Highlights
- Stroll Cartagena's ramparts and visit colonial landmarks
- Walk in the footsteps of the Tairona as you trek to the Lost City
- Relax on white-sand beaches and go snorkeling in Tayrona Park
- Zip across the Caribbean on a memorable sailboat ride
- Explore the epic coastal dunes of the Guajira Peninsula
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Cartagena, Self-Guided Tour | Cartagena |
| Day 2 | Explore Cartagena: History, Castles & Beaches | Cartagena |
| Day 3 | Day Trip to the Rosario Islands | Cartagena |
| Day 4 | Transfer to Santa Marta | Santa Marta |
| Day 5 | The Lost City Trek (Day 1) | Lost City Trail |
| Day 6 | The Lost City Trek (Day 2) | Lost City Trail |
| Day 7 | The Lost City Trek (Day 3) | Lost City Trail |
| Day 8 | The Lost City Trek (Day 4) | Lost City Trail |
| Day 9 | Transfer to Tayrona National Park, Optional Activities | Tayrona Park |
| Day 10 | Transfer to La Guajira & Cabo de la Vela | Cabo de la Vela |
| Day 11 | Cabo de la Vela Free Day & Wayúu Culture | Cabo de la Vela |
| Day 12 | Transfer to Punta Gallinas & Taroa Dunes | Punta Gallinas |
| Day 13 | Transfer to Santa Marta, Sailboat Tour | Santa Marta |
| Day 14 | Depart Santa Marta |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Cartagena, Self-Guided Tour
Welcome to Colombia! This two-week adventure focuses on the northern Caribbean region, a stunning area of diverse topography ranging from white-sand beaches to desert peninsulas. You'll arrive in the region's star: Cartagena. Famous for its colorful colonial buildings, cobbled streets, ancient ramparts, and bougainvillea-draped balconies, it's the most well-preserved fortress city in the Americas.
A driver will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your hotel in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town. Also known as the "Walled City" due to the network of stone ramparts surrounding it, this area is home to Cartagena's most historic buildings. After check-in, you can head out and explore this perfectly walkable area on foot.
You'll want to visit the colonial neighborhoods of San Diego and Santo Domingo while stopping at key sites like Plaza de la Aduana, Parque Bolívar, and Plaza de Santa Teresa. Don't miss Convento Santo Domingo, which dates to 1552 and is the oldest church in the city. Then venture outside the walls to Getsemaní, a bohemian neighborhood filled with street art, boutique hotels, and street food vendors. Finish the day with mojitos and fresh ceviche in one of the city's hip restaurants or rooftop bars.
Day 2: Explore Cartagena: History, Castles & Beaches
Today is yours to enjoy Cartagena however you like. There are numerous activities and excursions in the area that celebrate the highlights of both the city and the surrounding Caribbean region. Whether you opt for a city tour, a visit to natural mud baths, lazing on white-sand beaches, or enjoying a sunset sail with a glass of bubbly, there are adventures to suit every taste.
If you like, start with an official tour of Cartagena's Walled City led by a local insider. With your English-speaking guide, you'll delve deeper into South America's greatest fortress city by visiting famous sites like the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. This massive fortress was built by the Spanish in 1536 on San Lázaro Hill to protect Cartagena from pirate attacks. In the evening, stroll one of the Walled City's many plazas and watch as the streets come alive with theatrical performers and musicians.
Day 3: Day Trip to the Rosario Islands
Rise and shine! A driver will meet you at the hotel bright and early for the transfer to Cartagena's pier. There, you'll board a speedboat water taxi and ride it 45 minutes to the Islas Rosario (Rosario Islands), an offshore archipelago. Along the way, you'll be treated to natural and historic scenery, like Isla Tierra Bomba and Fuerte Boca Chica. The latter is an 18th-century fort built by the Spanish that once protected Cartagena's harbor.
Upon arrival at Rosario, change into your swimwear and make a beeline to Playa Azul, a white-sand beach fronting the turquoise Caribbean Sea. After lunch, you'll have more time to relax, sunbathe, or take a kayak ride, before returning to Cartagena in the late afternoon. At the pier, a car will pick you up for the ride back to your hotel.
Day 4: Transfer to Santa Marta
After breakfast, you'll check out of your hotel and meet a driver for a scenic ride up the Colombian coast. After about four hours (with stops along the way for snacks and to stretch your legs), you'll arrive in Santa Marta, the capital of the country's Magdalena department.
Founded in 1525, Santa Marta is the oldest city in Colombia, and many famous colonial-era landmarks, like its 16th-century Cathedral, remain today. Santa Marta is also the main hub for excursions into Tayrona National Park and the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the latter of which is where you're headed tomorrow. Once in town, your driver will drop you off at your hotel and you'll have the rest of the day free to hit the beach or rest up for tomorrow's hiking adventures.
Day 5: The Lost City Trek (Day 1)
Located south of Tayrona National Park, deep in the Sierra Nevadas, lies what is undoubtedly the most impressive archaeological site in the region: Ciudad Perdida (The Lost City). This ancient complex represents the former center of the Tairona civilization, whose descendants still live in the region today. The site comprises more than 250 terraces and dates to around 700 CE, meaning it predates the Inca Machu Picchu by about 800 years. Also in the area are Indigenous villages where tribespeople still reside.
Your journey to this marvel of ancient history begins with a transfer by vehicle from your hotel in Santa Marta to the trailhead in the mountain. After a break for lunch, you and your English-speaking guide will hike about four hours to the first base camp. There will be short breaks along the way to snap photos and even swim in a waterfall. You'll overnight here in shared accommodation (beds, tents, or hammocks).
