Caño Cristales, Rainbow River

Today you will land at the international airport of El Dorado in Bogotá and reach the Serranía de la Macarena National Park by charter flight. Here you will check into your hotel and receive quick instructions on how to behave in the park. You will learn that cigarettes and plastic bottles are not allowed in the park and that it is forbidden to feed the fish, for example. It is also not allowed to step on the water plants.

Afterwards, the tour starts immediately: you travel by boat and truck to the source of the colourful, Caño Cristales.

Are you wondering what makes Caño Cristales so special? Between June and October, the special aquatic plant called Macarenia clavigera, exclusive to this region, transforms the river into a colourful spectacle and into probably the most beautiful river in the country, perhaps in the whole world. Aside from orange, red, and green, Caño Cristales also changes to blue, ochre, and yellow, and depending on the amount of water and sunlight, the intensity of the magnificent colours is intensified even further. No wonder it’s called the "Rainbow River" and the "Five-Colour River".

Afterwards, you will return to your hotel in the early afternoon. Here you will have time to recover from your journey and let your first impressions of the beautiful Caño Cristales settle. You will end the evening with a delicious dinner.

Best time to visit: From June to the end of October, the colourful Caño Cristales shines in its most beautiful splendour. This is when the water plant, Macarenia Clavijera, which only grows in this region, comes into its own and transforms the river into an unforgettable colour spectacle.

Flight duration: Bogotá - Serranía de la Macarena: approx. 1 hour

3 nights in a basic hotel with full board in a standard room, Serranía de la Macarena Colombia

We hope you are feeling rested, because today is all about the Caño Cristales. Today you will reach the source of the river again by boat and truck. That will be the starting point of your hike. Hike along the river and take in the spectacular play of colours. Although the river is considered rather calm, rapids and pristine waterfalls await you in some places, which are also colourfully tinged by the water plants. In addition, with a little luck, you will get to see numerous animals in the Serranía de la Macarena. Apart from monkeys and hummingbirds, deer and reptiles are also at home here. The pink river dolphins are a real highlight here - have you seen one yet?

You will drive back to your hotel in the early afternoon. Here you will fortify yourself with a rich meal and then experience a folk show of music and dance by young people from the region.

Today we invite you to explore the left arm of the beautiful Caño Cristales. How do you get there? By boat and truck, of course. We hope you have loaded up your camera, because great photo opportunities await you today as well, which will make your heart beat faster. On the way, you will be provided with a lunch that is environmentally conscious as well as traditionally wrapped in banana leaves. Fortify yourself! A few more impressive hours along the river await you until you are brought back to your hotel in the afternoon.

Back at the hotel, you will enjoy a delicious dinner and then listen to exciting stories and legends of the Llanos region.

Before you start your return journey and fly back to Bogotá, you will have the opportunity to take part in a panoramic boat trip or visit a viewpoint in the morning. Whether on land or on water - enjoy this spectacular Caño Cristales colour spectacle one last time and take great photos to show your loved ones at home.

Afterwards, have a typical lunch in La Macarena and transfer to El Dorado airport in Bogotá. We hope you had an unforgettable stay in the untouched Serranía de la Macarena National Park.

We would be happy to organise an extension of your stay in Bogotá or in another region. Tell us your wishes and we will be happy to put together your customized dream trip.

Since tourism in the village around the Rainbow River has developed slowly after the withdrawal of the guerrillas, there is currently only one hotel available. If it is fully booked, you will be accommodated in smaller, simple lodgings.

Duration of the trip: 4 days / 3 nights

Including

• National flights and airport taxes
• 3 overnight stays including full board in basic hotels
• Transfers and excursions according to the programme
• English-speaking tour guide
• Entrance fees
• Taxes and fees

Excluding

• International flights
• Meals and drinks not mentioned
• Personal expenses, such as minibar and tips
• Optional excursions

Travel dates

• On the charter flight from/to Bogotá, the departure and arrival days are Monday, Thursday, and Saturday.