If you want a real trekking experience in great surroundings, you might want to consider doing the 5-6 day trek to the lost city (Ciudad Perdida) in Colombia. You can book the trip from Santa Marta (and while travelling around there you can visit beautiful Cartagena). The hike is a really nice experience and quite safe, although you might encounter some armed Colombian drug cartel soldiers and you will definately see big coca plantations there. The Ciudad Perdida is very nice, but I think that the actual hike there offers even better views and memorable experiences. There are simple camp sites along the way where you will sleep in hammocks and enjoy the food prepared by the guides while sitting next to a camp fire and sipping some of that great local rum. Colombia in general is far safer and more interesting than one would expect. I really want to go again and explore more of this beautiful country!
