Field report · Sierra Nevada, Colombia
Four days to the Lost City
We left half an hour ahead of the group tours. On a trail this narrow, half an hour is the whole difference.
Sierra Nevada, Colombia
Ciudad Perdida sits in the Sierra Nevada and there is no way in except on foot. Four days of jungle, river crossings, steep climbing and a final staircase, at the top of which is a city the Tairona founded around the ninth century and that treasure hunters stumbled back onto in the 1970s.
We did it as a private trek, which meant a guide and a translator of our own and two mules to carry the gear. The mules make more difference than they sound like they should. The guide and translator make the difference between walking through a jungle and understanding what you are walking through.
The single best decision was leaving thirty minutes ahead of the group departures. On a trail this narrow that half hour is not a small optimisation. It is the difference between having the path to yourself and spending four days in a queue. It also meant we could go at our own pace rather than the pace of the slowest person in a group of fifteen.
At its height the city held something in the order of ten thousand people. What is there now is terraced platforms, stairways and the outlines of structures arranged around a central plaza that was used for ceremony. The setting is the thing that stays with you. It is deep in the jungle, and standing in it you understand immediately why they chose it.
“We left thirty minutes before the group tours. On a trail that narrow, thirty minutes is the entire experience.”
From the journalWhat the four days ask of you
This is a physically demanding trek and we would not soften that. Depending on the route it runs four to six days. You are hiking through jungle, crossing rivers, and climbing steep ground and a great many stairs. You want a genuine level of fitness before you start rather than a plan to acquire one on the way.
The climate is warm and humid throughout. Lightweight breathable clothing, more sunscreen than seems necessary, and insect repellent that you actually reapply. Accommodation and meals along the route are at local lodgings, which are basic and perfectly fine.
Why go private
The customisation is the argument. Departure times, pace, and how long you linger at any given point all become yours to set. Ours also came with the historical and cultural context that turns a hard walk into something you are glad you understood, including how local communities are involved in running and preserving the site.
If you are choosing an operator, choose a reputable one and ask exactly what is included: transport to and from the trailhead, gear, lodging and meals should all be in writing.
We would do it again, and we would do it private again. The half hour of quiet at the start of each day was worth every bit of what it cost.
From the journal · The Travelling T · Written December 2022
