My guide to Parque Tayrona

When doing my research on where to go in Colombia, Parque Tayrona seemed like a must-visit. The pictures of secluded beaches with crystal clear, blue water immediately appealed to me. I just knew that I had to stay on the Caribbean coast for a few more days after leaving Cartagena, just to experience this little piece of paradise. Well, I certainly wasn't the only person visiting while I was there and it got pretty crowded during the middle of the day. I still enjoyed it so much that I chose to stay for a second night.

I read a lot about Tayrona before going there, but found some of the information to no longer be true. This is my guide to visiting Tayrona National Park, based on my experience from my visit in August 2017.

Getting to Parque Tayrona

Getting to Parque Tayrona is fairly easy, but takes a bit of time. I left my hostel in Santa Marta around 7.30 am and made my way over to the centre (the mercado). The bus for Tayrona leaves quite frequently from carrera 9, Calle 11, and costs 7000 COP. The bus is spacious and air conditioned and drops you off at the main entrance.

At the entrance you pay the entrance fee, which is 44 000COP. I had heard that I could get a discount by bringing an international student ID, but this turned out not to be correct. It is then possible to hike 5km to the beginning of the trail, but I opted to take a colletivo for 3000COP. Recommendable for sure!

I chose to follow the trail all the way to the camp at Cabo San Juan. This is the camp furthest away from the entrance. I walked quite fast, but still spent about two hours getting there. The hike is nice and mostly through the jungle, which is good as the trees provides a bit of shelter from the sun. It was still incredibly hot, and I arrived drenched in sweat and very ready to throw myself in the ocean. I had also read that because of strong currents you cannot swim in the sea at Cabo San Juan, but luckily this turned out to be untrue as well.

Actually getting a place to sleep:

Getting a place to sleep at the camp site was quite a process, really. I thought I had arrived early when I got to the camp at Cabo San Juan at 12.30 and that I would surely be able to secure myself a hammock. Not many people could have managed to get there before me, right? I was mistaken. Apparently all the hammocks had sold out hours ago, but they still had tents available. Oh well, I thought, and figured I'd settle for a tent. I was told to come back at 1.00pm, as it wasn't possible to book tents until then.

When I came back half an hour later there was already a huge line. I quickly realised the tents were selling out fast as well. When I finally reached the front desk I was told that they gave the last tent to the guy in front of me. Great! But surprise – now they suddenly had a hammock for me instead. After all that hassle and time wasted I still couldn't help but feeling happy. The hammock was my first choice after all.

Securing myself a viewpoint hammock

A guy I met walking over to the camp told me how he had been able to get one of the best hammocks on the site, by waking up at 7.00 am and putting his name on a reservations list. The hammock was located on a really nice viewpoint, so I quickly decided to do the same the following morning. At 7.15 am there were already several names on that list, but I was able to place my reservation and I'm glad I did. When I came back to check in at 11.00 am the hammocks in the camp and on the viewpoint was all sold out.

The bottom line is: if you're arriving from Santa Marta then leave as early as possible. Even if you do the hammocks in Cabo (I have no experience with other campsites) might be sold out. They do however take reservations at the entrance to the park, and I would definitely recommend placing one.

What to do in Cabo San Juan, Tayrona

I went to Parque Tayrona to relax and it turned out to be the perfect spot for just that. I laid on the beach for hours just reading, listening to music and taking in all the beautiful scenery. In the evenings the temperatures cooled down, which was appreciated after hot, humid nights in Cartagena and Santa Marta. I did however find myself freezing during the nights in the hammocks, even when wearing a thick sweater and sweatpants. The camp has one restaurant. The food is mediocre, but works for a day or two. There is also a small shop at the site. It has all the necessities, but is expensive so bringing some water and snacks is not a bad idea.

For the active souls Tayrona is excellent for taking a few hikes. I just decided to stay pretty much inactive for my two days there and soak up as much sun as I could get.

I ended up spending my first day in the park with a German girl who was also travelling solo. When she left the following day I enjoyed a few hours on the beach before getting ready for dinner. I was pleasantly surprised when I found a big group of students from my Spanish school in the restaurant. We had dinner and played German card games until bed time. The night, however, was less pleasant. An entry about that might come at a later time.

The hill where I stayed the second night.

I would definitely recommend paying Parque Tayrona a visit, and I guess most people travelling in the area will. The hike might be long and warm, but it is worth it in the end. I am actually not sure if I would recommend sleeping in a hammock at the viewpoint, though. It may seem lovely on a sunny day, but not so much when the weather changes during the evening. Sadly it's one of those things we just can't control, but I for one slept way better in the hammock in the camp.

Most people will probably spend a night or two in the park, but it is also manageable on a day trip. For those not eager to hike back and forth during the same day, there is a boat departing for Santa Marta and Taganga at 4 pm every day.

Read about my time in Santa Marta and Taganga here.