I’m already falling a couple weeks behind on this blog so I apologize to anyone waiting on the edge of their seat for the next post. It’s hard to keep up with when I’m out here living the life. I take lots of notes along the way but piecing it all together and adding the photos/videos is time consuming. Especially when uploading to WordPress on the Wi-Fi here sucks and takes multiple attempts. It’s all worth it in the end. 

La Ciudad Perdida (The Lost City)

The 4 day trek to La Ciudad Perdida was one of the things I was looking forward to most in Colombia. It’s the reason why I started in the north in the Magdalena region. I booked this months in advance so I had at least something big planned to start my trip and I wanted to do a multi day trek early to get that true South American hiking experience and this was the perfect one to start out with. I booked it for a few days after my arrival so that I had some time to adjust to the Colombian lifestyle. The altitude wasn’t too high but the trek is 4 days in the jungle with nearly 10,000 feet of ups and downs, 35+ miles of hiking, and a high probably that it will rain. I have done a few 1 day backpacking trips before but this was certainly going to be a challenging adventure like none other that I had been on. 

History

La Ciudad Perdida was built by the Tairona people, one of the largest and oldest indigenous tribes in Colombia at the time, starting around 600 CE and taking nearly 300 years to complete (600 years before Machu Picchu) until the Spanish took over the land in 1511. Lost for 400+ years until found accidentally by a gold looter on a hunting trip in mid 1970s (according to our guide the indigenous people in the area knew about it but didn’t tell anyone). The looter was with his son and they shot a bird to eat which required them to cross the river to find it. They saw the beginning of the steps up to the city and knowing that it looked important walked to the top. The whole area was covered by trees at this time (only about 10% is uncovered to date) and they found all these circular rock formations where houses used to be. Knowing that many indigenous tribes used to bury their people underneath their house with gold possessions (jewelry, armors, decorations, etc), two families of looters controlled the area and spent the next 3 years uncovering gold under each circle. One day they found a massive gold indigenous head and one family shot another. Gun fighting and violence broke out and the area became known as El Infierno Verde (Green Hell). Finally the site was reported to government in 1975 by Francisco (Frankie) Rey who became in charge of the anthropologists and archaeologists because he knew all the routes to get there.

Once the government was in control it took 6 years for restoration to finish. The first name given to the city was Burótica 3000 but then it was changed to La Ciudad Perdida (the lost city). In 1982, Franky Rey was the first tour guide to lead a group to the lost city. There was a period in the 90s where no tours were held due to the area being controlled by guerillas. And even when they started back up there was a hostage situation in 2003 where the guards had to be brought in. Coincidentally enough since any press is good press, it got La Ciudad Perdida on the radar and actually led to more people going on the trek than before. Now it has become a place of sustainable tourism for the area; you can only get there by hiking with a guide and everything is local: guides, chefs, food/drink/souvenir vendors/campsites. It is still certainly nowhere near as popular or crowded as Machu Picchu but is starting to gain more notoriety. However since there is no train and the only way to get there is a minimum 4 day trek through the jungle, it requires an adventurous person to see this magical place.

Wiwa Tribe

Our tour had 2 guides from one of the indigenous tribes in the area known as the Wiwa. Some of the other groups we saw didn’t have any indigenous guides so I’m very glad that I chose the Wiwa Tours agency and would highly recommend this choice for anyone interested in this trek. The experience was way more meaningful having guides that are actually indigenous and can tell us first hand about their community, culture, and history. Plus I’d much rather give them my money. Both of the Wiwa guides were named Jose and while they were kind of quiet and reserved at times, they had a good sense of humor and were very grateful to guide us on this tour sharing their knowledge about the land and their culture with us.

They only spoke Spanish (and Wiwa of course) so while we did have some basic conversations together, I wish that I could have chatted more with them and asked more questions. Each night they would teach us a few words in Wiwa then periodically quiz us throughout the day. It was very challenging to remember the words but I think it added a lot to the experience trying to learn some of their dialect. And they really appreciated us making the effort even if they would sometimes scold us for not remembering. The words that stood out most to me, and I am going to try to use forever was counting 1, 2, 3: Sqwah, Moah, Maygwa.

