Caño Cristales Tour- Know Why this River of Five Color

Caño Cristales Colombia

Caño Cristales in the Colombian National Park of La Macarena has been called the most beautiful river in the world. It is said that the river escaped from heaven, because of its incredible red color. It is one of Colombia’s most unique and exciting tourist attractions and is a must-visit destination. Caño Cristales is located in the Serrania de la Macarena province of Meta and is a tributary of the Guayabero River. The river is commonly known as the “River of Five Colors” or the “Liquid Rainbow,” and is noted for its striking colors. The bed of the river from the end of July through November is variously colored yellow, green, blue, black, and especially red.

Geography

Caño Cristales Colombia is a fast-flowing river with many rapids and waterfalls on the way. Small circular pits known as giant’s kettles are found in many parts of the riverbed, which have been formed by pebbles or chunks of harder rocks or by the solution activity. The harder rock fragments fall into one of the cavities, it is rotated by the water current and begins to carve at the cavity wall, increasing the dimensions of the pit. The quartzite rocks of the Serrania de la Macarena tableland formed approximately 1.2 billion years ago. They are a western extension of the Guiana Shield of Venezuela and this is the bedrock in the area.

Why is Caño Cristales river Showing this color?

Caño Cristales river is the most beautiful river in the world. The reason behind its color is red algae that give the river its famous colors only flowers at certain times of the year. Macarenia clavigera plants (family Podostemaceae) are found on the riverbed. It is suggested that you can see the river in its amazing red state between late May and late November, but the peak time is July. The best time to travel to Caño Cristales is from June to mid-December when the plant life is in full bloom.

River Is also known as the rainbow river because of its ecological phenomenon of showing the different colors that happen nowhere else on Earth. The river is located alongside the huge La Macarena National Park, which is a vast area home to savannahs, incredible rock formations, jungles, and birds. Most tours last three to four days and take in a variety of sights.

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Caño Cristales tour

Caño Cristales river is located inside the National Natural Park La Macarena. The natural park is near Serrania de la Macarena, which is an isolated mountain range separated by about 40 km from the Eastern Andes. Caño Cristales is a unique natural wonder due to the sub-aquatic plant Macarenia Clavigera, which lines the river bottom and turns red during the wet season. The other colors are caused by the minerals found on the rocks of the river. The view of the river is also adorned by a succession of rapids, waterfalls, and natural pools running across the old rocks forming the canyon.

Travelers cannot visit the river itself without being accompanied by a licensed tour guide. There are guides to be found in the town, but you will need to apply for a permit to visit the park from the National Parks Office in advance, and there are limited numbers per day and they are mostly granted to agencies. Visiting Caño Cristales independently is possible, but it’s a bit of a hassle.

How to get to Cano Cristales river Colombia

The easiest way to get to La Macarena is by flying from Bogota, the capital of Colombia, to La Macarena airport. There are several airlines that offer flights to La Macarena, including Satena and EasyFly. Once you arrive in La Macarena, you can arrange a tour with a reputable tour operator to take you to Caño Cristales Colombia. The tour operator will provide transportation to and from the national park, a guide, and a boat ride along the river.