Chronicle tour to lost city

The day had come when I was going to climb the mountain to finally visit the lost city. That day after packing what I considered necessary, I did not want to carry a heavy backpack. Around 8:30 am they went to pick me up to start the tour, in the Toyota that they picked me up there were already 5 more passengers who were going to live this great experience with me.

We were taken to the main office of the travel agency, after waiting a while there and finish meeting the whole group we went to board the transport that would take us along the uncovered road that goes up the mountain to a small town called "El mamey", although the locals call it "machete pelao", the journey until this point takes 2 hours and a half approximately. In the town there are several restaurants that daily receive visitors who are routed to the lost city, as was our case. The car stopped in front of the restaurant , the guide told us that we were going to have lunch in that place, and one hour later we would start the walk.

The lunch was quite big , later in the middle of the rigor of the first stretch of walking I understood the reason why they serve portions like that,  it takes a lot of energy to climb the mountain. After finishing lunch we had a while to rest, during this time the others took the opportunity to make the final preparations before the walk.

It was approximately 1.30 in the afternoon, the sun was at its peak when we started walking. Very soon the pavement road disappeared and the dirt path began to appear, with trees, the smell of nature. We arrived at a point at the exit of the town where there was a map of the complete route from there to the lost city. The guide gave us information about the trail and made some recommendations.

We continued walking, we still had not started to climb, but the beauty of the panorama was an small example of what was to come later. After 20 minutes of walking there was an abrupt change, there was no shadow, the flat path of damp earth became a slope of white dust. The sun was shining bright at that time and so the cap that I had received, that morning,  as a souvenir from the agency Guides and Baquianos Tour that was the operator with whom I decided to make the tour. We arrived at a viewpoint where we stopped to rest and  had a portion of watermelon. The view was wonderful, we were walking along an arid and dusty road for an hour and now we were looking at emerald green mountains with the summits, at the background, covered by the gray clouds,as a contrast.  There is no description that does justice to such a spectacle of the nature, should be appreciated with your own eyes.

After several hours of hiking up and down, a slight descent began leading us to the first camp that is located on the other side of a suspension bridge on the edge of a stream. The guide took us to a small waterfall that ends into a natural pool that can only be access by jumping off a rock. By the time we got back to camp, dinner was ready.

The second day began very early, at 5:00 am, we had half an hour to clean up and organize the backpack again. At 5.30 we were having breakfast and at six we started the trek. As I climbed I watched as the first rays of the sun illuminated the valley. After an hour we reached the point where we received fruit and rehydrated before continuing the walk,at this place we come together with those who return,  on their last day to Santa Marta. Arrround 10 o'clock in the morning we enter indigenous territory from the Kogui and Wiwa communities. We passed through an indigenous village called "Mutanzhi" that have some coca plants and a health center;  in our way we came along a few Kogui children who persistently repeated the word ¡Sweet, sweet sweet! - hoping to receive some.

An hour later, we arrived at the second camp known as "Mumake", in which we stop for lunch. It is located on the banks of the Buritaca river, which we visit to refresh after the demanding  morning walk. The water was quite clear and cold, something perfectly logical considering that its waters come from the páramos of the sierra.

After having lunch and chatting with our group, we prepare to continue the journey. We leave in the direction of camp El Paraiso, which is the last camp on the route. This part of the traill is, in my opinion, the most demanding for whoever does the tour for the first time. After crossing a suspension bridge over the Buritaca river, it starts a steep slope that takes an average of one hour until we reach plane land. We were moving away more and more from the civilization and we went into the exuberant sounds of the mountains.

Late in the afternoon and after the rehydration stop, we take the path that takes us to El Paraiso. Just before arriving at the camp, we crossed again with the Buritaca River, which , this time, we crossed walking, the water was at our knees.

After about 20 minutes of having crossed the river we arrived at El Paraiso camp, we were only an hour away from the lost city !!!

As it was almost 5 in the afternoon and it would soon get dark, we spent our second night there at 800 meters above sea level. The atmosphere at this point of the journey was one of camaraderie, everyone gathered to play cards at candle light, since there is no electricity supply there. As the night pass the temperature dropped, that rainy night we reached to experience the 17ºC, the clothes that I had hung to dry up appear to be soaked by the dew of the dawn.

The departure was very early, as the day before, still dark I had to use my flashlight to get to the bathroom. We had breakfast, the dawn was beginning to end; It was then that we start our last part ofthe trek. We crossed the Buritaca river once more, on the other side of the jungle, there were imposing 1,200 steps that seem to ascend to the sky, made in stone in an admirable way to stand firm over this path builted more than a thousand years ago.

When the staircase seemed to have no end a terrace around the bend appearedappeared, is the style of those seen in the advertising photos of lost city. I must have arrived I thought and i fact, behind the terrace there was a large planada. It was at the entrance of the great city of the Tayrona.

By the time we reached the center of the city, the first rays of the sun began to come out. Seránkua welcomed us over Teyuna, what a beautiful show that only those who are there can appreciate.

While being in Ciudad Perdida, I felt a very clear and calm air, I soon realized that it was and is a sacred place for the indigenous cultures that live in the area, that feeling of peace I can not describe  with words, but the only thing I can express is that it was worth the wait and effort to get to this place, without a doubt it was a great experience !