Caño Cristales Tour La Macarena National Park Experience | Uncover Colombia

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Caño Cristales Tour

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Private Tour
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be amazed by the river of 5 colours!

Discover the natural beauty of Colombia during our 3-day Caño Cristales tour, where you will get up close to this stunning landmark in La Macarena National Natural Park. Caño Cristales is known as the "river of 5 colours" because of its vivid hues. Sub-aquatic plants lining the river floor and rock minerals produce beautiful yellow, green, blue, black and especially red tones during the wet season from July to November. Between July and November is the best time to visit Caño Cristales.

The eastern region of Colombia, or Los Llanos, is a vast plain area crossed by many rivers and lakes that turn it into a spectacular mix of landscapes, flora and fauna. During this tour in Colombia, you will hike through the area, learn about the traditions in this eastern Colombian region and become immersed in a wonderful natural paradise away from modern life. 

Departures: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays from the second week of July to first week of November.

EXPERIENCE TYPE Eco-tourism & Eastern Region Traditions

 Caño Cristales Tour
Tour Highlights

Caño Cristales

Be Amazed by the River of 5 Colours!

Caño Cristales Tour

Caño Cristales is a river located inside the National Natural Park La Macarena in the department of Meta in the Eastern region of Colombia. The natural park is located in the Serrania de la Macarena, which is an isolated mountain range separated by about 40 km from the Eastern Andes. 

Caño Cristales is a unique natural wonder due to its outstanding combination of colours like green, yellow, blue and black. The red hues are caused by the blooming of the sub aquatic plant "Macarenia clavigera,” which lines river bottom and turns red during the wet season (from June to November). The other colours are caused by the minerals found on the rocks of the river. The view of the river is also adorned by a succession of rapids, waterfalls and natural pools running across the old rocks forming the canyon.

A glance at the eastern region of Colombia

Caño Cristales Tour

The eastern region of Colombia, or Los Llanos (the plains), is a vast area crossed by many rivers and lakes that turn it into a spectacular mix of landscapes, flora and fauna. Los Llanos is recognized by its extensive hatos and beautiful sunrises and sunsets. 

"Llaneros" is the name given to people from this region. They are the Colombian cowboys as cattle and some minor agriculture activities are their main economic activities. Llaneros are skilled horsemen and women, experts at rounding up and corralling cattle on the hatos as well as on the open range. They wear a distinctive starched hat, appear impervious to heat or cold and often go barefoot. Most love eating mamona (tender beef) and listening and dancing their traditional music "Joropo."

What to Expect

Detailed Itinerary

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DAY 1 Travel to La Macarena from Bogota. Visit to Cristalitos

Travel to La Macarena early in the monring. On your arrival to La Macarena, and before commencing our adventure in this region of Colombia, your local tour guide will give you all the recommendations for trekking in the natural park. Then we will visit Cristalitos, a natural small version of Caño Cristales, located at the end of Guayabero River. Cristalitos is not part of the Caño Cristales system, but it also has aquatic plants, clear waters and rock formations, as Caño Cristales. You will be able to swim in one of its small natural pools while enjoying its peaceful environment.

Overnight: La Macarena
Meal Plan: Lunch, dinner

DAY 2 Caño Cristales

Our journey will start with a 20-minute canoe trip along the Guayabero River towards the Verada Cachivera. During this short trip along the river, you will see the beauty of this part of the country. At Vereda Cachivera, we will take a jeep ride to the starting point of our trekking adventure to Caño Cristales.

The trekking journey to the river will be framed by the stunning and peaceful landscape composed by a mix of valleys and hills full of an extensive diversity of fauna and flora. Then, when we arrive to the river, where you will see the unique explosion of colours given by the Macerenia clavigera plant that lines the river floor and the spectacular succession of rapids, waterfalls and natural pools running throughout the old rocks of the canyon.

There you will have plenty of time to take pictures, swim, have a nice traditional lunch and enjoy the astonishing view. Around 3:30 pm we will start our journey back to La Macarena.

Back at the hotel, we will have some time to relax before going to a Parrando Llanero, a traditional party with live music and local dances. We will also have the traditional food served in these parties called Manona (local grilled lamb). At the end of this parrando, we will go back to the hotel to relax and get ready for the last trekking journey.

Overnight: La Macarena
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 3 Last day trekking to Caño Cristales and flight back to Bogota

Depending on the departing time of your domestic flight, you may have some time to relax or explore a bit more the local area. At the relevant time, we will take to the airport in la Macarena.

Overnight: -
Meal Plan: Breakfast

Accommodation

La Manigua Lodge

La Manigua Lodge

La Manigua Lodge is an eco-luxury retreat nestled in Colombia's Serranía de la Macarena, offering an immersive experience in one of the country's most biodiverse regions. Situated along the Guayabero River, just a short boat ride from La Macarena town, the lodge serves as a gateway to the renowned Caño Cristales.