Day 6: The Lost City Trek (Day 2)
Enjoy an early camp breakfast, then leave on the second leg of the hike, which, like yesterday, takes about four hours to complete. You'll trek through the Buritaca Valley to the Indigenous village of Mutanyi, home to more than 3,000 residents. They're all descendants of the Tairona people and belong to the Arhuaco, Kogui, Wiwa, and Kakuamo communities that inhabit the area. While here, you'll meet a local family, who will lead you on a few activities.
After lunch, take a refreshing dip in the Río Buritaca, then enjoy a leisurely cup of local coffee amid the gorgeous mountain scenery. Throughout the afternoon, you can continue spending time with villagers until it's time for dinner. Then you'll grab a hammock and overnight in a camp near the village.
Day 7: The Lost City Trek (Day 3)
Eat a hearty breakfast, because this morning you're off on a longer hike—about six hours total. Today's route will take you deeper into the Buritaca Valley, where you'll be treated to more breathtaking views of the Sierra Nevadas. Continue on trails forged by ancient Indigenous residents to Camp Mamo. Once here, enjoy a well-deserved lunch followed by time to relax and take a dip in the river, which is near to a waterfall. Dinner will be served at Mamo's farm, and you'll overnight in hammocks.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 8: The Lost City Trek (Day 4)
They've saved the best (and most demanding) hike for last. Embark early on a final seven-hour push to Ciudad Perdida, the legendary Lost City. Upon arrival, you'll ascend 1,200 steps to witness ancient terraces that, until 1975, had been absorbed by the surrounding forest. The panoramic views here look out not only to Ciudad Perdida but over the surrounding forests as well.
You'll have time to explore the terraces, ceremonial centers, and other landmarks at the site, plus swim in a nearby waterfall. After lunch, continue on an easy trail to your camp, stopping occasionally for dips in river pools. When you reach camp, enjoy dinner, then retire to your hammock.
Day 9: Transfer to Tayrona National Park, Optional Activities
This morning, you'll transfer by vehicle to the nearby Tayrona National Park. One of the natural highlights of the entire country, this 1,614 square mile (150 sq m) region protects the unspoiled coast, mountains, and archaeological sites in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta region. The park is overseen by descendants of the Tairona people, who have lived here since at least the first century CE.
Upon arrival, you'll transfer to your accommodation and will have the rest of the day to enjoy this unspoiled paradise. If you're all hiked out, you can spend time relaxing on one of the park's spectacular beaches, like Cabo San Juan, Arrecifes, and Bahia Concha. Other organized activities include snorkeling, boating, hiking, and wildlife spotting—keep an eye out for monkeys, toucans, iguanas, and more.
Day 10: Transfer to La Guajira & Cabo de la Vela
Leave in the morning on a 4WD adventure up the Caribbean coast to the arid dunes of the La Guajira peninsula. The journey will take you from Tayrona northeast through the coastal city of Riohacha to the remote outpost of Cabo de La Vela. What this windswept stretch of coastal desert lacks in infrastructure, it more than makes up for in natural beauty. Its strong offshore winds also make it a haven for kitesurfing.
On the way, you'll stop to stretch your legs in Uribia, located about 1.5 hours from Riohacha. This town is populated mainly by the Indigenous Wayúu people, who are the ancestral inhabitants of the Guajira region. Continue driving about 20 minutes to the coastal town of Manaure, which is famous for its salt flats. Accompanied by a community leader, you'll get to tour the ponds where salt is extracted.
Upon arrival to Cabo de la Vela, you'll drop off your things at your accommodation. It boasts a wealth of Indigenous-style accommodations (beachside huts and hammocks) with generator electricity and very few phone lines, so it's a great place to unplug and unwind. To wit, you'll have the rest of the day free to relax on the beach.
Day 11: Cabo de la Vela Free Day & Wayúu Culture
Today, you can relax on the beaches of Cabo de la Vela. If you like, take advantage of the coastal winds and give kitesurfing a try. If you're eager for more Wayúu culture, you can return to Uribia and visit a weaving co-op comprised of female Wayuú artisans who make mochillas (bags) and chinchorros (hammocks). You can also learn more about these people's rich history at the Wayúu Cultural Center.
Day 12: Transfer to Punta Gallinas & Taroa Dunes
Wake up early for the two-hour drive to the tip of the La Guajira peninsula and the Taroa Dunes. This is one of the most scenic areas in the region, as these smooth coastal dunes roll down until they merge seamlessly with the Caribbean Sea. After enjoying lunch at a local farm, you'll head up to Punta Gallinas, the northernmost point in South America.
The area is marked by the northernmost lighthouse on the continent—Faro de Punta Gallinas—which stands 59 feet (18 m). You can spend the remainder of the day wandering the shore, swimming, and then watching the sunset from the lighthouse. Like the night before, you'll sleep in beachside hammocks with limited electricity, so enjoy the peaceful surroundings!
Day 13: Transfer to Santa Marta, Sailboat Tour
It's another early start as you hop back in the 4WD for the full-day transfer back across the coast to Santa Marta. Arriving in the early afternoon, you'll leave the car behind and hop aboard a sailboat for a leisurely ride on the Caribbean. The ship will pass scenic coastal landscapes, like hidden coves and secluded bays. There will also be time for activities like kayaking, snorkeling, and diving around coral reefs amid tropical fish. Back on land, you'll transfer to your hotel.
Day 14: Depart Santa Marta
It's time to say a fond farewell to Colombia. Enjoy your last morning in Santa Marta with a leisurely breakfast followed by a stroll on the waterfront. At the arranged time, meet your driver at the hotel for the transfer to the airport, where you'll catch your flight home—or on to the next adventure!
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