COLOMBIA // Ciudad Perdida
– Teyuna // The Lost City –
As you know from my previous travel adventures, I see Colombia as a place of endless inspiration. Every time I return, I feel more familiar with the culture and history . . . but there’s always more to learn. This time, I opted for an experience that would help me better understand the present and historical Native experience in Latin America, exploring a civilization that predates Macchu Picchu: a hike to the archeological site of Teyuna, or The Lost City. Extra perks: tropical forests, a temperate climate, and a fairly low elevation (so I could jump straight into the journey with no altitude adjustment).
After checking out the legendary graffiti in Medellin, I flew to Santa Marta in the North of Colombia, and then made my way to Mamey, the jump-off to the week’s hike. I’d planned to complete the hike in five days—moving slowly is ideal for noticing the little things and taking plenty of pictures!—but ended up following the lead of my hiking group, who opted for a 4-day hike with a planned night out for dancing at the end. (Hard for me to resist that!) We hiked over 40 miles together.
Ciudad Perdida is believed to have been founded in 800 CE, serving as a major manufacturing and political center before it was abandoned after the arrival of Spanish conquistadors. As we hiked, we observed the day-to-day lives of two main indigenous groups that occupy the land now: the Wiwa and Kogui people. The huts in the photos to the left are their community structures.
I booked the tour by myself, so I didn’t know anyone when I arrived. Luckily, my group—15 people in total—was a ton of fun. Daily life had a rhythm: we got up at 5 AM, hit the trail, and walked until around 4 PM. Along the way, our chef cooked meals from food that was brought in by mule.
The terrain, with its constant ups and downs, gave way to some beautiful views at the crest of each hill. Every evening, we stretched our aching bones, played in the river, and sang Spanish songs with our guide. When I needed some alone time, I put on my headphones and listened to the relaxation-inducing reggaeton hit of the summer, Pedro Capó and Farruko’s “Calma.” (Reggaeton can basically be meditation if you do it right!)
Of course, some moments broke out from the day-to-day patterns of walking and resting. We completed six river crossings, which required taking off our regular hiking boots and wading through in stabilizing river shoes or bare feet. With my boots in one hand and my walking sticks in the other, I tripped and completely submerged my boots in the water—in front of at least 30 people. (Facepalm.) However, I gained a lesson in hiking footwear from this public embarrassment: waterproof boots may keep the water out, but breathable non-waterproof boots (like mine) dry quickly if you manage to actually drop them in the water!
To prepare for the trek to Ciudad Perdida, I trained for a month in chilly winter NC, using photo sandbags in my pack to add extra weight. The hike was challenging, but doable—and every completed mile was a huge confidence booster for me on the long road post-knee surgery. My feelings of accomplishment are heavily tied to serious gratitude: for my physical endurance and what this could mean for future athletic challenges, like continuing triathlons; the opportunity to see a part of the world that was controlled by FARC for many years, rendering it very dangerous until relatively recently; and the cameraderie of my wonderful companions on the hike.
The freedom to travel and explore is a privilege that I don’t take lightly—especially as I experience new places within such a complex historical context. Once again, Colombia gave me even more than I anticipated: new friends, a new milestone, and a deeper appreciation of the country’s natural and cultural abundance.