The lodge features six sustainably designed cabins, elevated on stilts to minimize environmental impact and adapt to seasonal flooding . Each cabin is equipped with solar-powered amenities, biodegradable toiletries, and private terraces with hammocks, allowing guests to relax amidst the sounds of the jungle.

Essential Information

What's Included

  • 2 nights' accommodation  (double occupancy)
  • English-speaking tour guide
  • Tax to access Caño Cristales Natural Park 
  • Tax to enter the town of La Macarena 
  • Social contribution to the local villages in the area 
  • Cormacarena Tax
  • Meals as defined in the itinerary

What's Not Included

  • International / Domestic flights
  • Airport tax
  • Meals not listed in the itinerary
  • Tips and other discretionary expenses

 

Note: If you require asistance booking the domestic flights don't hesitate to get in touch with us.

How to Book

If you wish to book this tour, please click on the yellow "Book Now" button, select the date, number of people, complete the details and go through a secured online payment platform.

If you have any question or whish to change something, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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Exceptional experience! Uncover Colombia has a perfect organization; nothing left to chance by the proposed hotel to the driver guides! Precision professionalism! The guides: Marta and Jorge not only guides but exceptional people; great advice great explanations. Practically friends!! 

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I'll write 2 reviews. First the quick one; every detail was taken care of, the destinations are world class, communication was excellent. I would give them 6 out of 5 if I could.

The guide UC booked for us was exceptional. He knew his stuff, was very good with e-bird, he was an intersting guy and an overall good bean. Our tour actually started in Barranquilla - we were met at the airport, taken to the finest hotel in town. The next day we were taken on a city tour. I didn't know much about the city so I was very pleasantly by how much I liked it. The carnival museum is fabulous, we really enjoyed the boardwalk around a lagoon.

– Derek, April 2025

Tour of Medellin and local villages.

Sol, our tour guide, was amazing. We did a three day tour of Medellin and local villages nearby. Sol shared her vast knowledge of the political and social recent history of the region. She led the tour at our pace. She was lovely to be with. The driver was very cautious. It was a great experience.

– Lynn, February 2025

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Uncover Colombia was fantastic to work with! We had a 12 day itinerary and everything went very well. The agency reps were very flexible before and during the trip even when we requested last minute changes. They always did their best to accommodate us. The assigned contact person during the trip was always reachable and responsive. Even later at night. She sent me our guides contact information before each leg of the trip and they also reached out as we were arriving . The guides were all good and the vehicles were comfortable. I definitely would use them again and refer my friends as well.

– Gary, December 2024

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My girlfriend and I wanted to visit Colombia, but were late in the planning. We reached out to Uncover just a couple of weeks before our departure and they were able to organize the whole tour in just a few days, and for a more than fair price...

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We had a FANTASTIC experience with Uncover. Nidia and her team organized the most magical 4-day trip to the Colombian Coffee Region. I am Colombian but needed assistance as I wasn’t familiar with the area. We went to the Cocora Valley, Rafting down a river, had a fabulous coffee farm experience and even visited a cacao farm where we got to make artisan chocolate. We traveled with our school aged children...

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3 Week Tour of Colombia

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–  Robert McTaggart, March 2024

3 Week Tour of Colombia

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– Mal & Michelle, July 2023

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I'm the Italian President of CIGV (Club Internazionale Grandi Viaggiatori) and I decided to organize the trip to Colombia for 14 club members selecting Uncover Colombia agency. The program they made has been fantastic, touching the most interesting sites of this country but also their, guides, drivers and hotel selection I found simply perfect. Not a mistake, never a delay. I would recommend this agency to everyone...

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Great tour of Salt Cathedral

Myself and my wife did a private tour with Juan Carlos to the Salt Cathedral. The tour and Juan Carlos were both great. He had an intimate knowledge of the Salt Cathedral having worked there previously, and also knew a lot about the nearby town and local area. It's a really fascinating structure, and would definitely recommend visiting it if you're in Bogota.

– Barra M, January 2023

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We had an amazing two weeks tour arranged by Uncover Colombia for our honeymoon. Nidia suggested great hotels and activities and made adjustments based on our feedback. All our tour guides were friendly, knowledgeable and professional with excellent English. Great activities in a beautiful country. They've got a UK-base so are ATOL protected - reassuring given uncertainty with travel at the moment. 

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We selected Uncover Colombia after reading their great reviews online and it was definitely the right choice. They were the best communicators and within a few emails back and forwards, we had tailored our perfect tour. We spent 15 days traveling Colombia, with all connections, accommodation and activities being handled by Uncover...

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7 extra days in Colombia

We needed a tailored tour to follow a wedding we were attending and wanted to make the most of our travels. Nidia was helpful, responsive and excellent in organising our trip from Periera to Medellin, Cartagena and Bogota. Everything worked like clockwork. Our 3 guides (one for each place) were also perfect, Andreas, Roberto & Camilo. They knew their stuff, were responsive and very personable.

– Daniel, August 2022

 

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