Trek Colombia’s Mountains and Lost City

Our trek through Los Nevados National Park and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta to Tayuna (the Lost City) was an unforgettable experience. The stark contrast between the two regions offered a journey through vastly different terrains and challenges, each uniquely rewarding.

In Los Nevados, hiking at altitude was no small feat—physically demanding but deeply rewarding. The surreal beauty of the frailejones amidst the clouds was unforgettable. Our guides, Santi and Yessin, were exceptional, blending deep local knowledge with expertise in managing the altitude. Their support was invaluable. The fincas along the way were basic but welcoming; packing warm clothes and a book is highly recommended for downtime.

The hike to Tayuna presented a humid, mosquito-filled challenge, but was a beautiful hike. The lush jungle, cascading waterfalls, and rich historical significance kept us all engaged and excited. Marco and Gabo, our guides, were wonderful, with Gabo’s insights as a member of the Wiwa indigenous community adding immense depth to the experience. Meeting a Mamo at Tayuna was a rare and humbling highlight.

Throughout the trek, Dani, our lead guide, was the glue holding it all together. His enthusiasm, care, and ability to unite a group of strangers were remarkable. He ensured safety, fostered camaraderie, and made the entire journey feel special.

This trek was not just a physical journey but a cultural and emotional adventure. Highly recommended for those seeking adventure and knowledge.

Wonderful trip — adventurous, beautiful, and full of surprises. Colombia is stunning: lush green mountains, unique páramo landscapes, and the incredible Lost City (Teyuna), all brought to life by our brilliant guides Juan, Julia, Marco, and Gabo.

The itinerary splits into two parts. The first takes you through the páramo—a magical, high-altitude ecosystem with cloud forests and mossy ridgelines. The second, the trek to Teyuna, is challenging but nothing crazy. Reaching the Lost City after climbing the final 1,200 steps was unforgettable, surrounded by sweeping jungle views. The humidity in the second half is intense, so wicking clothes are a must, but you adjust quickly.

A real highlight for me personally was a torrential downpour on the way down from Teyuna—an unplanned scramble through rushing streams and waist-high river crossings. It was exhilarating and summed up the adventurous spirit of the trip.

Accommodation is basic in places—simpler than Nepal tea houses—but the ecolodge at the end was fantastic and a great place to unwind. If you can, add a couple of days at the beach near Tayrona National Park. It’s the perfect way to end the trip. Salento is a fun town to explore and the Salento brunch cafe is super.

As always with MBA, the group was brilliant, and the trip was flawlessly organised. Colombia is an amazing country, and this trek is a perfect way to experience its beauty and culture. Highly recommend!

I did not know exactly what to expect as this was my first trip of this kind, and it ended up being an experience of a lifetime! The trip was meticulously well organized, and our guides were nothing short of phenomenal - attentive, knowledgeable, and always prioritizing our safety. Special thanks go to our chef who made sure we had delicious and nutritious meals and snacks during the day. All dietary restrictions were catered to. I would travel with MBA again in a heartbeat!

Colombia is an incredible country and this was a great trip (though not the exact itinerary advertised) . The city tour of Medellin kicks things off beautifully before heading to wonderful Salento. The first hike is tough with the altitude but stunning and unique. The farm house stay is really basic but an experience - take layers, a head torch and a book for the evenings.

The travel to Santa Marta was long due to indirect flights meaning we only arrived in time for late dinner (2130) before setting off for the Lost City early the next day. It would have been great to have a little more time here.

The lost city trek is also pretty intense due to the heat and humidity of the jungle, but wow. What a place. The jungle camps are also a little basic but the teams on both treks kept us well fed and looked after. Even as a vegan, protein was included often which I find is often missed.

We had a truly great group with brilliant leaders. Juan is a legend. Definitely recommend if you’re ready to push your limits in terms of back to basics and tricky hiking conditions.

What an amazing adventure! I got to learn and experience so much! Both hikes were beautiful. All the guides had such great positive energy and had so much knowledge! Especially the lost city trek, and everything that came with it, has been so unique and special: learning about, and meeting, the native tribes while hiking in the beautiful Colombian jungle. Memories for life.

Fantastic hiking adventure in this biodiverse area. Laura and the guides looked after us all really well and I would very much recommend a trip to Colombia. I would suggest definitely arrive a day or two early to explore Medellín.

We had a true once in a lifetime experience in Colombia. It enabled us to see so much in a short space of time but in a way that never felt rushed. The hiking is intense, but very well paced, allowing time to enjoy nature and learn about the unique indigenous communities (directly from one of their members). The guides on both treks and Laura (who accompanied us throughout) were just incredible. So knowledgeable, passionate, patient and good fun. They absolutely made the trip.

Los Nevados is the most beautiful and interesting ecosystem I’ve ever experienced and the Tejuna (lost city) is fascinating. Be prepared to be sweaty but exhilarated! We would recommend extending your trip at either side of you can to adjust to the time zone/climate/altitude beforehand, rest a little afterwards, and have time to explore some of Colombia’s amazing cities too.

One tip is that you need to bring everything you’ll need for the humid, hot Tejuna (lost city) trek, but you can rent walking poles there and some of our list (waterproofs, walking poles etc) is available to borrow for the Los Nevados trek.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to see these incredible landscapes and learn about Colombian culture from insiders.

This was an amazing trip all round. Definitely challenging, with the contrast between the Andes and the jungle, but oh so worth it. Some of the most beautiful scenery I've seen, amazing people and places. The altitude and accommodation in the mountains, not going to lie, are a challenge, as are the heat and humidity in the jungle. But the group leader Dani was absolutely fantastic as were all the local guides, and I wouldn't have changed a single thing! The Lost City is truly magical and getting to learn about the indigenous culture was so special. If you're looking at this trip, honestly, just do it, you won't regret it!

