Ciudad Perdida, Colombia is one of the world's best hikes

Ciudad Perdida in northern Colombia believed to have been founded around 800 AD, hundreds of years before the more well known Macchu Picchu. I first heard of it last year reading this BBC travel article and put it straight on my to do list. Known by local indigenous people as Teyuna it has gone through several name changes during it's history, the commonly used Ciudad Perdida translates literally as Lost City.  It sits atop 1200 stone steps high in the Colombian jungle accessible only by a two day hike with reversing the walk the only way out.

The City was abandoned during the Spanish conquest and remained overgrown and known only to local tribes until tomb raiders discovered the steps in the early 1970's and started selling the gold and pottery they stole on local markets. In 1976 their source was identified and archaeologists moved in followed by intrepid tourists in the early 1980's.  Tourism was stopped for three years by an INCIDENT in 2003 where 8 foreign tourists were kidnapped by ELN a rebel group seeking an inquest into human rights. Since 2006 the trek has been deemed safe.

The Ciudad Perdida track can be done in six, five or an ambitious four day and we chose the five day as it seemed to meet our desired pace. The walk begins by lulling you into a false sense of security, only twenty minutes in, after two river crossings (no need to get wet) and an inviting water hole opens up and it is time to stop for the first of many refreshing swims in the river. Immediately after this the first climb begins, a long steep, winding climb through dry, dusty almost chalk white ground.  You ascend through the low lying jungle into open farm land with view forward to the mountains and back towards the, much more inviting white sand beaches and clear sea.  The views are immediately stunning. I found day one the toughest, stifling heat and high humidity meant we were dripping with sweat from the beginning. One of the party was suffering mild asthma so I even had two day packs to carry.

One of the best things about the hike is the ever changing and incredibly diverse scenery from open grassy farm land to deep jungle and by the end of the first day we had crossed through several changes of scenery.  The camps are all basic, some have hammocks only for sleeping some have beds, all with mosquito nets. On our trip the infamous swarms of mosquitos were distinctly absent, fortunately. Most importantly all are set by the river for the all important cool and clean off at the end of the day. You will be dirty, dusty, sweaty and feel very unattractive but that is all good as you are all in the same boat.

Day one camp, deep in the jungle

On the second day the steep sided valley is filled with banana trees and feels like you are really deep in the jungle.  In the morning you pass through one of the indigenous villages where a small thatched roof school sits alongside a USAid donated medical building which replaced the previous medical centre which is the current school building.

Stopping high in the mountains for one of the scheduled fruit intakes we were all feeling pretty tired having done most of the upward work for the day but one glimpse of a football and a sudden rush of energy came upon at least some of us. A game of five a side was hastily arranged!

Next goal wins!

Arriving at camp two we were tired and the small cramped bunk rooms felt damp and busy, a cool off in the river was most welcome not for the first or last time.  During the briefing for the next day some of our concerns over the pace of the trip were clarified.  We were travelling with people doing the four and five day trip but were following the four day pace to the end of day three, meaning two very short days for four and five.  A great feed of fish and rice with salad and an early night beckoned us all.

The always welcome swimming hole.

Our usual five thirty get up was greeted with anticipation of roughly one hours steep climb to Ciudad Perdida itself.  A good feed and we were on the way. We were travelling with an experienced guide and an interpreter and somehow the mention of an early river crossing hadn't made it through the translation so caught some of us by surprise but the river was barely above our knees so there was no great drama.

Last river crossing before reaching Ciudad Perdida

A long climb up the stone steps first discovered by tomb raiders and we were on the first of the terraces and were greeted by the first real mosquito invasion (though at different times of year you can expect these throughout the hike). Sixto, our guide and Daniel the interpreter gave us a detailed history of the building, abandonment and later rediscovery right through to post 2006 when the trail first became safe for tourists.

Steps leading from the first terrace to the main complex

As we walked through the various terraces I was hugely impressed with the site. Unlike the more visited Macchu Piccu in Peru the stone work was used for terraces and foundations but the houses were built of wood and are long gone. This gives a very different experience which is spectacular. The views over the steep valleys are breathtaking.

