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4

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Hidden Gems in Colombia : Caño Cristalitos & Caño Piedra & All excursions

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Overview

Meeting point:

La Macarena

Category :

Hidden gems
Wildlife Encounters

Location

Colombia
Colombia

Group size

From 2 to
8
or solo

Accommodation

Ecolodge

Difficulty

Easy
Easy
Not really difficult, possible to do it in family with children!

Presentation

WORLD’S MOST INTERESTING RIVER! 🏞😍

Rivers around the world aren’t just blue, clear, or muddy!

Caño Cristales in Colombia 🇨🇴, known as the « River of 5 Colors » or the « Liquid Rainbow 🌈 », is a spectacular natural wonder. Its waters flow in bright shades of blue, red, black, yellow, and green, making it one of the most colorful rivers in the world.


AND GUESS WHAT? The river has almost no aquatic life, making it a serene place to float or swim in its natural pools and waterfalls. A truly undisrupted paradise for nature lovers! 😍


4-Night Adventure at Caño Cristalitos & Caño Piedra

Experience an unforgettable 4-night stay exploring Caño Cristalitos and Caño Piedra. These hidden gems in Colombia offer breathtaking landscapes, crystal-clear waters, and pristine natural environments that make for an extraordinary adventure.

Discover more about these secluded treasures and other hidden gems in Colombia that remain untouched by mass tourism.

When to Visit Caño Cristales

To fully enjoy the colors of the river, plan your visit during the wet season (June to November), when the aquatic plants in the river flourish and create the vibrant hues. For tips on how to travel responsibly, check out our sustainable travel guide.

Explore More of Colombia's Hidden Gems

Colombia is home to many hidden natural wonders. In addition to Caño Cristales, embark on the famous Lost City Trek or relax in the scenic Cocora Valley.

Explore all of Colombia's hidden gems by visiting our complete Colombia travel guide.

Details

Content Summary :

Day 1:

- Welcome at La Macarena airport
- Visit to Cormacarena and National Parks office for an introductory talk about the National Park
Sierra de La Macarena.

- Luggage pick up (depending of the time of arrival, luggage will be picked up before or after
the talk), and stop at La Manigua’s office for the check-in. Here you will have time to fill your
water bottles with water and change clothes if you need.
- Transfer to the Guayabero river. We will take a wooden boat with our luggage to start our first
visit, Caño Cristalitos.
- 20 minute boat transfer upstream the Guayabero river. On the way it’s posible to spot some
wildlife on the river bank. We will reach a farmers house where we will get ready for our first
hike.
- 25 minutes ascend to reach the Mirador, an amazing lookout where your guide will be able to
explain everything about the ecosystems and the social history of La Macarena. The place to
have lunch will vary according to the time that you start the hike.
- 45 minutes hike along a semi-flat terrain till we reach Caño Cristalitos, where we will have time
to appreciate the Macarenia clavigera plant and bathe at small pools.
- 45 minutes hike back to the Guayabero river to reach out boat
- 15 minutes transfer upstream the Guayabero river to reach La Manigua Lodge.
- Check-in at La Manigua Lodge
- Time to relax and to enjoy the possible visit of some monkeys
- Dinner at La Manigua Lodge

Day 2

- Breakfast at La Manigua Lodge. Our start time will be defined by Cormacarena and National
parks randomly (it can be between 6 am and 8 am).
- 15 min boat transfer downstream the Guayabero River
- 40 min 4x4 transfer on a bumpy road entering the National Park Sierra de La Macarena
- We will reach National Parks check point, where we will get ready for the hike.
- 30 minutes hike till we reach our highly expected destination: Caño Cristales.
- Once at Caño Cristales, we will start the trail that was assigned by National Parks and
Cormacarena.
- Inside the National Park we will be around 7 hours, having time for hiking, having lunch,
bathing and take a lot of pictures of the colors and waterfalls of this amazing river.
- At the end of the hike we will return by the same we entered to reach again La Manigua Lodge.
- At the end of the day we will have a cultural activity on the river.
- Dinner at La Manigua Lodge

Day 3

- Breakfast at La Manigua Lodge. Our start time will be defined by Cormacarena and National
parks randomly (it can be between 6 am and 8 am).
- 15 min boat transfer downstream the Guayabero River
- 40 min 4x4 transfer on a bumpy road entering the National Park Sierra de La Macarena
- We will reach National Parks check point, where we will get ready for the hike.
- 30 minutes hike till we reach our highly expected destination: Caño Cristales.

