Discover the Heart of the World

Sierra Nevada Niwi Umukin (Colombia) is a majestic mountain range where the wisdom of indigenous peoples closely converges with ecological nature.

It is considered the pyramid of the Caribbean. With each step you climb up these sacred mountains, you will find an exuberant and beautiful ecological forest that is unique to the world. Visitors walking these lands have spoken of incredible experiences and spiritual renewal.

A natural pilgrimage with ancient tribes

Sierra Nevada Niwi Umukin is inhabited by four pre-colonial indigenous peoples that all are descendants of the Tayrona Chibcha culture. These tribes are the Arhuaco, Kogui, Wiwa and Kankuamo.

The Sierra Nevada region has all types of climatology and rises to a height of 5,000 meters above sea level. Sierra Nevada’s indigenous cultures have lived there from time immemorial, safeguarding balance and universal harmony as a way of life.  Life in these deeply spiritual cultures has an intimate relationship with the environmental nature.

According to their origin story, descendants of the Tayrona Chibcha are the elder brothers of Humanity. Each community is led by spiritual guides called “Mamo” or “Mama” who possess a deep knowledge of natural life. As bearers of the laws of nature, Mamos cultivate Sierra Nevada to be a pharmacy of tranquility and share their knowledge with visitors as a way to care for the heart of the world.

A natural pilgrimage with ancient tribes

Sierra Nevada Niwi Umukin is inhabited by four pre-colonial indigenous peoples that all are descendants of the Tayrona Chibcha culture. These tribes are the Arhuaco, Kogui, Wiwa and Kankuamo.

The Sierra Nevada region has all types of climatology and rises to a height of 5,000 meters above sea level. Sierra Nevada’s indigenous cultures have lived there from time immemorial, safeguarding balance and universal harmony as a way of life.  Life in these deeply spiritual cultures has an intimate relationship with the environmental nature.

According to their origin story, descendants of the Tayrona Chibcha are the elder brothers of Humanity. Each community is led by spiritual guides called “Mamo” or “Mama” who possess a deep knowledge of natural life. As bearers of the laws of nature, Mamos cultivate Sierra Nevada to be a pharmacy of tranquility and share their knowledge with visitors as a way to care for the heart of the world.

Indigenous owned and operated

Our vision is to build an organization that defends the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. We are focused on indigenous issues and environmental preservation. We aim to raise the consciousness of our human brothers and sisters by sharing our spiritual wisdom.

My name is Asdrúbal Torres (left) and I am a member of the Tayrona Arhuaco people of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. While studying human rights in Geneva, I began to think about the need to defend the territory of Sierra Nevada. From there the concept of Ywawika was born.

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Experience Sierra Nevada

Hike the jungles and mountains

Stay with indigenous communities

Learn about Arhuaco cacao production

Participate in traditional ceremonies

Grow the heart with ancient wisdom

Support native arts and crafts

Deepen your relationship with ceremonial cacao

For thousands of years, ceremonial cacao has been an important part of spiritual life in Sierra Nevada. It is said that ages ago the Tayrona people used cacao to strengthen their visionary abilities while building sacred sites such as the Lost City.

Although cacao cultivation was interrupted when Spanish conquistadors forced our ancestors high into the mountains, as we recover our ancestral lands we are also restoring our long-standing relationship with this sacred plant. Over the past decade, we have begun to master once again the cultivation, fermentation, and preparation of traditional cacao. Owing to the powerful energy of Sierra Nevada, Arhuaco cacao is already considered among the best in the world.

Ywawika invites visitors to participate in this revival as we prepare cacao using traditional techniques, visit cacao plantations, learn about the fermentation process, and drink cacao together.

Carry the weavings of ancient wisdom

The indigenous women of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta are visionary artists. The process of creating traditional crafts such as “mochila” shoulder bags is deeply meditative and tightly woven into their day-to-day lives. 

Mochilas are made from virgin sheep wool and creating them is a spiritual process that has a philosophical and cosmogonic relationship to the creation of the universe. The women weave their thoughts, which they call “tutu”, into evocative designs that illustrate a cultured history and memorialize feminine laws that have been transmitted from generation to generation.

Handmade crafts represent a significant share of economic product for most indigenous communities in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

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Testimonials

"

Visiting Sierra Nevada with Asdrubal was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience breathtaking nature and connect deeply with indigenous cultures. Simply being there healed my heart and brought much wisdom on my spiritual path. Such beautiful people!

– Erik Desrosiers

"

There are few places in the world that are so mystical and wonderful as Sierra Nevada. With Asdrubal as a guide, we felt safe and had access to experiences that few foreigners will have in this land. Definitely one of the best things to do in the Americas! 

– Uranbileg Batjargal

According to native legends, as Sierra Nevada is the Heart of the Earth, we have the mission of maintaining balance and harmony for Humanity. That is why we sought to make an association with the word “heart”, which translates to “Ywawika” in the Arhuaco language. We want to share this heart wisdom with the world.

Heart-Opening Cacao

Cacao gently nudges the heart chakra open, gifting benefits such as emotional embodiment and spiritual connection. Drinking cacao allows one to quiet the mind and focus on good intentions. It enhances and deepens daily practices such as meditation, yoga, and self-expression.

Indigenous Crafts

The indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta are visionary artists. They use geometric designs that represent patterns inherited from their ancestors. The process of creating traditional crafts such as mochila bags is deeply meditative and tightly woven into the day-to-day lives of indigenous women of the region.

Coca Leaves

For the Arhuacos, coca represents the maximum connection with the Creator. It is considered the leader of the plants. Through it they communicate with the Gods. For them it is very sacred. They put it in the mouth as a symbol of the word of the Creator. This means that He is there and that we have the right to use the word. For this reason, many peoples of Latin America use it. Even the Egyptians used it.

Natural Coffee

Our coffee is cultivated under the shade of native trees by indigenous Arhuacos from the Sierra Nevada. Our community seeks, through sustainable crops, to give back to Mother Earth what she gives us so much. The artisanal harvesting, the love and the energy that the indigenous people bring to this coffee is what makes it both unique and exquisite.