What to Pack for La Ciudad Perdida Lost City Trek

Packing for the Ciudad Perdida Trek and need to know what to bring?  Check out my full Lost City trek packing list with everything you need on this incredible but challenging hike through the Colombian jungle.  From mosquito repellant to comfy walking shoes and some spare loo roll, I’ve got you covered with this guide to what to pack for La Ciudad Perdida Tour to help you prepare and handle it like a pro!

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What is the Lost City Trek?

Just to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself in for, the Ciudad Perdida Tour, or Lost City Trek, in northern Colombia, is an incredible hike in the Sierra Nevada mountains.  It is not an easy walk though and involves steep climbs and descents, two river crossings and hoards of mosquitos as you walk through the forest. 

It is one of the best hikes in South America, outside of Patagonia and Peru, yet the Lost City Trek is completely different to other hikes like the Inca Trail or W Trek.

The heat and humidity is the most challenging aspect of the trail, the maximum elevation of 1200 meters (3900 ft) above sea level shouldn’t cause any problems with altitude sickness.  The weather can change quickly, varying from blistering sunshine to pouring rain, which always makes things interesting – and very muddy and slippery!

I recommend Wiwa Tours for the trek, I went with them and had a great time, learning a lot about the indigenous communities as well as nature along the way.

Read more about my experience on the Lost City Trek to Ciudad Perdida

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

Where to Stay Before the Lost City Trek

Santa Marta is a great base before the trek, and most tour companies leave from there, although some arrange pick up from Palomino too.  In Santa Marta, I stayed at the Dreamer Hostel, and loved it!  The staff were friendly, the food was good, and the swimming pool was a godsend in the hot weather.

Lost City Trek Packing List

My best tip for what to pack for the Lost City Trek is whatever you bring, make sure you pack light! 

There are no porters on the Lost City Trail, so you will be carrying all your own gear.  Leave your luggage at your accommodation, or at your tour company’s office and only bring what you need for the Lost City hike. 

This is the Lost City Trek packing list recommended by Wiwa Tours, plus some extras that I found very useful:

Hiking Backpack

Comfort is key here, make sure that the straps don’t rub, and try not to over-pack.  30l capacity should be plenty, or 20l or less if you’re an ultra-lite hiker!  A waterproof backpack cover is useful and keep everything inside in a dry bag to keep it dry in case of downpours.

Comfortable hiking shoes

I had my Salomon hiking boots which I was glad of.  When it rained it got slippy, but if it is the dry season you may be ok with comfortable trainers/sneakers.

Sandals for crossing rivers

Flip flops are not good enough, you need straps or water shoes that won’t slip off in the water.  I took a pair of Merrell sandals which worked well for this.

Several pairs of Hiking Socks

Comfortable, and dry – you will be glad of them I promise!

Comfortable Hiking Clothes for daily walking

Shorts or leggings, and t-shirts that ideally cover your shoulders to shield you from the sun, and protect your shoulders from rubbing against the day pack as you walk.

Long Trousers

Long trousers were great for evenings when it gets cool, and for actually inside Ciudad Perdida as there are even more mosquitoes there than on the trail.

Filter Water Bottle 

I recommend 2 litres of water to begin with.  At the camps you can fill up your bottles with clean water, but I’d also recommend a water bottle with a built-in filter so you can fill up at the rivers if needed.

I have used a Water-to-Go bottle since 2017 and my filter water bottle comes with me on every single trip. It is a good size, easy to hold and fits into backpack pockets.  The filter uses three different filtration methods together to remove up to 99.9999% of all microbiological contaminants including viruses, heavy metals and bacteria. 

It’s great value, priced under $60 USD, plus all Tales of a Backpacker readers get 15% discount with the code BYORB

Warm Sleeping Clothes

It does get surprisingly chilly at night.  I did the Lost City Trek in June, and was glad of long trousers & a sweater in the evenings, kept dry in my backpack and dry bag so they were relatively fresh to change into after a day on the trail.

Swimsuit

There are swimming spots at each camp, so don’t forget your swimsuit!  There is nothing better than cooling off in the water after a sweaty hike.

Towel

Lightweight and small towels are soooo useful for trekking!  I took a Microfibre travel towel which was perfect for this.

Sunhat

I love my Tilly hat, it will keep (light) rain and sun off my face, I can stuff it in my backpack when I’m not wearing it, and it is easily the most practical hat I’ve ever owned.  It makes me feel a bit like Indiana Jones, but maybe that’s just me!