- Once at Caño Cristales, we will start the trail that was assigned by National Parks and
Cormacarena. This day we will visit the lower basin of Caño Cristales, where this Majestic river
enters the jungle and because of the shadow of the forest the Macarenia clavigera plant has
an intense green coloration.
- Inside the National Park we will be around 7 hours, having time for hiking, having lunch,
bathing and take a lot of pictures of the colors and waterfalls of this amazing river.
- At the end of the hike we will return by the same we entered to reach again La Manigua Lodge.
- At the end of the day we will have a cultural activity with our neighbors.
- Dinner at La Manigua Lodge

Day 4

- Breakfast at La Manigua Lodge. Our start time will be defined by Cormacarena and National
parks randomly (it can be between 6 am and 8 am).
- 40 min boat transfer upstream the Guayabero river. The upper basin uf the Guayabero river is
great for spotting wildlife, so it’s important to have your eyes open!
- Visit to the Raudan de Angosturas, water rapids created because the Guayabero river has to
go through a rock canyon that can only be visited during the dry season.
- We will take pictures of the water rapids before starting our hike to Ciudad de Piedra.
- 90 min hike to reach Ciudad de Piedra, a rock labyrinth that belongs to the Guiana shield and
a valley full of rock formations that only the wind and the water could have sculpt.
- At this particular spot we will have time to have lunch, bathe at Caño El Encanto and enjoy
the landscape from the huge rocks that decorate this valley.
- We will return by the same to our boat and then continue back to La Manigua Lodge.
- Dinner at La Manigua Lodge
- After dinner we will grab our headlamps and do a 60 min hike inside the forest. We will have
the opportunity of focusing on the small details of the forest and if we are lucky get to spot
bigger animals on the way.

Day 5

- Breakfast at La Manigua Lodge. The time to start the activity will be defined according to the
flight schedule.
- 10 minute hike to from La Manigua Lodge till we reach the horses.
- 45 minute horse ride along “morichales” and natural savannahs till we reach Caño Piedra. If
we have enough time it’s posible to bathe at a natural pool.
- Return to La Manigua Lodge bu horse (60 minute)
- We will pack or luggage and get ready to return to La Macarena by boat. If our return flight is
in the afternoon, we will have lunch at the town.
- Transfer to the airport and farewell.

TRAVEL TIPS :

• We recommend your trip to be at least 4 days, so you can enjoy Caño Cristales
as much as possible and even know other beautiful spots in La Macarena.
• On long weekends you can only visit Caño Cristales once due to the amount of
people that visits La Macarena, so it’s better if you can travel inside the week
or in a normal weekend!
• Caño Cristales opening and closure depends mainly on weather conditions.
• Our trips are designed for people who like to hike and do activities all day. If
you prefer a softer option, we also have options for you, ask for them!
• Lunches and water are carried by the guests to the hikes, if a carrier is needed
please ask for this additional service.

Micro adventure tours :

CAÑO PIEDRA, COLOMBIA

RAUDAL DE ANGOSTURAS I AND CIUDAD DE PIEDRA (Tinigua National Park)

Upstream the Guayabero River the complex geography of La Sierra de La Macarena creates a beautiful rock canyon that tightens the flow of this river and delivers a strong and amazing rapid that no one dares to sail. During the dry season the rapids are softer and you can enter the canyon inside a boat letting those huge rocks dazzle you and witness the beautiful petroglyphs that ancient cultures like the Tiniguas and Guayaberos left on the side of this river as a memory of their existence before they were banished from their homeland.


