Discover the Uniqueness of Tinigua Natural National Park in Colombia

Tinigua National Natural Park is a stunning protected area of Colombia where the Andean, Orinoco and Amazonian ecosystems converge in this territory, which gives it a high biological diversity, and wonderful place for ecotourism.

Today, this place can be visited together or as an alternative destination for Caño Cristales, the famous rainbow river. In the park you can enjoy the beautiful landscapes and a huge variety of flora and fauna.

The following information will be useful during your visit to Tinigua NNP.

Discovering Tinigua National Natural Park

The Tinigua NNP is located in the department of Meta, in the jurisdiction of the municipalities of La Uribe and La Macarena, between the Duda and Guayabero rivers and has an area of 2018.75 km².

The rainforest constitutes 86% of the area of Tinigua NNP, extending over an area of 184,983 ha. Flooded forest makes up 14% of Tinigua NP’s area, covering 30,184 ha along the Perdido, Duda, Guayabero and La Reserva rivers that comprise the protected area.

Furthermore, the topography of Tinigua NNP is undulating and smooth, with altitudes ranging between 200 and 500 meters above sea level. It is characterized by forests of very tall trees, with a canopy between 30 and 40 m.

The Biological Corridor of the Area

Tinigua is part of a biogeographic corridor that goes from the top of the eastern Andean mountain range to the Amazon basal zone. In other words, it is an altitudinal gradient that begins in the Andean paramo ecosystem, at more than 3500 meters above sea level, to the Amazon and Orinoco plains.

Guayabero River at Tinigua Natural National Park. Picture by Giovany Pulido

Thus, its important geographical position and connectivity made it part within the territorial planning figure of special environmental importance in the department of Meta, La Macarena Special Management Area (AMEM), which includes four (4) National Natural Parks: Sumapaz, Cordillera de los Picachos, Sierra de La Macarena and Tinigua, and three Integrated Management Districts. Additionally, it is part of the Duda River corridor in the valley of the Eastern Cordillera near the Serrania de la Macarena.

Such a corridor allows the flow of living beings and the provision of ecosystem services.

Hydric Importance

Tinigua National Natural Park is important for water because it conserves four (4) hydrographic basins: Guayabero River, Guaduas River, Perdido River and Duda River that allow the formation of the Guaviare River and the Orinoco macro basin.

Cultural Importance

Downstream along the Guayabero River is the Raudal Angostura I, a Historic-Cultural Zone, in which there are giant rocks of great scenic beauty, and other attractions such as petroglyphs of zoomorphic and anthromorphic figures, which are vestiges of the cultural legacy of indigenous inhabitants from the Tinigua and Guayabero ethnic groups in this territory.

According to studies, only one member of the Tinigua indigenous culture remains, named Sixto Muñoz Mauricio, who speaks the Tinigua language, preserves some of the customs and lives deep in the jungle of the Sierra de La Macarena.

How to get Tinigua National Natural Park

Bogotá-La Macarena

Take a 1-hour flight from El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Bogotá to La Macarena Airport (LMC) at La Macarena city with Satena airline.

From La Macarena you have to take a road trip of approximately 7 hours to Delicias- Centro Poblado San Juan del Losada- Centro Poblado el Rubí- Cabaña Aires del Perdido

Bogotá – San Vicente del Caguán –  Tinigua NNP Sector Losada – Perdido

Take a 1-hours flight from El Dorado International Airport (BOG) Bogotá to

Eduardo Falla Solano Airport (SVI) at San Vicente del Caguan city with satena airline. Once at the airport, take an approximately 4,5-hours ride to La Macarena.

From La Macarena you have to take a road trip of approximately 7 hours to Delicias- Centro Poblado San Juan del Losada- Centro Poblado el Rubí- Cabaña Aires del Perdido

Please note that  Satena airline only operates two flights a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

What to do in Tinigua National Natural Park

Main activity at the park is hiking, but there are other complementary activities such as wildlife and flora observation, birdwatching and primate watching, geological observation, panoramic views, landscape contemplation, photography and filming.

Hiking  

Tinigua NNP has only authorized sector for hiking which is the Raudal Angosturas I. This tour can be done all year round, but you must keep in mind that during the winter season the Guayabero River may have restrictions due to weather conditions.

