Santa Marta and Tayrona Travel Guide: Boutique Hotels, Minca Coffee and the Trek to the Lost City

Photo: William Neuheisel from DC, US / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Jet Set LatAM · Destination Guide

Founded in 1525, Santa Marta is Colombia’s oldest Spanish city and the gateway to one of the most extraordinary landscapes in South America: the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the world’s highest coastal mountain range, rising from Caribbean beaches to snow-capped peaks in just 42 kilometers.

This Santa Marta travel guide covers where to stay, Tayrona’s beaches, the coffee hills of Minca and the trek to the Lost City.

Where to stay

The restored historic center has the best boutique hotels and evening restaurants. Casa de Leda is an intimate colonial-house hotel with a rooftop pool, and small design hotels around Parque de los Novios put dinner on your doorstep. Near Tayrona, eco-lodges and the park’s own Ecohabs cabins let you wake up beside the jungle.

Tayrona National Park

Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona protects jungle-backed bays, boulder-strewn beaches and sacred sites of the Kogi, Arhuaco, Wiwa and Kankuamo peoples. Hike to Cabo San Juan del Guía for its famous palm-topped rock. The park closes several times a year so the land can rest, at the request of Indigenous authorities; check dates before planning, and note that many beaches have strong currents.

Minca and the coffee hills

Forty minutes uphill, the village of Minca is cool, green and full of birdsong. Tour a historic coffee farm such as Finca La Victoria, swim in waterfalls and stay in a hillside lodge with hammocks and Caribbean views.

The trek to Ciudad Perdida

The Ciudad Perdida (Lost City), built by the Tayrona people centuries before Machu Picchu, is reached on a four-to-six-day guided trek through the Sierra Nevada. Only licensed operators can lead it; it’s challenging, humid and unforgettable.

Artisans and Caribbean food

Look for Wayuu mochilas from La Guajira and Arhuaco bags woven in the Sierra, buying from cooperatives or the makers themselves. Eat fried fish with coconut rice and patacones by the sea, and fresh-fruit juices in the old town.

Good to know

• Tayrona closures. The park closes for set periods each year; check the official dates before you go.
• Season. December to April is the driest; October and November are the rainiest.
• Getting there. Fly into Santa Marta (SMR) or drive from Barranquilla (about two hours) or Cartagena (about four).
• Respect sacred sites. Follow your guide’s instructions in Indigenous territories.

What to pack

• Cashmere travel wrap: a blanket on the plane, a shawl at dinner
• Leather loafers: polished enough for dinner, sane on cobblestones
• Packing cubes: so the artisan finds fit on the way home
• Our full travel collection on ShopMy ↗

Where to stay

The historic center for boutique hotels and restaurants, Minca for cool mountain air, or an eco-lodge near Tayrona for the beaches. The flight search and live accommodation map below help you plan the rest of the trip.

Frequently asked questions

Is Santa Marta worth visiting?

Yes, as the gateway to Tayrona, Minca and the Lost City, with a lively historic center.

When is Tayrona National Park closed?

It closes for set periods several times a year at the request of Indigenous authorities; check the official calendar.

How long is the Lost City trek?

Usually four to six days with a licensed operator.

Where should I stay in Santa Marta?

In the historic center for boutique hotels, or near Tayrona and Minca for nature lodges.

Keep reading

• Casa de Leda Santa Marta review: a boutique colonial mansion in the old town
• Finca La Victoria, Minca: a 19th-century coffee farm in the Sierra Nevada
• Celele Cartagena: Contemporary Caribbean Dining in Getsemaní
• Casa Pestagua Cartagena: Colonial Design and Suite Choices
• Cartagena Luxury: Boutique Hotels, Castle Views & Old-City Glamour
• Best Boutique Hotels in Cartagena: Walled City Mansions and Getsemaní Rooftops
• Maygel Coronel in Cartagena: Sculptural Swimwear for a Caribbean Wardrobe
• Barranquilla: Carnival and Caribbean kitchens
• Cali: salsa and Pacific flavors
• Underrated Latin America: 22 destinations for your next trip

Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you book or buy through them, Jet Set LatAM may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This is a researched editorial guide; details, hours, prices and travel advisories change, so confirm before you go.