Use our ultimate Colombia Lost City Trek Packing List as a guide for what to bring along while you’re exploring Colombia. This Colombia Lost City Trek Packing List is full of our trail tested favorites and recommendations, plus lots of useful info on the best gear for adventuring in all of Colombia’s conditions.

Our biggest piece of advice is to pack light and smart, and bring durable, multi-use items that you can layer as temperatures and weather changes (because they will)! Test and break in all your gear beforehand and use common sense and your own best judgement and discretion when choosing exactly what you pack. After all, no one knows you better than you! If you tend to run cold, pack an extra layer or two. If you have a finicky stomach, bring extras of your go-to snacks.

We’re firm believers that there’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate gear! Stocking up on quality gear from brands who are doing it right will make all the difference for enjoying all your adventures in the great outdoors!

5 PAIRS HIKING SOCKS

Bring 5 pairs of durable wool socks in a lighter weight as we’ll be trekking through the jungle and you’ll need a fresh pair every day. They’ll be wet by the end of the day and since they won’t completely dry overnight you’ll want to put on a fresh pair to reduce blisters. We love Darn Tough COOLMAX Micro Crew Cushion Socks. Since we’ll be extra sweaty, we recommend getting some sock liners to wear under your Darn Tough’s like Injini toe sock liners. These are optional, but if you’re prone to blisters check them out.

SPORTS BRAS

Bring bras that provide support, feel comfortable against your skin, dry quickly and don't bind, smoosh or chafe. We suggest bringing more than you normally would on an overnight hike, as the intense conditions will leave you sweating more than usual.

UNDERWEAR

Bring as many pairs as you know you’ll want! Check out REI’s Merino Hipster Underwear which are comfy and great for adventuring! Just like with the sports bras, bring more than you usually would on an overnight hike, as the intense conditions will leave you sweating more than usual.

DAYPACK

You’ll need a lightweight hiking backpack to wear on the hikes and to carry your water, extra layers, snacks, etc. Something around 30 L should work perfectly. We recommend getting one compatible with a water bladder and hose. While some packs come with a pack cover in case of rain, not all of them do, so make sure you get a rain cover. Brands we love: Deuter, Osprey, Gregory.

Pro Tip: Bring a fanny pack to keep snacks, your phone, and sunscreen in for easy access.

20 Liter Dry bag

During the trek all the gear you don’t need during the day will go in this dry bag (5kg weight limit) and be carried by a mule. You won’t have access to this bag during the day, but will each night at camp. We recommend the Sea to Summit 20 L Big River dry bag or similar. Whatever bag you get, make sure it’s waterproof (NOT water resistant) and has 2 loops at the top so you can lock it.

A lightweight stuff sack (or 2)

Since your hiking clothes—shorts, shirts, socks, and more—won’t fully dry out, it’s essential to pack at least one stuff sack to use as a laundry bag for separating wet and dry items in your dry bag. We recommend a sack around 15 liters in size or a couple of smaller ones for added flexibility.

WATER Bottle with filter

When it comes to sustainability at WHOA, we're working hard to eliminate plastic waste and one of the best ways to do that is by using a water filter. With the right water filter, you'll be able to fill your water bottle anywhere, anytime, and be ready for adventure!

We recommend getting a water filter from Epic Water Filters! All Outdoor Epic Water Filters have been performance-tested, and can be used on both tap and outdoor water sources to remove common waterborne pathogens, like giardia.

Note: Purified water is available at all camps, but we recommend bringing the filter just in case you need extra water during the day.

WATER BLADDER (optional)

While not necessary, we also recommend getting a 3 L water bladder. It’s the easiest way to carry and drink water while trekking, and you will need to rehydrate.

TREKKING POLES

These are OPTIONAL, but a life (and knee) saver on all kinds of terrain! Make sure they are collapsable, for easy stashing, and simple to adjust for up and downhill. Check out our favs at Leki.

BONUS: You get 15% off Leki poles for being a part of the WHOA family! Just use this special link to see our fav poles and save!

BUFF OR BANDANA

An all around great item to always have with you! You can use it as a neck gaiter, head band, sweat rag, etc. We recommend getting the Buff CoolNet UV+ with Insect Shield.

HEADLAMP

Always important to have in your daypack when trekking. Start the trip with fresh batteries, and bring a spare set just in case. We love Black Diamond.

POLARIZED SUNGLASSES

You have to protect your eyes from the sun! Make sure they are UV-blocking and polarized. Goodr makes ones that are good (and cute) for hiking. And don’t forget your retainer strap so they don’t fall off!

SLEEPING BAG LINER (optional)

While blankets are provided during the trek, a sleeping bag liner will provide you with a little extra comfort. We recommend this one from Cocoon! It’s designed with their Insect Shield® and COOLMAX® technology to deter insects and wick away sweat.

SWIMSUIT

You’ll want a swimsuit for this adventure so you can have all the fun on the beach post trek!