Sunscreen

Obviously.  Biodegradable or reef-safe sunscreen is best to avoid contaminating the rivers.  I’ve been using Sun Bum sunscreen lately and I love it – it’s Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, Gluten, Cruelty and Paraben Free, vegan, and Hawaii 104 Reef Act Compliant so you know you won’t be damaging the environment to keep your skin protected.

Flashlight

It may not be the height of fashion, but a headlamp is super useful for going to the bathroom.  This head torch is recharged via a USB charger so you don’t have to worry about changing batteries.  Otherwise, the light on your phone should be fine.

Insect repellent

You. need. this.  There are a lot of mosquitoes in the Colombian jungle, and even more at the Lost City itself.  Apply insect repellent regularly, and on the day you visit the Lost City, wear long loose trousers to keep those nasty biters away.  Deet Free insect repellent is a more eco-friendly choice, and can be just as effective.

The Bug Bite Thing & Bite Relief Cream

You will get bitten by mosquitoes, no matter how careful you are to avoid bites!  I recently discovered the Bug Bite Thing which “sucks” out the venom from mosquito bites, easing the itch straight away and making the bites heal much quicker.  I was sceptical but it really does work – the sooner you use it on a bite the better it is.

You may also be glad of some bite cream or an electric shocker which helps soothe itchy bites you don’t catch in time!

Toiletries

Bring biodegradable shampoo & soap if you can, for example this Sea To Summit Trek and Travel Liquid Soap – Conditioning Shampoo.  Don’t forget toothpaste, toothbrush, hairbrush etc.

Personal medication if needed

The basics, plasters, and paracetamol, I also took earplugs too as I’m a light sleeper!

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Backpacking Colombia Travel Guide

The Lost City Trek Ciudad Perdida Colombia
On my trek to the Ciudad Perdida we met the Shaman

Extra Items I Recommend for the Lost City Trek:

Toilet roll

Luckily I had some tissues with me, as not many of the toilets along the way had paper.  Also if you are caught unawares along the trail and have to answer the call of nature, toilet paper is much better than leaves!

Rain jacket or poncho

In rainy season, you will need it – or worst case scenario a black bin bag with a hole in for your head

Inflatable pillow

No pillows are provided in the camps, so you can either roll up some dry clothes for a pillow, or take an inflatable travel pillow.

Portable charger

There are no electricity points after the first camp, so a portable charger is great for keeping your phone & camera charged.

Something to think about…

Bear in mind whatever you wear during the day will be drenched in sweat when you arrive at camp – and won’t dry in time for the next day. I would recommend at least 3 sets of clothes – one to wear the first day, your evening clothes and a dry set to wear the next day.

If it is sunny, the wet set will usually dry during the second day and will be ready to wear again on the third day when your second set can dry. I actually took 5 T-shirts and sets of underwear, and was glad to start each day at least semi-clean!  I had 2 pairs of shorts, a pair of trousers for the evenings & the Lost City, and clean socks for each day.

What do you think of this list, have I missed anything?  Please let me know if you recommend any other essential items for the Lost City Trek packing list!

You can read more about my experience and tips for the Lost City Trek in this full review post of the Lost City Tour with Wiwa Tours, or check out the FAQ 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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The Lost City Trek to La Ciudad Perdida in Colombiais an awesome hike. Here are some packing tips & essential & recommended items for what to take with you

20 thoughts on “What to Pack for La Ciudad Perdida Lost City Trek

  1. Claire says:

    Hi Amit! I took my Salomon hiking boots for walking most of the trek, then changed into sandals to cross the river. Salomon are a great brand for hiking boots, although they aren’t cheap. Merrell are another well-known brand you could check out. Whatever you choose make sure they have good grip, hiking shoes or boots are definitely better than trainers/sneakers as it can get slippy and muddy in the rain. You’ll only need water shoes/sandals for crossing the river so it’s not as important what you get for that, but your hiking shoes/boots need to be comfortable so if they are new try to wear them in as much as possible and take plasters/thick socks to stop them rubbing. It got cooler at night but I don’t think it was cold enough for a fleece. If you take a rain jacket with you and a light sweater that should be enough I think. Enjoy!

  2. Amit says:

    I am trekking the lost city in the 3rd week of August, and wondering if you could recommend some good water shoes, hiking shoes? I was also curious how cold it gets at night, if I need a fleece?

  3. Claire says:

    Hi Shira, Thank you for reading! 🙂 I think if you are of overall reasonable fitness you should be fine. I would let Wiwa know when you are booking to see what they advise – if you are flexible on dates they may be able to put you with a group of a similar level. I am not a fast hiker, but it didn’t bother me just going at my own pace and although I did find myself hiking on my own a lot of the time, you will come across other groups as well, and our guide split his time between everyone and kept a close eye on us all so I didn’t feel abandoned! You might find that walking poles help you on the steep climbs/descents. We didn’t need sleeping bags, they had blankets provided – and a sleeping bag would just add weight to your bag which you don’t really want to do. Take a warm jacket for the evening though in case does get chilly. There were mosquito nets provided on the hammocks and bunk beds so you should need one of those either, double check with Wiwa though to make sure. I hope you enjoy your time in Colombia, and on the trek!