On the first night while sitting around the bonfire they shared some of their culture with us which I am going to share with you. There are actually 4 different tribes living in this part of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta: Wiwa, Koki, Arhuacos, and Kamkuamos; and you can tell them apart by their hats. While they live independently and in different parts of the mountain, all of them share certain aspects of their culture for hundreds of years. At one point in history the tribes were living closer to the coast but unfortunately guerrilla groups took over the land farming marijuana and cocaine and pushing the tribes further into the mountains. 

All tribes have an important object known as a poporro in Spanish or domborro in Wiwa (which is how I will refer to it). The male becomes an adult at age 16-17 when he receives his domborro from the shaman. It is kind of shaped like a gourd and it’s used for the individual to put his thoughts into. Inside the domborro is a white powder made from seashells. The seashell is transported from the coast using bamboo then burned in the fire to dry it. The Wiwa male will put coca leaves in his mouth from his bag (only women pick the leaves) and then use a thin wand like tool to get the seashell powder inside the domborro and combine the saliva from the coca to create this yellow paste. He then slowly spins this paste around the the domborro which causes it to stick to the outside. Every few weeks or months they remove all the yellow paste and start fresh. The Joses were constantly doing this process throughout the 4 days unless it was raining and they had to cover their domborro. Wow what a way to collect your thoughts especially when hiking! I’m considering doing something similar now.

Another cool tradition of the Wiwa tribe is that instead of shaking hands when you pass by someone, the two people exchange a bit of coca leaves from their bags. It was funny because one of the Jose’s would always take way more than he would give, especially when the other person looked much younger…seniority trumps in all cultures.

Food

Our chef, Diana, absolutely crushed it in the kitchen and on the hiking trails. She would always leave after us then zoom passed us on the trail already cooking the next meal by the time we arrived at the lunch spot or our campsite for the night. We had 3 incredibly tasty meals a day that were all gigantic portions, which was super necessary and helpful for all the hiking we did. Each meal was accompanied by a refreshing juice. And in each spot there was always a 5 gallon Gatorade cooler of filtered water so we never had to worry too much about running out.

In between meals, while on the trail, we would occasionally take breaks at designated areas where we would snack on watermelon, pineapple, and oranges. Having some sugary fruits midway through the hike was such a nice reward and always helped us keep moving forward. These spots also had vendors selling water, Gatorade, and other snacks. 

Lodging 

I wasn’t sure what to expect about our sleeping accommodations but was pleasantly surprised with how nice they were. Each campsite had a line of bunk beds with mosquito nets, kitchen, dining area, bathrooms with showers, and lots of clotheslines. Some of them had other amenities like a bonfire or a place to buy snacks, beers, and souvenirs.

Flora and Fauna

The entire hike had the quintessential jungle feel with luscious trees and plants of many shapes, sizes, and shades of green that were all densely packed together. Many trees had vines dangling from their branches reminding me of Tarzan or Donkey Kong; and the size of some of the leaves and palm fronds were astronomical. I wish I knew more about trees, plants, and flowers to where I could immediately recognize the different types and spit out facts but alas that is not a skill I currently have. Sometimes when I hike in Colorado I picture this future life where I’m hiking with my kids and telling them all about the different flora in the area. And at the time they think it’s lame and that I’m a loser for knowing so much about all this, but then later in life they realize how interesting it is and are glad to have all that knowledge. 

We saw a variety of animals over the course of our 4 days. Some of which were standard farm animals – horses, mules, chickens, and pigs; but we also saw a poisonous snake, a parrot, a crab, frogs, hummingbirds, countless different butterflies, and a variety of weird bugs. It was necessary to regularly apply bug spray and impossible not to come away with a few bites. I had some on my legs but it wasn’t too bad. Jess and Casey got absolutely eaten alive and their bites looked a lot worse and more inflamed than mine.

The most prevalent animal of them all was man’s best friend, dogs! There would be dogs roaming around the campsite areas begging for food. And then they would follow us from campsite to campsite all the way to the top of La Ciudad Perdida. Those cute doggies have probably done the trek thousands of times.