CAMERA + EXTRA BATTERIES

There are so many amazing photo ops! We highly recommend bringing a camera that is compact and durable. These days most smartphones have great cameras, and we’ve found DSLRs can be cumbersome while trekking, so think twice before bringing anything too fancy. Remember to always pack your electronics in waterproof bags or cases.

portable battery charger

Whatever electronics you choose to bring, make sure you have a way to recharge your batteries. We always have a portable battery charger on hand so our camera is charged and ready to catch any spontaneous dance parties that may break out!

MEDS

Common medications you might want to bring along include pain relievers, antihistamines, antidiarrheals, etc.

MONEY

Colombian Pesos and credit/debit cards. On the trek make sure to carry Colombian Pesos in small denominations.

PASSPORT

Bring a waterproof bag to keep it safe and dry. Also, it’s always a good idea to travel with an extra photocopy of it.

Travel Insurance

Travel doesn't always go as planned! That's part of the adventure, and it's also the reason we require all of our adventurers to have a travel insurance plan that includes medical coverage and emergency medical evacuation. We HIGHLY recommend purchasing a travel insurance plan ASAP to cover you financially with any costs that can come up like trip interruption or cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances. The IMG LX plan is one option that offers excellent medical and evacuation coverage, has no altitude restrictions, and offers cancel for any reason but do your research before purchasing a plan to make sure it works for you and your situation! 

FIRST AID

We’ll have all this stuff on hand, but make sure you have a compact kit with Neosporin, band-aids, moleskin, duct tape, antiseptic, etc. We like this one because it’s lightweight, waterproof, and has everything you might need.

SUNSCREEN + LIPSCREEN

This is a must have for being in the sun all day, even on overcast days! Check out Thrive Natural Body Mineral Sunscreen, it’s reef safe, is broad-spectrum protection against UVA/UVB rays, and the tube is made from recycled plastic. No matter what sunscreen you bring, ensure it protects against UVA/UVB rays, is SPF 50+, and reef safe to help protect our oceans.

INSECT REPELLENT

One of the challenges of trekking in the jungle are the insects. We recommend bringing Picaridin from Sawyer Products to apply each day. Before the trip it’s a good idea to treat all your hiking clothes, shoes, and pack with Permethrin for extra protection against insects (especially mosquitoes). Please note: When applying Permethrin follow directions to a T, and keep away from children and pets.

Toilet Kit

Sometimes nature calls when we’re not near a bathroom, so having a toilet kit is necessary! This includes a Kula cloth, a small amount of toilet paper, and compostable dog poop bags to pack out your toilet paper. You should keep this all in your daypack inside a small dry bag.

TOILETRIES

Don’t forget the essentials like deodorant, lotion, lip balm, hair ties, hair brush, face wipes, tampons, contact solution, toothbrush, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, and ear plugs etc. Remember our pledge to keep single use plastics out of the places we love and aim to use reusable bottles, bar soaps and biodegradable products! Pack it all in this amazing upcycled toiletry bag!

Pro Tip: Keep your toiletries to a minimum as you’ll be carrying gear or putting in your dry bag (5kg weight limit) for the mule to carry.

QUICK DRY TOWEL + WET WIPES

Don't forget about the environment and make sure your wet wipes are biodegradable. We recommend this quick dry towel from Cocoon in case you need to do a quick wipe down of your gear after some rain.

Electrolytes

This trek takes place in the jungle, which is always hot and humid. Pack enough of your favorite electrolytes to have at least 1 drink each day. We love Nuun and Liquid I.V.

LUGGAGE LOCK

Better safe than sorry, so always lock your things!

DRY BAGS

When preparing your gear, pack everything in dry bags (or silicone bags for smaller items), we’ll be in the elements so we want to make sure our gear is always protected! We recommend bringing along different shapes and sizes of these to help organize and separate dirty clothing and gear.

For waterproofing your phone/passport/money, we recommend using a dry pouch.

SHOPPING BAG + PAPER BAGS

Having a stash of brown paper lunch bags, sanitary bags, or any form of biodegradable bag is great for collecting and carrying out trash on the trails and when we’re on the go. You’ll also want to bring a small reusable shopping bag to eliminate the need to use a single-use plastic bag for snacks or souvenir stops. They’re also handy to have in case you need another bag to take on the plane. Just another way to make Mother Earth proud!

SNACKS

There’s plenty of hearty food provided at meal time, but be sure to bring plenty of extra snacks! The days can be long, you need to keep your energy up, and nothing beats comfort food when you're on the trails! Some of our favorite morale boosters are Cheez-Its, gummy worms, and Pringles. 

Packing extra snacks is especially important for those with dietary restrictions. While we can accommodate all dietary restrictions, due to the remote nature of our adventures, there might not be as much variety as you’d find at home, so packing the snacks you know you love is definitely advised. If you have questions about what to expect on your adventure when it comes to food, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.

As well as trekking through the jungle on our Colombia adventure, we’ll be hanging by the beach and in small villages. You’ll have the chance to feast on delicious seafood and to do more exploring so you might want to bring along a nice outfit (or two) and some street clothes so you have options for when you’re not adventuring. Remember, comfortable shoes are just as important when you’re in the cities as they are out on the trails. A small backpack to carry around town and to the beach will be helpful too! You’ll be able to store luggage you aren’t bringing on the Lost City trek in Machete Pelao, the starting point of the trek.