G Adventures has partnered with an indigenous community in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada region to offer treks through the ancient Lost City of Teyuna.
The operator and its not for profit partner Planeterra are linking up with the Lost City’s Wiwa community to offer clients an ‘undiscovered’ route for a trek, visiting a village that is opening its doors to tourism for the first time.
The operator is working with Wiwa Tours, the first indigenous travel company in the Sierra Nevada, to offer the seven day Colombia- Lost City Trekking tour, priced from £539, excluding flights. It includes an indigenous Wiwa guide, overnight stays in Wiwa camp sites and a new exit route, open exclusively to G Adventures and Wiwa Tours’ travellers.
The trek will pass through farmland surrounding the Lost City and through the Wiwa village of Gotsezhi, where travellers will undergo a traditional, soul-cleansing ceremony before entering.
Among the activities offered are a chance to have a traditional meal cooked using local ingredients and learning first-hand about their culture. Also included in the tour, are nights camping under the stars, and swimming in natural pools, .
Planeterra and G Adventures have been working with Wiwa Tours since 2015 and have already funded and established a community enterprise in Gotsezhi for women to demonstrate and sell traditional woven bags and handicrafts and provide meals to trekkers to the Lost City.
Jamie Sweeting, vice president of social enterprise and responsible travel, G Adventures, said: “In 2017, Planeterra introduced a set of industry guidelines, to improve tourism’s interaction with indigenous communities. Using these guidelines, we work to ensure the long-term prosperity and survival of communities like the Wiwa people through tourism, while allowing our travellers to learn more about their cultures and traditions.”
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