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richiecdisc Says: While the ruins of La Ciudad Perdida may not be as spectacular as some of it more famous cousins of South America, the steps that you climb to get there are very atmospheric as they cut through a dense jungle and in a very steep fashion. There are around 1200 of them and...
La Ciudad Perdida: the reason you came
richiecdisc Says: If you come to La Ciudad Perdida expecting “the Machu Picchu of Colombia” you are likely in for a bit of a disappointment especially if you have been to Peru's famed ruins. No, it is not an intricate fortress of a city and in fact all the rains are some 170 “stone terraces”...
Omar's Tree Tomato Cafe: a fair amount of decent food was the rule
richiecdisc Says: While the food on the trek was not exactly gourmet fare, it was certainly good considering the circumstances it was cooked under and there was a fair amount of variety. Scrambled eggs were typical in the morning if there were eggs to be had and dinners included pasta night...
The Village Store: backpacker & beers
richiecdisc Says: Tour operators and even local villagers learn quickly that backpackers like their beer, especially after a day of hiking. Since the camping areas/villages can only be reached by foot, the price of the beer is not cheap but they do have to carry everything up so you can't...
four-wheel drive & good driver needed
richiecdisc Says: Getting to the trail head that leads to La Ciudad Perdida is the firs leg of your adventure. While they do require you to go on an organized trek, I'm not entirely sure anyone could find their way to El Mamey without the aid of a guide. That, a decent four-wheel drive...
richiecdisc Says: One of the main reasons my wife did not want to do the trek to La Ciudad Perdida (aside from the hammocks and having done a very arduous seven day trek around El Cocuy just a month earlier) was the area's infamous mosquito population that just might be carrying malaria or...
richiecdisc Says: One of the biggest problems of the trek to La Ciudad Perdida is keeping your gear dry. Though it must be even worse in the wet season, it was even so during our trek in a very dry “dry” season. We only had one late afternoon/evening rain and it was after we were in camp. My...
richiecdisc Says: El Parque Arqueológico de Ciudad Perdida, also known as Teyuna for its native name, is an archeological national park set aside to protect the ruins of “the lost city” which remained undiscovered until the early 1970s by grave-robbers bent on ravaging the remains of...
the soldiers protecting the ruins & you
richiecdisc Says: Another group of people you will encounter on the trek are the soldiers that are policing the area. This region was completely unsafe not all that long ago due to drug cartels safeguarding this obviously great cocoa cultivation area. It was not uncommon for people to be...
richiecdisc Says: Boys and girls are separated at age five and at this point, their lives diverge quite a bit. The little girls live with the rest of the women of the tribe in communal houses where they eat on their own as well. Oddly enough, unlike most cultures where men tend to get the...
richiecdisc Says: Though we saw quite a few Kogi, most were fleeting images. They are elusive and surely do not like having their photo taken. The kids though are growing less wary of outsiders and this is sure to spell a loss of tradition in the long run. Though they are not as aggressive as...
richiecdisc Says: While doing the trek to Ciudad Perdida you will encounter not only beautiful lush mountain scenery but also members of the indigenous Kogi people. These descendants of the Tairona tribe dominated the remote Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta area until Spanish invasion. After a...
fording the Rio Buritaca 9 times on day 3
richiecdisc Says: The valley you walk through to get to Ciudad Perdida is laced by the Rio Buritaca, a fairly mighty river in places and one you will have to cross numerous times to reach your destination. In fact, on the third day of the trek you must ford it nine times! It can be quite deep...
jungles Says: I suppose I should mention the kidnapping incident, although the chances of it happening again are very low. On September 10, 2003 Edwin Rey and another guide named Manuel were with a group of tourists at Ciudad Perdida when they were captured by a group of ELN rebels. Edwin...
Two great treks down, one great wife
richiecdisc Says: Camping gear is provided at each camp and set up for you but you need a day pack to carry your clothes and basic gear you will need at camp. Alternatively, you can make your backpack smaller with compression straps. We just brought one backpack for the two of us as we did...
MalenaN Says: On the list of things to bring Turcol advised that you pack in a small backpack. Some people in my group had stuffed everything in a small backpack (some even with things outside) and they looked very heavy on the shoulders. I took my big backpack with good support on the...
Eating your thoughts is easier than your words
richiecdisc Says: Over the next days, we found a pace that suited us and did not rush to keep up with the fastest in the pack. Though we were a group, there were certainly some much fitter than others and the reality was, the trek was easy to follow and there was no chance of not meeting...
richiecdisc Says: So, we set out dressed in the same “desert whites” we had done El Cocuy in. On that trek, we wore long sleeved shirts and pants to protect ourselves from the high altitude sun. We had worn the same clothes when we spent a few months in the deserts of the United States...
richiecdisc Says: It's always interesting when you meet up with a group you're about to spend the next week with, especially when you'll be sleeping in close quarters, in hammocks no less. Backpackers love to *** and much of what is said is generally about what everyone has done so far....
and this was supposed to be easy
richiecdisc Says: While the ruins of La Ciudad Perdida were very interesting and the trek to them was stunning, perhaps the favorite part of the entire experience were the various swimming holes we swam in. Not only did they provide a great way to cool down and clean up, but they were also...
Plan a Ciudad Perdida vacation with reviews, tips and photos posted by real travelers and Ciudad Perdida locals
Fortunately La Ciudad Perdida doesn't get too many visitors per year and this has meant that the local indiginous tribes have been unaffected by outside...
Q: Did anyone traveling with turcol have to leave their passports with the company? This doesn't seem safe - please advise.
A: I don't know what or who turcol is but the only time I have had to leave my passport is on a cruse ship and thats so you don't have to show your passport at every stop.If...
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Tumble in the Jungle: La Ciudad Perdida
La Ciudad Perdida has not only a rich and lengthy history but a storied recent past as well. Though settlement in the vicinity dates back perhaps a far as the 7th century and the actual structures'......
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The trek to Ciudad Perdida is a wonderful adventure and is a highlight of Colombia that should not be missed by anyone who is fit enough to hike through the jungle for six days. The ruins, though...
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The lost city trek is a 5 or 6 day trek up though the Sierra Nevadas to a ruined city. What makes this different than the Inca Trail is that you will have the trail to yourself (and guides). The trail...
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I've got some interesting experiences in Ciudad Perdida. I'd love to share with you the 2 tips I've written, the 85 photos uploaded, and 10 travelogues I've created.
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La Ciudad Perdida: a jammed-packed adventure Trek!
I've got some interesting experiences in Ciudad Perdida. I'd love to share with you the 6 tips I've written, the 30 photos uploaded, and 1 travelogue I've created.
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