A Guide to Caño Cristales - Colombia

This off the beaten track adventure in Colombia takes you to a river so unique that it has been named things like "Liquid Rainbow", "River of Five Colors", " The Most Beautiful River In the World".... you get the point. Caño Cristales, located in Colombia's Serranía de la Macarena mountain range, a designated National Park.

According to sources this National Park is the single most biodiverse spot on earth counting the number of species per acre. Endemic Plants and animals galore, and your guide should be a good source of knowledge along the way. The landscape stretches over 3 different ecosystems making for a bio rich zone.

The River

The Key To the Colors:

A common misconception of the colors found at Cano Cristales and the surrounding region is that the colors are formed from an algae. While this is partially correct, it is actually a plant, Macarenia clavigera, that creates the vibrant red and green colors.

The unique environment of the region makes it the only place in the world this plant can flourish. With the rocky Andes meeting the lush Amazon, this environment cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The rocky forest floor keeps the water gin clear due to the

Conditions and colors in the river are always changing. There are three key elements to the plants survival…

• Aluminum and Iron from the river bottom
• Oxygen from the running water (if the water is too low the colors will fade)
• Sunlight  

Fast Facts

• Color are vibrant from June - November
• Can be reached from Bogota, Medellin or Villavicencio
• Tour range from 3-4 days
• English guides can be arranged

Types of Trips

There are 3 and 4 day options these vary by company. We recommend opting for the longer 4 day version, as it allows you to really explore all the region has to offer. It also gives you a chance to explore the river for 2 days, so in the case that the weather is off one of the days this gives you a bit of insurance that you will see the river under ideal conditions. Clouds and rain can alter the ability to see the vibrant colors that the river exudes on sunny days, where you will see an explosion of vibrant reds, purples, yellows, oranges and greens.

Getting There 

There are chartered flights everyday from Bogota, except for Tuesdays. This 1 hour journey is the best option for getting to La Macarena, the base for exploring the park. These flights often book out in the high season due to limited availability on these 3 passenger planes. It is a thrilling experience flying over the jungles, so plan ahead!

What to bring

Clothing and Equipment:

During the day the weather is hot and humid, so we recommend wearing comfortable clothing, shirts and shorts for walking; at night the temperature is about 16°C and there is a high proportion of mosquitoes and other insects, so it is important to wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts for sleeping and use insect repellent.

• Reusable bottle of water (1 liter) 
• Comfortable clothing (quick drying material)
• Trekking shoes/ sandals
• Rain coat (Poncho)
• Bring only the essentials things in your backpack
• Personal care items
• Personal medication 
• Among your clothes be sure to wear shorts, shirts, long pants, socks and swimwear
• Plastic bags for wet items
• Insect repellent/ sun cream
• Camera

Tours

FlashpackerConnect offers guided tours with the option of a bilingual guide. Offering exclusive 3 and 4 day options. They can be booked online - https://www.flashpackerconnect.com/cano-cristales-tour

How to visit Machu Picchu & The Rainbow Mountain, Peru

Visiting both Machu Picchu and the Rainbow Mountains of Peru

Many travelers visiting Peru are wanting to explore the magical ruins of Machu Picchu as well as reaching the popular summit overlooking the Rainbow Mountain, taking travelers well beyond heights, they have likely only dreamed about. The Rainbow Mountain of Peru, at its summit (Elevation/Height: 16,520ft) nearly reaches the heights of Everest Basecamp, and far surpasses the highest mountains in continental USA.

Linking in a visit to both Machu Picchu and the Rainbow Mountain is very easy. However the two locations lie in opposite locations from the city of Cusco. Machu Picchu lies about 3.5 hours from Cusco, reached by a train journey along the Urubamba River in the Sacred Valley.

The Rainbow Mountain is nestled in the Ausangate Mountain region, about 3 hours to the trailhead from Cusco to the south. Transport to this location is done via Bus or Private Van. There are generally two kinds of tours, budget (large group tours) and small group tours via private van, car or taxi. 

Photo Credit - @ Flashpackerconnect.com

That being considered the distance between the Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu is approximately 7 hours in total, for that reason you need to allow for a night in Cusco to split up the trips and coordinate tours. 

The best way to visit both sites, is to overnight in Cusco between the two treks/tours, visiting Machu Picchu first and embarking on your Rainbow hike following your visit to Machu Picchu. This is very important as you need to acclimate prior to hiking at such high elevations (2-3 days of acclimations in and around Cusco, or a visit to Machu Picchu first is recommended). 

If you are tight on time you can tackle both trips in 2 days, but it is nice to add in a rest day in Cusco in-between the two, as both are FULL day adventures, leaving you very tired if done back to back. 

TIP: If you have extra time embark on a multi day Rainbow Mountain hike, overnight camping offers you some amazing landscapes and gets you away from the day hiking crowds, many travelers including myself will tell you that the landscapes, wildlife, glacier views and lakes beyond the Rainbow Mountain rival that of the Rainbow Mountain itself. 

For more information and package trips including the Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu tour follow the link HERE.