Tayrona National Park

Considered one of the most beautiful natural parks in the world, the Tayrona National Natural Park is approximately 5,650 metres above sea level, therefore providing a unique experience for nature lovers. It is located 34 km from Santa Marta in the region of Magdalena and is one of the most important natural parks in Colombia.

In addition, Tayrona Park is part of the ancestral territory of the Kankuamo, Kogui, Wiwa and Arhuaco indigenous communities that inhabited the Sierra Nevada, the territory where the park is located.

Organise your travel itinerary with Passporter, completely free to use, easy and practical. Get inspired by the experiences of other travellers and choose the places that interest you most by adding them to your route map.

What to do in the Tayrona National Natural Park?

From 19 October to 2 November 2021 the Park will be closed.

Take a swim in Cabo San Juan del Guía

Undeniably the most sought after beach, it is surrounded by a lot of vegetation and is famous for its sea that perfectly reflects the blue of the sky and the green of the surrounding vegetation. The sand of this beach is thick and golden, so it doesn’t stick to you much. Furthermore, in this area you can find a restaurant and a large camping area and public toilets.

• You can reach it via the two entrances to the park, the Zaino and the Pueblito entrances.
• The Cabo San Juan beach has a civil defence post, ready to provide first aid.

Diving in Gayraca Bay

It is located in the middle of Bahía Concha and Neguanje and has a large expanse of land covered with fine white sand. This beach is the most suitable for snorkelling as well as scuba diving, as it has an important variety of marine life. It also has large coral reefs and a great variety of fish. This beach can only be reached by boat, and swimming is allowed until 4:00 in the afternoon.

Arenilla Beach

It is a small portion of beach located only 10 minutes walk from Arrecife. It has white and coarse sand and is of course suitable for swimming thanks to its calm waters and lack of waves.

Arrecifes Beach

It is the largest beach within the Tayrona National Park. As its name indicates, it is has many reefs and rocks underwater that make the waves very strong and dangerous. For this reason visitors cannot bathe here, a spot which has claimed the lives of more than 200 people.

Arrecife is the second beach after Cañaveral that you will find when you enter the park through the Zaino entrance. To get there you have to walk for 45 minutes through a humid jungle full of cliffs and rocks. This beach can only be seen if you cross a barrier of trees that has grown around the shore which obstructs the view of the farms in this area. In Arrecife you can also find camping areas, hammocks and cabins.

La Piscina Beach

This is one of the few beaches in Tayrona where you can swim in peace and quiet. It has this name because it is surrounded by a barrier of rocks, which help to reduce the strong swell of the sea, making it look like a swimming pool.

The beach is small, but this does not detract from its beauty and popularity. You won’t find camping or hammocks here, so it’s a beach to pass through in the middle of Cabo San Juan del Guía and Arrecife.

Discover its nature

In addition to the cultural richness, the Tayrona National Natural Park is home to a large number of ecosystems of mangroves, corals, scrublands, forests and algae meadows. Visitors can encounter more than 770 species of plants, 300 types of birds and 1000 marine species. Sightings of howler monkeys, birds and sea turtles are a major attraction of this natural park.

Discover its archaeological heritage

The ruins of ‘Pueblito’, located in the Tayrona National Natural Park, show the fabric of the Tayrona culture that inhabited this part of the Colombian Caribbean Coast. Walking along its paths and terraces is the equivalent of going back in time and learning about the social, economic, political and religious systems of our ancestors.

Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.

Tayrona Park Travel Map

Where to eat near the Tayrona National Park?

• Divanga Restaurant Bar is a Caribbean, Latin and healthy food restaurant, which also offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Located in Taganga, this restaurant serves recipes based on fresh and natural products, with unique flavours and at a very affordable price. The price range is from €4 – €12.
• Little Taganga is a very inexpensive Latin food restaurant that also offers cocktails, wines and craft beers. It has a price range of €3 – €10 and very good quality products.
• Bitacora Restaurante is a seafood restaurant serving Colombian, Mediterranean and Caribbean recipes but also has vegetarian and vegan options. The price range is around €16 – €30.
• Restaurant Bar Babaganoush is a grill restaurant with traditional cuisine, offering vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. The price range is €16 – €30 and they serve very good quality products.

Where to stay near the Tayrona National Park?

The national park provides the opportunity to camp on its beaches or enjoy other types of ecotourism. However, here are some options for accommodation in and around the park.

• Cabaña Barlovento. The hotel Cabaña Barlovento has 3 rooms and 1 suite with sea views. The hotel is located a few minutes from Tayrona Park, and is renowned for its location because it is on a large rock just a few metres from the sea and the river. The price of the rooms is around 250.000 pesos (€55) per night for 2 people.
• Senda Koguiwa is located just 5 minutes from the Tayrona Park and has 21 rooms. The hotel is surrounded by a lot of vegetation and in its facilities you can enjoy a duck lake. The cabins are built with materials such as wood and bamboo and are priced at 195,000 Colombian pesos (€43) per night for two people.
• Casa Tayrona Los Naranjos is located in one of the best areas for relaxation in the city of Santa Marta on Los Naranjos beach. It is in a unique environment only 1 kilometre away from the Tayrona National Park. It has 7 luxurious, spacious, comfortable rooms which also have sea views. The price is around 450.000 pesos (€100) per night for two people.
• Ecohabs Tayrona Park has rooms in the shape of traditional indigenous houses with views of Cañaveral Beach. The hotel has a restaurant, jacuzzis, spa and a beach area suitable for swimming. Rooms per night are 1,270,000 pesos (€260) for 2 to 4 people.
• Maloka Barlovento is a hotel located 5 minutes from Tayrona Park with 6 rooms, some of which have a view of the sea and the mouth of the river. The hotel is surrounded by nature and has direct access to Los Naranjos beach. A night costs 350.000 pesos (€75) for two people.

Tips for your visit to the Tayrona National Park Colombia

• If possible, get a yellow fever vaccination a few days before your trip (not necessary, but recommended). Remember that pets are not allowed inside the Tayrona Park.
• Try to carry the smallest and most practical luggage you have on the hikes.
• It is very important that you drink bottled water. 
• You should take out travel insurance before travelling to Colombia.
• Try to promote local products when buying food and handicrafts.
• Remember to exercise caution and keep an eye on your personal belongings at all times.
• Listen to the recommendations of tour guides and staff at your accommodation.

How to organise what to do in the Tayrona National Park? 

Sign up or download the app to discover all of its useful features.

• Get inspiration from the experiences of other travellers.
• Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions to it.
• Add the spots you are most interested in, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest listed in this post as a reference).
• Organise your itinerary by days and according to their location (you can take inspiration from the routes presented in the post).
• Check the travel budget that the app calculates for you based on your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
• Make the necessary modifications and you are ready for your trip.
• Finally, share your experience. Upload photos of each of the places you have visited to the app so you can inspire other users.

Frequently asked questions about Tayrona National Park