The Lost City, also known as Ciudad Perdida, is located in the Sierra Nevada de Jujue. It is an exciting but challenging trek that will surely bring you to a mysterious ancient site that hasn’t been fully submerged by modern tourism. It’s a hidden gem hidden among the many world-famous tourist spots. The Lost City is part of a Historic Park and is one of Colombia’s most visited locations. It attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world each year. There are plenty of fascinating facts and legends behind this mysterious Lost City.
If you want to backpack the Lost City trek and see all the exciting places along the way, you should do it during the dry season, which is from May to October. The perfect weather to hike the Lost City is from early morning to afternoon. But, it can get really hot and humid during the night hours. On your way, you will pass many beautiful sites and architecture. On your way back, you will be greeted by Santa Maria and the beautiful sunrise on the shore of Santa Marta Bay.
The next day starts off with scrambling up the side of the slope where you will find yourself following a trail of Inca Trail that will take you to the camp that overlooks Lake Titicaca. From here, you will hike a gradual downhill path until you reach the third campsite where the trail ends. At this point, you will be given the option to continue onward to the fourth camping site where you can see the magnificent sunrise from a spectacular viewpoint. This is a short distance from the fifth camping site which you can choose to extend your journey by another day to Catalina Island. The last two challenging and long miles comprise of scrambling up the side of a mountain and finally reaching the final campsite at the seventh camping site, which is at the final climb of the Inca Trail.
As previously stated, the entire trek takes about seven days. But, because of the high altitude and the time, you will experience a lot of acclimatization and training to be able to hike this long trek. The first day will allow you to explore the view of the valley where you will be greeted by spectacular views of the mountain and how it relates to nature. On the second day, you will have the chance to hike up to the start of the Inca Trail where you can see the path that you need to take in order to reach the final campsite at the eighth camping site.
The hike starts from the south when you wake up from the beautiful morning of Santa maria. On your way, you will pass through many panoramic views such as the talooka falls where there is a view of the river below and a view of how the mountain rises afterward. Once you reach the 8 campsites, you will have to carry your equipment and emergency food supply to survive the night. After passing through the tenth and final campsite, you will see a view of a sultry sun rising over the horizon to the point where you can clearly see the Inca Trail in front of you.
Hiking this route is an unforgettable journey in itself. It involves hiking through beautiful landscapes that take you to natural hot springs, ancient ruins, spectacular views, and ancient Colombia. During your hike, you will also enjoy the wildlife you encounter in the park-like the giant anteater and the small antelopes that you may see along the trail. There are many other animal species you can encounter like deer and quail that you can take pictures with to remember your trip. The lost city trek has been designed to be an easy hiking adventure but also to offer amazing sights and extraordinary wildlife that will take your breath away.
Once you reach the campsite, the first thing you will notice is that it is composed of beautiful white sand and a gentle slope. It will feel like you are walking on a big beach. The trail starts off using the famous Colombia stone steps which give you a gradual climbing experience as you walk from camp to camp. The stones used are colored and shaped uniquely to show the indigenous taste of the Inca civilization. On your way up, you will pass three waterfalls where you can cool yourself by stepping into the shallow pools.
Upon reaching camp at the ninth camp, the adventure really begins as you learn about the life of the Inca by carrying out a true-life story-based mini-adventure. The Lost City Trek will take you to ten stops where you will be exposed to amazing natural scenes as well as breathtaking views. The unique Incan architecture you see at every turn will leave you in awe. Upon reaching the last camp at the end of the trek, you will have to carry your gear and get back on the Colombia shuttle to head back to Cusco. With an exciting adventure like this, you can definitely say that The Lost City Trek really is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
