How many days do you need for Tayrona National Park?
How many days do you need for Tayrona National park? Can you visit the park in 1 day or do you need to stay overnight? This information and more, you can find in this article.
Tayrona in one day?
Want to visit Tayrona National Park in one day, do a hike and not spend the night there? It’s definitely doable, if you do the hike from the Zaino entrance to Cabo San Juan. The hike takes -depending on your pace and number of stops- about 2 hours one way. You’ll still have time to swim somewhere. However: keep in mind that the humidity is high, so the hike -in spite of the good hiking path- can be intense. If you don’t want to hike the whole route to Cabo San Juan, you can stop halfway at Playa Arrecife. There you can have a drink and walk back to the Zaino entrance from there. If you want to enjoy the park to the max, visit the various beaches and not have to be in a hurry, then it’s recommended to stay in the park at least one night. Another advantage of this, is that you can experience the park outside the crowds of day-trippers, who leave around 4 p.m. For the hike from Calabazo to Playa Brava, one day is too short. Better to stay overnight at Playa Brava and make it a multi-day trip.
#ColombiaMyWay tips
Tip #1
Book a hotel or hostel near the entrance, a day before your visit to Tayrona National Park
Because of this, you don’t have to get up super early to get to the park early on the day of your visit. The main entrance opens at 7.00am and if you get there around that time, you avoid the biggest crowds and heat. Most hostels and hotels offer the option of leaving your luggage there, so you only have to bring a small backpack to the park. Read more tips on where to stay near Tayrona National Park.
Tip #2
Check out sample trips from Zaino and Calabazo for 3 and 4 days here.
Itineraries
3 DAYS: in/out Zaino
DAY 1: Spend the night in a hostel or hotel just outside the Zaino entrance. Leave your luggage there and travel alone with a small backpack
DAY 2: Walk to Tayrona National Park, catch the bus or hostel shuttle to Tayrona’s main entrance, Zaino. The Zaino entrance opens at 7 .00am. If you want to stay overnight at Cabo San Juan, you can reserve your hammock at the entrance.
DAY 3: Enjoy the beach at Cabo San Juan or hike to nearby beaches. In the afternoon, hike back to the Zaino entrance and catch a bus or tax back to your hostel or hotel. There you can relax or continue on to your next destination.
4 DAYS:
With an extra day, you can do the hike from Cabo San Juan del Guía to Playa Brava on day 3 and spend a night there, before leaving the park via the Calabazo exit on day 4 .
Look here for more information about lodging in and around Tayrona National Park.
3 DAYS: in/out of Calabazo
DAY 1: Sleep one night in a hostel or hotel just outside the Calabazo entrance, leave your luggage there and travel alone with a small backpack
DAY 2: Take a minivan or taxi to the Calabazo entrance. The entrance is open from 7 .00am. Hike to Playa Brava (about. 3.5h) and there you spend the night at Hotel Playa Brava Teyumakke
DAY 3: On Day 3 you can relax on the beach in the morning. In the afternoon you will hike back to the Calabazo entrance and from there you return to your hotel. There spend another evening relaxing or continue on to your next destination.
4 DAYS: in Calabazo/out of Zaino
If you have an extra day, then on day 3 you can do do the hike from Playa Brava to Cabo San Juan (approx. 2h) and spend the night there. NOTE: can’t reserve your hammock for Cabo San Juan at the Calabazo entrance, so you’ll have to do that right upon arrival in Cabo San Juan. On day 4 you will then leave the park via the Zaino exit.
Look here for more information about the hiking trails and lodging in and around Tayrona National Park.
Continue reading our Tayrona National Park Travel Guide for information about beaches and more. Follow the link for an article about our trip along the North coast which we made from Barranquilla to Santa Marta.