The upper terraces are where a lot of the ceremonial and administrative duties would have been carried out. These are the most reconstructed and cleared parts of the city and give the clearest view of how the city may have looked.

Ciudad Perdida main terraces

Moving on we walked through the less cleared parts of the city where terraces are moss covered and overgrown, it felt more adventurous by the minute.

We then commenced the walk down to camp three, again via river crossings and the view back over where we had come from.  At camp three we all decided that rather than have a very short day four we would push on and all do the four day pace. Although the first part of the trip had pushed the pace a bit we were under no pressure to push on, Sixto was clear we could do either, we now felt ready to push on.

The last camp, La Cabana Tezhumake was my favourite, comfortable and much drier than the humidity of camp two. It was also beside my favourite swimming hole of the trip.

Cabana Tezhumake, the last camp

A good nights sleep and we pushed on for a big final day. Back through the steep jungle valleys, the dusty chalk paths, the open farmland, with of course fruit stops and the five a side second leg!

Ciudad Perdida is one of the highlights of our South America trip so far and I would recommend Expotours as a great company to do it with.  If you are an avid hiker this should be on your bucket list and if you are relatively fit and going to Colombia you won't find a better use of a few days. It is one of the great hikes and I will be persuading people to go for years to come.

Bogota, Colombia: An introduction to a city and a country on the rise

Few, if any countries have a more violent war torn history than Colombia. From the time the first conquistadors arrived in 1499 there has barely been a time of peace and stability in Colombia. There is plenty of literature on the Spanish colonisation and the Simon Bolivar led fight for independence, gained in 1819. Civil wars raged through the 1800's as different ideologies fought for the future of the country, upwards of 100,000 were killed in the war of a thousand days which spanned the dawn of the 20th century.  A period of calm ended in 1948 with the beginning of La Violencia which ultimately ended in the deaths of over 300,000 people as liberals and conservatives continued the battle for control. A power sharing agreement controlled the political debate, for a country with a history so steeped in violence debate it is not surprising that this led to guerilla groups such as FARC gaining support and power as they refused to allow the mainstream the control they sought.  The country's violent history further deteriorated in the 70's and 80's as the drug cartells became the most powerful and richest organisations in the country. Headed first by Medellin based Pablo Escobar, and after his death in 93 the Cali based cartels tens of thousands were killed in the battle for the trafficking trade. During this time Medellin and Cali had the highest murder rates on earth. The drug trade still exists but the cartells are now broken, FARC are at the political table, the economy is booming and a period of long overdue calm seems a distinct possibility.

Few, if any countries have a more violent war torn history than Colombia. From the time the first conquistadors arrived in 1499 there has barely been a time of peace and stability in Colombia. There is plenty of literature on the Spanish colonisation and the Simon Bolivar led fight for independence, gained in 1819. Civil wars raged through the 1800's as different ideologies fought for the future of the country, upwards of 100,000 were killed in the war of a thousand days which spanned the dawn of the 20th century.  A period of calm ended in 1948 with the beginning of La Violencia which ultimately ended in the deaths of over 300,000 people as liberals and conservatives continued the battle for control. A power sharing agreement controlled the political debate, for a country with a history so steeped in violence debate it is not surprising that this led to guerilla groups such as FARC gaining support and power as they refused to allow the mainstream the control they sought.  The country's violent history further deteriorated in the 70's and 80's as the drug cartells became the most powerful and richest organisations in the country. Headed first by Medellin based Pablo Escobar, and after his death in 93 the Cali based cartels tens of thousands were killed in the battle for the trafficking trade. During this time Medellin and Cali had the highest murder rates on earth. The drug trade still exists but the cartells are now broken, FARC are at the political table, the economy is booming and a period of long overdue calm seems a distinct possibility.

