Experience the Charms of Tayrona National Park

Crystal-clear blue and green waters, a unique ecology and biodiversity, and accommodation options that offer direct contact with the wonders of nature are some of the features that make the marvelous Tayrona National Park the ideal destination for all tourists seeking unique experiences.

Image of Tayrona National Park

This beautiful nature reserve, chosen by NatGeo Traveler as one of the 20 must-visit nature destinations in 2012, is located in the second most biodiverse country in the world, specifically between the Atlantic Ocean and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. It comprises 15,000 colorful hectares, of which 3,000 are marine areas. It is home to thousands of colorful species distributed across different thermal floors ranging from sea level to heights of 5,775 meters.

Tayrona National Park is a dream destination for wildlife lovers, as it features 108 species of magnificent mammals, including howler monkeys, ocelots, capuchin monkeys, deer, and more than 70 species of bats. Additionally, it is home to around 300 bird varieties, including the white eagle and the solitary eagle. Its oceans host 110 species of corals, 471 species of crustaceans, and 700 species of mollusks, among others.

In the park's center, you'll find the archaeological ruins of Pueblito, a magical place that holds the secrets of the Tayrona civilization's ancestors, who inhabited the region from pre-Columbian times until the colonization. It's a whole adventure back in time.

Here, you'll feel in a place of charm, color, and abundant biodiversity, as if you were the star of an adventure movie filmed in a natural wonder.

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Image of Tayrona Park Beaches

Tayrona Park Beaches/ Photo by: Frederic Laurent

The Tayronas were an environmentally conscious culture that loved and protected nature. They built mountain water channels to deliver this life source to their homes in an organized manner. This civilization designed their cities and crop terraces with the aim of protecting Mother Nature, and visitors to the park can access the ruins and witness their gifts and creative capacity.

What to do in Tayrona National Park?

Another adventure unique to Tayrona is the Cañaveral and Arrecifes sector, of admirable beauty, where the Ecohabs are located. These are luxury accommodations in huts constructed to resemble those of the Kogui. They are styled like malokas or circular structures with wooden frames and palm roofs where tourists and nature lovers can relax, enjoy unique sunsets, and sleep to the sound of waves crashing against the shore.

The Cabo de San Juan de Guía, a ninety-minute walk from the park entrance, is a place of explosion and contradiction where the force of the sea and the exciting tropical rainforest clash to create an adventurous atmosphere that stimulates the senses. A pre-Columbian stone path surrounded by dense vegetation connects this unique spot with Chairama, another attractive location in the park.

On the western side of this enchanted place lies Quebrada Valencia, a river that, on its way to the ocean, passes through a massive stone wall forming monumental waterfalls, white and frothy foams that seem to organize a spectacle for the delight of every tourist who arrives there.

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How to get to this natural secret?

To enter this natural wonder, there are two options:

  • El Zaíno, which leads to Cañaveral, is 34 kilometers from Santa Marta, via the Caribbean Route heading to Riohacha.
  • Zalangana, which leads to the Neguanje area, is 10 kilometers from Santa Marta (17 km from El Rodadero).

Entrance fees are $12,000 for national tourists, $6,000 for students, and $30,000 for foreigners. Although, to be honest, the price is secondary; you cannot miss out on this charming natural gift.

Where to stay and experience Tayrona adventure?

In the Arrecife and Cañaveral areas, there are camping zones and Ecohabs (cabins accommodating 4 to 6 people) available, which are similar to the constructions of the ancient Tayrona culture's homes. Here, you can step back in time and live like our dear ancestors, amidst a paradise of nature.

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Flora and fauna found in Tayrona National Park

Flora

Due to its location in the northern and lower part of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, it features charming wet and dry forests of low hills, cliffs, and extensive beaches. The climatic conditions of Tayrona National Park are ideal for a diverse range of vegetation, from cacti to enormous trees. Vegetation from dry zones, sweet and salty wetlands, cover the park like a green mantle. Fruit trees are also included in this list.

Fauna

There is a great variety of fauna that roams the area freely every day, including terrestrial animals such as Jaguars, Ocelots, Kinkajous, Deer, Peccaries, Guartinajas, Foxes, Anteaters, Night Monkeys, Howler Monkeys, and Squirrels. Birds such as Condors, Solitary Eagles, White Eagles, Royal Flycatchers, Paujil, Macaws, Blue Peacocks, and Sephia are also present. Marine life includes Groupers, Snappers, Moray Eels, Gogó Turtles, Hawksbill Turtles, Parrotfish, among others.

Notably, the park is a destination every six months for turtles traveling the world to lay their eggs for the conservation of their species.

You need no more reasons to visit this natural paradise. Come to Colombia and discover all the natural charms of the most welcoming country in the world.

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