Four routes to reach this natural paradise
This article is dedicated to those who seek the most convenient way to get to this natural paradisebecause each one of us have tastes, budgets and ways of travel are different. The input to this natural paradise it is a cost aside (with the exception of the tour that is already included), here I leave you the 4 ways to reach the park Tayrona from Santa Marta:
- By Boat
- Direct transport
- By guided tour
- independently
How to get to Parque Tayrona in the boat
This is one of the most easy to reach as the boat drops you at the main Beach to visit in the Tayrona national natural Park Cabo San Juan. Please note that the boat is going to have a little bit of movement, so if you are one of those people who is dizzy I recommend you take a Mareol 30 minutes before boarding and story arranged.
Access from Santa Marta and Taganga
The boats depart from the Bay of Santa Marta, and from Taganga to 10 minutes away from Santa Marta.
Public transport and Prices
Taking public transportation from el Rodadero to the center of Santa Marta, you tell the driver that you're going to the bay with the street 22 and he will tell you where to get off, walk 4 blocks short to the beach and to the side of the Marina you will find the outputs of the boats. Value of the bus or colectivo: ($2,500 to the COP).
The bus take from el Rodadero on the main road, do you know for a tablet that says: Centre/Market, you get low in the Fourth, 20 minutes approximately, then you walk down and you're going to get to the Bay and right in the front will be the box office and if you want to go to Taganga tomas another bus about 20 minutes to Taganga. You can take a taxi from el Rodadero (of$ 15,000 or 30,000 COP. To Taganga) The price of $ 85.000 pesos each way, the departure time is at 9:30 from Santa Marta and 10:30 from Taganga and returns to 16:00 for the same price, the boat ride is about 1 hour, You should remember that it is only a transport, the entry pay when low boat $ 72.000 COP for foreigners and $ 42,000 a COP. for Colombians.
Reservations and tee Times
The boats are space limited, you can book directly with Tayrona Tour. Boat tour: 1 hour.
Fares and Timetables
Price boat: $ 160.000 COP (back and forth), 85.000 COP. (each way)
Output: from Santa Marta: 9:30, from Taganga leaves at 10:30 AM.
How to get to Parque Tayrona in direct Transport
This transportation leaving from Santa Marta at 7:20 or from Taganga to 7:00. They pick you up where you are hosted, and the cost is $ 40,000 COP. You can book Tayrona Tour. The journey takes approximately one hour to the entrance of the Tayrona Park, where you pay your entry ($72.000 for foreign or $42,000 a COP colombian).
Exploring the Park
Once within the Tayrona Park, the bus continues to 5 miles up to the point where you will begin to walk for an hour and thirty minutes into the jungle until you reach the beach of coral reefs, the part to the north. From there, you walk to the left along the beaches of the reef, grit, natural swimming pool, and the Cape San Juan.
Lodging options
Cabo San Juan, you can camp or sleep in hammocks for $50,000 in hammocks up to $100,000 in bedroom, but the latter are very scarce. On the beach of coral reefs, there are other hosting sites more economical, although Cabo San Juan is most visited and with more staff and better services.
Return and Recommendations
You can return by boat at 16:00 hours or on a bus again. However, I recommend you start walking from 3 in the afternoon so that you do not grip the night half way and reach the same point where you stopped the transport.
Details of Transport
How to get to Parque Tayrona Tour
The tour is an option in which you don't have to worry about anything: where to take the bus, where to get off, to pay in one place, pay in another, etc
Comfort and Guide Custom
You pay for the tour and the guide will come to your hotel to look for him and bring him. During the trip, the guide will be telling you the whole story of the Tayrona Park, from its beginning to the indigenous groups that lived in it during the time of the conquest, etc
Collection and Find
First they pick you up at your hotel, whether you're in the sides of Bello Horizonte, el Rodadero, and Santa Marta. Only to Taganga did not arrive, but can take a bus or a taxi to the meeting point nearby that they give you.
Recommendation of Agency
The agent will sell the Tour will tell you where to get to take the Tour. I recommend Tayrona Tour, you can book here: Booking tour to the Tayrona. It is an agency with very good service, seriously, she works directly with the Tayrona Park and has very good guides.
Travel and Time in the Park
Come out at 6:00 am and will be in the Park as well as at eight in the morning, until the control input and a chat to them before going in for the conservation, management and security of the park. Then walk 2 hours in the middle of the jungle to get to the beaches of coral Reefs, Arenilla Beach, Natural Pool, and the Cape San Juan. Will be four hours on the beaches that you desire, and then come back two hours back to the bus which will take you to your hotel. The Tour costs $ 150.000 COP, the foreigners should pay an increase of $ 30,000 pesos for entry costs.
Food and Drink
In the Tayrona Park you'll find restaurants where you can eat fresh fish and other options, remember that the tour will not include drinks or meals.
Tour details
Duration of Tour: 10 hours
Price: $150.000 COP.
