The explorers have faced torrential rain, temperatures of about 95F and razor-sharp bamboo that has cut deep gashes in their skin. Swarms of fierce bees were attracted by the salt in their sweat and one expedition member, Craig Halford, was stung more than 50 times.
Snakes are a constant danger.
On Wednesday, after three weeks in the mountain jungle, Bruce Mann, an Aberdeen archeologist, found what he thought could be the outer defences of the city that has eluded explorers for 450 years. This is some of the toughest terrain I have ever encountered and the weather is not helping. Mann found the walls of a building measuring 50ft by 45ft. The walls are 3ft 8in high and 15in thick. Two days later his advance party of six people, guided by a Quilapituni Indian, had been joined by a team of Royal Engineers and found many further buildings.