Buried in the Sierra Nevada jungle in the north of a country that is assailed by preconceptions, Colombia’s Lost City remains a lot like Colombia itself - unexplored and off-limits for most travellers. The thrilling journey to reach these ruins left by the Tayrona civilization could provide a good starting point for a classic Indian Jones adventure. But while it is mainly the long decades of drug-related violence that have kept tourists away from Colombia, it was a much more romantic turn of events that resulted in this archaeological marvel being largely hidden from the world. Travellers attempting to reach Colombia's 'Lost City' must make a 15-mile trek into the Sierra Nevada jungle
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Ruins, known locally as La Ciudad Perdida, were re-discovered in the 1970s
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The site sits in the jungle-clad mountains 15 miles from the Caribbean coast
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The Ciudad Perdida takes between three and five days to reach on foot
Sierra Nevada
Sierra Nevada
Take a look: The route into the jungle offers breathtaking views of Colombia's @placeholder mountain range
Lost City
Lost City
The final challenge in reaching our destination comes in the form of more than 1,200 stone steps, which twist up and disappear high into the mountainside - before finally emerging at the entrance to the @placeholder.
La Ciudad Perdida
Although Colombia has enjoyed an increase in tourism over recent years after slowing shedding its reputation for danger and violence, this reversal in fortune suffered a setback in 2003 when eight foreigners hiking to @placeholder were kidnapped by guerrillas and held for three months.
Lost City
Lost City
It was not until 2005 that the military was sent in, allowing treks to the @placeholder to resume.