Ciudad Perdida

Cplus2 says on Oct 31, 2005, 08:57:

For once, the FO may have a clue There seems to be a fair degree of unrest without any extraordinary recent events:

"Indians tell rebels, army: Leave us alone

BOGOTA – Delegates of Indian communities in northern Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains reiterated Monday their demand to be left in peace by the combatants in the Andean nation’s decades-old internal conflict.

“The situation ... could not be any worse. It follows the pressure by illegal armed groups, the displacements, the tightening of food supplies, the profaning of sacred sites (and) the impunity� for assorted crimes, including many murders, complained Leonor Zalabata, the human rights commissioner for the Tayrona Indigenous Confederation. "

For more, http://www.thedailyjournalonline.com/article.asp?CategoryId=12394&ArticleId=200904

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Mr. Hollywood says on Oct 31, 2005, 09:09:

Warning Bear in mind that the warning might be motivated more by an increase in foreigners traveling there than an increase in violent activity in the area. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta has never ceased to be a guerilla area, as well as a coca growing area. So it's kind of a mathematical reality that if travel to the lost city increases dramatically there might be another "incident".

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EdH says on Oct 31, 2005, 10:26:

Warning thanks CPlus and Hollywood,

It looks like security could be worsening then. I also saw that the FCO advised against travel to San Agustin.

Has anyone been to the Ciudad Perdida in the last few weeks?

Ha viajado alguien a la cuidad perdida en el ultimo mes? es posibile llegar alli todavia o ha vuelto a ser muy pelegroso?

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litost says on Oct 31, 2005, 14:41:

I haven´t been to CP, but do know people who´ve been recently and said it was fine. I can from personal experience recommend your going to San Agustin, it´s a safe trip done by many travellers, I was there a few months ago.

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Lucia Rojas says on Oct 31, 2005, 14:57:

Do you speak spanish? San agustin is fine at the moment. they even offered a trip there for the teachers at my school, which means they had security clearance.
CP is always problematic and controverial for you will find colombians who go there often, but it's normally on the NO list of the security info for foreigners.

If you want to visit indigenous cultures... you will be able to find many safe places to visit. We have 84 for different etnias in Colombia that have kept and their traditional way of life, rules, law etc.

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ConorC says on Oct 31, 2005, 17:36:

Travel Insurance I was in Medellin for the summer and I asked a number of agencies about organising a trip to San Augustin and TierraDentro as they are World Heritage Sites but noone I spoke to would actually offer me the deals as they said it was too dangerous.

On CP, you should probably check your travel insurance. Most policies become invalid if you travel to an area that is the FCO advises against going to, so if you lose your camera or something they may not pay out. Mind you, I wish I had gone to CP!

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platano says on Oct 31, 2005, 18:17:

Thank you, Lucia Rojas! Languages spoken in Colombia include Lucia Rojas said: "We have 84 for different etnias in Colombia that have kept and their traditional way of life, rules, law etc."

And language.

LISTA DE LAS FAMILIAS LING�STICAS DE COLOMBIA

ESTIRPES DE PROYECCION CONTINENTAL (5 estirpes / 21 lenguas) :
Chibcha (7 lenguas)
Arawak (9*)
Caribe (2)
Quechua (2*)
Tupi (2)

ESTIRPES DE PROYECCION REGIONAL (2 estirpes / 20 lenguas) :
Tucano (18*)
Sáliba-Piaroa (2)

ESTIRPES DE PROYECCION CONTINUA (5 estirpes / 17 lenguas):
Guahibo (4*)
Macú-Puinave (5*)
Chocó (2*)
Witoto (3)
Bora (3*)

ESTIRPES DE UNA SOLA LENGUA (10 estirpes / 10 lenguas) :
Andoke
Cofán
Camsá
Tinigua
Nasa-Paez
Guambiano
Ticuna
Awa-Cuaiquer
Yagua
Yaruro

Near my finca I hear Nasa-Paez and Guambiano.

Plátano X
Oxigeno Verde ¡Libertad por Ingrid y los demás!

plátano

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ithacandy says on Oct 31, 2005, 18:53:

Hola Lucia,

I would love to visit indignous cultures/villages but have not yet gone to San Agustin. What other places do you suggest?

Thanks

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Lucia Rojas says on Oct 31, 2005, 20:13:

84 indigenous gropus, 64 linguistic families...

The Amazon is my all time favorite, plus its safe. You can visit villages in Brasil Peru and Colombia just by being in Leticia.

The Cordoba region has a very interesting group the Sinus...

Just around Bogota you can have weekend trips to Boyaca where you will find different chibcha ruins. You can find out about all of them at the UPTC in Tunja ( Universidad pedagogica y tecnologica de Colombia)

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Condorlisa Arroz says on Nov 1, 2005, 00:33:

No need to worry too much. Now there are less Paramilitares. People always travelled up to the ciudad perdida and there are usually no incidents. People also warn: Dont travel to Vietnam, dont travel to Indonesia etc. Pure politics. There are always a lot of warnings which should just be ignored. CA Montañas de Colombia

CA Montañas de Colombia

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EdH says on Nov 1, 2005, 10:57:

Warning Hola a Todas,

Well, just because the warning went up on Friday where there was no mention previously. Maybe they are anticipating a general rise in guerilla activity.

I suppose as always you have to go to Santa Marta and get information on the situation from there...?

What is the best route to San Agustin? A Colombian friend told me it is best to get someone to take you there from Bogota directly so avoiding the roads around Popayan and La Plata.

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