Caño Cristales, Colombia’s rainbow river, looks like something out of a fairytale. It is considered the most beautiful river in the world, and it’s definitely the most beautiful river I’ve ever seen! Many travelers don’t even know this place exists, and of those who do, most cross it off their list because it seems too complicated and expensive, and there is very little information available. Which is why I wrote this travel guide with everything you need to know about how to visit Caño Cristales. Including some budget tips.
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Table of Contents - How to visit Caño Cristales - Everything you need to know
- What is Caño Cristales
- Where is Caño Cristales
- When to visit Caño Cristales
- How to visit Caño Cristales: Package tours vs self-organized trips
- How to get to Caño Cristales
- What is the tour like?
- What to pack for Caño Cristales
- Important things to keep in mind
- Other things to do in La Macarena
- FAQ about visiting Caño Cristales
What is Caño Cristales
A caño is what they call a river in this part of Colombia. But this is not just any river. On the river bed grows a very special aquatic plant called Macarenia clavigera. The striking colors come from this rare and endemic plant, which turns red when exposed to sunlight during the right conditions. Add in a riverbed with different colors and some waterfalls and here you have it: one of the most stunning landscapes in Colombia.
Macarenia clavigera only grows in the Serranía de la Macarena because of the perfect mix of sunlight, minerals, and clean water. It can also be found in other rivers in the area, but Caño Cristales is where it puts on its most spectacular show.
Where is Caño Cristales
Caño Cristales (also spelled Cano Cristales sometimes) is a little out of the way of the main gringo trail in Colombia, but I promise you it’s 100% worth the detour. It’s located in the Meta department, south of Bogotá. Some years ago, this was a very violent and dangerous area, and nobody who wasn’t from there could enter this area. Luckily, times have changed, and it is now completely safe. The locals here are actually some of the friendliest we’ve met, since they are so happy to be able to welcome others in their department again.
Safety – While this area is currently very safe, things can always change. Not only here, but also in other areas of Colombia. So do some research beforehand and inform yourself as much as possible.
When to visit Caño Cristales
The best time of year to visit Caño Cristales is between July and August, when the river is most beautiful. During the dry season, the river dries up and the algae disappear. As water levels rise again, the algae begin to grow. As water levels lower again, the algae become more visible, and as the sun burns the algae, they turn red. The official season to visit Caño Cristales is from May to October, so if July and August don’t fit your plans, you can consider the shoulder season.
How to visit Caño Cristales: package tours vs self-organized trips
Before we get into comparing package tours vs self-organized trips, it is important to know that the only way you can visit Caño Cristales is with a tour. It is not possible to go on your own. But you can save some money by only booking the tour through an agency and booking the rest separately.
Package Caño Cristales tours
Most agencies do work with pre-bought package tours. The good thing about these tours is that they’re easy and will include a more complete experience than separately booked tours. Besides the booked tours (there is more to see here than Caño Cristales!), these packages normally also include a show with a local folklore dance and a traditional dinner. And of course, visitors will be invited to give the dance a try afterwards.
If you’re going for a package tour, make sure to ask them to include a Macarenense Dish one of the nights. A very creative and delicious meal that was invented in La Macarena and is just as colorful as their star attraction.
Self-organized trips
If you are traveling on a budget and you want to save money on your tour of Caño Cristales, the easiest way to do so is by buying the package without transport. Normally, agencies will offer options with and without transport. Included transport will be by air. So if you want a cheaper package tour, you could opt for a tour without transport, and make your way here by land yourself. It might also be cheaper to book your own accommodation, especially if you’re not looking for luxury. We stayed at Posada Los Cristales, which was a great budget option.
If you want to organize your trip yourself, it is still important to organize it in advance. Tours of Caño Cristales are done in groups of max. 7 people, and there is a maximum capacity for each trail in the park. So you might need to wait until there is availability and/or a group to join since it will be significantly cheaper to join a group.
How to get to Caño Cristales
The easiest way to get to Caño Cristales is by airplane, there are direct flights from Bogota every other day during the season with Clic Air and Satena. Flights are relatively expensive, though, especially if you’re also traveling with luggage.
If you’re looking for a cheaper way to travel to La Macarena and Caño Cristales, you can travel overland. Cootranscaguan has four daily trips by jeep from San Vicente del Caguan to La Macarena. You can reach San Vicente by bus from several big cities in Colombia, like Bogota, Armenia, Medellin, and Cali. If you can’t find a direct bus, or if you’re coming from the Tatacoa desert, look for a bus to Neiva, from where you can take a bus to San Vicente. Tickets can be bought on the spot, but might sell out. We spent the night in San Vicente and bought the tickets the night before. For the way back we also bought the tickets a day before we left.
