Tayrona Region, Colombia

Tewimake

Jungle bliss in Tayrona National Park

In the foreground, a small pool with a large stream of water pouring into it. Around it is a wooden deck with two white lounge chairs and a white umbrella, and in the background is dense green jungle.

A sacred retreat shaped by ancestral wisdom on Colombia’s Don Diego River

Between Tayrona National Park and the Caribbean coast, Tewimake sits on the banks of the Don Diego River in Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta – a mountain range considered sacred by the region’s Indigenous Kogi, Arhuaco, Wiwa and Kankuamo peoples. Few luxury lodges are found within this landscape, so staying here offers both seclusion and connection to its living traditions.

Tewimake’s suites and glamping cabins are named after elements of Indigenous ancestral wisdom. Constructed with warm wood and thatched roofs, and decorated with natural fabrics like linen and stone, the rooms blend into the jungle, surrounded by a canopy of trees and birdsong. Large windows and open terraces look across the river or into the forest, and some have private plunge pools. The menu at Tewimake’s restaurant, Zamú, is packed with fresh ingredients from the region – dishes like plantains with Colombian creole hogao sauce, yucca croquettes and shrimp tacos.

Days here are shaped by the river and forest. Float by kayak, tube, paddleboard or boat along the Don Diego to spot howler monkeys and migratory birds. Guided by a local expert, you can fish for your dinner and dine on the beach with a bonfire, or ride bikes or horses into the mountains to find hidden waterfalls. Between adventures, you can unwind in the spa’s sauna and hydrothermal circuit and enjoy a massage. Or wind down with a floating breakfast or barbecue aboard a riverboat, have a picnic on the beach or take a yoga class. Couples can even arrange a traditional Indigenous Kogui marriage ceremony, sharing in local spiritual wisdom.

Highlights

Kayak, tube or paddleboard on the Don Diego River

Wake up to the sound of jungle birdsong over the water

Discover the Sierra Nevada mountains on a horse or cycle ride

With a local expert, go fishing and then dine on the beach

Sleep in a thatched-roof suite surrounded by jungle life

In the foreground, a small pool with green water and overhanging thatched roof. Around it is a wooden deck with two white lounge chairs, and in the background is dense green jungle.

A view from above of a two-storey room with whitewashed walls, wooden railings and stairs and a thatched roof. Around it in the foreground is a deck with white sofas, lounge chairs and a small pool with blue water. In the background is dense green foliage.

An open-air restaurant dining area with wooden tables and a low-hanging thatched roof. Inside are three long wooden lamp shades hanging from the roof. Outside you can see dense green foliage.

A bathroom vanity with a big round mirror, two marble sinks set on a wooden countertop with a dark bottle on the left. Overhead are two lamp shades made of brown grass.

In the foreground, a small pool with green water. Around it is a wooden deck with two white lounge chairs and a white umbrella, and in the background is dense green jungle.

A bedroom with a double bed with white and brown sheets and pillows and a hardwood headboard and flooring. The room has white walls and a hardwood ceiling, and there is a large picture window on the left looking out into the jungle.

View of a wooden treehouse with long hanging thatched roof. It is surrounded by a wooden deck with a hot tub and in the background and foreground is dense green jungle foliage.

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Trip inspiration

Get inspired with our example trips to Colombia and then get in touch to plan your own adventure

10 Day trip

Classic Colombia

Explore the buzz of Bogota and Cartagena and the natural beauty of Tayrona National Park

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9 Day trip

Colombian Art, Culture and Cuisine

Ceviche in Cartagena, Museums in Medellin and Botero's Bogota

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11 Day trip

Colombia's Hidden Highlights Tour

Charming colonial towns and the mystical mountains of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

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Places to combine Tewimake with

Cartagena

Casa Pestagua

Lying within the walled city of Cartagena de Indias is Casa Pestagua, which has been declared a historical and cultural heritage by UNESCO. The hotel preserves its colonial structure of double-height ceilings and Moorish-inspired arches, alongside its internal gardens of exuberant vegetation that recreate an atmosphere of romanticism, relaxation, and luxurious comfort.

10 spacious suites and 6 harmonious rooms form the space available to guests at the hotel. Views of the interior garden, the bustling street, or the sea can be found in every room, alongside king-size beds and generous bathrooms.

You will find one of the best options for ancestral gastronomy of the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of the Colombian territory within Casa Pestagua. When you dine in restaurant Ánima, meaning ‘soul’ in Latin, your palate will be delighted by the authentic menu created by the hands of the executive chef Heberlo Eljach. Attached to the restaurant is the bar Animate, where you can relax with cocktails in an idyllic setting.

Casa Pestagua hosts a range of activities, including many at their sister properties: at the Acasí private beach you can indulge in an exclusive Caribbean experience, whilst at Aurum spa in Hotel Casa San Agustín you can personalise a treatment to reinvigorate your body and soul.

Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

Casa Oropéndola

Sitting 1,500 metres above sea level between dense rainforest and coffee fields and with views across the Caribbean, this is the perfect place to switch off and reconnect with nature.

The lodge has been built in harmony with its natural surroundings and there is a strong focus on protecting the environment and preserving the local culture. The decor is inspired by its location with timber-clad walls, natural colours and wicker furniture.

There are just three rooms which are simple but comfortable, all featuring a hammock positioned by the window so you can make the most of the extraordinary views. There is a large living room with a fireplace leading out onto the decking where you can gaze out across the forest and over the ocean. The dining area features floor-to-ceiling windows and here you will enjoy delicious Colombian cuisine made using local organic produce such as coffee, cacoa and honey as well as herbs, fruits and vegetables picked from the garden.

Guests staying at Casa Oropéndola will receive three meals a day as well as snacks, local fruit, fresh juices, coffee and tea and picnic lunches for when you are out on excursions.

The surrounding cloud forest results in an incredible variety of flora and fauna and there are countless walking trails right on your doorstep. There is plenty to do at the lodge including cooking classes and yoga, but there is also a lot to be said for simply sitting back and taking in this very special environment.

Medellin

El Cielo Hotel

A stay at Elcielo Hotel in Medellin is all about comfort and elegance. The exterior of the hotel has a simple, almost industrial feel that hides the sophisticated and calming opulence inside; think marble floors, wooden panelled walls and comfortable, stylish wooden furniture.

Bogotá

Four Seasons Casa Medina

The beautiful Four Seasons Casa Medina was the creative vision of Santiago Medina Mejia, a Paris-educated artist and architect from Medellin. He salvaged local architectural treasures, such as stone columns and hand-carved wooden doors from two recently demolished colonial convents, to create was declared a monument by the country’s Ministry of Culture in the 1980s.

The hotel features 62 rooms and suites, where beamed ceilings and aged leather accents coupled with fresh, contemporary touches making them a sophisticated blend of old and new.

The hotel has two restaurants; the lively La Bodega that focuses on tapas and Colombian coffee, and Castanyoles Raciones y Tapas, where guests chave the option to dine in the beautiful glass atrium with Spanish tiles, living walls and drop lights.

There is also a gym and a spa with treatment rooms, relaxation room and steam room.