With such a tragic history I am intrigued to have been hearing stories over the last few years of Colombia being the new kid on the block of best countries to visit and  find out.Travellers we've met all rave about what a wonderful place to visit. What's changed? I can't wait to find out.

Bolivar Square, Bogota

Arriving in Bogota's modern airport where even the baggage claim area is bright and airy I felt I was pulling for breath in the high altitude air straight away. It felt fresh and good. Arriving in a country where even the smallest transactions are measured in 000's always takes some getting your head around but the 35,000 COP taxi fare to La Calandaria seemed good value.

Sayta Hostel where we stayed is at the end of La Calandaria, the old part of Bogota city, home to most of the main tourist sites and centre of the main backpacker scene. We were greeted at Sayta Hostel with a warm welcome and hot coffee. An early afternoon check in gave us time to go for a walk and get our bearings and a feel for the area.  We both felt Bogota had more of an Andea influence than we expected, feeling more like Lima than the cities of Brazil or Argentina, the cool thin air added to the different ambiance of the city, it felt good. Having had a nightmare journey to Bogota involving a 24 hour delay over almost two nights at Brasilia airport we were ready for a feed and a sleep. We settled in to one of the areas many cafes and ordered Ajiaco a chicken and potato soup served with rice and sour cream, which is one of the areas speciallities. It was just the job before we crashed onto a deep sleep.

Breakfast will be one of the other adjustments of arriving in Colombia, after the sumptuous breakfasts included in the room price in Brazil breakfast is rarely included in Colombia and where it is bread, jam and coffee is the staple. I started chatting to Eva and Kevin an Irish - Australian couple who were early arrivals on the overnight bus from San Gil our next intended destination. We'd end up spending more time with them over the next few days, I straight away knew they would be great fun.

We visited the Museo de Oro first, considered the biggest and best gold museum on the continent it covers displays of jewelery and statues as well as covering history of discovery and development of metallurgy. There is an interesting display on the role of shamen and the use of gold in their rituals.

Anthro - Zoomorphic - Breastplate

After a traditional Almuerza lunch of fish soup and fried Piranha we visited the police museum. Free to enter but seemingly only available to tour with a police officer as a guide, there is an interesting history of the development of the Colombian police force, created by the same person who created the inaugural police force in France.  Further information on the evolutin of police eligebility rules and training programmes are also in place. Next our guide took us through a kind of hit parade of the most dangerous criminals with their capture or despatch date, clearly a sense of pride for the force.

There is, of course, a room dedicated to the tracking down and shooting of Pablo Escobar, the most satisfting result for the force.  Artifacts include gold encrusted pistols use by his top henchmen, his nephew's gold encrusted Harley Davidson and more macarbrely the jacket Escobar was wearing when he was shot and a bloodstained tile from the rooftop where he fell. Escobar shot first, apparently.

Pablo Escobar's jacket

Pablo Escobar's Harley Davidson

For me the most interesting exhibit was a satelite map of Medellin showing the sites of the last seven phone calls Escobar made as the police narrowed down his location.  We felt a little rushed. through and the guide was reluctant to allow us more time to walk freely through so I'd say it is worth a look but not overwhelming.

Carrera 7, one of Bogota's main thoroughfares is closed to traffic and creates an area for traders, food stalls and entertainers to gather, creating a long open boulevard busy with downtown workers as well as tourists. As part of this set up there are dedicated cycle. lanes of which Bogota has over 350 killometres. As part of one of the most progressive forward thinking transport infrastructures in the world these lanes are seperated from traffic, not just a line on the road. A further word on transport Bogota has, as Eva put it, effectively created a tram system without laying down tracks, they have built vast dedicated bus lanes running in all directions down which huge buses travel at regular frequency enabling passengers to zoom across town with no congestion issues. Good work.

At this point we stumbled on the Guinea Pig gambling. A slightly surreal experience where a fully miked up 'trainer' has a selection of guinea pigs several yards from twenty upturned bowls each with a small entrance.  The trainer encourages the audience to place money on the bowls in return for which they take a slice of the winnings should a guinea pig select your bowl, as far as I could tell the bigger your stake the larger your share of the takngs. Unfortunately I never got the chance to confirm this despite one runner giving my bowl a sniff on it's way past.