In this sector you can enjoy the Petroglyph Trail Angosturas I – La Macarena; located between the border of the National Natural Parks Sierra de la Macarena and Tinigua.

As well as it has a Low-Medium degree of difficulty, there you can observe cave paintings and petroglyphs, as well as observation of flora and wildlife. Please note that you must have authorization to enter this trail.

The scarlet macaw (Ara macao)

Birdwatching and Wildlife Tours

Tinigua NNP has a record of 441 bird species including 18 migratory birds and five southern migratory birds. Of the most representative birds that you can get to observe are:

  • Crax alector
  • Mitu salvini
  • Crax tomentosa
  • Ara macao
  • Ara ararauna
  • Ara militaris
  • Ara severa
  • Touit stictoptera
  • Neochen jubata
  • Coturnicops notata
  • Falco deiroleucus
  • Aburria aburri
  • Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus macarenae
  • Chlorospingus ophthalmicus macarenae
  • Tinamus tao
  • Pteroglossus castanotis
  • Ramphastos culminatus
  • Pionites melanocephala

Tinigua NNP has recorded 32 species of mammals, among which carnivores are the most representative specie with 9,  followed by primates with 7 species. So you can enjoy your stay in Tinigua NNP discovering species such as:

  • Lontra longicaudis
  • Panthera onca
  • Puma concolor
  • Lagothrix lagotricha
  • Ateles belzebuth
  • Tayassu pecari
  • Tayassu tajacu
  • Bradypus variegatus
  • Tapirus terrestris
  • Alouatta seniculus
  • Saimiri sciureus

Regarding the presence of amphibians, it has been established that there are 14 species and 63 species of reptiles; where we highlight the Caiman (Crocodylus intermedius), Morrocoy (Geochelone denticulata), Anaconda (Eunectes murinus), among others.

Where to stay in Tinigua National Natural Park

Tinigua National Natural Park does not currently offer accommodation for travelers, nonetheless you are able to stay in La Macarena. Our recommendation of hotels for you:

  • Tinigua Finca Recreacional y Ecoturistica.
  • Hotel la Fuente JN
  • Casa Hotel Real
  • La Manigua Lodge.

Best time to visit Tinigua National Natural Park

It is recommended to visit the park during the 2 dry seasons, between the months of December and March, and between August and September. Keep in mind that Tinigua National Natural Park has an average temperature of 25º C (77º F).

Tinigua National Natural Park Entrance fees

Currently, Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia does not charge entrance fees for visitors to Tinigua National Park, Raudal Angosturas I Sector in the Municipality of La Macarena.

What to consider before visiting Tinigua National Natural Park

  • You must carry plastic bags for the disposal of NON BIODEGRADABLE waste (bottles, batteries, cans, etc.).
  • It is recommended that you bring: backpack, light cotton clothing, sunscreen and hat, biodegradable soap, rubber boots.
  • Domestic animals are prohibited.
  • Don’t use of flash when taking photographs.
  • Use binoculars to watch animals’ behavior.
  • Bring along valid identification documents and health insurance.
  • It is recommended to be vaccinated against yellow fever and tetanus.
  • If you take specific medications, take them with you a personal first aid kit.

Some prohibitions

Feeding, bothering or hunting animals, alcoholic drinks and drugs, throwing cigarette butts, burning garbage, felling, and capturing wildlife.

References
  • Parques Nacionales
  • Colparques
About the authors

Sara Colmenares

The current director of Sula. Doctor in Biological Sciences. Her main interests are to explore and understand the organism-environment interactions, taking advantage of emerging knowledge for the management and conservation of species and ecosystem services. She is currently working as a consultant in functional ecology, ecosystem services, and conservation projects in Colombia related to ecotourism and birdwatching.

Luisa Martin

Engineer, world traveler, amateur photographer, traveling blogger, and foody.

Best Amazon River Dolphin Spots in Colombia ( A.k.a. Pink River Dolphin)

Dolphins are undoubtedly wonderful creatures, worthy of our affection and wonder. That is why many of us want to meet them in person. Moreover, true river dolphins, commonly known as the Amazon River Dolphin, the Pink River Dolphin, Tonina, or Boto, are much more attractive, mysterious, and charismatic. They are among the rarest and most endangered of all vertebrates in the world.

