La Ciudad Perdida, Colombia

Fantastic. One of the highlights of Colombia is the 5-day hike to 'the Lost City', an ancient stone site hidden in the jungle-covered mountains. Here lies the remains of Teyuna, a wildly impressive terraced settlement, built on steep ground above the Buritaca River. From the river's edge to the entrance is a 1200-stair climb, straight up. Founded in AD800, Teyuna has about 170 terraces, a network of tiled paths and many plazas. Each staircase and platform was meticulously constructed using tons of rock and cut stone and the stonework was cleverly designed to mitigate erosion from the region's heavy rain.