What is the tour like?
Before you can go on the tour, you will receive an official briefing about the place and the things you can and cannot do. They want to protect and preserve the place very well, so this briefing is mandatory. This is also where you’ll receive your bracelet, which will allow you access to the area.
The tour itself starts with a boat ride on the river, during which you might see some typical animals like turtles, monkeys, and birds. Then it’s a short jeep ride to the entrance of the park. Here you will start your hike along the river.
Which hike you will get to do depends on the agency. Numbers are limited for the area itself and for each hike. The most popular trail is Los Pianos (named after one of the waterfalls you’ll get to see along this trail), but all hikes end at La Tapeta (The Carpet), which is the part of the river where you will see the most algae. During each hike, you will be able to observe the algae in the river at different points, and you will see waterfalls. My favorite waterfall that we got to see was La Virgen.
You will also get to swim during your visit to Caño Cristales. There are normally 2 swimming stops included in your tour. Where will depend on your hike and how busy it is. Normally, there are no or very little algae in the places where you get to swim. You will have lunch during your hike as well. Your guide will give you a packed lunch, and in our case, we got to choose when and where we stopped.
What to pack for Caño Cristales
During your briefing, they will tell you what you should and shouldn’t bring on the tour, but in case you are wondering what to bring to La Macarena, here is a list of handy things to bring to Caño Cristales.
- Protective clothes. You’re not allowed to wear sunscreen, as a matter of fact, you are not allowed to bring sunscreen into the park. So bring a long-sleeved shirt, a hat, and sunglasses
- Plenty of water in a reusable bottle. No single-use plastic is allowed into the park. I brought my hydration pack, but you can also bring a reusable bottle.
- Comfortable shoes for hiking.
- A camera which can be used underwater, like a GoPro or another action cam or bring a waterproof case for your phone. If you have a camera with a tele-lens, it’s also worth bringing it. You’ll likely see animals on the way.
- Waterproof (dry)bag for the boat ride.
Important things to keep in mind
A few last things to keep in mind when you want to do a tour of Caño Cristales.
- Bring cash. You’ll need to pay for toilets, and you might want a cold drink after your hike.
- Make sure not to have any chemicals on your body. This will be explained during the briefing as well. The main focus is sunscreen, but avoid things like make-up and hair creams as well.
- It’s best to book in advance. Walk-ins are not common, and agencies are not prepared for them. The agencies you’ll find on Google Maps are more registered addresses and offices than info points.
- It’s first-come, first-served for the most popular trail. If you do choose to book on the spot, best to head to Cormacarena where they have the availability and phone numbers of reliable tourist agencies.
- Mind the algae at the swimming spots. There aren’t many, but there is the odd plant you don’t want to damage.
- Not everyone speaks English. This part of Colombia is still new to tourism and English is not widely spoken around town. Having said that, there are English speaking guides available, so make sure to ask about possibilities if you want to have an English speaking guide.
Other things to do in La Macarena
Even though Caño Cristales is the main attraction, there are other things to enjoy while you’re here. If you’re coming all this way, you might as well spend some extra time here, enjoying the hospitality of the locals and the nature. I’ll dive deeper into those in my La Macarena Travel Guide.
This was: How to visit Caño Cristales - Everything you need to know
I hope this Caño Cristales travel guide got you excited to visit this gorgeous hidden gem. If you are ready to talk to a tour agency, I can highly recommend Viajes Ecocristal. We had an amazing trip with them. Everything was well organized and our guide was super friendly and very knowledgable.
Already visited Caño Cristales? I’d love to hear what you thought—drop your experience in the comments!
FAQ about visiting Caño Cristales
Yes, you can only visit Caño Cristales with an authorized guide as part of a tour. This helps protect the fragile ecosystem and ensures everything is well-organized.
You can! Most tours include two swimming spots. These areas usually don’t have algae (or only very little), so there’s no risk of damaging the plants.
Yes, it’s safe to visit. The region used to be off-limits due to conflict, but that’s changed. Locals are incredibly welcoming, and tourism is growing. As always in Colombia, check for updates before you go.
It depends. Full packages (including flights) usually start around $350–$450 USD. But if you’re traveling on a budget, you can lower the cost by getting there overland and booking the tour separately.