Los Nevados, Tayrona Beaches and the Lost City

Welcome to Bogota, the capital of Colombia! Transfer from the airport to your first hotel and prepare to start your amazing tour.

Spend today on a private walking tour of Bogota’s historic district. Here in the heart of the charming La Candelaria, as the colonial area is called, you can visit Plaza Bolivar and the renowned gold museum. You’ll also ride a cable car to the Monserrate Sanctuary (3,152 m/10,341’), where you will find a spectacular view of the city. You can also choose to visit the museum dedicated to Botero, a famous Colombian artist.

Transfer from your hotel to the airport after breakfast for a one-hour domestic flight to Pereira. Transfer from the airport in Pereira to the trailhead, with a chance to stop along the way to shop for snacks or any last-minute needs. Drive for about 2 hours into the mountains along the Otun River. Pass La Florida and La Suiza rural areas, then begin your trek at the El Cedral trailhead (2,105 m/6,906’). Climb this lovely trail for about 2.5 to 3 hours to reach La Pastora refuge (2,460 m/8,071’). Spend the night tent camping here in the cloud rain forest.

Today you’ll notice that the hiking turns steeper. Hike for about 2.5 hours to reach the well-known El Jordan farm. Stop to enjoy this idyllic location, surrounded by volcanic hills with lovely waterfalls and dense green vegetation. As you continue hiking from here, the forest begins to open as the landscape changes to a paramo ecosystem above the tree line. The final stretch of trail today is very steep, leading up to the El Agrado ridge. Here in this beautiful and remote area you’ll find the Berlin farm (3,848 m/12,625’), where you will camp for the night.

Begin today’s hike on an old trail that climbs up through the El Agrado river valley and over La Amargura Pass (4,220 m/13,845’). Cross the border here from the state of Risaralda into Quindio. Here you have the option to extend the hike up to the summit of Pico Chispas (4,378 m/14,364’) before rejoining the original trail.

After crossing La Amargura Pass, descend steeply down through the Quebrada Cardenas Valley. Cross the Quindio River (3,804 m/12,480’) then ascend along the muddy trail to La Linea Pass (4,019 m/13,186’). This pass marks the border between the state of Quindio and the state of Tolima. Stop here to appreciate the wonderful view of Paramillo del Quindio (4,745 m/15,568’), which is the tallest peak in Quindio. You can also see the beautiful Nevado del Tolima in the distance. From La Linea Pass, the trail descends gently to La Primavera/La Playa, the farm where you will camp for the night. Sample a local beverage called Agua e Panela, which is a hot drink made with raw sugar.

Today is the last day of the Los Nevados trek. After breakfast, return to La Linea Pass (4,019 m/13,186’) and descend again back to the Quindio River (3,804 m/12,480’). Cross the river, then a short uphill stretch of trail brings you to an abandoned farm called Buenos Aires. Continue hiking for about an hour and you’ll see a farm called La Argentina. Descend through the rainforest, surrounded by incredible landscapes, the end your hike with a semi-circular climb up to the Cocora Valley (2,425 m/7,956’). Meet your transport here in this beautiful valley full of wax palms, which is the national tree of Colombia. Ride for about 25 minutes in an old traditional Willys Jeep, which has come to symbolize the culture of the coffee region, to reach the town of Salento (1,919 m/6,296’). Settle into your hotel in the colonial area of Salento and enjoy some fantastic local coffee.

Enjoy a relaxing morning to rest and recover from your trekking tour, then take a guided tour of a local coffee farm. Your tour will demonstrate the traditional process of producing coffee, beginning from planting seeds and ending with the product that is sold or exported. You’ll also participate in an educational coffee tasting, learning about the different qualities and varieties of coffee produced here. Stop for lunch at a local restaurant (not included) then explore this peaceful town on your own. You may enjoy browsing and shopping for local handicrafts and other locally produced products. If you would prefer to be active, you can choose to take a guided botanical tour of La Kasa or try a horseback riding or mountain biking tour in the area.