  4. Shira Reiss says:

    Hi Claire, I’m a 60 year old woman and going to Santa Marta on the 30th. How do you think I would do on this hike? I am a very slow hiker. A few questions: Do I need a sleeping bag? My son suggested getting a mosquito bag, but said it will not keep me warm. I also have an Osprey 24 day pack that has a water bladder. Do you think Wiwa would accommodate my needs as an older woman?

  5. Claire says:

    Hi Melissa! Thank you for reading 🙂 I’m not sure, no-one in our group took that option so I don’t know if it is possible or not. Probably the best thing would be to email Wiwa directly to check with them and make sure – better safe than sorry!

  6. Melissa says:

    Thank you so much for such a thorough blog! I heard that Wiwa will carry your bag on the mule if you pay extra, is this not the case anymore?

    Thank you,

    Melissa

  7. Claire says:

    Hi Carolina! Amazing, you’re going to love it! I left my big bag at the Dreamer Hostel in Santa Marta – I stayed with them before the trek, and again afterwards so I could pick up the rest of my stuff when I came back. The tour company should also be able to store your big bag too while you are on the tour – I know Wiwa Tours offered that so I presume all the companies do.
    As for repellant – I still got a lot of bites unfortunately! I really don’t know which is the best, none of them are 100% effective for me, I always get bitten! ‘Off’ seemed to work pretty well, although if you can take some bite relief cream with you to help stop the itching of any bites you do get that would be useful. And long trousers to wear in the Lost City itself, if not on the trek – if you keep moving the mosquitos don’t settle on you while you’re walking, but as soon as you stop anywhere they land and bit!
    I’m so glad the blog is useful for you, I hope I can come and visit Chile soon!! Saludos 🙂

  8. Carolina Gonzalez says:

    Hi Claire!
    I’m planing visit Colombia and make this trekking.
    I have some questions for you… where did you left the rest of your things to make the hiking?
    Did the repellent work? some brand to recommend?
    I hope you are enjoying your current backpacking adventures.. your blog is being very useful for me
    Saludos desde Chile!!!!

  9. Mari says:

    Thanks so much for the tips. I am doing the Ciudad Perdida Trek (and Salkantay Trek to Machu Pichu in Peru) this October and your post gives me an idea of what to pack.

  10. Anita Hendrieka says:

    This looks like a great city trek to me! Such a handy guide for people who are thinking of doing this. Great post!

  11. Carmen Edelson says:

    I’ll definitely be checking out Wiwa Tours! Thanks for the suggestion. Repellent sounds like a must but relief cream is something I often forget. thanks for sharing these awesome suggestions. Happy travels 🙂

  12. Drew says:

    What a great looking hike. I would love to get out the cities and explore the Colombia countryside. Great tips too. I have forgotten bug spray on way too many hikes, only to come to regret it each and every time!

  13. Indrani says:

    Yes the right list. Insect repellents and bite relief creams are the first ones to go in to my pack. 🙂 I have such small kits ready for different kinds of travels.

  14. Elaine J Masters says:

    Usually, I wouldn’t read a packing list for a trip I’m not planning but this was an intriguing read. Love your practical and personal points. Dry clothes, strategies for staying warm and comfortable, all great tips.

  15. Sara Broers says:

    This looks like a great hike! You offer great tips on what to pack and why to bring specific things along. Great tip on managing those mosquitoes and the sun. Would some type of netting been helpful? You make it easy on packing just right and not overpacking.

  16. sherianne says:

    I have never attempted anything even remotely like this and is sure feels overwhelming. This is so much info, it would be a lifesaver when planing this type of adventure!

  17. Carol Perehudoff says:

    I need to use these packing tips for all my trips, except perhaps, I wouldn’t need the headlamp in Paris. It sounds like a challenging trek and I look forward to reading more about it.

  18. Anna @ shenANNagans says:

    In January I was walking in thongs, the recommended foot ware for the tour, thong caught some water, I slipped and fractured my ankle. I say NOPE to things now always. Def invest in some good hiking shoes. Great list!

  19. Paul says:

    Packing light is definitely a good idea for a trip like this but, by the time you’ve covered all your essentials, it’s surprising how the amount of kit you already have seems to escalate! There is some really helpful advice here, though – thank you!

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