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.