In this post, we will present you where to see the Amazon River Dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) or as many people call them, the pink dolphins, in Colombia.

Pink dolphin – Inia geoffrensis, picture by Fundacion Omacha

Amazon River Dolphin Facts

  1. The Amazon River Dolphin is the largest freshwater cetacean in the world, it manages to reach lengths of up to 2.80 meters long and a maximum weight of 200 kilograms.
  2. Its color varies depending on age, young dolphins and females show grayish colors while adults, and principally the males, turn pink, which gives them their characteristic name.
  3. There are many theories to explain its color, but many agree it is a result of the wear and tear of their skin, and some scars.
  4. Scientists discovered that river dolphins come from a very ancient lineage that inhabited the seas.
  5. Its behavior is very different from sea dolphins. They use to have a solitary life, sometimes in small groups composed of a maximum of four members.
  6. Their food consists of crabs, river turtles, piranhas, and other river fish.
  7. The pink dolphin is part of the folklore of the inhabitants of the Amazon and there are many legends and myths around this animal.

Myths and Legends around the Pink Dolphin

These legends generally attribute supernatural powers to the dolphins. One of the most famous legends tells that the pink dolphin was a young and very handsome indigenous warrior who awoke the envy of one of the gods for his masculine attributes.

This god decided to transform the warrior into a dolphin, condemning him to live in the rivers and lakes of the Amazon. It is said that the attractive dolphin dances perfectly and no woman can flee before his charms.

Pink Dolphins are Endangered Species

According to the classification of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Amazon river dolphin is endangered, with only one category below the risk of extinction.

People kill them on behalf of their cultural traditions, or because they are competitors for fish. Other threats faced by the pink dolphin include accidental fishing, habitat loss, being killed for fish bait, and contamination.

With scientific research and responsible tourism, many people became aware of the importance of the conservation of these animals. In Colombia, NGOs as OMACHA and ECONARE are doing a great job to protect and conserve these animals.

Where You Can Find the Pink River Dolphin

These dolphins are widely distributed in South America and can be found in Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia.

Scientists have not agreed on how many subspecies of pink dolphin exist, but certainly, they are not similar among the different regions. The IUCN recognizes three subspecies:

  • I. g. geoffrensis (Amazon river dolphin)
  • I. g. boliviensis (Bolivian river dolphin)
  • I. g. humboldtiana (Orinoco river dolphin)

While the Committee on Taxonomy of the Society for Marine Mammalogy only recognizes the first two of these.

Distribution map of all known species and subspecies of Inia. Black outline denotes the limit of the Amazon basin. Question marks denote uncertainty as to which species occurs in the Tocantins River downstream of the Tucuruí dam which potentially delimits the distributions of I. geoffrensis and I. araguaiaensis sp. nov. Bars on the Madeira River represent a series of rapids that delimit the distribution of I. geoffrensis and I. boliviensis. The single bar on the northern limit of the Amazon basin represents the Casiquiare canal which connects the Amazon and Orinoco basins, and is thought to delimit the I. g. humboldtiana subspecies from I. g. geoffrensis.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083623.g001

To see how little is known about the pink dolphin, a relatively recent scientific study proposes a new species living in southeastern Brazil, the Inia araguaiaensis. They even propose the Bolivian subspecies should be recognized as a separate species, I. boliviensis. Take a look at the map above.

Where to See Pink River Dolphins in Colombia

Many people who contact us wanting to plan their trip to see the pink dolphin believe that it is only possible to see it in Leticia, the capital of the department of Amazonas in Colombia.

However, the Amazon as a region encompasses many more departments, not only the Amazon but also Vaupes, Guainia, Guaviare, Caqueta, and Putumayo.

On the other hand, all these departments are connected by a dense network of rivers and canals that run not only through Colombia, but all neighboring countries. And this is how the pink river dolphin manages to expand throughout the region.

Map of distribution of Inia geoffrensis in Colombia. ©Trujillo, F., Crespo, E., Van Damme, P.A. & J.S. Usma (Editors). 2010. The Action Plan for South American River Dolphins 2010 – 2020. WWF, Fundación Omacha, WDS, WDCS, Solamac. Bogotá, D.C., Colombia. 249 pp.

