Kogi Indians from the indigenous reserve in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range rest on the great central communal terrace at this remote jungle site.

A Kogi mama (shaman) winds his way around the Central terrace at Ciudad Perdida. The Kogi are the direct descendants of the Tayrona, an ancient civilization that produced stunning gold artwork, stone and pottery artifacts and an intricate network of stone pathways throughout the Sierra Nevada.

A Kogi Indian stands next to a sacred rock. Many believe that the stone is an ancient indigenous map of the Sierra Nevada that also depicts local river valleys and water systems.

Archaeological sites like Ciudad Perdida and Pueblito in the Tayrona National Park have religious, symbolic and political importance for approximately 25,000 people who belong to the Arhuaco, Kogi, Arsario and Kankuamo indigenous groups.