Blogs from Ciudad Perdida, Santa Marta, Colombia, South America

Om half 9 werden we opgepikt aan onze hostel in Taganga, samen met nog Duits en Iers koppel. Daarna naar Santa Marta (druk stadje aan andere kant van berg), om daar nog een hele tijd te moeten wachten in de stikkend hete zon op nog mensen dat mee zouden gaan. Nog 3 meisjes, waaronder een Belgische Limburgse (die dan nog iemand kent dat ik ken, it's a small world). Lange jeeprit, die nog eens onderbroken werd om te tanken op de old scool way: bidon, slang, effe aan uiteinde bidon zuigen en dan loopt naft door de slang. Dan reed jeep zandweggetje in, en dachten we dat we er bijna waren .. NOT. Nog een uur bergop door wat je eerder als een rivierbedding kan beschouwen dan als een weggetje. Iedereen in jeep (en vooral degenen ... read more

"This story needs to be read with deep and dramatic voice" :) It all started with roumours we heard about an archaeological site of an ancient city in Sierra Nevada called Ciudad Perdida (spanish for "Lost City") which is believed to have been founded about 800 AD. It was probably the region's political and manufacturing center of the people of Tairona which was apparently abandoned during the Spanish conquest. The people of Tairona have vanished from the surface of the world so till today the city was still a mystery. We did some research on the topic and came across an ancient map which seemed to be describing the way to the city. We arrived in Santa Marta in Colombia an contacted local experts for helping us find the "lost city". Our exhibition team was international ... read more

We set off on the trek to the Lost City knowing what to expect even less than we had done for the rest of our trip! We met the group at 8.30 and were driven off to a small town about an hour east of Santa Marta and an hour along a terrible road in a Jeep. Our group was only 7 which was less than a lot of the others we saw, and our guide was a very knowledgeable local man called Juan-Carlos with two helpers. The three of us were joined by Yurgi a Slovakian, Marcell a Swiss national and Marley and Ross an Australian and Colombian couple who had recently got married over here. The trek was to take 5 days, our things were still a little wet but we were glad that ... read more

The company to go with is "Magic Tours" No doubt about it, at least we had a fantastic trip! We got picked up at our hostel and three hours later we were dropped off in the Sierra Nevada. Our 5 days hike was about to start. At the pickup Thomas said to me that he didn't like our guide Jesus, because he seemed to be a fat little lazy slacker. All this because his lack of a firm handshake! Yes, it really matters. But, sometimes appearances are deceptive. We had a good group with good "walkers", but the round ball of a guide had a hidden talent. he didn't say much, but he could really lead the way! When we met our first group of people on their way back, they told us not to take ... read more

Ciudad Perdida I have never heard of Ciudad Perdida before I looked at the travel guide. It is not well known as Macchu Picchu in Peru, is it. It sits at approximately 1200 meters (non-metric users, please look up the conversion) in Sierra Nevada in Colombia, not so far inland from the Caribbean coast. On the way into the Sierra Nevada, you can see the Caribbean ocean behind you. I went there with Magic Tour in a group of 8 including myself, plus Jose the cook and Pedro the guide. We passed the areas belong to native Americans including Arhuacos, Koguis, and Wiwas. Day 1 Start of Trekking: Level of Freshness = 10! I was picked up at a hostel in Santa Marta early - around 8:30am. The jeep looked like it had loads of ... read more

This hike was a pure adventure. We tracked down hidden paths We walked through hip-deep river beds We passed by the round houses of the indigenas We slept in hammocks in open sheds And we were looked after by young soldiers When we finally reached the ancient stairs Leading us deeper into the jungle Above slippery stones Up and up the secret mountain And there we found the Lost City of Teyuna A downpour on the way back A heroe leading us across the wild stream As well as a dodgy cable car A climb through a waterfall in the pouring rain ... read more