The Group

I had an absolutely great group for the trek, I could not be more grateful for how closely we all connected. There was a strong bond from the start and it only strengthened as we made our way up and down through the jungle in the rain and mud. We had a perfect split of 5 native Spanish speakers and 5 native English speakers. And all the Spanish speakers were good at English too, but also this was an amazing opportunity for me to work on my Spanish since everyone was so patient with me; speaking slowly and helping me get through the convo. I also learned so many new words and phrases to practice afterwards. It’s so much easier to learn when your hiking through the jungle with someone for 4 days rather than a quick interaction in the city. I connected on a personal level with everyone over the course of the trek and have so many new good friends after going through this experience together. The three Americans were on a 2 week after they just finished working on a movie together called Throuple, coming to an Indie film festival near you next year! And they had a fun, goofy chemistry together as the New York film artistic types trekked their way through the jungle. They were constantly interviewing each other for a video they were making of the trek.

-Jess (Brooklyn but originally LA): actress in Throuple. I asked her the first night around the bonfire what else she’d be in and when she said Shameless I nearly lost it. I thought she looked familiar earlier in the day! I go wait were you Carl’s girlfriend in the later seasons?! Indeed she was. I told her I had to fangirl a bit the next day and ask some questions which she allowed for. I kept it brief! Will definitely continue to follow her career. I trekked with a star (and am now friends!) and saw her in all elements

-Casey (Brooklyn but originally Wisconsin): producer of Throuple. She had a really happy go lucky and silly energy while also being very smart and well spoken. She asked good questions and made insightful statements 

-Julian (Manhattan but originally Long Island): cameraman of Throuple who took lots of artsy photos throughout the trek capturing the essence of the people and landscape. On the quieter side but when he did talk he was hilarious, especially when bantering with the girls. His humor reminded me a lot of Joe Eichner 

-Tess (London): friendly British girl. Enjoyed her company but connected the least with her 

-Monica aka Moni (Bogotá but originally Nieva, Colombia) my Spanish teacher that spoke slowly with me and taught me new words, and person I probably talked to the most in English on the trip as well. We had some great convos – both silly and deep and really got to know each other on a personal level. We are both Leos and had a lot of similar personality traits. Her and Caro we’re friends that came into this experience together 

-Carolina aka Caro (Bogotá but has lived all over): kind and loving soul who was very spiritual – super into meditation, yoga, astronomy, etc. She had a very positive energy and was always comforting to talk to

-Freddy (London but originally Colombia): super friendly and funny guy who you could always rely on to dap at the top of the trail or crack a wise joke. Fan favorite for most people

-Gorka (Basque Country): Dating Leire. Hilarious character – even though his English was only average he made some funny jokes and everyone was always laughing at his comments in Spanish. Me, him, and Leire were usually hiking at the front. 

-Leire (Basque Country): incredibly nice and easy to talk to. Had some solid convos in both English and Spanish 

-Guides

   -Santos (Santa Marta but originally Venezuela): we immediately connected on the bus day 1 and became homies. Always smiling and grateful for life and living in the moment

   -José (Wiwa indigenous tribe): always in front and constantly building more paste around his domborro. Pushed us hard to learn the Wiwa language 

-José (Wiwa indigenous tribe): told us about the Wiwa culture. Santos was trying to help him learn English so he had me teach him a few phrases on the second day

The Trek – 37.1 miles, 9500 feet elevation gain, in and out

Day 1 4.4 miles, 1600 feet elevation gain, 200 feet loss, point to point

Got to the Wiwa Tours office and immediately started chatting it up with the American crew. The easy thing to do of course. But I also chatted a bit with Gorka and Leire at making an effort to speak some Spanish. Even though I wasn’t great they were impressed with my communication for how little time I’d been learning (I later found they spoke English pretty well too). There was 10 of us in the group and 3 guides (described above) and we hopped in two separate mini vans for the 2 hour drive to El Mamey where we would start the trek. I was with the Americans, Freddy, and Santos and the good conversations were flowing as the energy before the trek was very high. After a stop off halfway through the drive for coffee, snacks, and coconut water we got on the bumpiest and worst road I’ve been on in Colombia to date. Finally we arrived at El Mamey and got to know the rest of the group better over a big lunch with chicken, rice, plantains, lentils, and salad. Caro had lived in Israel for a number of years when she was younger and we bonded on our Jewish heritage. 

The start of the hike was an open road through town that led into a wide trail in the forest. Then it was an open section where half the road was for motorbikes, similar to the 360 Mirador trail in Minca. The hottest part of the day was unshaded and when we did the steepest part so it was pretty brutal. Luckily we made a stop about halfway up at a drink stand where a cold Gatorade was such a life saver. I practiced my Spanish with Monica and we also just talked about various life things in English. She worked for an online gambling company and knew what it was like to deal with software developers so we connected on that. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the tech industry in Colombia is rapidly growing right now. Hmmm maybe I’ll just get my next job here. 

