Colombia · SANTA MARTA TOURS
Santa Marta is a base, not a destination: Tayrona to the east, Minca in the hills, the Lost City trail behind. These 15 sort out which fit a day and which need four, with prices and honest notes on the early starts.
A tough 4-day trek from Santa Marta to Ciudad Perdida with jungle rivers, hammocks, expert guides, and meals included for $580.
“It was a really well organized trip by expotur. The guides had a lot of knowledge about the history of la ciudad perdida.”
Hike to Colombia’s Lost City from Santa Marta. Small group, English translation, home-style camps, and meaningful support for local communities.
“This was one of the most stunning and informational trips I have been on in a long time. The experience started off with a warm welcome at the Tour office with coffee and fruit while we met the other hikers in our group. Although the trail was slick and tough because of weather at certain points, it was very rewarding each night, arriving in camp to a delicious warm meal. I have dietary restrictions that I was worried about but at no point was that an issue I felt very well taken care of in that regard. Each night we would come together as a group and listen to the…”
Sail from Santa Marta to Tayrona’s Bahía Concha with a small bilingual crew, grilled fish lunch, snorkeling gear, and paddleboards.
“The crew was nice but no one spoke English. I received message on Whatsapp at 9pm the night before saying we were changing from a sail boat to a catamaran and we were leaving at 9h instead of 10h30. The food was good. We were only 8 people so that was nice. Snorkeling was not good way too much waves. The beach Palmata was horrible. Brown water with lots of débris floating.”
Sail to Tayrona Park from Santa Marta by boat, relax at Bahia Concha with snorkel and SUP, and enjoy included lunch and sunset.
“Sonata is a beautiful boat and the beach in Tayrona NP was stunning. Lunch was delicious and the crew worked hard to make it special for us.”
A 4-day small-group trek from Santa Marta into Sierra Nevada, reaching Ciudad Perdida via jungle swims and 1,200 steps.
“I had such a lovely experience on this hike! One of my favorite things that I've done so far while traveling around South America. The hike is challenging, but so worth it. The company was responsive, very helpful with my dietary needs and my guide Miguel was wonderful. Couldn't recommend this more!”
Hike Minca jungle to a coffee farm and Lost Waterfall, then enjoy lunch, a cocoa workshop, and a cacao museum stop from Santa Marta.
“Fun tour with Ronaldo through the forest to visit a waterfall, coffee farm and learn about the nature in Colombia. Highly recommend as a good way to learn about Minca!”
Full-day Minca tour from Santa Marta with jungle waterfalls, coffee and cocoa tastings, and a bamboo lodge lunch.
“This was such a good tour to spend a full day in Minca. We hiked to a coffee farm, saw some fantastic nature along the way. Then hiked to a waterfall and had the option to jump in. Afterwards, we traveled on foot again to a cocoa farm. There we had a lovely lunch, learned about the animals in the area and got to make some chocolate. Best hot chocolate I've ever had. We really enjoyed how passionate our tour guide was about the land and nature. I would warn that some of the hike is a bit strenuous so just be prepared!”
Eco hike in Minca from Santa Marta: coffee tour, waterfall time, lunch, and a hands-on cacao chocolate bar workshop.
“Mario was such an amazing tour guide! Could not recommend thus your more, just make sure to wear your mosquito repellent!”
4-day trek from Santa Marta to Ciudad Perdida through jungle camps, river valleys, and 1,200 steps, with meals and small-group guidance.
“It was the best trip of my whole trip! Great organization! Would really recommend especially this company. The guides were very knowledgable, the food was great and the atmosphere was amazing!!”
Guided Tayrona Park day from Santa Marta with forest hike, warm beach swim at Cabo San Juan, and a viewpoint stop.
“O local em si é incrível, visitar o parque Tayrona definitivamente é uma obrigação para todos que vierem a Santa Marta. Praias sensacionais, uma biodiversidade única e, apesar de um pouco desafiador, uma ótima trilha ecológica. Entretanto, o serviço em si não foi dos melhores. O ônibus era muito pequeno e estava com todos os assentos ocupados. Pessoas um pouco maiores (como meu caso e de vários outros passageiros) estavam totalmente espremidos entre os bancos, sem nenhum espaço pras pernas e colado no passageiro ao lado. O grupo contava com 2 guias. O guia que nos acompanhou desde o começo (Luiz) não era dos melhores comunicadores, frequentemente nos deixando meio…”
Bike through Santa Marta’s historic center in 2 hours, ending at sunset. Small group, free stops, and an English-speaking guide.
“Great way to see around Santa Marta. The sunset was beautiful! Our tour guide was very informant spoke English well!”
Guided 2-day motorcycle ride from Santa Marta to Palomino and Tayrona, with meals, lodging, river tubing, and off-road trail riding for $359.
“Amazing bike tour by the caribbean coast! One of the greatest experiences i have had in Colombia. The tour guide was a great guy with a lot of knowledge about the region. What a blast!”
Sail from Santa Marta to Bahia Concha in Tayrona Park with snorkel and SUP, one beer, and a grilled fish lunch.
“We had an awesome experience on the sailboat trip. From the beginning Ana made sure we were accounted for and in the right group. The staff on the boat made sure we were well hydrated, or lunch orders were prepared, and everything taken care of. The beach was beautiful with light waves and easy to swim around, paddle board, and sunbathe. The trees have great coverage as well and having chairs on the boat and on the beach was a big plus. And traveling with a smaller group was ideal. I would recommend this for anyone with families and like groups under 25.”
A full-day Santa Marta to Minca hike with coffee and cocoa tasting, a river swim, and lunch in the Sierra Nevada. Great guide.
“Well worth it. Our guide was informative and did a great job. A lot of walking, some steep inclines and declines but worth it. Met some nice fellow travelers.”
Classic sailboat sunset cruise in Santa Marta, sailing to Taganga Bay with 2 drinks included and big color-filled sky photo moments.
“O pôr-do-sol visto de dentro do mar é muito bonito e especial. Ficamos muito felizes por ter tido essa experiência. A equipe do veleiro é atenciosa e gentil, durante todo o passeio estiveram preocupados com as pessoas abordo e o bem-estar de todos. É uma experiência interessante, mas para quem tem medo de barco ou passa mal durante travessias eu não recomendo. Venta bastante e o veleiro fica instável, gerando movimentos contínuos para os lados, as vezes dando a impressão de que algo pode acontecer. Claro que a minha impressão é de alguém que não conhece/veleja, mas é uma impressão sincera sobre o passeio. Não dei nota máxima porque a…”
Pick a hillside, a coastline or a coffee farm.
