Tayrona National Park is one of Colombia’s true natural highlights. This protected park covers an area of land and sea to the tune of almost 200 square kilometers in total. Within the borders of the national park you will encounter wild Caribbean beaches that evoke thoughts of pirates and smugglers, with coral reefs, haunting mangroves, rivers, creeks and lush green vegetation that provides some leafy respite from the soaring temperatures common on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Tayrona park is located just 21 miles (34km) from the regional capital of Santa Marta, and many visitors use this quaint colonial city, one of the oldest Spanish settlements in South America, as a jumping off point from which to explore the park. Tayrona is a geographically and climatically diverse area, and coastal climes mingle with mountain conditions to produce unique microclimates unlike those found anywhere else in the country. The park is also one of Colombia’s most biodiverse areas, and there are reportedly over 300 species of bird, over 100 species of animals and more than 750 plant varieties native to the park. There is also a huge array of reptilian and marine life that make their homes in the coral reefs off the coast of the park, and Tayrona is one of three national parks in Colombia that can claim to have coral reefs among its territory.
Tayrona Nat’l Park
Travel Guide