Thus, the pink river dolphin is not only distributed throughout the Colombian Amazon region but also reaches the eastern plains and the Guyanese shield, in the departments of  Amazonas, Putumayo, Caqueta, Vaupes, Guaviare, Guainia, Vichada, Meta, Casanare, and Arauca. Take a look at the map above to find your way around.

Despite its wide distribution, you can only visit a few places to meet the pink dolphin in Colombia.

Amazon river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis), also known as the boto, bufeo or pink river dolphin, Puerto Nariño

Amazonas

You can visit Leticia and Puerto Nariño on short boat trips along the Amazon river. However, we recommend you go to Puerto Nariño.

Puerto Nariño

The city of Puerto Nariño is the destination to see the river pink dolphins in the department of Amazonas. Here you have to navigate the Correo and Tarapoto lakes to see the wonderful pink dolphins up close.

Zacambu and the Three Frontiers

You can also depart from Leticia on a river tour on the majestic Amazon River. It is a tour towards the Zacambu village and the three frontiers region.

During the navigation through the river, you will be able to appreciate the flooded jungle. Arriving at the border with Peru, you will find Islandia (Peru), known as the Venice of the Amazon. This is a town that floods periodically, and that is why its houses are elevated as well as its streets. Once in the lakes of Zacambu, it will be possible to see river dolphins.

Where to Stay

Waira Suites Hotel – Leticia

Vichada

The department of Vichada is a known destination for sportfishing. However, it is also possible to go there and see the pink river dolphin. There the Meta, Bita, and Orinoco rivers converge, and there are tours in a boat to watch the pink dolphin departing from Puerto Carreno, the main city of Vichada.

Where to Stay

Carreño Plaza Hotel – Puerto Carreno

Meta

The “Ruta del Amanecer llanero” is the best way to see the pink dolphins in Meta. Visit our entry #1 Llanos Experience near Bogotá: The Llanero Dawn Route in Meta, to know more about this route.

The city of Puerto Gaitán, located 194 km south of Villavicencio, is bathed by the waters of the Manacacías river. Boat tours to watch the dolphins are an almost every day offer.

Puerto Gaitan is the most recommended destination if you do not have enough time to travel to far destinations such as Leticia, or Puerto Carreno. It is also the nearest to Bogota, the capital city of Colombia.

Where to Stay

Lagos de Menegua Hotel and Bioreserve

Mururito Natural Reserve

Guaviare

In the Nare Lagoon, very close to the city of San Jose del Guaviare, pink dolphins live and you will have the opportunity to swim with them.

There, with the help of local guides, you will learn the story of how they got there. You can also observe different species of fauna and flora throughout the tour.

With this trip, you will be directly helping the families that are part of ECONARE. Econare is a local association of community-based tourism in charge of preserving the nature of the area and the safety of the dolphins that inhabit the lagoon. You will also help all those people who make it possible for you to live these experiences.

Where to Stay

Quinto Nivel Hotel

How is a Pink Dolphin Tour?

Dolphins can only be observed from a certain distance on wooden platforms or in boats. Sportfishing adjacent to their hunting areas is prohibited and along with this, feeding them is forbidden as it would cause human dependence.

Best Time to Visit the Pink Dolphin

All year round in Colombia, especially in Guaviare and Meta.

Recommendations for your visit

  • Take yellow fever and tetanus vaccines before arrival.
  • Do not forget the mosquito repellent, it is highly recommended.
  • Rubber boots, raincoat, long-sleeved shirts, sunscreen.
  • Leave no trace.

If you want to plan your trip to Colombia do not hesitate to contact us, visit our Plan your trip page!

References
  • OMACHA Foundation.
  • Hrbek T, da Silva VMF, Dutra N, Gravena W, Martin AR, Farias IP (2014) A New Species of River Dolphin from Brazil or: How Little Do We Know Our Biodiversity. PLoS ONE 9(1): e83623.
  • Trujillo, F., Crespo, E., Van Damme, P.A. & J.S. Usma (Editors). 2010. The Action Plan for South American River Dolphins 2010 – 2020. WWF, Fundación Omacha, WDS, WDCS, Solamac. Bogotá, D.C., Colombia. 249 pp.
  • Status and conservation of river dolphins Inia geoffrensis and Sotalia fluviatilis in Colombia. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/ [accessed Apr 15 2021].
About the author

Sara Colmenares

The current director of Sula. Doctor in Biological Sciences. Her main interests are to explore and understand the organism–environment interactions, taking advantage of emerging knowledge for the management and conservation of species and ecosystem services. She is currently working as a consultant in functional ecology, ecosystem services, and conservation projects in Colombia related to ecotourism and birdwatching.