Next on the list was the Torre Colpatria, Bogota's tallest tower block allows access to it's roof terrace affording great views over this vast (7.5 million pop) city. With mountains to the east and south and the flat plains to the north and west the scenery changes dramatically but the city stretches in front of you almost as far as across the plains.  The most noticable building below is the bullring with it's moorish facade standing out amongst the rest of the surrounding architecture.  Apparently no bull fights have been held for the last couple of years as public opinion against the sport grows.

Santamaria Bullring

We met up with Kevin and Eva, along with Rob a German friend they had met in Mexico. We sampled the Paisa a traditional Colombian dish consisting of Chicken, pork, pork belly just in case you were low on protein!

Sunday brought World Cup final day so all activities were timed for the 2pm local time kick off.  It was a good day to climb Mount Monserrate, a 1500 stone step climb to a church up above the city, the weather, as it seems is typical of Bogota was cool with spells of rain blowing through meaning views were not guaranteed. The walk is a traditional weekend family activity in Bogota so these are the advised times to go rather than midweek when it can be very quiet. We took the opportunity to take on board some coca tea at the bottom, apparently it helps with any ill effects of altitude. Though there are plenty of stalls selling drinks and snacks on the way.  I found the climb tougher than I normally would, certainly finding myself slightly short of breathe due to the altitude. It is a great walk with plenty of plenty of places to stop on the way if you need a rest and to take in the ever expanding views of Bogota below. At the top the Monseratte church was holding mass which was an obvious attraction for many Colombians making the journey.

After the climb up Mount Monseratte, tired, wet and happy.

Joined by Eva, Kevin and some random excited Colombians

Religious buildings and services often provide some of the best photo opportunities though I am always unsure of the etiquete regarding taking pictures. So many religious buildings are beautifully architecturally designed and decorated structures and gatherings are some of the most colourful yet I always feel intrusive taking pictures, despite plenty of others normally also doing so.  I would be interested to know peoples thoughts on this.

After a more relaxing walk down we sought out a small local restaurant for the traditional Colombian Almuzera of soup and a main dish of meat, rice potato and normally fried banana or plantian. We then found a bar to watch the world cup final over a few beers. A great game with both teams coming out trying to win it. Argentina pushed them well but Germany proved worthy winners, being consistently the best team through the tournament. A fitting end to a great tournament.

Our last day in Bogota we decided to hang around La Calandaria and to visit the Museo Botero.  Fernando Botero, one of Colombia's best known artists had a penchant for sculpting and painting 'fat' objects, fat people, fat fruit, fat musical instruments and fat animals. He donated a collection of his own works as well as some internationally renowned artists such as Degas, Picasso, Dali and Monet.

Fernando Botero's Mona Lisa

Fernando Botero's Caballo

The museum itself is set in an old colonial house with airy balconies over looking shady courtyards. I'd recommend it as a must on any to do list for Bogota.

Museo Botero

Leaving Bogota we were ready to move on but it is an enchanting city which is clearly on the rise, I could easily have spent more time in. A wonderful introduction to Colombia which left me more excited than ever about what the country has to offer.

Brazil v Colombia, a big night out in Lencois

We left Salvador and headed inland to Lencois on a high after our last World Cup match USA vs Salvador, one of the best matches I've been at. 

I have detailed the Parque National Diamantina HERE but Lencois itself is worth a mention. A seemingly quiet town it is very much on the tourist trail and has a number of hotels, hostels and camoing to suit all budgets and travel styles. The number of tourist doesn't detract from the steep, narrow cobbled streets where restaurants spill out into the street at night. 

The covered market and several squares each form part of the local community social activity with people gathering to meet or passing the time of day. Many of the tour agencies and other businesses only open in the evening once the tourists arrive back from their treks and tours of the park giving the place a pleasant natural feel during the day.