During your visit to this natural spectacle, it ́s possible to hike to Ciudad de Piedra, a valley of huge stones and strange formations that only the wind, the water and the time could have sculpt. Get lost inside a rock labyrinth that belongs to the Guaiana shield, one of the oldest rocks on earth and enjoy the silence of nature while you rest on top of this amazing rocks.

All the hikes are on a semi-flat terrain and will have a máximum altitude of 300 masl. Ciudad de Piedra is the best spot to visit, but requires a mid-high physical fitness to enjoy it.

Places to visit:

  • Ciudad de Piedra :

- Distance/ time : 8,4 KM / 7 Hr

- Difficulty : High

- Season : Color/ Dry

  • Aguas Claras

- Distance/ time : 2,2 KM / 5 Hr

- Difficulty : Low

- Season : Color

  • Petroglyphs - Miradores de Angosturas

- Distance/ time : 3 KM

- Difficulty : Medium

- Season : Dry

  • Angosturas I canyon

- Distance/ time : by boat

- Difficulty : Low

- Season : Dry

CAÑO CRISTALES, COLOMBIA


CAÑO CRISTALES (Sierra de La Macarena National Park) :

The main attraction of La Macarena is Caño Cristales, a majestic tributary of the Guayabero River, which owes it’s beauty to the colorful aquatic plant Macarenia clavijera, beautiful waterfalls and intriguing rock formations. To explore Caño Cristales well we recommend to visit it twice, each day you would go to a different trail. Besides Caño Cristales there’s other rivers that have this colorful plant, like Caño Cristalitos, Caño Escondido and Caño Piedra. All the hikes are on a semi-flat terrain and will have a máximum altitude of 300 masl., only Caño Cristalitos has a 25 min ascent that’s considered of high difficulty. Along the hikes you will have time to bathe, have lunch and do multiple stops to take pictures of this wonder.


SERENADE AT THE RIVER :

Flow with the rythm of the Guayabero River while you enjoy the sunset and listen to our local “llanera” music, played by a local singer and composer with his 4 string guitar, on a boat that goes paddling slow and silent downstream till you reach again La Manigua Lodge. The “cantos del llano” were declared intangible heritage of humanity and make a very important part of La Macarena’s culture.

CACAO WORKSHOP :

Visit our neighbors and have a great moment while they explain to you how they make chocolate from their own cacao crop. Get your hands dirty while you help them with the process and understand the effort this families have to make to create the chocolate that you probably take at home. At the next day you will be able to taste the chocolate that you processed.

RIVER SAFARI :

The Guayabero river is great for spotting and photographing wildlife like turtles, alligators, different species of monkeys, lots of birds and if you’re lucky maybe some nice mammals like tapirs, capibaras or pink river dolphins. Take your camera and get ready to shoot at any animal that your guide and boat rider points, they will do their best to help you getting the pictures you want. This is a full day activity and you will have lunch on the Guayabero river.

HORSEBACK RIDING :

La Macarena is home to different ecosystems since is located in the border of the Amazon and the flat lands of Colombia. One of those ecosystems are the natural savannahs, which allow you to enjoy beautiful landscapes and a clear view. The best way to enjoy the savannahs is by horse and you will have time to bathe at small streams like Caño Piedra or Caño Escondido. Horses are very calm and well trained, so you don’t need to be an expert to ride one.


LAGUNA DEL SILENCIO :

La Laguna del Silencio is a lagoon that receives all the water from Caño Cristales before it reaches the Guayabero River. This place can be reached walking (1 hour aprox.) or by horse (30 min). Once you reach the lagoon, a small canoe will be waiting for you to bring you along this beautiful mirror of water surrounded by birds and calm.