Ultimate Guide to Visit Guainía: Jungle, Rivers and Astounding Views

Two events have consolidated Guainía in the minds of travelers, the first, the signing of the peace agreement and the second, the launch of the Ciro Guerra’s film The Embrace of the Serpent (El Abrazo de la Serpiente), winner of multiple awards around the world.

Guainía

Guainía in the Yuri language means “Land of many waters”. Its capital is Inírida, and it is located in the east of the country. The temperature of the region oscillates between 25 and 30 degrees centigrade.

Most of its territory is made up of flat extensions, although there are some elevations, mainly the so-called tepuis, which are remnants of the Guiana shield, the oldest mountainous formation on the planet.

The most famous hills are the Mavecure, but there are others hills and mountains like the so-called Aracuari, Canapiari, Guasacavi, Mavicure, Pajarito, Rana, Salvaje, Sáquiras, Sardinas, and the mountains of Caranacoa and Naquén, with heights slightly above 500 meters above sea level.

In the past this was a region afflicted by armed conflict and violence, but this situation is now in the past and the community has found in tourism an opportunity for life.

Communication Routes and Transportation in Guainía

In the department of Guainía, the main communication route is the rivers, which are the road axes of access. Roads are scarce and only passable in the dry months.

It is also important the air transport. There are two airports located in Inírida and in the town of Barranco Minas. 

Tourism in Guainía

In Guainía one of the main attractions is its people, whose population is mostly composed of indigenous people (65%), who come from almost 30 different communities and belong to ethnic groups such as the puinave, curripaco, tukano, wanano, desano, piratapuyo, piapoco and yeral.

Guainía’s people

Other attractions are the Cerros de Mavecure, the Las Brujas lagoon, the Sapuara stream and the fluvial star. You can also find the Puinawai National Natural Reserve; the Pavón, Payara and Matevení Lakes, which together with the Inírida River, are destinations where you can practice water sports and sport fishing.

How to get to Guainía

You have to arrive by plane from Bogota to Puerto Inirida. The distance in straight line from Bogota is 720 Km, and it translates into 1 hour 10 min of flight.

 

It is recommended that you stay at least 4 days in the region to enjoy this majestic and sacred place.

In Inirida you can find several hotel offers, and all trips are made to and from the city by boat on the Inirida River and its tributary streams.

Below you will find the best destinations in Guainía.

Guainía Destinations

The Mavecure or Mavicure Hills

The Mavecure Hills are part of what we know today as deep Colombia. Embedded in the Amazon, they have become one of the most emblematic tourist destinations in Colombia.

In a study published about Ciro Guerra’s El Abrazo de la Serpiente, the Hills of Mavecure and surrounds are described as a landscape of enormousness, limitlessness, extraordinariness, and grandeur.

Mavecure Hills – Picture courtesy by Andrés Rodríguez, local indigenous guide.

The hills of Mavicure are three hours away from Puerto Inírida, the capital of Guainía. There are three tepuis called Mavicure, Mono and Pajarito that serve as an impressive viewpoint to the Guainía’s jungles.

From the top of the hills you can appreciate large extensions of jungle inhabited by indigenous communities such as the Puinaves and Curripacos.

According to Puinave Tomás Corda Medina, a native of the Barranco Tigre community, in an interview for a national newspaper:

“in the curripaco language, Mavecure comes from the words ‘mavi’, which is a palm used to make different utensils, and from ‘cure’, a poison that the ancestors took from a tree and put on the tips of their arrows for hunting with blowpipes.”

It is said that the hills were considered a magical space where humans could communicate with their gods.

The hills of Mavecure are 55 kilometers west of this city. To reach them you must take a speedboat that takes about 2 hours to travel the 55 kilometers through the Inírida River.

Climbing the Mavecure Hills

After arrival, you will have to spend the night in the El Remanso or in the El Venado indigenous communities placed at the foot of the hills.

You will need a guide to accompany you to the highest part of the hills, along the only trail suitable for walking and which does not require climbing equipment.

