Ciudad Perdida, known as the ‘Lost City,’ is hidden in the jungle of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains in Colombia.
Although the city was built over 1,000 years ago by the Tairona people, it was only discovered in the 1970s.
Originally named Teyuna by the Tairona people, it was renamed Ciudad Perdida when it was uncovered.
This city is an ancient wonder tucked into the rainforest of South America — much like Machu Picchu.
Ciudad Perdida is over 600 years older than Machu Picchu and it is not accessible by trains or buses.
In fact, you would have to hike for days to see these ancient ruins.
When visiting the ‘Lost City’, you have to be with a licensed guide which you can book through multiple companies.
The trail to Ciudad Perdida is now patrolled by the Colombian army following the kidnapping of tourists hiking in 2003.
Some of the tourists were held captive for 100 days before being returned unharmed.
Tour companies and tourists have been put at eas since members of the Colombian army started guarding the trail.
Arrive in Ciudad Perdida and you will see the Wiwa people who are descendants of the Tairona and have been left to themselves for hundreds of years.
The Wiwa people are usually dressed in all white, which is considered to be holy and they have a deep and spiritual connection with the land.
In addition to the Wiwa people going centuries being undisturbed; there were treasures such as gold, jewelry, and ceramics which remained hidden until 1972.
Looters were ransacking the area for years until the Colombian government came in and began taking strides forward to protect and reconstruct the ‘Lost City’.
‘Lost City’ is one of the largest pre-Columbian towns in the Americas.
After hiking for days, you’ll have to climb up 1,200 stone steps to get to the actual ruins.
It’s advised to embark on this journey during the dry season — from December to March.