Ciudad Perdida (Lost City)

Tickets and tours: all the options

Independent visits are not allowed. Every trip is a guided trek sold by one of a small number of agencies licensed by the authorities in agreement with the indigenous communities, and the price is regulated, with little difference between operators. It includes transport from Santa Marta to the trailhead, the entrance fee, an indigenous or local guide, a cook, all meals, drinking water and beds or hammocks with mosquito nets in shared camps. Mules carry food, but you carry your own bag. Insurance and tips are usually extra.

The main choice is length. The classic route takes four days, two in and two out on much the same path. A five-day version shortens each stage and often adds a stop at an indigenous village, while a three-day option compresses the route into very long days. A few agencies offer an alternative trail from a different starting point, and some depart from Minca rather than Santa Marta. Group sizes vary, so ask how many people share the guide and whether an English-speaking translator joins the group.

For most people the four-day trek is the right choice. Pick five days if you are not a regular hiker or want time with the communities, and three only if you are very fit.

A short history

The Tairona built Teyuna around AD 800, some six centuries before Machu Picchu, as a political and craft centre in the Buritaca valley. Between 2,000 and 8,000 people may have lived on its terraces. The Tairona left in the 16th century after decades of trade and conflict with the Spanish. Kogi, Wiwa and Arhuaco communities, their descendants, kept the site secret, and the outside world learnt of it only in 1972, when treasure hunters found it and gold objects reached the black market. The Colombian Institute of Anthropology reached it in 1976 and restored it until 1982. Tourism stopped after a kidnapping of foreign trekkers in 2003 and resumed in 2005. The site is on Colombia's tentative UNESCO list.

Getting there

Santa Marta is the starting point. It has an airport with flights from Bogota, Medellin and other cities, and the beach suburb of El Rodadero and the old town both work as a base. Treks begin with a jeep transfer of two to three hours from Santa Marta, partly on unpaved road, to El Mamey, also called Machete Pelao, where lunch is served before the first afternoon on the trail. Some agencies pick up in Minca or Palomino. Leave large bags with your hotel or the agency office; most store them for trekkers. You return to Santa Marta in the late afternoon of the last day.

Rules and what to bring

Visits are only possible with a licensed guide, and the indigenous authorities can close sections without notice. Do not climb restricted terraces, move stones or take anything from the site. Bring light walking shoes or boots that can get wet, sandals for river crossings, a rain jacket, a torch, strong insect repellent, sun cream and spare dry clothes in plastic bags. Camps have showers and toilets and sell drinks and snacks, but cash only.

When to go

The trek runs all year except for a yearly closure of two to four weeks, set by the indigenous authorities for ceremonies and rest, recently in September or October. Rain is the main factor. The driest period is from about December to March, with firm trails and lower rivers, though this is also the busiest time, especially over Christmas, New Year and Easter. From April to June showers become more frequent, and October and November are usually the wettest months, when rivers can rise and the mud gets deep.

The heat is constant, with humid days around 30 degrees and cooler nights near the city. Groups set off early each morning to walk in the cooler hours and reach camp by early afternoon, before the usual afternoon storm. The visit to the terraces takes place on the morning of the third day, starting soon after dawn, which gives the best light and the fewest people. Allow at least one rest day in Santa Marta afterwards.