposedly all groups use the same stayovers? Did you experience bed bugs?

    Kind Regards
    Tanis

  5. Claire says:

    Hi Tegen, thank you so much! 🙂 If you don’t mind which company you go with, I’m sure you will have no problem booking when you get to Santa Marta, however if you have set dates even a day or two before I think it is worth reaching out to the company(ies) to reserve a place. It shouldn’t make any difference to the price as it is set across all the companies in COP, (although I have heard of larger groups haggling in some cases), but if they convert the cost into USD the price may vary due to different exchange rates. An option could be to arrive in Santa Marta, make a booking for a day or two in advance then explore Minca or other places if you have to wait before starting the trek. I hope you enjoy Colombia, and the Lost City!

  6. Tegen says:

    Thanks for posting such a great blog post! Me and my boyfriend are hoping to do the trek in August, but we were wondering whether we should pre book the trek online/by email before we go, or if it would be better to just go and haggle/compare tour companies when we get to Santa Marta? Did you know of anyone that booked when they had got to Santa Marta instead of pre booking?

  7. Claire says:

    Hi Eoin! If I remember rightly our guide just spoke Spanish, but you could request an English speaking guide, or possibly pay a bit more. I’m fluent in Spanish so it wasn’t an issue for me but maybe ask in advance to see if there is an extra charge.

  8. Eoin O'Dwyer says:

    Hi Claire, thanks for the interesting post. I am just wondering how much Spanish is spoken by the guides and in general along the trek! I have some Spanish but I don’t think it is enough! Thanks

  9. Citlali says:

    Hi Claire, good post! I’ld like to clarify that this is not the only company that work with indigenous guides, actually most of them work with indigenous guides, Tayrona Tour, Turcol (which is the most oldest agency and the first on going to Lost City) and many other work with wiwas, Kogis, Arhuaco or Kankuamo guides. Just to make sure you know it because maybe you was told that but this is a sales strategy to add value to their tours. Best 🙂

  10. Claire says:

    Hi Mathilde! Thank you for reading, glad it was useful for you! I’m not sure about closure I’m afraid – perhaps try emailing one (or a few) of the tour companies to see what they say? I know they sometimes close Tayrona Park so it can recover from all the tourists, but I’m not sure about the trek. Good luck, I hope you enjoy your trip!:)

  11. Mathilde Daeninck says:

    Hi! What a great post! We are going to Colombia for 3 weeks in August and Septembre, but we heared the lost city trek might be closed in Septembre? Do you know anything about this?

    Thank you!

  12. Paige W says:

    Sign me up now! This is so up my alley. It looks absolutely stunning – even in that video with all of that rain! I really need to get back to S. America and see more!

  13. Izzy says:

    The Lost City Trek sounds amazing! I love what an adventurous spirit you are having read about your travels around South America, from biking one of the most treacherous roads to now looking for a lost city. I would assume all guides would be indigenous but good to note that Wiwa Tours is the only company!

  14. Stella says:

    This looks like a great experience. I’ve never been to Colombia but I hope to go. I think I would like Wiwa tours because it would be powerful to travel with an indigenous guide. Your photos are stunning too!

  15. Laura Nalin says:

    I absolutely love treks, so this seems right up my alley. I can’t get over how many beautiful places we have on this planet. I’ve never heard of this before, so thank you for opening my eyes up to a new place!

  16. Cat says:

    I have never heard of this trek. I love the beautiful, lush scenery and the indigenous village you walked through. The terrace at La Ciudad Perdida is stunning!

  17. Brian says:

    Yes, that bridge looks wobbly for sure. I’ve never hiked for more than a couple hours!

  18. Mikkel says:

    That is awesome! I love all your thoughts including likes/dislikes. And I agree it seems like hard work, including getting wet occasionally as a sacrifice! But everything from the Shaman encounter to beautiful scenery seems well worth it!

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