Overview
It is a 4 days hike of hard difficulty that leads to Nukwlindwe, one of the sacred lagoons of the highlands. During the trip you can observe various species of the sub-Andean forest and from the viewpoints you have a panoramic view of the city of Santa Marta and the mountains: Santa Marta and the snow-capped peaks of Colón and Bolívar
- Day 1: Santa Marta - Palestina
- Day 2: Mobulaje Natural Reserve
- Day 3: Shami Lagoon
- Day 4: Laguna Chami - Moshu Ishibiaja
- Day 5: Return to Civilization
Trip Details
Country
- Colombia
Group Size
- 8 Travelers Max
Seasonality
Schedule
- Intense
Tour Highlights
- 1. Immerse in the culture and habitat of Kogui Village.
- 2. Experience majestic views from the 2400 m high Mobulaje Reserve.
- 3. Explore diverse landscapes from pastures to coffee plantations.
- 4. Encounter the Andean condor while hiking to Shami Lagoon.
- 5. Challenge yourself with trekking to the lofty Pico Placer.
- 6. Traverse from indigenous settlements back to the bustling Santa Marta.
Tour Type
- Photography Tour
- Private Trip
Thematics
- Cultural Immersion
- Trekking
Itinerary

Santa Marta - Palestina
Départ aux aurores de Santa Marta pour rejoindre un petit village dans les hauteurs de la Sierra Nevada. Petit déjeuner sur place, changement de véhicule et nous nous enfoncerons dans la Sierra sur des pistes épiques. Ar...
Mobulaje Natural Reserve
– 5:30am Breakfast
– 6am start of 7 hour hike (we will walk through coffee plantations, pastures, where we will see different animals and landscapes).
– 3pm Arrival at the camp in the middle of the mountain with an immen...
Shami Lagoon
– 7:30 Breakfast
– 8:00 Start of hike 6-7 hours (6km) with Kogui guide, possibility of sighting the Andean condor.
– 17:30 Altitude 3700 masl accommodation in campsite near Shami Lagoon
Laguna Chami - Moshu Ishibiaja
– 3:30 start trekking to Pico Placer altitude 4500 masl (30 km)
– 19:00 Arrival at Mobulaje camp
– 20:00 Accommodation and rest
Return to Civilization
6:00 am: Return to the indigenous village.
10:00 am: Arrival at the village and rest for one hour.
11:00 am: Departure to the Coffee Village
12:00 am: Arrival at the village and rest for lunch
1:00 pm: Departure to Santa...
Would you like to make this tour private?
This tour is customizable and can be made private. Contact me, and I’ll help tailor the itinerary to suit your preferences!
Inquire NowPrice Details
Included
- Meals indicated in the program
- Local guides specialized in the region
- Entrance Fees
- Local transportation
- Camping
- Water purification
- Tents
- bedding
- insulation
Not Included
- Domestic flights
- International flights
- Additional drinks and meals
- Medical insurance
- Expenses not specified in the program
- Tips
Deposit
- $1.500 (The last payment must be completed 90 days prior to the start of the trip.)
Price
- 450 € per person
Payment Options
- Bank Transfer: No fees within Europe. 1.5% fee for transfers from the U.S
- Credit & Debit Cards (MasterCard, Visa, Maestro): Subject to a 5% fee, processed securely via Stripe.
- PayPal: 5% fee applies.
Testimonials
Unveiling Beauty Through the Lens with Tristan
The Luminous Journeys “VIVA Colombia” trip was fantastic for photographic opportunities in a country that is still largely unexplored by travel photographers. Tristan was an enthusiastic leader offering insights into his creative approach to photographing Colombia, including its indigenous peoples. His patient and sensitive approach dealing with locals allowed participants learn and appreciate Colombia’s many diverse customs. There was a good balance between street & culture photography, nature/tropical birds, and landscapes.
In addition, Tristan’s willingness to help participants with the technical and artistic aspects of photography was greatly appreciated. Plus he’s just great fun! The trip was well organized and the hotels and food were superb. Overall, Viva Colombia! provided diverse photographic opportunities that would have broad appeal to photography enthusiasts looking for untrammeled travel adventure in a fascinating South American country.Highly recommended!

Colorful photography tour in Cuba
We had a wonderful tour in Cuba with Tristan. He knows the island very well and can spot perfect photo opportunities. He is also a great and patient teacher, and spares no effort to make the traveler's experience memorable.

Excellent Travel & Photography Guide
Tristan created a wonderful cultural experience for us over a 10 day visit to Cuba. From a photography perspective, he had researched people and locations to insure the best model, in the most cuban environment in the best light. Although we were focused on photography, he rounded out the tour with opportunities to experience the history (visit to old sugar plantation), the land (visit to a farm with oxen and a hike to waterfall), and the food (experiencing local food and drink in beautiful settings). I would highly recommend Tristan as a guide. We are already planning our next trip with him.

Authentic and well organized expedition in an indigenous tribe
Tristan guided me through the mountains of Sierra Nevada and facilitated all the details for meeting a kogi tribe.
It was a work trip as I was working on a very specific topic ( panela) and Tristan took care of all the details and was very
understanding.
The whole experience felt very authentic, and overall Tristan is so passionate
about what he does it's hard not to have a blast during the trip.

A Photographer’s Dream Tour with Tristan
From the very first communication Tristan was responsive and helpful, receptive to tailor making a travel and photographic experience that was exactly what I was looking for. As a passionate photographer himself, I knew I was speaking with a like-minded soul who understands the specific needs and wants of a fellow photographer.
The tour itself was brilliant. As well as being a capable and professional tour organizer, Tristan is great company and an interesting travel companion.
The special relationship he has built up over the years with the Kogui people and local guides enabled a very special opportunity to visit and photograph them, both culturally and photographically interesting, and a rare, much appreciated opportunity.
Combine this with Tristan’s ability to speak several languages fluently including the local one, and you’re onto a winner!

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