After breakfast, take a one-hour drive to Armenia Airport. Fly from here to Riohacha, connecting through Bogota, which takes about 3 hours. Check in to your hotel and spend the afternoon exploring Riohacha’s seaside promenade. Here you can observe Wayuu Indians as they work on their handicrafts and watch the stunning Caribbean sunset.

Drive today from Riohacha to Punta Gallinas. This unique location is the northernmost point of South America and is home to some of the Caribbean coast’s most spectacular beaches. Punta Gallinas (or “Chicken Point”) originally had a lighthouse, but today this lies in ruin. The road trip to get here is quite an experience. Begin with a good-quality road until you reach the 4-way intersection Cuatro Caminos. Follow the main road north, and in the distance, you’ll see Uribia, which is the native Wayuu capital and is also referred to as the Indigenous Capital of Colombia. Drive for another 1.5 hours to reach the desert area known as Colombia’s Outback. Here in this wild landscape, your route follows 4-wheel drive tracks. As you can imagine, daily life is difficult for the indigenous families who live in this region. Pass two bays, the Bahia Hondita and the Bahia Honda, where you’ll see lovely views and surprisingly colorful sandy beaches. After driving for 2 hours through the Colombian Outback, you’ll reach the sand dunes of Taroa. Don’t miss the sunset in this incredible place where the yellow dunes meet the deep blue sea. Near the ruins at Punta Gallinas, enjoy a lovely beach in a remote region where you are unlikely to encounter many other people. Spend the night experiencing the local Wayuu culture by staying in a rustic lodge that is like a local home.

Spend the morning enjoying the beautiful Punta Aguja beach. From here, you can choose to take a boat to Hondita Bay to see the pink flamingos that live there. (The boat tour is an additional expense and can be ordered a day in advance.) Leave Punta Gallina after lunch, crossing the deserts of La Alta Guajira. When you reach the railroad for the Cerrejon coal mine, you’ll turn onto the road that leads to Cabo la Vela. This area is less deserted than the northern area you have just left. You’ll also pass one of Colombia’s only windmill parks. The drive from Punta Gallinas to Cabo la Vela takes approximately 2-3 hours. Cabo la Vela is on the Guajira peninsula’s western coast and offers fantastic beaches that are rarely crowded. This is a great location for exploring bays or desert trails, for sampling local cuisine and for experiencing cultural traditions. Watch the Wayuu fisherman at work or try kite surfing (course and gear rental for an additional fee). End the day watching the sunset from the lighthouse, then spend the night in a rustic lodge.

Start the day by visiting the famously beautiful beaches of Pilon de Azucar or the Ojo del Agua. There is plenty of time to enjoy the stunning landscapes and the refreshing water before eating a nice lunch locally, then beginning the drive back to Riohacha. If conditions are dry, you’ll drive through the desert and across a salt flat, then follow the railroad back to the intersection at Cuatro Caminos. Another 1.5-2 hours brings you to Riohacha. Continue down the Troncal del Caribe highway, crossing the southern Guajira, and entering the state of Magdalena. You’ll enter Tayrona National Park and come to your lodge about 2 hours after crossing the Magdalena border. The rest of the day is free to explore the lodge and its incredible grounds.

Get an early start from the Eco Hotel Yachay and make your way to the trailhead for the tourist trail. The trailhead is about 3 km from the lodge, so you can either choose to walk (which takes approximately 1 hour) or take a public bus. From the trailhead, an hour of light hiking brings you to the iconic Arrecife area. Follow the well-marked trail, which begins in the tropical rainforest and ends at a fantastic Caribbean beach. This area boasts some of Colombia’s most beautiful beaches and the foothills of the world’s tallest coastal mountain range, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Enjoy a lunch of traditional fish from a local eatery, then take a refreshing dip in the warm Caribbean waters before choosing one of two trails that lead back to the trailhead.

