The Lost CityJan 3, 2010
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| I arranged an excursion to Ciudad Perdida (The Lost City) from Taganga. This is a 3 day trek through the jungle to a hidden city that is believed to date back to the 11th century. The jungle is so vast and the city is so well hidden that it wasn`t discovered until the 1970`s. It was discovered by treasure hunters/grave robbers who kept it a secret for a few years whilst they stole all the gold from it that was left after the Tayrona people fled when the Spanish invaded. The conditions of the trek were quite tough in that it was really hot and humid and the terrain was very hilly. I felt like I spent more time going uphill than I did downhill. But the scenery along the way was spectacular. And we saw a number of indigenous villages where the people are still living exactly as their ancestors did 100`s of years ago. Very impressive to see this so close up. There are specially constructed camps along the route in which we slept in hammocks and washed ourselves in streams that had surprisingly clear water. On the third day we arrived at the entrance to the lost city. The entrance being a small gap in the trees that leads to the 1300 or so uneven, steep and slippery steps that take you up to the city. When you finally get up there it is truly amazing. It is like a hidden paradise. It was really peaceful with waterfalls running through it and had stunning views over the top of the jungle. We spent the night in a camp in the lost city and the next day set off back the way we came. I took the option of doing the route back in just 2 days so was shattered at the end of the fifth day. After 5 days of non stop sweating, washing in streams and sleeping in hammocks I was ready for a shower and a rest. Instead I went straight to the bus station for the 5 hour journey to Cartagena. |
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