To reach the viewpoint, at 250 meters high, the only conditions are imposed by the weather and your physical condition. You must watch every step, and always go with a certified guide.

It is recommended to go up at a sunny moment. This is because, when it rains, the stone ground becomes slippery, and the slope makes the water run forming strong currents on the way down, which makes it very dangerous.

Once at the top you can see Pajarito and Mono; on their skirts you can see the dark green of a jungle that hides anteaters, water dogs, armadillos, limpets, chigüiros, tapirs, deer and tigers. In the distance, there are the caños that the river Inírida bathes, and other fluvial courses.

Mavecure Hills – Picture courtesy by Andrés Rodríguez, local indigenous guide.

The activities that you can do in the Mavicure Hills are bird watching, hiking, photography, and nocturnal fish watching on the banks of the Inírida River where you can see rays, guaracus, palometas, agujones and cuchas.

Find more details about Mavecure in our entry 5 Things you Should Know Before Visiting the Mavecure Hills in Colombia.

Las Brujas Lagoon

The Laguna de Brujas or Chalchuapa (in the language of the natives) is defined by the locals as an oasis of peace. It is a quiet place where you can escape to feel the sounds of birds and nature in all its splendor.

Situated 10 minutes by boat from Puerto Inírida, you will feel overwhelmed by the beauty of the surrounding forest. Laguna de las Brujas is announced as the preferred habitat of the pink dolphins.

Las Brujas Lagoon © Toninas Tours

A variety of stories are told among the natives, such as the legend of the “Pink Dolphin” which tells that spiritual leaders arrived there to talk to the pink dolphins about the future of the Amazon and its communities.

Others say that it was named after a legend about some witches who stole the water from another place known as “Hoyos de la caldera” (boiler holes), but during the trip they dropped the water in the air, forming the Brujas Lagoon.

The truth is that, regardless of their origins, tourists and locals can take tours through this splendid landscape in canoes, accompanied by an indigenous guide.

Caño Bocón

It is the paradise of fishing. Bocón is one of the main tributaries to the Inírida River. It is bordered by jungle.

This river is located in the territory of the Puinave ethnic community, thanks to which the river, and its lagoons, with its Peacock Bass and the large Payaras that live in it, are cared for and watched over.

Caño Bocón ©adsfishingconcept

Thanks to an agreement with the Puinave, fishing is allowed for a maximum group of 10 people, you will not see anyone else in fishing action during your week.

The fishing is fast and abundant: Peacocks, Payaras, Catfish, Palometas, Bocones, Morocotos, etc.

Viejita Lagoon

Another paradise for fishing in Colombia. Downstream from Puerto Inírida, where the river delivers its waters to the Guaviare.

After two hours of navigation towards the east, you can leave the river and walk around 15 minutes through the jungle until you reach the Viejita lagoon.

On a floating raft you go around the lagoon completely. From the raft you will witness epic sunsets and landscapes.

The Fluvial Star of Inírida (Estrella fluvial del Sur)

This is a must see in Colombia. This is a place where the rivers Guaviare, Atabapo and Inírida converge and swell the Orinoco River, one of the longest rivers in south American, and one of the top five largest rivers in the world.

Estrella fluvial del Sur, with its many rivers and lagoons, has been declared as a Ramsar Territory in 2014. This gave it recognition as a wetland of international importance, whose ecological and social value transcends the borders of a single country and benefits humanity.

The declaration of the Inírida River Star demand research efforts and substantial investments to safeguard the ecological integrity of the area. Ecotourism  appears as a sustainable practice and activity compatible with the rational use promoted by the Ramsar Convention.

Estrella Fluvial del Sur ©El Espectador

Estrella Fluvial del Sur Facts

  • The River Star is home to 34% of Colombia’s wealth in freshwater fish species.
  • Colombia has the second largest number of freshwater fish species in the world. 
  • The River Star is home to 70% of the known avifauna in Eastern Orinoco, 476 species of birds, two of which are exclusive to the place.
  • In the Inírida River Star there are 903 species of plants, 200 of mammals and 40 of amphibians.
  • The otter, the jaguar and the pink dolphin, present in the Fluvial Star, are in critical danger.
  • In the area there are two indigenous peoples, Puinave and Curripaco, five resguardos and 15 communities that inhabit them, who support and legitimize the decision of the declaration as a Ramsar territory.

