The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains, declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1979, run through Colombia and end close to the Caribbean Sea on the north coast. They are cloaked in dense tropical rainforest, which hides the ruins of Teyuna, dating back some 1500 years, and more famously known as the Lost City. As the world gets smaller it becomes harder to visit places before they become a tourism hotspot, but Autism Jersey’s Lost City trek gives you the opportunity to do just that. To reach the 1200 ancient stone steps that lead up to the city, we trek on steep, sometimes overgrown and muddy trails, through lush jungle and river valleys, crossing clear streams. En route we pass indigenous Kogui communities, descendants of those early builders; we sleep near these settlements in hammocks. After time to explore the uncrowded ruins and marvel at what would have been here in years gone by, we return and head to colonial Cartagena, with a stunning Caribbean backdrop, this is a tough trek full of natural beauty and cultural discovery, and is guaranteed to be a trip of a lifetime! Dr Helen Miles, the vice-chair of Autism Jersey who is joining the trek with her husband Richard, says ‘Autism Jersey trekkers have already explored the more ‘traditional’ expeditions to Jordan, Kilimanjaro, Morocco and Machu Picchu so we were looking for a new, unique challenge that had not been on offer to Jersey trekkers before. Our trek partners, Discover Adventure recommended the Lost City trek to Colombia. It certainly ticks all the boxes for us; a tough challenge that combines rainforest adventure, natural beauty, trekking through indigenous communities to discover remote, ancient ruins. This will be another opportunity to challenge ourselves to do something very different to raise money for an important cause – practical support to families living with autism in Jersey. It will be an awesome challenge and we are really looking forward to an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime adventure.’ Discover Adventure specialise in worldwide trekking, with charity fundraising at its heart. Behind their challenging and often life-changing trips is a dedicated team of friendly staff and experienced leaders: people who are passionate about the outdoors and exploring the world, and get a buzz from helping others push their limits and achieve their goals. If like Discover Adventure you are passionate about the outdoors, exploring the world and get a buzz from helping others then we are looking for you to join our team and make a difference to the lives of autistic people and their families. Whether you are new to trekking or a keen hiker Autism Jersey will support you every step of the way. Take your first step! Speak to Kate Kelly, Fundraising and Marketing Manager at Autism Jersey on 01534 871117 or email k.kelly@autismjersey.org to find out more. We can’t wait for you to join us!