After a short first day and a sprinkle of rain toward the end we arrived at Vista Hermosa which means beautiful view and it lived up to the hype. Pretty comfy bunk beds with mosquito nets, showers with cold water, long picnic table dining area, fire pit, and place to buy souvenirs and beers. After everyone showered and some of us had a few beers, it was dinner time where we had a delicious fried fish with rice and plantains. After dinner we sat around the fire and learned some great info from the Joses about the Wiwa tribe and the domborro (which I spoke about above) and they answered some of our questions about their tribe and culture. It was also the first day of learning the Wiwa dialect and they taught us five words to know. Some of us stayed up looking at the stars and sitting around the fire having deep convos a la fogota (bonfire) talking about why we chose to do the trek, telling random life stories, and discussing near death experiences. This is also when I found out that Jess was on Shameless.

Day 2 11.8 miles, 3600 feet elevation gain, 2900 feet loss, point to point

5AM wake up was rough but it was so worth it for the insane sunrise with crazy colors bursting in the sky over the horizon. I can see why they call it Vista Hermosa. 

It was so worth the early wake up, and to prep us for the long day ahead we had a nice big typical Colombian breakfast – eggs, plantain bread, sweet bread, and assorted fruits.

Now we were truly hiking in the jungle of the Sierra Nevada. Steady up and down in the morning with a few very muddy parts where you really had to make sure you didn’t slip when going down and domino everyone else down with you. I fan girled Jess about Shameless, but only for about 5 minutes, before talking about a few other things in the movie star world. Throughout the morning I had solid hiking convos with various other people in the group as everyone was in good spirits at the beginning of day 2. At one point I was asked by Santos to help one of the Jose’s with English so that was a fun interaction. I also received more Spanish lessons from Monica. Even though the conversations were basic and brief it was a good exercise in speaking and listening.

I was really in the perfect mindset. This is exactly what I came on this trip to do, hike in beautiful places and meet new people, and I was achieving both of these at once all while walking through some of the most incredible jungle landscapes that I’d ever seen. My mind and my soul were at such peace as we were surrounded by massive plants and trees making our way up and down a variety of different pathways – narrow mud trenches, dirt trails, and rocky steps.

Along the way we would pass by some other travelers on the road – tour groups heading back, the occasional mule led by a local, and indigenous people chopping down plants and going about living their mountain lives. It took us about 3-3.5 hours total before arriving at our lunch spot. But before eating we got on our bathing suits and hiked another quarter mile to a beautiful cascada (waterfall). It was super refreshing and there was a great group energy as we swam under the waterfall and felt the incredibly powerful force of the water. After 30 minutes of playtime we walked back and had her another bomb lunch – soup, chicken, rice, plantains.

A little bit of post lunch chill time and then we were off once again with a big afternoon ahead. I was walking toward the front with one of the Jose’s (which was the case most of the trek as most of you know I’m a fast walker and like to be in front) and it was fascinating, but also not surprising, to see the local knowledge he had. He walked with a very rhythmic pace and knew the direction at every split in the path without a second of hesitation. You can tell that he is truly one with this land and knows every in and out in the area. He exchanged coca with every other indigenous person that walked by and used his domborro all day to collect his thoughts (wish I could do that with my hiking thoughts). He was constantly chewing coca leaves and spinning his little stick around the outside to create the paste.

The first section in the afternoon was 1.5 hours of what Jose called “Colombian flat” which has lots of ups and downs but not too steep either way. Most of trail was along the river so it was very peaceful to hear the constant noise of the flowing water. We passed by an indigenous town and got to see naked children playing in the water. It felt like something out of National Geographic. There was a little girl walking by with a machete in one hand and carrying multiple satchels of cut plants in the other – kids grow up fast in these cultures providing labor and service at a young age. Alex, do you think Maya can be trusted with a machete?!