Having witnessed most of the World Cup in the host city Salvador it was great to get a different experience watching Brazil v Colombia quarter final here. TV's were set up outside and together with Flyn, Rachael and Justin from our hostel we found a bar with seats out in one of the main squares next to the covered market, a perfect spot.

The town started filling with yellow as kick off approached with both visitors and locals sporting the Brazil colours.  As the players were warming up the local drum band marched out of the covered marked and gave a full blooded display getting the crowd worked up.

The game itself was tense with nerves all round. An early goal from Thiago Silva sent fire crackers screaming through the town, fireworks bursting from the hillside and significant beer spillage. Colombia had earned a reputation as one of the flair sides of the tournament and even though they looked nervous Brazil knew the danger was still there. A second goal mid way through the second half for a 2-0 lead was enough for another round of firecrackers, fireworks and beer spillage.  A late James (Ham-ez) Rodriguez goal was enough to quieten the crowd and only as full time ticked over did chants of BRAZIL BRAZIL BRAZIL echo through the square, on full time queue more firecrackers, more fireworks, more beer spillage and a return of the drum band on even more full blooded form than before. There was definitely a feeling of relief as much as joy as they had known Colombia were a form team.  

Dancing erupted in the street and the band, pied piper like headed off into the town, returning some minutes later with more people in tow. They took up position and the whole town, and bemused tourists burst into dance, led by one of the band leaders in what looked like a bizarre group aerobics workout.

Later in the covered market a fantastic Capoeira display broke out with the local club ranging from small children to honed experts facing off raising excitement levels further. Capoeira is a dance mixed with martial art with moves involving high kicks and somersaults. It is a staple of the province of Bahia, though I felt this was more genuine than the made for tourist displays in Salvador.

The town was clearly in the mood to party. Open backed Utes drove past with people dancing and playing Saxaphone in the back, youths honked their horns and a good time was had by all.

It was a pleasure to be in such an amzing country for the World Cup and sharing this night with Lencois was one of the craziest nights of all.

Tour of Lencois and Parque National da Chapada Diamantina

A seven hour bus journey inland from Salvador brings you to Lencois a historic diamond mining town which is the gateway to Parque Nacional da Chapada Diamantina. This enormous park is popular for hiking with many single or multi day options available.  Arriving in Lencois a stream runs along the road which crosses an arched stone bridge into one of the towns plazzas which houses a beautiful old covered market.

It is somewhat typical that having encountered unseasonably wet weather through most of our time in Brazil we arrived in a town known for streams, waterfalls and deep swimming holes at a time when the dry interior lived up to its name.  There are several walks to swimming holes which are easily accessible within an hours walk from the town.  The Serrano swimming holes are an easy walk, popular with locals and are literally deep holes in the rock river bed. Overlooking the town and surrounding woodland they are a beautiful spot to stop for a picnic and to relax. Most of the pools were dry and those that were full were crowded so we carried on up the path to a small waterfalls and stunning views just above it.

The second day the trip we'd booked to Cachoeira da Fumaca, Brazil's highest waterfall was cancelled so we headed out on a trip taking in caves, swimming holes (notice a theme developing?) and finishing at Morro do Pai Inacio, a peak affording incredible views over rocky plateaus stretching across the valley.

The first stop was the waterfall Poco do Diablo and for us the first realisation how touristy the area is, it was clear we were going to share the day with a crowd. Having said that, a pleasant walk from the car park along the stream, past interesting rock formations, it certainly felt relaxing after Salvador.  At the bottom of the fall a large deep pool formed which was perfect for a swim and a cool down.

The next spot was Lapa Doce, the sweet cave, one of many limestone caves which extend up to 29 kilometres below the park. Decending down from the dry plateau to the cool sinkhole which forms the cave's, er, cavernous 72 feet high entra.

Entrance to Gruta Lapa Doce, and below from inside

Visitors are able to walk approximately a killometre through the cave which is 60 metres wide in its central hallway and with good torch light it is an easy walk and shouldn't feel claustrophobic for most people.

