You see a photo on Instagram — “What a stunning place!” — and immediately look up where it is. To your surprise, you realize it’s in South America — on your own continent. In Colombia, no less. Even better, you can find affordable flights from Brazil. And Colombia is a relatively affordable destination.
In that instant, it was decided: Colombia went straight to the top of my travel wishlist, with Tayrona National Park as a must-visit.
Imagine unspoiled rainforest, white-sand beaches with turquoise water, hikes through palm groves, abundant wildlife, and sunshine all day long. And it’s all less than an hour from the town of Santa Marta, on Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
Never heard of it? Or maybe it’s been on your radar for a while, and you’re just figuring out the details. Let’s get into it. Here, I’ll share everything you need to know about visiting Tayrona National Park in Colombia: how to get there, the best time to visit, where to stay, what to do, and most importantly, whether it’s really worth it.
First of all, follow me on Instagram @danae_explore – that’s where you can keep up with my trips, find lots of travel tips, and send me a DM anytime. I love chatting about travel!
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How to get to Tayrona National Park
We were traveling around Colombia, and after a few days in Bogotá and Cartagena de Indias, we set off by rental car towards Tayrona National Park.
There’s no need for a car in Cartagena. In fact, if you’re staying in the historic center (Ciudad Amurallada), having one will only make things harder. So we picked up our rental car on our last day in Cartagena. We rented from Alamo, near the airport, and returned it a few days later at Santa Marta Airport.
To rent a car, I always use RentCars, where I usually find the best options, and with the DANAE promo code you still get an additional 5% off. Shall we go?
By airplane
The main international airport in Colombia is Bogotá’s El Dorado International Airport (BOG), with flights to several cities across the Americas and Europe. Avianca is the main Colombian airline, but other companies operate both international and domestic routes. We flew from São Paulo to Bogotá with Avianca, the departure time wasn’t ideal, as it left in the middle of the night, but sometimes that’s the trade-off when heading somewhere new.
From Bogotá, you’ll need to take a domestic flight to Santa Marta (unless you’re up for a 1,000 km road trip). Santa Marta is a mid-sized town on the Caribbean coast,and its airport is about 50 km (31 miles) from the main entrance of Tayrona National Park. At the time of writing, there are also flights to Santa Marta from Medellín, Cali, Pereira, and Panama City. There are transfer services from Santa Marta to Tayrona.
On our way back, we dropped off the car at Santa Marta airport (Simón Bolívar International Airport – SMR) and flew back to Bogotá with VivaAir (a low-cost airline that has since gone bankrupt). At the time of writing, Avianca, LATAM, and Wingo also operate this route.
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By car
Tayrona National Park is 250 km (155 miles) east of Cartagena. It took us about four hours to drive there, not counting our lunch stop. The road passes through Barranquilla, one of Colombia’s largest cities, though there’s not much of interest for most travelers — aside from being Shakira’s hometown.
We stopped for lunch at Isla Rosario (not to be confused with Islas del Rosario near Cartagena, which I cover in this post), at Popeye El Marino Restaurant. This rustic but charming restaurant is in a lovely setting, although it’s in a fairly underdeveloped stretch along the route from Cartagena to Tayrona. Still, if you’re driving this way, it’s worth stopping for a meal or a quick bite — the food was excellent.
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Driving in Colombia
Was it easy to drive in Colombia? Yes, we had no issues at all. From Cartagena to Tayrona National Park, the roads are paved and single-lane, generally well maintained and well signposted. Traffic in towns can be a bit chaotic and disorganized, but it’s not too different from other places in Latin America.
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Where to stay in Tayrona National Park
The main town close to Tayrona National Park is Santa Marta, which offers a wide ranger of accommodation options for all budgets and travel styles. If you’re staying in town, you can easily book a day trip to visit the park.
From downtown Santa Marta, it’s about 16 km (10 miles), or a 30–40 minute drive to the first park entrance. From there, it’s another 24 km (15 miles), or another 20–30 minutes to the main entrance.