Included :

• All meals + drinks (lemonade + water)

• Land transfers

• River transfers

• Accommodation at La Manigua Lodge

• Local guide

• Community contributions

• Insurance


NOT INCLUDED :

• Breakfast the first day

• English speaking guide

• Changes to the itinerary during the trip

• Expenses not mentioned in the tour and alcoholic beverages

• Tourism tax*:

- Colombians: COP 30.300

- Foreigners: COP 45.450

• Airport tax: COP 6.000

• Entrances to the National Park*

Let’s turn this into your exact trip.

Maria— Travel Designer

Replies within 24h • 100% tailor-made
100% customizable

From $

901

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Your ecolodge

Your guide

Hidden Gems in Colombia : Caño Cristalitos & Caño Piedra & All excursions

LA MANIGUA LODGE prioritizes low impact on the surrounding forest 🌳 by using renewable energies and building sustainable constructions, and as reward we get the protection of the trees against the strong winds and the burning sun, and the company of different wild species 🐊🐆

You will find a space to get excited, reactivate your senses, relax and be amazed with whatever nature 🦜wants to show you during your visit. In this natural scene you are our major concern, your senses and emotions are our priority and your experience is our pride 😍

Learn more

La Manigua Lodge

LA MANIGUA LODGE prioritizes low impact on the surrounding forest 🌳 by using renewable energies and building sustainable constructions, and as reward we get the protection of the trees against the strong winds and the burning sun, and the company of different wild species 🐊🐆

You will find a space to get excited, reactivate your senses, relax and be amazed with whatever nature 🦜wants to show you during your visit. In this natural scene you are our major concern, your senses and emotions are our priority and your experience is our pride 😍

Reviews

Evan

Spectacular Stay in La Manigua / Caño Cristales

Words aren't enough to describe how perfect my stay at La Manigua was, everything about my experience was 10/10. The lodge and its cabanas are beautiful - felt like sleeping in a paradise in the middle of the jungle, with a staff that was exceptional and willing to go beyond expectations to make my visit as pleasant and enjoyable as possible.

Very well organized logistically with the planning and scheduling of my tours of Caño Cristales - I had some special requests with respect to sites that I wanted to visit, and La Manigua's management did everything possible to accommodate me. And delicious Colombian-inspired meals prepped from scratch by the kitchen staff. Have to imagine there's a TON going on behind the scenes that guests don't see or appreciate that allows La Manigua to deliver such an exceptional experience to guests from the middle of the jungle.

Cannot recommend La Manigua enough - will surely be back, but in the meantime will prod all my friends to visit!

...

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Posted on
MtRainierDave

The best place to stay while enjoying the most beautiful river in the world

Hard to believe this place could be as good as previous reviews but it was. Five individual cabins connected by elevated walkways to the main lodge where delicious meals, coffee(always ready), and even afternoon snacks(hot fried plantains) are served. We stayed 4 nights and were served something good but different at every meal. Our cabin was perfect! comfortable beds, back porch to relax, avoid the rain, and watch the ever-present monkeys and even an outdoor shower.
I was given a price of over $900 per person which seemed high at first, but once we realized how much that included, it felt like a bargain. We were met at the La Macarena airport and every need was taken care of from there including all transportations(mostly by boat), entry to the parks, private guided tours on all 3 days, extra snacks and activities at the lodge, and especially the great food and accomodations.
We enjoyed seeing monkeys almost constantly, but also a sloth and tree frogs. On the daily river journeys we saw lots of beautiful birds, caiman, turtles, iguana, and hoped to see the elusive but present pink dolphins.
The tours Juan Pablo arranged for us were also excellent! We went to the Macarena park twice to see and swim in the gloriously beautiful river and it's many waterfalls. Also so many amazing rock formations.
The only thing I'd do differently is to let Juan Pablo also buy my plane ticket from Bogota as he'd offered. I had difficulty getting confirmation from the airline but again, Juan Pablo contacted them personally for me and got everything I needed.
I went with my brother but now want to also return with my wife

...

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Caro M

It's a paradise

La Manigua is a beautiful place located in one of the most beautiful places in Colombia, I loved the respect they have for nature and the people of the region, the social and ecological commitment is evident but also the attention is great, they make you live a dream while you're there

...

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