The next section was nearly an hour of straight uphill that was very steep. Hardest section of the trip so far. I was trying to keep up with Jose which was tough because he never once stopped for a break. I had to take a breather once or twice just to regain some energy. It started raining slowly toward the end of the hard section and then all the sudden was dumping by about 2:30. Luckily we made it to a covered spot for our afternoon snack of fresh pineapple and oranges where many other groups were also waiting. But at this point it had become a torrential downpour with no end in sight. After resting awhile we eventually just had to go for it. The rain had slowed down and was much lighter but the terrain was completely flooded.

The final hour of the day we had to deal with streams of water rushing down the path and non stop mud. And the rain was still coming down but at least it was relatively light compared to before. We crossed water ways by skipping on top of rocks and hoping not to slip. Sometimes you had to get ankle deep in the water and just get your socks and shoes absolutely soaked. You can’t help but think about the blisters that are probably forming but what are you going to do but keep going. Your clothes are absolutely soaked and your legs are covered in mud. A part of me is like this is horrible and a part of me loves every second of it because hey I’m trekking in the jungle – this is the wild experience that I wanted to have. One that I will never forget. You don’t even think about how steep the incline is and whether your going up or down, because all your focus is on the next step, and making sure that you don’t slip and that you don’t step in too much mud or water. Rain or shine we have to get to the next camp. It was an incredibly accomplishing and relieving feeling when we finally made it to camp.

Wow what an amazing but also trying day. Truly was a trek through the jungle with all kinds of landscapes, terrains, and weather conditions. We made it!! After hanging our clothes and taking a quick shower, we sat around the table chatting about the crazy day over some hot chocolate and popcorn. Shortly after was another tasty dinner – spaghetti with some sort of orange sauce with fish. Everybody was super tired after such a long day. I chatted with Monica for a bit and we felt like we were high on hiking from the day. We got into some funny conversations and just couldn’t stop laughing about everything we were saying (of course we were both being hilarious). Ended up in bed by 8:30.

Day 3 10.7 miles, 1600 elevation gain, 3000 feet elevation loss, point to point

After a nice 4:30am wake up and another large breakfast we were finally on the last stretch to make it to La Ciudad Perdida. We hiked along the river during another Colombian flat section and a couple places required hopping along rocks in the water to cross little streams that had formed after yesterday’s rain. Then there was a fun section where we crossed the main river by “zip lining across” aka two people getting into a little carriage and then the guides pushing you across from one side and people on the other side using the rope to pull you the rest of the way.

Once across we had just a quick 1200 steps up before reaching the entrance of the lost city. I couldn’t help but think about the gold looter shooting the bird that landed on these steps and following it all the way up to the top excited to see what it led to. 

These weren’t your average steps and each one varied in shape, size, and distance to the next one. You really had to watch your footing as you stepped up each one.

Alas we finally made it and what an accomplishing feeling it was!!! You could immediately feel the strong and powerful energy of the land knowing that it’s history traces back more than a thousand years and picturing how it used to be when the Tairona civilization lived here. Santos told us the story of the lost city’s discovery (which I detailed at the beginning of this post) and the Joses chimed in adding info about the importance of the city to their tribe and culture.

While the Tairona people didn’t leave any writings for future indigenous tribes, they did engrave maps into the rocks showing them the paths through the mountains and the surrounding landscape.

And of course we weren’t done yet, there was still countless more steps to make it to la cema (the top). We would periodically stop along the way for more stories about the lost city and the Tairona people. This place really was so magical – the history, the views, the energy, the isolation from everything else in the world, and that special feeling knowing that we worked so hard to get here hiking two full days up and down through mud and rain. It was total bliss and the whole group was soaking in every single moment.

The views from the top were absolutely phenomenal – down below you could see many of the circular formations where the homes used to be and off in the distance was a beautiful view of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta; a mountain range that I have come to love dearly.

While we sat on the top silently taking in all the beauty, Jose handed us snacks on a silver platter.

After about 30 minutes we started our descent and headed a different direction through the lost city. It was much bigger than I thought it would be and I’m sure at one point it was a bustling metropolis in the Tairona community. The only indigenous people that are currently allowed to live here is the chief of the Koki tribe and his family. He was not around to greet us but we did meet his daughter who sold little bracelets for $0.50 which obviously we all bought and I have worn every day since. Once we got back toward the entrance we did a short group meditation guided by Caro at first before taking in the silence. It was an incredibly powerful experience for all of us given the strong energy of the land. When I closed my eyes I saw Zach’s facing smiling and watching over me in approval of the experience I was having on my trip so far. I had strong emotions of both happiness and sadness seeing his spirit so vividly. I wasn’t the only one who had a deep moment during the meditation as Casey was balling in tears afterwards. It was a very powerful meditation and a great way to say goodbye to this magical place. I really do hope to return some day.