While staying in Santa Marta is convenient for visiting the park, we wanted to relax by the beach, enjoy our hotel, and take in the natural beauty of the region, so I looked for somewhere to stay closer to the park’s main entrance. That’s why I focused on places near the park, in Playa Los Naranjos.
Another popular option is camping inside the park. There are campsites near some beaches, and information is easy to find online.
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Where we stayed at Tayrona National Park
We stayed at Finca Barlovento Maloka, one of the accommodation options within Finca Barlovento. It’s hard to fully capture how beautiful this place is. It’s located at the mouth of the Piedras River, which marks the boundary of Tayrona National Park, right in front of Los Naranjos Beach. Another option in the complex, Finca Barlovento Cabaña, sits right on the edge of the sea, built on top of rocks where the waves crash. Right next to it is Villa Playa Tayrona, which looks great and has solid reviews.
Finca Barlovento Maloka itself is simple, yet comfortable and cozy. The balcony overlooking the river and the sea is a highlight, and the sunsets are beautiful. The room was spacious and fit the four of us comfortably. There’s no hot water in the shower, but it wasn’t an issue given how warm the region is.
There’s an on-site restaurant with tables on the same balcony, and the food is really good. The staff is very attentive. We had dinner there every night and lunch one day, and everything we tried was excellent, especially the juices. The pool is set on a deck in the middle of the woods, and there’s also a spa (which we didn’t use). The property is about a 5-minute drive from the Tayrona Park main entrance, at El Zaino.
Finca Barlovento Maloka was by far the best place we stayed on the trip and one of the best we’ve had in recent years. If I ever return to Colombia (and I will!), I’ll definitely stay here again.
This is not a sponsored post. I didn’t receive any compensation or free stay. I’m recommending it simply because it’s a great place, and we had a fantastic experience.
Other accommodation options near Tayrona
Along the road connecting Santa Marta to Tayrona National Park, especially around El Zaino, there are plenty of places to stay. You’ll also find options in Playa Los Naranjos, ranging from campsites to boutique hotels, for different budgets and comfort levels.
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How to visit Tayrona National Park in Colombia
If you love nature, hiking, and a bit of adventure, and want to experience idyllic beaches with white sand and turquoise water, you’ll fall in love with Tayrona!
The park stretches from the Sierra Nevada mountains to the Caribbean coast, with beaches, forests, desert landscapes, and mountains. We only explored the coastal areas, but there’s so much more to discover.
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How to get to Tayrona Park – El Zaino Entrance
The main entrance to the park is El Zaino, located in the eastern part of Tayrona. This is where you’ll pay the entrance fee — try to get there early, as there’s usually a long line, and at least when we visited, there was a daily visitor limit. It’s also important to check the park’s opening and closing times, as they can vary throughout the year, and there are periods when the park is closed. You can check this information, along with entrance fees, on the Park’s official website, where you can also find details about where to camp.
From El Zaino, you’ll drive 4 km to a parking lot with some basic facilities (bathrooms, a snack bar, and a shop). If you don’t have a car, there’s a shuttle that takes you from the entrance to the parking lot — it’s worth taking it, as the route is long and not particularly scenic.
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To rent a car, I always use RentCars, where I usually find the best options, and with the DANAE promo code you still get an additional 5% off. Shall we go?
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Hiking in Tayrona Park
From the parking lot, a scenic forest hike leads to the beaches. The hike isn’t particularly difficult, with some sections on wooden walkways, but there are several ups and downs, many steps, and some sections on soft sand. It’s also a fairly long walk to reach the most beautiful and swimmable beaches. Our daughters, who were 9 and 10 at the time, complained a bit along the way, but finished with smiles on their faces.
We followed the route to the beaches of Cañaveral (closed for swimming due to turtle nesting season), Arrecifes, La Arenilla, and La Piscina — the latter two were perfect for swimming, and we spent a good amount of time there enjoying the water. We then continued on to Cabo San Juan de Guía.
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The full experience took us about 8 hours (round trip), including stops to swim at three beaches. At Playa Arenilla, there were small stalls selling juice, beer, and food, and at San Juan del Guía, there’s a larger structure with a restaurant and restrooms. You can even camp on this beach, which must be a great experience — check the official Tayrona Park website for more details.
