Tayrona National Park Holidays
Tayrona National Park
Holidays
Where the jungle meets the Caribbean — the most spectacular national park in South America
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Flight Time
10–11h to Bogotá or Cartagena, then 2–3h to Santa Marta by air or road
Best Time
December to April (dry season — best beach weather; park sometimes closes in October/November)
Country
Colombia
Suppliers
our travel partners ·
Tayrona National Park Holiday Guide
Tayrona is one of the most spectacular natural destinations in South America — a park that rewards those who make the effort to stay overnight rather than just visiting as a day trip.
The park entrance is at El Zaino, 35km east of Santa Marta. From the entrance, it's a 2–3 hour hike to Cabo San Juan — the trail passes through several beach areas (Arrecifes, La Piscina) and is well-marked. Horses are available for hire at the entrance if you prefer not to walk.
Staying overnight at Cabo San Juan (hammock camp or eco-lodge) is strongly recommended — the beach at sunrise and sunset, with the day-trippers gone, is one of the most beautiful experiences in Colombia. Book well in advance in the dry season.
The park closes periodically for maintenance and indigenous ceremonies — usually in February and sometimes in October/November. Check before you go.
Arrecifes beach has dangerous currents — do not swim there. Cabo San Juan and La Piscina are the safe swimming beaches.
Santa Marta (35km from the park entrance) is the best base — good accommodation, easy access to the park and the starting point for the Lost City trek.
We search across Travelpack and JTA Holidays for the best Tayrona deals — call us on 01282 960 460 for tailored advice.
Average Temperatures
Jan
28°C
Feb
29°C
Mar
30°C
Apr
29°C
May
28°C
Jun
29°C
Jul
30°C
Aug
30°C
Sep
29°C
Oct
27°C
Nov
27°C
Dec
28°C
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Call 01282 960 460Top 8 Things To Do in Tayrona National Park
The jungle beaches, coral reefs, indigenous culture and extraordinary wildlife that make Tayrona one of the most spectacular national parks in the Americas.
Cabo San Juan — Colombia's Most Beautiful Beach
Cabo San Juan del Guía is the most famous and most beautiful beach in Tayrona — a perfect crescent of white sand with turquoise water, framed by jungle-covered headlands and the Sierra Nevada mountains rising behind. The beach is accessible only on foot — a 2–3 hour hike through primary rainforest from the El Zaino park entrance, or a shorter walk from the Arrecifes camping area. The effort is entirely worth it. The beach has a hammock camp (sleeping in hammocks strung between palm trees above the beach) and a small eco-lodge — staying overnight allows you to experience the beach at sunrise and sunset, when the day-trippers have gone and the beach is almost empty. Swimming at Cabo San Juan is generally safe (unlike Arrecifes, which has dangerous currents).
Jungle Hiking — Primary Rainforest
The hike through Tayrona's primary rainforest to the beaches is one of the great short treks in South America — a 2–3 hour walk through dense jungle on well-maintained trails, crossing rivers, climbing rocky headlands and passing through indigenous Kogi territory. The forest is extraordinary — howler monkeys roar from the canopy, iguanas bask on the trail, blue morpho butterflies drift through the undergrowth and the air is thick with the sound of birds and insects. The trail from El Zaino to Cabo San Juan passes through several beach areas (Arrecifes, La Piscina, El Cabo) — each with its own character. The return journey (uphill) takes slightly longer; allow 3–4 hours for the full round trip.
Kogi Indigenous Culture
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is home to four indigenous peoples — the Kogi, Arhuaco, Wiwa and Kankuamo — descendants of the ancient Tairona civilisation that built the Lost City (Ciudad Perdida) around 800 AD. The Kogi are the most traditional and best-known — they live in the high Sierra Nevada according to their ancestral traditions, wearing white robes and carrying a gourd (poporo) filled with lime powder used with coca leaves. The Kogi consider the Sierra Nevada the 'heart of the world' and themselves its guardians; they have been increasingly vocal about the environmental destruction caused by climate change and deforestation. Kogi villages are visible from the Tayrona trails; some communities welcome respectful visitors. The Kogi's message to the outside world ('Aluna' — the 1992 documentary by Alan Ereira) is one of the most powerful environmental statements ever made.
Playa Cristal — Best Snorkelling in the Park
Playa Cristal (also known as Playa Muerto) is the best snorkelling beach in Tayrona — a small, sheltered cove with crystal-clear water and excellent coral reefs just offshore. The beach is accessible by boat from Santa Marta (1.5 hours) or by a shorter hike from the Calabazo park entrance. The coral reefs are in good condition and home to parrotfish, angelfish, sergeant majors, moray eels and occasional sea turtles. The beach itself is beautiful — white sand, turquoise water and the jungle rising steeply behind. Snorkelling equipment can be hired at the beach. Playa Cristal is less visited than Cabo San Juan and has a more peaceful atmosphere.
Wildlife — Howler Monkeys, Iguanas & Birds
Tayrona's forests are extraordinarily rich in wildlife — the park protects one of the last remaining areas of dry tropical forest on Colombia's Caribbean coast, and the diversity of habitats (beach, mangrove, dry forest, cloud forest) supports an extraordinary range of species. Howler monkeys are the most conspicuous — their extraordinary roar (audible from 5km away) announces dawn and dusk throughout the park. White-faced capuchin monkeys are common on the trails. Green iguanas bask on rocks and in trees. The birdlife is exceptional — over 300 species have been recorded, including the Santa Marta parakeet (endemic to the Sierra Nevada), the black-fronted wood-quail and the Santa Marta antbird. Humpback whales pass offshore between July and October.
Camping & Eco-Lodges
Staying overnight in Tayrona is one of the best experiences in Colombia — the park has several camping areas and eco-lodges inside its boundaries, allowing you to experience the beaches at dawn and dusk when the day-trippers have gone. Cabo San Juan has the most famous accommodation — hammocks strung between palm trees above the beach (the most atmospheric option) and a small eco-lodge with private rooms. Arrecifes has a larger camping area with tents, hammocks and basic cabins. Ecohabs Tayrona (near Cañaveral) is the most comfortable option — luxury eco-cabins in the forest above the beach. All accommodation must be booked in advance, especially in the dry season (December to April) when the park is at its busiest.
Palomino — Laid-Back Caribbean Village
Palomino, 30km east of the Tayrona park entrance, is a small Caribbean village that has become one of the most popular backpacker destinations in Colombia — a long, wild beach backed by the Sierra Nevada mountains, with a relaxed, unhurried atmosphere and excellent budget accommodation. The Palomino River flows into the sea at the village — tubing down the river through the jungle and out into the Caribbean is one of the most enjoyable activities on the Caribbean coast. The beach is long and wild (not safe for swimming in all conditions — check with locals) and the sunsets are extraordinary. Palomino is a good base for visiting Tayrona (30 minutes by taxi) and for the Lost City trek (Santa Marta is 1.5 hours away).
Sunrise at Cabo San Juan
Sunrise at Cabo San Juan is one of the most beautiful natural spectacles in Colombia — the moment when the first light hits the turquoise water and the jungle-covered headlands, with the Sierra Nevada mountains rising behind and the sound of howler monkeys echoing through the forest. To experience it, you need to stay overnight in the park (hammock camp or eco-lodge at Cabo San Juan) — the day-trippers don't arrive until 9–10am, leaving the beach almost entirely to overnight guests in the early morning. The light at sunrise and sunset is extraordinary — the combination of the white sand, turquoise water, jungle and mountains creates one of the most photogenic landscapes in South America.
Explore Tayrona National Park on the Map
Key areas, beaches and attractions across the island.
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