About

Ciudad Perdida is an archaeological site in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta built around 650 AD, predating Machu Picchu. The city sits at an altitude of 1200m and is one of the largest pre-Columbian settlements in South America.

The Lost City was initially a political, economic and social hub for the Tairona civilisation. Renowned for their construction of large towns and urban centre along the numerous river that flow downwards from the snow covered peaks, it was said that the Taironas/Tayronas occupied the site for more than a thousand years before the first Spanish settlements in the 1500s.

However the city remained concealed to the public until it was stumbled upon by looters in 1972, who came across the stone steps that led to the ‘Lost’ City.

In modern days, the site has unfortunately been affected by the armed struggle between the Colombian army, paramilitaries and guerrilla groups. Subsequent to the gradual demobilisation of rebel groups, tours to the Ciudad Perdida only resumed in 2005, following an incident in 2003 when the National Liberation Army (ELN) kidnapped 8 tourists visiting the site. Since then however, the Colombian army maintains several outposts around and there have been no reported issues concerning tourists.

The Wiwas

The Wiwas make up around twenty-seven communities located in the Northeastern side of the Sierra Nevada. The Sierra Nevada Mountains connect these communities into the spiritual realm.

According to their mythology, the lowlands where they live today were given to them by Sealukuy and Serankua.

Many Wiwa families earn their living through farming (i.e., producing panela/whole caned sugar and coffee beans).

Interestingly, some of the families we met during the trek also handcrafted bags, using fibres extracted out of a plant, and dyed with tree bark.

Coca leaves also play an important part in the spiritual lives of the Wiwa. The women collect the coca leaves in the morning, which are then roasted by the men who toss the leaves around in a bag containing a hot stone. They then put them in a small woven bag to carry around; throughout the day, they will chew on small clusters of coca leaves which gives them energy but also allow them to connect and communicate with their environment on a spiritual level. If a Wiwa meets another tribe member while walking around, they will exchange coca leaves as a sign of respect.

Similarly, the men also carry a Poporo/ Danburro which every Wiwa boy receives at 18 (shown in the pic below), as it signifies the owner’s maturity, personal growth. The Poporo’s growth throughout time symbolises the owner’s knowledge of the world.

Finally, the Wiwas have spiritual leaders called the mamos, who are the custodians of ancient knowledge and are responsible for their people:

“…Wiwa mamos interpret sacred places and travel the mythical geography to ‘repair’, ‘do work’, ‘heal’ and ‘reach agreements’ with their cosmological guardian. Through ‘reparation’ of people in the spiritual world they attempt to secure equilibrium in the universe and prevent plagues, droughts, epidemics and diseases. The mamos restore equilibrium between the material and spiritual worlds by obeying the rules established by the Universal Mother for inhabiting the Sierra Nevada” (Museo del Oro Tairona).

Wiwa tours

I knew completing the Lost City trek would already be an unforgettable experience, but I was also keen for it to be meaningful and slightly unique. During my research, I came across Wiwa Tours, which I could not recommend enough. A few older reviews I read mentioned issues on language barriers and, quite often, the inability of Wiwa guides’ to communicate in English, but from my experience this was mitigated by having an English interpreter/guide provided by Wiwa Tour,s alongside our Wiwa guide.

I completed 50km to and from the Lost City in 4 days, though I had initially booked the 5-day trek. I decided to go back on the fourth day because I wanted to be back in Santa Marta to have a day to myself to relax and visit the Museo del Oro Tairona (a must after you’ve completed the trek). The price and route to get to the Lost City are the same (i.e.you arrive on day 3). However if you decide to complete the 5-day trek, you will just spend an additional night on the way back. But if you’re physically able to, I’d definitely recommend completing the trek in 4 days.

What’s included

• An abundance of food: besides the feeling of accomplishment and being one step closer to the Lost City, the food waiting at each camp was the one other highlight of completing another leg of the trek. We were certainly well fed throughout the 4-days with carb-heavy meals three times a day. Typically, the cooks assigned for each camp would arrive before us, ensuring that we have a hearty meal before and after we set off.