Make sure to bring plenty of water, as there are no sources or places to buy it along the way (other than the ones in Playa Arenilla and San Juan del Guía). Use plenty of sunscreen and wear comfortable shoes for the hike, ideally sneakers. I made the mistake of wearing my Havaianas flip-flops, which ended up breaking at the last beach, leaving me to walk all the way back barefoot.
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How to get to Tayrona Park – West side
The other entrance to Tayrona Park is on the west side, closer to Santa Marta. From there, you can drive and then continue on a hike to the beaches of Guaiaca, 7 Olas, and Crystal. You can also take a boat to reach more remote beaches. We didn’t get a chance to explore this part of the park, but it’s definitely on the list for our next trip to Colombia.
If you prefer an organized tour, there are several options departing from Santa Marta.
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Santa Marta, Colombia
On our last day, we left the hotel early and headed to Santa Marta, where we spent a few hours exploring the town. A great way to start is with a free walking tour, which helps you better understand the history and context of one of Colombia’s oldest cities — founded in 1525 by the Spanish, even before Cartagena — and still one of its most important.
The seafront is pleasant for a walk, with a charming pier and a few good places to eat nearby. Still, Santa Marta isn’t exactly a destination packed with major attractions, though it may be worth stopping by the local Museo del Oro if you have some extra time.
We returned the rental car at the airport and flew to Bogotá, and the next day we continued our journey to the US.
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Is Tayrona Park in Colombia worth visiting?
YES, ABSOLUTELY!
Among several options in Colombia, we chose to visit Tayrona National Park. We had four days available and could have gone to Medellín, San Andrés, Valle del Cocora, or other destinations in this diverse and fascinating country — one that kept surprising us with its landscapes and the warmth of its people.
We chose Tayrona, and I have no regrets. In fact, out of all the places we considered, we’re convinced it was the best choice for the final days of our trip. The park and beaches felt incredibly peaceful, without the heavy crowds we experienced in Cartagena. The water was refreshing, the scenery stunning, the facilities excellent, and the food delicious. In short, it was the most enjoyable part of our 12-day trip through Colombia.
It was absolutely worth it. Just writing this post makes me want to book a flight back to Santa Marta, explore the parts of Tayrona National Park we didn’t get to see, and revisit the places we already loved.
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Here are the websites I always use to plan my trips:
– 🛌 Accommodation: Booking
– ☀️ Tours & activities: Civitatis & Get Your Guide
– 📱 eSIM for mobile data: Airalo e-SIM – use promo code DANAE2375
– 🚗 Car rental: RentCars – use promo code DANAE
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All our posts about traveling to Colombia:
- What to do in 3 days in Bogotá
- What to do in Cartagena de Indias – Colombia
- How to visit Tayrona National Park – the most beautiful beaches in mainland Colombia
- The best of Colombia – 12-day itinerary
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And here are our posts about other destinations in Central and South America:
Brazil:
- Complete guide to visiting Lençóis Maranhenses: Tips and essential itinerary
- Chapada dos Veadeiros Guide: what to do, where to stay and more
- Brazilian Amazon – How to visit the Amazon Rainforest
- What to do in Alter do Chão: Exploring amazonian beaches and rainforests in Brazil
- Chapada das Mesas – Complete itinerary: what to do, where to stay, how to get there
- The best tours to do in Bonito, Brazil, in 4 days
- Ultimate Guide to Bonito: Exploring the Southern Brazilian Pantanal’s Hidden Paradise
- What to do in Chapada dos Guimaraes – Mato Grosso
- What to do in Pirenópolis: charming ecotourism in the heart of Central Brazil
Guatemala
Argentina
- The best of Ushuaia: 4-day itinerary for spring and fall
- El Calafate and Perito Moreno Glacier – the best of Argentinan Patagonia
- Northern Argentina: 10-day itinerary through Salta and Jujuy
Chile
Belize
- One week in Belize: a perfect itinerary for first-time visitors
- Things to do in Belize: the best of San Ignacio, Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker
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