And just like that we were back on the 1200 steps except it was much harder to go down than it was to go up. You really had to focus on each step going down and tilt your shoes sideways to avoid slipping because one wrong move could lead to a serious injury or even worse. Of course we took it very slowly and carefully and everyone made it down in one piece. After another zip line over the river and the 30 minute walk back (where it started to lightly rain), it was time for lunch. Everyone was beaming with energy after the experience we just had at La Ciudad Perdida. We had reached our goal and it far exceeded expectations. But we weren’t done yet, now we had another 1.5 days hiking up and down through mud and rain following the same path through the jungle that led us here. This is when the true endurance test began. After a nice lunch and a bit of rest, we started what turned out to be the most challenging stretch of the trek. It rained nonstop for all 4 hours that we hiked and the mud had gotten ridiculous. The trail was uphill to start and then pretty much downhill the rest of the way as we sloshed through mud and rain with wet shoes and socks. The group ended up splitting up as everyone was starting to go at very different paces through these tumultuous conditions. Gorka, José, and I were in the front scampering down the muddy inclines trying to make camp quickly as possible. Much of the afternoon was silent and all our concentration was put into avoiding slipping in the mud. We stopped a few times to wait for others and eventually Leira and Julian caught up. 

We were making great progress and almost back at camp when all of the sudden there was a huge water crossing that came out of nowhere and required us to go through water that was over knee high. Where the fuck did this come from? At first we thought maybe Jose was taking us a different way but of course he knew what he was doing. In a matter of just over 24 hours a “river” this large had formed due to the crazy amounts of rainfall. At this point our shoes were already soaked so it didn’t even really matter that we just went right through it. The water was moving quickly so it was important to not get taken down while going across (hearing stories later Tess fell twice during their crossing). 

It was such a relief when we finally made it to camp; everything I had on me was completely soaked. I took off my shoes and socks and holy shit my feet were fucked. The skin was so tender and multiple blisters had started to form. Owww. I applied some Neosporin and tried to tend to them but it hurt so badly. I couldn’t even wear my sandals later because they rubbed too much. I had to just walk around barefoot and in pain. The rest of the crew made it back looking miserable from a very challenging afternoon and I wasn’t the only one with wrecked feet. The weather and land conditions made the afternoon of day 3 the hardest stretch of the trek by far. We were all glad to be chilling at camp after such a long day but the high energy from the morning at La Ciudad Perdida had shifted to a much different mood. And the campsite didn’t even have any beer which was much needed at that time.

Everyone felt better after another delicious Diana dinner and afterwards while sitting around a bonfire Jose showed us the process to make their woven bags that they use to carry around the coca leaves. It was fascinating to watch him use this tool to strip down this plant that looked like an aloe leaf and uncover these fibrous strands that ultimately are used to make the bag. He let a few people try the process of stripping the plant but my feet hurt too much to be in the mood for volunteering. It was pretty incredible that they even discovered this fibrous material in the plant but then again his tribe had been living off the land for so many years. Just one plant seemed like a lot of work and it would take hundreds just to make a small bag. Then we had our final quiz on all the Wiwa words that we had learned (which was probably 15-20) where it was girls versus guys. My Wiwa, like my Spanish, was not so great and Gorka and Casey ended up doing the best and were rewarded with a special Wiwa bracelet. We went to bed early that night around 8:30 after an incredibly long day. I got my worst night’s sleep of the trek, possibly because my feet were bothering me so much. 

