Colombia: The Lost City (La Cuidad Perdida)
Colombia: The Lost City (La Cuidad Perdida)
Imagine spending four days deep inside a remote, tropical jungle, away from the hustle and bustle of the cities. Add to the mix a diverse range of fauna and flora, rainfalls, fresh water rivers where you can swim to escape the heat all while being surrounded by majestic views of enormous mountains. Sounds invented right? Well, it’s not. But before your start dreaming of a relaxing getaway, put on your trekking boots.
The Lost City, known as Teyuna by the locals.
The Trek Up To The Lost City

How To Get There From Santa Marta
Tours leave from the town of Santa Marta, Colombia’s first colonized city, located on the Caribbean coast. Your tour company will take you to the starting point of the trek (two hours by car/4WD) but not before a delicious lunch to power you through the first day. This is included in the cost of the tour.How Much Does The Lost City Tour Cost

The Lost City is snuggled in among the hills of the Sierra Nevada in Colombia's north.
What’s included in the price

Yoga in The Lost Cit.
Accommodation In The Lost City Trek
On the trek you will stay in small camps that are set up with bunk beds protected by mosquito nets. If you wish, you can request to sleep in one of the hammocks (as some of the guides do) but these necessarily don’t have mosquito nets. Considering you are in the middle of the jungle, the beds are pretty comfortable and we managed to sleep well. However, some people reported being bitten by inspects while sleeping. All camps we stayed at had flushing toilets, running water and showers (cold). Only the first camp on our trek had electricity. Climate and seasons
Located in a tropical region, it’s hot and humid with wet/dry seasons. Dry season is from December to April.Lost City Tours Are In Spanish
It’s best to assume your tour will be in Spanish. Most of the time we noticed that there was someone in all of the groups that could speak both English and Spanish so they were able to translate for those who didn’t speak Spanish. Some guides speak some English but are not confident to deliver the tour in English.What To Pack For The Lost City Trek
You should be able to fit everything into a small-medium backpack depending on your packing abilities.- Camera (keep it handy throughout the trek)
- Trekking boots
- A pair of flip flops/sandals
- 4-6 each of underwear, pairs of socks and t-shirts
- One pair of shorts
- One pair of light trekking pants
- One long sleeve top
- Hat (a free cap was provided by our agency)
- Swimmers
- Torch
- Lightweight raincoat or plastic poncho (if you don´t have one, you will usually be provided with a garbage bag on the days it rains)
- Towel (ideally microfiber as they’re lightweight)
- Lots of repellent (and anti-itch cream as you’ll enviably be bitten anyway!) Repellent is especially important for the third day when you reach the top of the 1,200 steps as it’s full of mosquitoes.
- Toilet paper (1-2 rolls will get you through)
- 1-2 litres of water for the first day and/or a bottle or container to refill with water throughout the trek (purified water is provided throughout).
- Sunscreen
- Anti-gastro medication (just in case!)
- Any personal medication
Tips And Hints For The Lost City
- Pack light – You have to carry all of your belongings as you trek so you’ll be thankful for packing lightly!
- The heat – As it’s incredibly hot and humid, some people find this trek harder than some others treks they’ve completed in cooler temperatures.
- Payment – Some agencies/hostels say you can pay by credit/debit card but they may later ask for cash.
- Protection from water – Bring some kind of water proof bag/s to protect some of your valuables during river crossing and when it rains.
- Photos – Make sure you ask permission before taking photos of the indigenous peoples.
- Altitude – The Lost City itself is between 900-1300 meters above sea level so most people shouldn’t have any serious issues with altitude sickness during the trek.
- Storing your belongings – Ask your tour company or hostel to store your remaining luggage while you’re trekking. Note: some hostels will charge for this service.
What next in Colombia
This was an incredible highlight of our trip to Colombia but this country has so many more amazing places to visit. While you’re in the north of Colombia don’t forget to explore Santa Marta, Cartagena, Playa Blanca, Parque Tayrona, and the La Guajira peninsula.Jess Whiteman
Jess was born and raised in the Land Down Under (Australia) but is currently living in South America travelling, writing, blogging and teaching English. She has written an ebook titled ‘Santiago: Digital Nomads Guide’, which is available to buy from Amazon.com. Jess worked in marketing, public relations and online communications roles for eight years in Australia before moving overseas in 2015. As well as travel, she also loves coffee, global cuisine, dancing salsa, and speaking Spanish. Most of all she is passionate about sharing: experiences, insights and ideas (but probably not her piece of chocolate cake!).