The Flower of the Inírida

It is an endemic plant of Guainía that grows in humid savannas and whose petals are red tips. Technically, the flower of the Inirida is two species of monocotyledonous herbs belonging to the family Rapateaceae. Both species are endemic to white-sanded savannas, with extremely poor, precarious soil conditions that are hostile to any plant.

Flowers of Inírida, winter Guacamaya superba, and summer Schoenocephalium teretifolium.

There are winter and summer ones and one is bigger than the other. The Winter Flower of Inírida (Guacamaya superba), the bigger one, blooms mainly during the rainy season in the region (June – October). On the other hand the Flower Summer of Inírida (Schoenocephalium teretifolium) blooms mainly during the season of drought (December – March).

Guainianos love and protect it and travelers admire it. It can be seen in all its magnificence in the savannahs on the way to Caño Bitina. During the flowering season, the savannah is dyed red because of the abundance of flowers.

Alto de Caño Mina

The Raudal Alto de Caño Mina, one of the tributaries of the Inírida River, is one of the most overwhelming in the Colombian Amazon.

This is one of the most emblematic destinations of this Secret Colombia. It has has a 15-meter waterfall of black, red and yellow waters. Its color is produced due to a great load of tannins it has. 

It is necessary to go up the Inírida River for two days. Then you leave the Inírida River and enter through the Caño Mina.

Other Plans in Guainía

Ancestral writings (Coco Viejo Indigenous Community)

  • Explanation of the ancestral writings by an interpreter of the Curripaco people and field trip where you will have contact with these writings.
  • Know the petroglyphs.
  • Typical gastronomy of the communities.
  • Wooden handicrafts, natural fiber weaving, ceramics.

Visit ndigenous communities of Caño Vitina, Sabanitas, Guamal, Concordia.

  • Experiential tourism.
  • Ecological Tourism.
  • Ecological Walk.
  • Bird watching.
  • Typical gastronomy of the communities.
  • Wooden handicrafts, natural fiber weaving, ceramics.

Caño San Joaquín

  • Sport Fishing.
  • Ecological Tourism.
  • Ecological Walk.
  • Bird watching.

Raudales de Zamuro and Cualet

  • Sport Fishing.
  • Ecological Tourism.
  • Ecological Walk.
  • Bird watching.
  • Experiential tourism.
  • Typical gastronomy of the communities.
  • Wooden handicrafts, natural fiber weaving, ceramics

Wildlife observation

  • Toninas (pink dolphins) and bird watching. 
  • Visit the ornamental fish farms.

Water tourism and adventure

  • Practice water ports such as skiing, diving and sport fishing.
  • Camping or hammock nights.

Hiking and trekking

  • Hiking through the forest to the indigenous community of Venado.

Recommendations 

This is a trip to the jungle, so you have to be prepared for BASIC conditions of accommodation, food, transport etc. You will not find luxury things especially at night, because you will have to sleep in the community.

Additionally, take into account that the itinerary can vary according to the changes that the flights can have, the circumstances of the climate or unforeseen last minute.

Things you will need: 

  • Wear comfortable, light-colored and lightweight clothing, hopefully waterproof.
  • Bring hats or caps for protection from the sun and wear a long-sleeved shirt.
  • Wear hiking shoes, preferably waterproof, and extra tennis shoes.
  • Photo or video camera to not lose any detail of these beautiful landscapes.
  • Abundant hydration for the walks, sunscreen and repellent.
  • A raincoat to cover yourself in case it rains.
  • Small backpack for the daily walks.
  • Flashlight.
  • Sleepwear. It is recommended to take a light sleeping, at night it can be cold.
  • Personal hygiene equipment in small quantities.
  • Tape, micropore and anti-irritation creams.
  • Camping equipment (tent, mattress) or hammock with ropes and tarp, depending on your preference for the first night.
  • Swimwear.

If you want to know more about the most incredible natural destinations in Colombia, plan your trip with us!

References
About the author

Sara Colmenares

Current director of Sula. Doctor in Biological Sciences. Her main interests are to explore and understand the organism – environment interactions, taking advantage of emerging knowledge for the management and conservation of species and ecosystem services. She is currently working as a consultant in functional ecology, ecosystem services and conservation projects in Colombia related to ecotourism and birdwatching.