Lapa Doce is stunning and our guide was entertaining and informative.  The different stalagtite and stalagmite formations are fascinating and varying greatly in size.

Imagining a great underground river flowing through and creating the formations you can see today is fascinating. A really great experience.

The next part of the day was an hour long stop for lunch, when we had been advised to bring lunch to eat on the go, and a long stop at a cave with luminescent clear water and a shallow watering hole which at 20 reais didn't represent good value.  Getting your feet cleaned by the small fish nipping away was entertaining though.

It would have been better to cut this part of the trip short as by the time we reached Pai Inacio the star attraction in the park, dusk was already falling and a lot of the best light had gone.

Sunset view from Pai Inacio

Having said that the climb up to the plateau isn't too strenuous but wear good walking shoes and it is awesome. The amazing views across the plateaus extending down the valley are amazing.  Seeing the colours change as the sun set was superb, before a mad rush to beat the rapidly closing darkness.

From the plateau of Pai Inacio

We'd met a few good people at the Chapada Hostel we were staying at and had a great night out which I will write about separately, Flynn and Rachael from Sydney and Melbourne respectively were particularly full of good advice. Flynn "If you are in Colombia and don't go to the lost city, you are an idiot" I love Aussie straight talking.

Our last morning Rachael joined us for a hike out of the town to Ribeiro do Meio, a natural smooth rock slide and deep swimming hole below. It is only an hour so out of town and another great spot to relax in, I liked it a lot more than the Serrano swimming holes.

Ribeiro do Mei, natural rockslide

I minor warning I would give is to check whether there are any extra costs on top of the tour price, ours unexpectedly went from 110 reais to 155. I think this was a genuine communication breakdown but it pays to check. There are also multilingual guides available but you won't get one automatically.

Projeto Tamar : Turtle Conservation Project

Projeto Tamar is a  turtle conservation project based in the state of Bahia, Brazil. Established in 1980 the organisation has 19 bases covering approximately 1,100 miles of coastline.  Five species of turtle, all of which are endangered, nest on the Bahia coast and Tamar's mission is to ensure research, conservation and management of turtles ensure their best chance of recovering in numbers. Most turtles killed when coming ashore are females ready to nest, killed for their eggs.

Loggerhead Turtle

 Education in helping develop fishing methods that reduce by catch are a vital part of the work done with the local community. As turtles reach maturity at 25 and adulthood at 30 restoring the life cycle and recovering numbers takes considerable time. With the project itself at 33 only just reaching maturity as the first years hatchlings are reaching maturity and breeding age themselves the long term focus of the project becomes clear.

We visited one of the visitor centre at Praia do Forte, one of eleven along the coast. We were outside nesting season which runs from September to March so didn't get to see the work that goes on when the hatchlings make their way to the sea. The visit was still worthwhile and informative.

The project has several tanks for viewing the different species of turtle, being up close with them you can see how large yet venerable they are.

Green Sea Turtle

Feeding time at 2:30 every afternoon is, unsurprisingly a popular activity and a chance to see the turtles up close, commentary is in Portuguese.

Turtle feeding

These hatchlings are one month old and considerably less than the size of your hand. Only one in a thousand of these will reach adulthood.

The project also contains one of only three nurse shark breeding projects in the world, helping long term survival of another slow maturing and threatened species.

Information is scattered around, some in Portuguese but most is translated to English as well, which is helpful for us.  Some of the non translated information is infographic or charts so you can still get a feel for what the numbers say and how populations are increasing, encouragingly.

The project website link is here here for those that would like more detail on the work Projeto Tamar does an the success they are having.

They are even succeeding in predicting world cup results with Halter a 27 year old Loggerhead being selected as the official pitaqueiro for the competition. This fun activity is another way of raising awareness of the need for conservation of these animals. In this case he corctly predicted Brazil would beat Chile, though I doubt he would have predicted it to be as close as it was!

Set up for Halter the Loggerhead to predict the result if Brazil V Chile