• Wiwa tour guide and an English translator/guide: this was a fantastic way to get an insight into the culture of Colombia’s indigenous communities when your Spanish is quite limited. It was well managed throughout the trek and our translator was very knowledgeable about the indigenous culture, as well as the broader Colombian culture as he originally hails from Bogota, so you really get to have a holistic view of the country.

• Accommodation: We were also fortunate to camp with local farmers and indigenous communities that live in the Sierra Nevada; we were welcomed and well accommodated throughout with bunk beds, mosquito nets, pillows and blankets (all you need for a good rest).

• Transport: to/from Santa Marta

• Entrance fee to the Lost City

• Luggage storage

Difficulty level

As a beginner in my 20-somethings, I did find this trek tough. It was my first ever multi-day trek, and was comfortably found at the back of the group after the first day! A comforting thought I told myself was that it’s not a race and all of the groups end up at the same place, so you might as well take in as much of the surrounding nature and enjoy the journey. So yes - it is completely achievable irrespective of your trekking experience/age, but if you can, aim for the dry season (December-March) to do the trek.

what each day looks like

A typical day (particularly days 2 and 3) involve 5-7 hours of trekking through ecological trails; passing indigenous towns and local farmers and their mules (one of which nearly ran me over on day 2), so it really allows to appreciate the serenity of the surrounding landscapes, waterfalls and the jungle. Here is a rough breakdown of the 4 days on the trail:

Day 1: The adventure starts at 8:30am at the Wiwa Tour office, Santa Marta where you meet the group you’ll be hiking with for the next 4 days. You then get a 2.5hour lift to Machete Pelao (or El Mamey) where you’ll have a hearty lunch ahead of the first leg of your 4-day adventure!

Allegedly the first day was the ‘easiest’ day - i.e. it was only a 7.6km or a 4-5 hours hike to the first base - Visa Hermosa, but for a rookie like me, I found it quite tough given it was the first time I’d ever walked that long in that climate.

Day 2: This was admittedly the toughest day. We started the day with the farmers at 5am, ready to have breakfast and leave camp by 6:30am.

We completed 14.7km from Vista Hermoa to Paso Lorenzo and encountered heavy rain and tough, slippery terrains. We however made a few pit stops to admire the landscape, as well as visit the Kogui (an indigenous group in the Sierra Nevada) and Wiwa camps where we were educated on the customs and histories of these communities.

Thanks to our guide, we also scored a trek to this glorious waterfall which we had all to ourselves! Although the toughest leg of the trek, it was certainly the most enjoyable day to complete owed to the rewarding stops on the way.

Day 3: On the third day, we finally made our way to the Lost City. We spent majority of the trek on the side of River Buritaca, eventually crossing it through a manually crafted plank that bridges two boulders, to begin our climb up to the Lost City. We ascended through the 1200 stone steps built by the Tayronas. It was a tough climb as the stones got smaller the higher you go up - if you ever watched Lord of the Rings, it genuinely reminded me of the ‘secret stairs’ (to Cirith Ungol), where Sam and Frodo were led to by Gollum.

We stayed in the city for 2-3 hours, before descending back to Paso Lorenzo for lunch; after which we began the 9.6km (5hrs) trek back to Wiwa Cabin where we spent the night.

Day 4: Sadly we had our very last (early) breakfast before starting the 12.7km walk back to Machete for lunch, and hopping on a van back to Santa Marta.

What to pack

• 2L of water for each leg of the trek (you can refill water at each site). I used my trusty LifeStraw throughout my trip to Colombia

• Hiking boots or trainers/sandals

• Flip flops

• Dry clothes (3x shirts, 2x shorts, 4-5x underwear and socks; long sleeve shirts and trousers for the mosquitos)

• Raincoat

• Swimsuit

• Microfibre towel

• Basic toiletries

• Basic first aid kid (plasters, paracetamol, imodium, knee support bandages)

• Insect repellant

• Sunscreen, sunglasses and hat

• Powerbank

• Cash