Colombia (Lonely Planet, 5th Edition) - Jens Porup [143]
The price for the tour includes transport, food, accommodations (hammocks with mosquito nets and mattresses on some nights), porters, non-English speaking guides and all necessary permits. Take a flashlight, water container, insect repellent, sunscreen, long pants, two pairs of shoes (strap sandals work best for river crossings) and water purifying pills (depending on which agency you go with). Be wary of snakes, stinging caterpillars, wasps and other things that go bump in the night.
Tours are in groups of four to 12 people, and depart year-round as soon as a group is assembled. In the high season, expect a tour to set off every day. In the low season, every few days between the four agencies (the three new ones will consolidate together depending on group sizes). Helicopter tours, a very expensive option in the past, have been discontinued.
The trip takes three days uphill to Ciudad Perdida, 1½ days at the site and two days back down, covering some 40km return. It is a challenging hike (each day covers five to eight kilometers), but not mercilessly so. There are significant climbs on days one, three and five, all of which can be brutal in the scorching jungle heat. When the sun isn’t blazing, it’s likely to be muddy, trading a forehead of beading sweat for loose traction and a mud-soaked mess (the driest period is from late December to February or early March). On day three, you will cross the Río Buritaca up to waist-deep nine times; after the last crossing you will encounter Ciudad Perdida’s mystical, moss-strewn rock steps – 1260 in total – that lead to the site. Along the way, the food is surprisingly good and the accommodations, often riverside where you can cool off in natural swimming pools, are better than expected. The scenery is nothing short of astonishing.
Worth it? Most definitely. But keep in mind that this is a trek that is more about the journey than the destination – don’t expect the world’s greatest archeological ruins or to wind up in the ‘Machu Picchu of Colombia’ as Ciudad Perdida is often called, though the site itself is quite fascinating and you will likely only be sharing it with your group for least half a day in the low season. You will also encounter and interact with Kogi people along the way and the Colombian Army at the site – bring along some things you think 18-year-old boys might miss being stuck in the jungle for six months, and some may let you trade them for their army gear! Best try not to get caught with your army souvenirs by authorities further down the track though.
Guias y Baquianos Tours (Map; 5 431 9667 in Santa Marta; guiasbaquianostour@yahoo.es; Calle 10C No 1C-59, Santa Marta; 8am-noon & 2-6pm Mon-Sat), located inside Hotel Miramar, was the original agency to offer treks to Ciudad Perdida, but was shut out from 1997 by paramilitaries.
For what it’s worth, Magic Tours (Map; 5 421 9429 in Santa Marta; magictour186@yahoo.com; Calle 14 No 1B-50, Taganga; 8am-6pm) was the only agency that answered our emails, and is generally considered be the most professional and respectful of the environment. It’s a family-run business that works closely with the Kogi along the route (an interview and photos with a chief, known as the mamá, are not uncommon). The food is excellent, coffee is served with Starbucks-like frequency, and many of the guides are from the mountains (not Santa Marta).
The German-owned Sierra Tours (Map; 5 421 9401 in Santa Marta; www.sierratours-trekking.com; Calle 17 No 1-18, Taganga) is also more professional than most and has come to be a favorite with Israelis. It also offers additional treks in the Sierra Nevadas (Don Diego, for instance). In high season, it also has an office in Santa Marta at Calle 10C No 2-04 (Map).
Turcol (Map; 5 421 2256 in Santa Marta; www.buritaca2000.com; Carrera 1C No 20-15, Santa Marta) has the most experience and the most money, due to its monopoly on the route since the late ’90s. It offers new mosquito nets, decent grub, purified water and its own housing on some nights