Ciudad Perdida

Teyuna, Colombia's Lost City, was inhabited between roughly 800 and 1650. It was only rediscovered about 50 years ago (ca. 1973) by looters. To get there now, you have to go on a roughly 30 mile round-trip trek, usually covering about 4 days. The site itself covers a few dozen hectares that have been cleared away, but there is thought to be a lot more still unrestored in the nearby jungle. The main features of the site are large circular terraces which used to hold the city's buildings. These circular terraces are one of the site's unique features. It's impressive to see how much was built here by the original inhabitants. Seeing how sparsely populated the jungle area is now, it also makes you appreciate how much bigger the population had to be in pre-Columbian times to build such a place. At the end of the trek to get there, the Lost City is 1280 stone steps up from the river. After a set of several circular terraces at the entrance, there's another impressive broad stairway that leads to the ceremonial apex of the site. 

With my guided trek, I had plenty of time to enjoy the site, and watch the morning sunlight slowly illuminate the line of terraces at the primary center. There is more to the site than the one standard photo you always see (like the one I attach) and it exceeded my expectations. The site is still used ceremonially by the indigenous people. There aren't …