Sights and landmarks in La Macarena

Sights and landmarks in La Macarena

1. See

   Caño Cristales

   Is it the River of Seven Colors? Or a more prosaic five? Guides toe the party line du jour of five: black, green, white, yellow, and bold ruby red. The plants (yes, plants, not algae) supply the red or green depending on the time of year, and the rocks and sand fill the whole spectrum. More investigative/imaginative/trifling travelers will find six or seven, though. The walk along/through the river is simply spectacular. With all the interesting rock formations, natural pools, rapids, and waterfalls, it would be a truly beautiful river even without the crazy red plants.

2. See

   Caño de Piedras

   A reasonably short moto-taxi ride out of town, this river has a really popular natural pool with the townsfolk, who more or less all go here on Wednesdays. A nice river to swim in, have a picnic and hang out without spending a hundred dollars. This can be combined with seeing the sunset on the way back. If you are traveling alone try to find some other people to share the mototaxi and save money. If you go to Caño Cristales you don't really need to see Caño de Piedras in addition.

3. See

   Jardín Botánico

   botanic garden

   This is a private place in a near village (La Esperanza, 18 km from Down Town) for the recovery and the conservation of native plants and animals. The Garden is a 350 ha farm, with 150 hectares recognized as a Civil Society Natural Reservation. It is possible to travel around the garden in horses or in some paths by foot. There is a Garden office in the town where some services are offered (tourism guidance, transportation, basic information about the region).

4. See Not mapped

   El Raudal

   This is a rapid from the Guayabero River, formed among the walls of ancient rocks. After Cristales, this is the most visited place in the region and is administrated by the local community that lives there. The place is a kind of open-air archaeological museum with ancient petrogliphs visible during summer time. To travel there, you can contact ECOAMEN, the communal tourist organization.

5. See Not mapped

   Finca Cristalitos

   Although Caño Cristales is the main attraction in town, this is not the only river with colours. Cristalitos is a Cristales afluent, smaller but equally beautiful. Unlike Cristales, there is a camping site and a little farm where to buy local food. By contacting Jardín Botánico it is possible to book a night or to plan a visit there. Cristalitos is higher up on the mountain and therefore includes a nice view over the region.

6. See Not mapped

   Madrevieja del Carmen

   Madreviejas are a kind of paleo-rivers or a paleochannel: a remnant of an inactive river or stream channel that has been either filled or buried by younger sediment. In this case, the Madrevieja del Carmen is an older branch of Guayabero River, surrounded by archaeological remnants and inhabited by endangered Amazonian species of birds, mammals, insects and trees. It is in a farm that is embraced in agroecological experiments, restoration of native forest and aimed to educate peasants in new forms of production. The Madrevieja is 17 km from downtown and it is possible to get there by car, moto or by boat. By contacting Jardín Botánico it is possible to book a night or to plan a visit there.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to La Macarena (CC BY-SA 4.0).