It has taken me so long to put into words just how incredible, yet intensely gruelling, the 72 hours of trekking to La Ciudad Perdida were. I have never put my body through a challenge as hard as this, and in all honesty, I doubt I will again. It's only now, a year after completing Colombia's notorious trek, that I can possibly attempt to re-live the experience.
I remember my mouth hitting the floor when I was looking at the pictures of the Colombian jungle; serene, placid and oh-so restful. It didn't occur to me that the journey to reach such scenes would be anything but...
Of course, it was an experience I'll never forget, but it was also exhausting, draining and emotionally challenging. What nobody told me was that the Sierra Nevada mountains consume every drop of your energy. Every bone, muscle and joint in your body will be left in pain, leaving physical and mental scars. Yet it is certain to reward you with an incomparable feeling of pride and memories that never fail to spark an encouraging energy inside of you.
Day One.
The first afternoon of trekking, is described as a ~gentle~ introduction, at least that's what they tell you. I can't say I'd describe a 7.5km vertical climb as gentle...
You quickly discover untouched muscles buried within your body, whilst wheezing for breath as your heart pumps so fast. I was wondering if I'd left it too late to turn around.
On arriving at the first camp, I'd never been so happy to take a numbingly cold shower from a pipe that hung precariously from a shacked roof. The sun had barely set and I was tucked underneath my mosquito net, comforting myself to sleep amongst wild jungle sounds.
Day Two.
As the sun opens it eye, peeking through the never ending canopy of emerald green leaves, the longest day of trekking is about to begin. The morning is relatively easy, considering what it is to come. Hours laters, you stand at the bottom of a steep ascending hill, the sight still haunts me when I allow myself to think about it. The top is out of sight, just a continuous trail. After an hour's climb, you are not relieved to reach the top, instead your calves buckle under the pressure to clamber through the thick clay on the descent. The humidity is suffocating. It is impossible to not let a tear stream down your face, joining the beads of sweat billowing from every other part of your body.
I can't remember much about that evening, which is probably for the best; a distant memory.
Day Three.
It's comforting to know that only 1,200 steps are between you and La Ciudad Perdida. This is too good to be true, of course. 1,200 slabs of stone are precariously stacked upon one another, offering little grip. Success, you have made it. The view couldn't be any more perfect as the sun rises through the jungle, but it is all a little overwhelming. Shouldn't euphoria be running through my veins? You force a smile on your face to hide the pain.
Day Four.
The hardest of all days; whatever goes up must come down. You make your way back along the treacherous path, to where you started only three days ago; it is hard to believe you are escaping the jungle. Your body is more exhausted than ever, but you push it further and further. Never have I dug deeper for motivation and power. The 46.6km trek is over; the feeling hits you. That's when you feel that special something inside. That's when the past three days of hell begin to make sense.
I thought that upon arriving at La Ciudad Perdida, I would feel that indescribable life-changing moment, the kind that opens my eyes and sparks a change. I was wrong. What made this journey so special, was not the destination, but everything myself - and my fellow trekkers - achieved along the way. It's hour after hour spent walking through the jungle, just you and your thoughts. It's realising that you are capable of something you once deemed impossible. That's why it was so special, so personal and something that no-one else will ever understand, no matter how hard I try to explain.
I read a lot of reviews about this trek (naively after booking it), but not one was honest in describing its difficulty. It feels like a punishment. It is so bloody tough, but so bloody worth it, just not in the way I had imagined.
If I'm being 100% honest, I have to add that you will spend the following week on the toilet, and another week after that throwing up into it. Even after that, it was worth it.