Colombia National Parks

Magdalena · Caribbean

Tayrona National Natural Park

Beaches, dry forest, rainforest, and coral reefs

Use Santa Marta as the base, choose the exact entrance and beach sector, and plan around capacity limits, sea conditions, and the park’s three annual closure periods.

1. 1

   Confirm the current sector, entrance, capacity, and opening hours before paying.

2. 2

   Arrange accident insurance and separate transport, accommodation, or operator services.

3. 3

   Respect swimming restrictions, sacred sites, marked trails, and seasonal closures.

Access rules can change. Reopen the official source shortly before transport, admission, or a tour becomes non-refundable.

La Guajira · Caribbean

Los Flamencos Flora and Fauna Sanctuary

Coastal lagoons, mangroves, dry forest, desert scrub, and beaches

Visit from Riohacha through Camarones with a required local guide or heritage interpreter, then let current lagoon and wildlife conditions shape the birdwatching plan.

1. 1

   Confirm the sanctuary is open and ask what lagoon and birdwatching conditions are observable that day.

2. 2

   Arrange the required local guide or heritage interpreter, registration, induction, and accident insurance.

3. 3

   Separate the no-fee park entry from paid transport, guiding, boat, meal, accommodation, and other services.

Access rules can change. Reopen the official source shortly before transport, admission, or a tour becomes non-refundable.

Amazonas · Amazon

Amacayacu National Natural Park

Rainforest, flooded forest, wetlands, and river systems

Plan from Leticia by river and coordinate activities in advance with the community ecotourism teams in Mocagua or San Martín de Amacayacu.

1. 1

   Confirm the community, river connection, water conditions, and return timing.

2. 2

   Arrange the required local guide or interpreter before departure.

3. 3

   Separate transport, guiding, meals, accommodation, insurance, and community contributions.

Access rules can change. Reopen the official source shortly before transport, admission, or a tour becomes non-refundable.

Coffee Region · Central Andes

Los Nevados National Natural Park

Volcanoes, glaciers, páramo, wetlands, and high-Andean forest

Choose one of the park’s four sectors before booking. Each has its own route, capacity, age limits, reservation method, schedule, and seasonal restrictions.

1. 1

   Book through a REPSE-registered guide or ecotourism agency.

2. 2

   Match the sector and altitude to health, equipment, age, and experience.

3. 3

   Recheck volcanic, weather, road, and trail conditions close to departure.

Access rules can change. Reopen the official source shortly before transport, admission, or a tour becomes non-refundable.

Boyacá and Arauca · Eastern Andes

El Cocuy National Natural Park

Glaciers, super-páramo, páramo, and Andean forest

Treat El Cocuy as a regulated high-altitude trek. Reserve an authorized trail, complete the induction, and leave enough time to acclimatize before entry.

1. 1

   Reserve in advance with an authorized guide or interpreter.

2. 2

   Carry the required accident and rescue insurance and registration documents.

3. 3

   Confirm which of the three authorized trails is operating after weather or road disruption.

Access rules can change. Reopen the official source shortly before transport, admission, or a tour becomes non-refundable.

Boyacá · Eastern Andes

Iguaque Flora and Fauna Sanctuary

High-Andean forest, páramo, dry enclaves, and glacial lagoons

Iguaque is open through the Carrizal visitor centre, but a reservation, authorized guide or interpreter, visitor insurance, registration, and induction are required before either trail.

1. 1

   Confirm capacity and dates with the sanctuary before paying or arranging transport.

2. 2

   Choose Bachué or Ie-Sue according to altitude, difficulty, entry window, and daily capacity.

3. 3

   Reserve an authorized guide or interpreter, buy visitor insurance, and allow for the unpaved approach to Carrizal.

Access rules can change. Reopen the official source shortly before transport, admission, or a tour becomes non-refundable.

Cauca · Pacific

Gorgona National Natural Park

Oceanic island rainforest, coral reefs, and whale habitat

Gorgona is a remote marine journey, not an informal island transfer. Current official guidance requires an authorized operator, advance reservation, and a confirmed island transfer through Guapi.

1. 1

   Use an RNT-registered operator authorized by Parques Nacionales.

2. 2

   Confirm the Guapi sea transfer, four-day reservation window, visitor insurance, and day-visit format.

3. 3

   Keep weather margin around flights, boats, diving, and whale-watching plans.

Access rules can change. Reopen the official source shortly before transport, admission, or a tour becomes non-refundable.

Risaralda · Coffee Region

Otún Quimbaya Flora and Fauna Sanctuary

Sub-Andean cloud forest, wetlands, and the upper Otún River

Reach this open day-use sanctuary from Pereira, confirm capacity before paying, and choose El Humedal, Bejucos, or El Río with the accompaniment required for your group.

1. 1

   Confirm capacity, date, admission, reservation status, and accompaniment directly with the sanctuary before paying.

2. 2

   Arrange visitor insurance, registration, induction, and an approved guide or interpreter when required.

3. 3

   Bring rain gear, closed boots, food, and drinking water; no visitor lodging, restaurant, or potable-water sales are currently offered.

Access rules can change. Reopen the official source shortly before transport, admission, or a tour becomes non-refundable.

Valle del Cauca · Pacific

Uramba Bahía Málaga National Natural Park

Estuary, mangroves, rainforest coast, islands, and whale nursery waters

Reach the park by sea from Buenaventura and arrange its attractions through approved community guides or interpreters. Whale watching adds vessel authorization and wildlife rules.

1. 1

   Confirm the Buenaventura-Juanchaco boat, return timing, sea conditions, and final community connection.

2. 2

   Arrange the required approved guide or interpreter, registration, and induction, and ask about the recommended accident insurance.

3. 3

   For whales, use an authorized vessel with a community environmental interpreter and treat every sighting as uncertain.

Access rules can change. Reopen the official source shortly before transport, admission, or a tour becomes non-refundable.

Valle del Cauca · Western Andes

Farallones de Cali National Natural Park

Tropical rainforest, cloud forest, high-Andean forest, and páramo

Choose one of three permitted visitor sectors before leaving Cali: Pico de Loro, Charco Burbujas, or Anchicayá. Every other sector remains restricted unless Parques Nacionales explicitly changes the rule.

1. 1

   Match Pico de Loro, Charco Burbujas, or Anchicayá to its access route, operating day, entry window, difficulty, and age limit.

2. 2

   Reserve Pico de Loro with its authorized guide and confirm current arrangements for Burbujas or Anchicayá.

3. 3

   Confirm registration, induction, admission, insurance, transport, weather, and current visitor-post operation before travel.

Access rules can change. Reopen the official source shortly before transport, admission, or a tour becomes non-refundable.

La Guajira · Caribbean

Macuira National Natural Park

Dry forest, gallery forest, dunes, and restricted cloud forest

Macuira is an ancestral Wayuu territory and remote protected-area journey. Reserve first, travel with a local Wayuu 4x4 driver, and enter only with a park-approved interpreter.

1. 1

   Make the required park reservation and confirm current Alta Guajira conditions.

2. 2

   Use a local Wayuu driver and suitable 4x4 from Uribia toward Nazareth.

3. 3

   Respect the six-person interpreter limit, cloud-forest visitor restriction, and no-overnight rule inside the park.

Access rules can change. Reopen the official source shortly before transport, admission, or a tour becomes non-refundable.