Day 4: 10 miles, 1800 feet elevation gain, 2600 feet elevation loss, point to point

I woke up struggling from a terrible night’s sleep and with my feet still blistered and tender. Oof today is going to be rough. How am I going to trek for another 4-5 in my current state? Luckily I had some tape that I used to wrap up my feet so the blisters weren’t rubbing too much while walking. At least I had one more semi-dry pair of socks but of course my shoes were still very wet. After breakfast we were off one last time and the first 30 minutes was tough trying to ignore the pain in my feet. Add on the fact that it was a steep uphill to start so my already sore calves were absolutely burning. Even though I felt pain and discomfort, I found my stride and was able to push past these feelings and find a state of zen to enjoy these last few hours deep in the jungle. In spite of it all, I was still in the front right behind Jose and chatting it up with Leira as we went through a long downhill stretch. I recognized most of the trail as we headed back the other way and it was crazy to think about how much we went through over the past 48 hours and how different the mindset was coming back versus going there. Man I love hiking so much and this four day trek just further proved how powerful of an experience that it can be. The beauty of a long hike is that it’s not only a journey through the wilderness but also through the mind. Sometimes deep thoughts and memories surface and other times complete silence. It can be peaceful and relaxing or it can be super challenging and requires you to push yourself to keep going. 

We were only about 5 miles from the end when we did possibly the hardest 10 minute stretch given the circumstances. My legs were toast at this point and it was a steep uphill section that was incredibly muddy so it took all the strength remaining in my legs to not slide back downhill. Each step was harder than the last and I had to really push myself to make it to the top. I was so glad when we got through that part and relieved to find out that there was only one more small uphill before being downhill the rest of the way. Not long after we made it back to the Vista Hermosa campsite for one last snack and refreshing fruit juice. This was also the point of saying goodbye to Diana. Wow what a saint! She really provided us with such incredible meals and it would have been so much harder to hike as much as we did without being well fed.

It was all downhill the rest of the way and after a good convo while walking with Santos, Gorka, and Leira; I slowed down to chat with my American friends. We discussed the trials and tribulations of the hike and I’ll through our favorite parts and key takeaways from the experience. It was a good way to recap the journey and to close it out reflecting on how much we gained from the trek in just a few days. Something Casey said really resonated with me. She brought up how rewarding it was to have the little snack breaks along the way where something as simple as a few pieces of fruit or a sip of juice was such a treat and that she wants to apply this mentality to her regular life. My takeaway from this is that life isn’t just about getting to the top and you should enjoy the smaller, simpler things as you go. Instead of always looking so far ahead sometimes it best to appreciate taking one step at a time. I find that there are many parallels in hiking and life experiences.

It was the greatest feeling as we walked back into the small village of El Mamey and crossed the proverbial finish line once we got to our lunch spot from the first day before the hike. It was all high fives, hugs, smiles, tears of joy, and any other positive emotion you can think of as each person got to the end. We fucking did it!!! We endured tough weather conditions for four days hiking in the jungles of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta to La Ciudad Perdida and back. The celebratory beer and fried fish lunch was the icing on the cake to an absolutely incredible experience. Maybe someday this area will be the next Machu Picchu (which I have mixed feelings about – would love to see the community making more money but there are also negative repercussions with increased tourism and commercial activity) but for now it is the perfect off the beaten path trek that I would highly recommend to anyone. I was really looking forward to doing it as a starting point to my trip and my expectations were shattered. On top of the amazing hiking experience and beautiful landscape I went through, I truly made some lifelong friends that I hope to stay in touch with. Spoiler alert – I already had a great experience with Moni and Caro spending time with them in Bogota (also had some overlap there with Gorka and Leira and we all spent a day/night together), a city that I hadn’t even planned to visit before the trip but more on that later. 

Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona

I went straight from a 4 day trek getting back Sunday late afternoon and going right back to it heading to Parque Tayrona the following morning, which I’m crazy for but I had booked a flight for Bucaramanga on Wednesday and felt that I needed to stick to my original schedule of doing Tayrona on Monday and Tuesday. In hindsight I really didn’t need to stay 2 nights, 1 was more than enough, but I didn’t know this going in. It seemed like there was going to be more to do.

I left for this trip the day after finding out about Adam so my energy to be social was low. Chatted briefly with a couple people at the campsite but it was a good opportunity for alone time. I’d done a lot of activity and socialization in my first 8 days in Colombia. Plus I needed to catch up on journaling and Spanish practice. I learned a bunch of new words during the trek and had some other ones that I had looked up after the fact. 

I’m out here all alone so it’s tough when trying to grieve a lost friend. Especially because you do make great friends backpacking but a lot of it is in the moment and temporary. Which normally I love and is my specialty but this 2 day trip was for me time.