Departure: 6:00 a.m. from Rodadero and 6:20 from Santa Marta. (Beautiful horizon or pozos colorados 20 minutes before).
How to get to Tayrona Park for your account
If you are a traveler and you like adventures, this would be your best plan, but here I leave some recommendations:
Flexibility and Freedom
The good thing about this plan is that you do not just anyone, you take your time on the beach you feel more comfortable and then you decide if you want to return or stay a night in the Park.
Starting the Journey
The first thing is to get to the stop of the bus is located in Santa Marta in the calle 10 con carrera 9, is the same place where you can take the bus to Palomino.
Arrival at the Park Tayrona
After an hour, the bus passes by the entrance of Tayrona Park in the sector of “The Chestnut” (12.000 COP). There you low and across the road you arrive at the ticket office of the Tayrona Park, where you pay your entry ($72.000 for foreign or $42,000 a COP colombian).
Mobilization within the Park
After you have paid, you take a van that will take you for $7.000 COP up to the Parking lot, a place where you will begin to walk. There are two paths: one to the right that takes you to a different place (Canaveral) and the one on the left that takes you to the Reef. ¡Tranquilo! Everything is signposted! You also have the option to rent a horse for $60.000 COP, but you can download up to 50,000 if you are a good trader 😉. Similarly, you walk 1 hour and 20 minutes until the ”Reef” and 40 minutes to Cabo San Juan, passing by the beaches of Gravel and the Natural Pool. When you return, you'll do so by taking the same route back to the parking lot (or remember that you can take the boat to Santa Marta), where you take the car to the exit, and then the bus back to Santa Marta.
Final Recommendations
I recommend you to go early so you don't have much traffic, and you have the time to enjoy the time in the Tayrona Park. Don't carry a lot of weight, only take what is necessary to pass a day or two if you choose to stay.
Trip details
Duration of the bus: 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Price of the bus: $12.000 COP.
Departure: every 20 minutes from 6:00 am.
You need to bring to the Tayrona park:
In times of high season, tickets are limited so you have to get there early and the tours leave an hour early because the demand is high and there is a possibility of not finding entries, it is best to purchase the tour with a tourism agency responsible: Tayrona Tour.
- Take what you need from here, such as: water and snacks as there is more expensive but it have to be just in packaging organic.
- wears a mask and snorkel to do some snorkeling, if you want to best reefs you can do it from Taganga with Taganga Dive Station.
- Start Carminar back early so that you don't touch them walk at night in the middle of the jungle.
- Insect repellent, sunglasses, sunscreen and/or a cap.
Recommendations for a visit to Tayrona Park:
The time of entry and exit of the park is 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.
- Make your bookings in advance. The capacity of daily load of the Park is a 6,900 tourists.
- Be vaccinated against yellow fever ten days prior to your trip and carry the card effect of vaccination.
- The talk of environmental education is mandatory.
- Keep to the timetable set out to use the showers and effectively use the water.
- For safety, must be informed in advance of the sites suitable for swimming and bathing only in the authorized sites.
- Swim in the sea this allowed until 6 p. m.
- Within the Park there are sacred sites of the four indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, which are demarcated and entry into these zones is prohibited.
- If you are going to hire a guide, make sure that it is certified for such activity.
- When you take a boat, make sure you have life jackets.
- The income of plastic bags and objects of styrofoam is restricted.
- The income of musical elements is restricted.
- Pets are restricted.
- The income of alcohol and psychoactive substances is restricted.
- The income and possession of weapons is restricted.
- Entry tables surfing is restricted.
- It is forbidden to: make a fire, throw cigarette butts, burning garbage, perform logging and capture wild animals.
- When leaving the protected area, you must remove the garbage that occurred during your stay (this includes peels, seeds or other waste products of vegetable or animal origin); not to adhere to this extent impairs the landscape and can cause diseases to the wild fauna and flora.
- The parking of vehicles in a camping area is prohibited. When the parking enabled are copied, not allow for the entry of cars, only visitors.
Conclusions:
All the ways of getting that I mentioned before are safe.
- If you are a person who likes to know the place well, know the culture and customs of the indigenous people who inhabited this site, be calm and know that everything will be for you, for comfort, or because I don't have time, take the Tour.
- If you are a person who loves the Nature, the beaches and to experience new adventures, you should merge into direct bus and return by boat.
- If you are a person that would like to arrive in the easiest and fastest way, it takes the boat transportation back and forth.
- If you are short of budget, and you have good stamina, you can do it independently.
Discover more Opportunities:
One of the best attractions of Tayrona Park are its coral reefs, which are one of the most beautiful of Colombia. Don't miss this opportunity to live another Magical experience with Taganga Dive Station taking a mini-course of diving if you don't have experience or a Certification course on the first level.
If you already have experience and you're certified, you can do the following levels: advanced Course, Rescue, and other training courses for professional certification. Watch here.
