Last updated on March 15, 2024.

One of the best places to visit in Tayrona National Park is Cabo San Juan del Guía. It’s only reachable on foot. You can visit on your own or take an organized hiking tour to La Piscina and Cabo San Juan. We’ve done it both ways.

 

Getting There

If you’re staying in Santa Marta, the easiest way to get to the park is to take a tour. On our first visit to Cabo San Juan, we took a tour run by Magic Tour Colombia. It included admission to the park, a guide, and transportation. We were told to bring swimwear, sunscreen, and water. The total price of the tour is COP$250,000 per person for foreigners (as of March 2024) .

The other way to get there is by public bus. Buses headed to points east of Santa Marta will drop you off at the entrance nearest Cabo San Juan. It’s also possible to arrange transportation with your hotel or hostel if you’re staying near the park.

 

Pickup

For our guided tour, we were picked up at our hotel at 8:30am and driven to the park. When we arrived, we signed in and went through security. We were then shown a short video about the park.

Tayrona National Park entrance in Colombia
Tayrona National Park entrance

We jumped back on the bus and the guide gave us the rundown for the day as we headed for the starting point at Cañaveral. Basically, we were free to go at our own pace but had to be back at the starting point by 4:30 to head back to Santa Marta. He advised us that it would probably take about an hour and a half from the furthest beach on the trail, Cabo San Juan, so it would be good to start walking back by 3pm.

 

The Hike

We started our hike at about 10am. The trail was very well marked and it was easy to walk through it. We even spotted monkeys along the way. I recommend good walking shoes but at a slow pace it’s possible to do the hike in flip-flops.

Marisol on the trail
Marisol on the trail
Monkey
Monkey
Monkey
Monkey
The trail at Tayrona National Park in Colombia
The trail

Our first stop after hiking through the rain forest for 20 minutes was a viewpoint overlooking the coast.

Coastline at Tayrona National Park in Colombia
Coastline

 

Arrecifes

As we continued along the path, the first beach we were able to walk on was Arrecifes. It’s a long stretch of powdery white sand but unsafe for swimming. There’s a coral reef just offshore and the undertow is very strong. (NOTE: On a hike I did in June 2021, the trail bypassed this beach altogether and passed through campgrounds instead.)

Arrecifes at Tayrona National Park in Colombia
Arrecifes

 

Arenillas

Just past Arrecifes is the first swimmable beach on the trail, Arenillas. It’s surrounded by large boulders and bordered by a reef that breaks the waves. There are a few booths selling food and snacks at this beach.

Arenillas at Tayrona National Park in Colombia
Arenillas

 

La Piscina

15 minutes further down the path was La Piscina (The Pool). The beach got its name because of a natural swimming pool formed by the reef offshore, softening the waves and making it an easy place to swim. It’s a nice long stretch of beach but in some parts the waves reach right up to the forest, giving very little room to lay out. It’s probably the best beach to swim at on this trail, and there are a couple food booths located there.

La Piscina at Tayrona National Park in Colombia
La Piscina
La Piscina
La Piscina
Panoramic view of La Piscina
Panoramic view of La Piscina

 

Cabo San Juan del Guía

About a half hour down a very muddy and sometimes slippery trail (it’s better without shoes!) is Cabo San Juan del Guía. This is by far the most scenic beach on the trail and quite possibly the entire park. Waves are a little strong but it’s a beautiful place to relax.

Cabo San Juan del Guía at Tayrona National Park in Colombia
Cabo San Juan

There are two parts to the beach separated by a sandbar and a hill of rocks. On the hill is a cabana with hammocks and a great view of both sections of the beach.

Cabo San Juan del Guía at Tayrona National Park in Colombia
Cabo San Juan
Cabo San Juan del Guía at Tayrona National Park in Colombia
Cabo San Juan

At the entrance to the beach is a restaurant and a campground for those who wish to stay overnight. It’s recommended to bring plenty of water if staying overnight.

Campground at Cabo San Juan del Guía at Tayrona National Park in Colombia
Campground

 

Lunch

At about 2pm we left Cabo San Juan and headed back to Arenillas for lunch. We had fried fish and fresh juice. Another restaurant is located at Cabo San Juan, but it gets overcrowded and to be honest, the food isn’t that great.

Fish lunch at Tayrona National Park in Colombia
Fish lunch

 

Getting Back to Santa Marta

After the lunch, we hiked back to the starting point to gather with the rest of the group. Our ride back to Santa Marta started at 4:30pm but was held up by terrible traffic. We finally arrived around 6pm.

 

Other Info

If you do the hike at a decent pace, it should take about two hours to get to Cabo San Juan (including stops for photos and rest). The fastest I’ve been able to do the hike is 72 minutes, and that’s walking at a quick pace without stopping.

If you don’t want to hike, you can go on horseback. You’ll miss all the great scenery along the way, but it should only take about 80 minutes to get between Cabo San Juan and the parking lot. Horses can be hired in either area for a reasonable fee.

Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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