On top of my grieving mood, a few things about this trip didn’t go smoothly. (1) The tent sleeping situation turned out to be miserable. It was incredibly hot and sticky in the tent and I could never get comfortable. I tried going to bed around 7:30-8 but couldn’t fall sleep forever and could never stay asleep in the middle. I should have just left after the first night but was too adamant that I had already booked both and figured I could use the chill beach time on the second day…which wasn’t wrong (2) I forgot to restock my wallet with cash so I had a very limited supply. Nowhere took card and everything was expensive so I lived on fruit juices as my source of both hydration and meals. Luckily they were incredibly tasty here, some of my favorites so far. I always mixed banana with another fruit to ensure it was filling. My lack of money actually was a blessing in disguise in the fact that I didn’t buy endless beers for no reason. As a matter of fact I didn’t buy any. I was even rationing water purchases so beer was not top priority. (3) I brought my portable charger but no cord. I asked multiple people to borrow theirs and they also didn’t have one. I didn’t realize this the first day so I was listening to music on the beach all day but the second day I kept my phone off so I had enough battery to navigate the hike on Wednesday.

Hiking

Tayrona Entrance – Cabo San Juan (4.3 miles, 318 feet elevation gain, point to point)

The trail had beach jungle vibes with big trees and green plants in some spots then coastal beach views in others. Path of wooden boards in beginning was nice but it only lasted the first half and then it was super muddy. The mud was worse than the Ciudad Perdida in certain places. People were going so slowly and I zoomed past them even with my tired legs from four days of trekking right before this. Luckily my blisters and sore feet had already started healing pretty well thanks to all the Neosporin I had been putting on.

Cabo San Juan – Calabazo (7.0 miles, 1696 feet elevation gain, point to point)

After another terrible night’s sleep on the second night I got up just after 5am and started the trail while the sun was rising. I was so ready to get out of this place. The hike immediately had a jungle feel which was cool and I was all alone at that hour with the silent trees. At the first fork the way AllTrails suggested was closed since it was indigenous land. I trust the sign in the park way more than AllTrails so I took the other route which eventually linked back up with the original route I was going to take. Right away there was a small water crossing which required me to take off my shoes and socks (no more wet shoe walking if I could avoid it). Then the trail was so narrow and overgrown that I could have really used a machete to get through (at least I had my pocket knife). I lowered my shoulder and plowed my way through like a running back behind his lineman. It looked like I jumped in a pool by the time I got past this section because all the leaves were soaking wet from the rainfall the night before. The next couple miles reminded me of the Ciudad Perdida with steep uphill sections through mud trenches. My calves were hating me for putting them through this again so soon but I had to keep pushing forward and just take a few more breaks than usual. There were certain parts that would be more of a switchback in America but in the Sierra Nevada you have to just go straight uphill sometimes. The scenery was incredibly gorgeous though and I was really enjoying the peace and quiet having the trail to myself this early in the morning. Occasionally I would hear the howl of a monkey off in the distance which reminded me of jungle hiking in Costa Rica. Overall it was an incredible hike and much better than the one from the main entrance to Cabo San Juan.

Beaches

Cabo San Juan

Got lucky and had beautiful sunny blue skies both days. It rained like crazy at night while I was in my tent but the weather was perfect for beach chilling during the day. While Cabo San Juan was nowhere close to Siesta Key beach, it was a nice spot to just relax and soak in the sun. There was a decent bit of people but I always able to find a spot to lay out. I would occasionally dip into the water for a few minutes always keeping an eye on my stuff. The temperature was great and it was a nice cool down.

Playa Nudista 

When I saw this on the map I knew I had to give it a shot. I had never been to a nude beach and what better opportunity than when traveling by myself. When in Tayrona. I made my way down to the end of the beach and plopped off my bathing suit letting loose parts that usually don’t see the sunshine. I spent about 1.5 hours on this part of the beach taking a few nice skinny dips in the water along the way. No photos from this one…sorry.

Overall I was fortunate to have good beach with Tayrona and the hiking was also nice. It was a good spot for my current headspace to have some solo time to both grieve and relax. While I would still recommend it, if I were to do it again I would just make it a day trip or spend one night max. And I wouldn’t do the tents again.

So that’s where I’m at with the blog! In reality it’s about 2.5 weeks behind and I’m currently in Medellin. Just finished my first of two weeks of classes in a really awesome Spanish immersion school and am stoked to party this weekend. For the fist time since April 15 when I quit my job, Friday actually means something! I’ve earned my weekend celebration.