The most beautiful river in the world?

Caño Cristales is also called “the most beautiful river in the world.” Its rivers, rapids and waterfalls stretch for 100 km and are part of the Serranía de la Macarena National Park in the region of Meta. The park is a “meeting point” of the Andes mountains, the Amazon rainforest and the plains of the Llanos. This makes it a perfect place to spot wildlife in the jungle, hike to rock formations and waterfalls, take boat trips and chill in natural pools.

Here you can read all about the Caño Cristales. Why does the river turn pink, how to get there and tips.

Why does the river turn pink?
Half the year, Caño Cristales looks like any other river in Colombia, but between June and November, red, purple, green, blue and yellow colors give the river the nickname “the liquid rainbow,” “the river of 5 colors” or simply the most beautiful river in the world. It is the aquatic plants “Macarenia Clavígera” that give the river its special pink-purple colors. The colors change under the influence of the sun.

How to get to Caño Cristales?
Access to Caño Cristales, is only possible from the town of la Macarena, south of Serranía de la Macarena National Park. The town is home to about 32,000 people and has a few hotels and restaurants. You cannot go to Caño Cristales on your own; you can only do so with an official guide approved by the park. Transportation to/in the park is by all-terrain vehicle and boat.

The history of Serranía de la Macarana National Park
Caño Cristales was closed to the public and partially destroyed by the guerrillas, paramilitaries and the army between 1989 and 2009. After this, it gradually became safer and tour operators entered the area. Today, protection of the ecosystem of Serranía de la Macarena National Park a very high priority. Caño Cristales is a growing eco-tourism destination and the area is safe to travel with a tour operator.

Sustainable development
Cormacarena is the sustainable development institute responsible for protection in the Macarena area. Only about 200 visitors are allowed per day and visitors are assigned to different sections of the park. The local communities are very dedicated to protecting the area and making sure it does not get too crowded. Therefore, visitors must follow strict rules. In 2009, 700 visitors visited the area and that number grew to 16,000 visitors in 2018. Because of the strict measures, the effect on nature of ecotourism is minimal.

The social and economic impact of ecotourism is great, as local families and communities organize and lead the trips. In the beginning, 35 families were involved in ecotourism; today there are as many as 650 families. Ecotourism not only raises awareness among the residents of la Macarena. The locals are also enormously proud of their nature and culture. During a cultural evening, they get a chance to share their culture and customs with the travelers

Scientific research
In the province of Meta, 40% of its area is a protected natural area. In addition to Caño Cristales, Laguna de Loma linda, Piscinias del Güejar and Cañon del Güejar are also protected. In 2018, the flora and fauna of the Guayabero, Duda and Losada rivers were studied.

This research was conducted by Cormacarena in collaboration with the Alexander von Humboldt Institute. These are the results in number of species: 66 microalgae, 114 macroinvertebrates, 245 fish, 38 frogs and toads, 24 lizards, 33 snakes, 7 turtles, 4 crocodiles and 737 birds.