Leave the Eco Hotel Yachay in the morning and travel by 4-wheel drive vehicles, following the coast to the northeast. After about 1-1.5 hours, the paved road ends and the off-road adventure begins. About an hour after you leave the paved road, you’ll see the El Mamey, or Machete Pelado, village (150 m/492’). Eat lunch here and then begin your hike to the Lost City (La Ciudad Perdida). There is little protection from the elements on today’s hike so be sure to pack plenty of water and dress appropriately to the weather. Tropical fruit will be available along your hike to help keep your energy up. Take the trail along the Quebrada del Alto Mamey River, which is a pleasant one-hour walk before the path climbs steeply up to the El Mirador Pass (640 m/2,100’). Pause here to enjoy the wonderful view overlooking the town of Mamey and the Buritaca River. Descend again for 1.5 hours to the Donde Adan Lodge, which awaits you in a beautiful location beside the Quebrada Honduras River. Take a refreshing swim in the natural pool by the lodge after a day of hiking. Spend the night in a hammock at the lodge.

Eat breakfast early to have time for a long but rewarding day. Your trek begins with a gentle ascent on a well-marked trail up to the Mumake Pass (680 m/2,231’). Along the way, you’ll cross into the protected land ruled by the Kogi indigenous tribe. Wiwa Indians also settle in parts of these valleys and run some of the hikers’ lodges. You’ll notice how the landscape changes from farmland to a more natural and well-preserved wilderness. After crossing the Mumake Pass, descend quickly to the Buritaca River (430 m/1,411’), where you can get a glimpse of the Kogi way of life at their Montangi settlement. Hike for about an hour, then cross a hanging bridge over the river and begin the ascent to the Koskunguena Pass (824 m/2,703’). Once over the pass, you’ll descend again to the Buritaca River (743 m/2,438’) and cross the river one last time. Follow the river to El Paraiso lodge (870 m/2,854’), where you can swim in the river before spending the night sleeping in hammocks.

Hit the trail very early in the morning, following the right bank of the Buritaca River for a short distance, then crossing to the other side. Here you’ll see the ancient stairs that climb steeply up to the Lost City of the Tayrona (1,175 m/3,855’). Climbing these steps is like traveling back in time as you approach this fascinating archaeological site. The original name of the city was Teyuna, and it is all that has been discovered of the lost Tayrona civilization. You’ll spend 4 hours touring the area and learning about the culture and architecture of the city. It is believed that the Kogi people descended from the Tayrona people, and you may also be able to visit the home of a Kogi Mamo, or shaman.

After your tour, return to El Paraiso lodge for lunch, then follow the same trail back toward the Mumake Pass. At the foot of the pass, spend the night at the Mumake Lodge (389 m/1,276’).

Complete your Lost City trek today. Begin by hiking up to the Mumake Pass (680 m/2,231’) immediately after leaving the Mumake Lodge. After crossing the pass, you will descend again to the Quebrada Honduras River before climbing once again up to El Mirador Pass (640 m/2,100’). Continue walking to reach the end of the trail in the town of El Mamey (150 m/492’). Eat lunch here in town, then drive for about 2-2.5 hours to reach your hotel in Santa Marta.

Leave Santa Marta today, driving the Caribbean Highway (Troncal del Caribe) to the city of Cartagena. You’ll pass the city of Barranquilla as well as the impressive Salamanca National Park. When you arrive in Cartagena, you’ll check in to your hotel in the historic district, then explore your surroundings with a private guided walking tour. You’ll learn more about the history and architecture as you visit many beautiful places in the old town. As the sun sets and darkness falls, enjoy the romantic lights of Cartagena by night.

Continue touring Cartagena today. Visit two famous remnants of the Spanish colonial period: The San Felipe Fortress and the Popa Monastery. From the monastery you can see a fantastic view overlooking the city. You can also explore the Bazurto marketplace, a popular place for local people to trade fish, fruits, and vegetables. The beautiful city of Cartagena was founded in 1533 and it was Spain’s most important Caribbean port during the colonial period. After your tour, you have free time to explore on your own, go shopping, or get a drink at the old fortress. Find some place special to watch the sun set on your last full day in Colombia.

Sadly, your epic Colombia Off-Road Tour has reached its end. Leaving Cartagena, a one-hour flight takes you to Bogota Airport. Have a pleasant journey!