A very memorable trip. Well orgainsed and great to visit some of the more unusual parts of Colombia. All the guides were excellent, so knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. Especially Dani, who looked after us from start to finish and encouraged me through some of the tougher parts.

Fantastic trip. Superb Guides who were professional, friendly and their knowledge of the areas were excellent. Particular thanks to Dani who went out of his way to make the trip memorable and that nothing was too much trouble for him. The different regions visited were varied and very interesting. The trekking was challenging but well worth the effort and very rewarding with a sense of achievement. Colombia definitely worth visiting and will recommend to friends.

An excellent trip with the most amazing scenery throughout. Our host (guide) Dani was beyond amazing and solved any problems we encountered along the way, all he wanted was for us to have a great time as a group and we did. An extra day in Medellin before the trip and a few days after the lost city would be worth adding on to the trip is my personal opinion. The hiking was tough at times but manageable for all and correctly categorised. The accommodation in the Cocora valley was not the best but as there were no other options it did the job. Overall an amazing trip that I would thoroughly recommend to anyone. (I best add we had wall to wall sunshine for the duration of the trip which probably helped).

Fabulous trip that shows you 2 very different parts of this gorgeous country! Challenging hikes, great food and lots of interesting things to learn about the history & the people. I highly recommend this trip! It’s hard to pick a favorite part, but I would have to say seeing the lost city was a real thrill!

I’m glad I arrived in Medellin 2 days early as it gave me a chance to explore that city and its rich history before settling off to the 2nd day of the trip to a new location.

Had a fantastic experience on this trip. Local guides were outstanding and seemed to really care about our experience. Overall coordination (with many moving parts) was all executed really well. The hikes were challenging, but not overly so. Enjoyed the contrast of the national park piece of the trip (high altitude & cold nights) vs. the Lost City trek (hot, humid jungle). Very interesting learning about the local tribes inhabiting the LC area and felt more culturally immersed in this trip vs. some of the other itineraries I've done. Overall was a great trip!

Fantastic trip in almost all regards. Our guides Laura and Juan, as well as the individual trek guides were incredible thoughout. Both treking parts of the trip were challenging, but enjoyable - accomodation and food were basic but comfortable, the scenery and wildlife spectacular and the group had an amazing time exploring it all together.

The logistics of getting everyone around were well managed and almost everything went to plan - where it didn't the guides adapted quickly and sometimes we got some extra bonus adventures that we weren't expecting!

Overall, I would highly recommend this trip as an introduction to the beauty and fantastic people of Colombia - you won't regret it.

I would recommend this trip to anyone who is fit & resilient to enjoy the two challenging treks. The trip was absolutely incredible, with so many different environments and experiences. I want to go back to Colombia immediately!

Good trip

Fantastic trip

A trip with everything! I loved this trip because the itinerary was so varied, cities, mountains, jungle, lost city, river swims and beaches. You really get a taste of everything Columbia has to offer. But don’t underestimate Los Navados, it’s beautiful but the challenge is on! As there is no time to acclimatise, it’s a short high hike for the 3 days. The local guides were great, Danny really is your best friend in Columbia and I felt in great hands from the moment we arrived. The lost city was incredible and we were so lucky to learn so much around the place and the indigenous tribes that live there. A real privilege.

Simon and his team were fantastic and made for an exceptional trip. From stunning sceneries to heritage and culture, I would absolutely go on this trip again. High recommend.

Colombia is a beautiful country with different landscapes, which this trek is united. Amazing experience. Great host. Simon and Laura were very supportive and helpful, were always there for us. Local guides on both treks helped to get the maximum of a great experience. It was a bit surprise for me, that Lost City trek was also very educatable, and not just a walk till the point. You can easily do it in 3 days, but 4 days trek was enjoyable, with breaks such as saving and refreshing swims in the river. Mountains trek was pretty challenging due to attitude and plenty of distance to cover, but it was great even with rain and mud. In the rain forest trekking was slightly easier.

Thank you to Simon, Laura and everyone at Kagumu for a brilliant trip. We were so well looked after from start to finish and packed in loads of walking and adventure. The local guides were excellent and taught us loads about the local cultures. Hosts took care of everything and I love their sustainable ethos. The two different treks showed off how beautiful and diverse Colombia is. I highly recommend this trip!

A life-time experience. So good that my girlfriend and I got engaged whilst we were out there! Far from just a beautiful hike; a chance to explore and really delve deep into a gorgeously rich and diverse country through cities, peoples, ecosystems and history, culminating in the discovery of a magnificent ancient city and civilization as fascinating as the Incas and the Mayas. Your hosts and guides are extremely knowledgeable, some of them scientists and experts in their fields, and even a couple of indigenous guides no less! They are genuinely lovely and supportive as are the people we met on the trip. The whole trip is very well thought through and executed.

Two fantastic trekking tours and great experience of Colombian culture. A great organisation from start to finish.

I loved every minute of this adventure! I very much appreciated the emphasis on responsible and sustainable travel and the inclusion of native guides from whom we had the chance to learn about the country’s history and culture. Every detail was handled, leaving us nothing to worry about, including plenty of vegan options at every meal. We packed so much into our time together...this is definitely a trip I’ll never forget!

Incredible from start to finish. Brilliantly organised, with very knowledgeable local guides. Trekking through amazing surroundings with stunning vistas while also learning about indigenous cultures as well as the local flora and fauna. Could not recommend this trip more highly - huge thanks to Simon and Laura for organising and looking after us all!

Brilliant trip. First half quite tough as getting to a high altitude quite quickly so you have to be fit but definitely worth doing. Columbia is amazing and never felt unsafe. Lost City trek the highlight. Highly recommend.