Colombian river Caño Cristales. Colored river Caño Cristales, Colombia
Until the moment I visited Caño Cristales River, I didn’t even know that there were multi-colored rivers, and besides, they were so beautiful.
The Caño Cristales River, whose name means “crystal river,” was nicknamed “the river of five colors” by local residents. It is known throughout the world as the most beautiful river and is the main natural wonder of Colombia.
The river begins in the south of the ancient Macarena mountain range, then flows to the east and there it flows into the Guayabero River.
It is included in the UNESCO natural heritage list and is protected by the state.
To see this picturesque river, you must first fly by plane to the small town of La Macarena in Colombia, and then go on a difficult hike along special hiking trails in the national park where the river is located. But all these difficulties are worth it. The river is indeed very beautiful.
As soon as we approached the banks of the Caño Cristales River and saw it, we realized that nature's ability to create amazing places is endless.
The river is relatively small in size. Its length is approximately 100 kilometers and its width is about 20 meters, but its rather modest dimensions do not prevent it from being considered one of the most amazing rivers in the world.
The riot of colors of the river is simply amazing. There are shades of yellow, blue, black, red and green. All of them are waste products of numerous species of algae growing in the river. Depending on the time of year, the brightness of the color increases or decreases. The water in the river shimmers with many colors and shades that smoothly transform into each other. The spectacle is simply fantastic.
The water in the river is very clean, so you can see the bottom even at great depths.
River water is completely free of minerals and salts. Apart from small and unpretentious fish, no other fish are found here.
The river bottom consists of many mysterious depressions that look like the tracks of some huge animal. These round wells are called “moyas”, and they can easily fit an adult.
The entire river is winding and consists of an alternation of quiet pools, waterfalls and depressions.
When you swim in this river, you feel as if you were born again; here you feel some kind of calm and lightness.
No people, only the sun, nature, sky, warm stones and this cool colored water...
By the way, recent studies by local naturalists have shown that the water in the river is practically distilled.
You can wander around the stepped cascade. Secluded grottoes are located behind the shiny wall of water. There are bats in these small caves, so look in carefully.
It seems as if these bizarrely shaped stone blocks were scattered along the shore by someone’s invisible giant hand.
In general, the Macarena mountain range is more than a million years old and scientists around the world consider it the “seed of biodiversity”; it is from here, according to experts, that the spread of all life throughout the surrounding area began.
A very beautiful and bright river, it looks like some kind of fireworks of colors. Here you can completely relax and be at one with nature.
January 16, 2014
The Caño Cristales River, located in Colombia, is amazing, magical, mysterious. It is often called very poetically - “the river of five colors”.
"Liquid Rainbow" near La Macarena
The ringing stream has bright colors and shades. Bright red, soft green, rich copper, blue-blue shades. Even the deep black color is present in this amazing river.
What is the reason for such an unusual riot of colors? The special algae Macarenia clavigera, which is found in this area, gives incredible colors to the crystal river.
In the ecological reserve of the Sierra de la Macarena, in its southern part, where the mountain peaks rise to the heavens, there is the source of a river with clear water. Caño Cristales flows from west to east. Just 100 km - and it merges with the Losada River.
The river is also not wide at all - about 20 meters. But this small river attracts the attention of many beauty connoisseurs, naturalists, photographers and travelers.
How to get acquainted with the beauties of the “crystal river”?
Central is a rather dangerous and inaccessible area. The masters here are “commandos” and Colombian guerrillas. If it were not for the wars and clashes that constantly break out in Colombia, this beautiful country in South America could become a Mecca for tourists.
Natural wonders are everywhere here. Just look at the majestic cathedral called Las Lajas Cathedral, located high in the mountains! And the found dwellings of the first people in El-Abra! And archaeological parks full of mysteries and secrets!
Getting to the river is quite difficult. But this does not stop adventurers. First you need to fly to La Macarena, a small town. Further the path lies through the territory of a picturesque park.
But tourists can move here only during the daytime. Lighting fires is prohibited. But, fortunately, you can swim in the clear water of Caño Cristales. The river forms small creeks, swimming pools, and low waterfalls everywhere. Swimming will give guests many pleasant moments.
When to visit the “river of five colors”
The wonderful river amazes everyone who comes to get to know it with its beauty. But most of the year it hides its bright colors. Transparent waters, dense forests along the banks... The river is not very different from other rivers in Colombia.
But at the beginning of September, magical transformations begin. The river level drops, it becomes shallower, and in the rays of the bright sun the algae at the bottom finally show their delightful color. Green, yellow, blue, bright red, black colors are visible through a small layer of water.
This wonderful performance lasts until the last days of September. Then the rainy season comes, and the river again hides its “treasures” in the water column.
“The River of Five Colors” is an incredible miracle that gives guests of Colombia the joy of encountering beauty. Caño Cristales allows you to bring back amazing photographs from your trip that will delight everyone who sees them...
Caño Cristales River in Colombia photo
To get to Caño Cristales, one of the most unusual rivers in our world, you need to overcome steep mountains, swim in a canoe, cross the jungle, walk through the savannah and even put your life in danger: in this area, coca is grown, and the territory is controlled by guerrillas.
But those who finally get here will not regret the efforts spent: stormy waters from the rocky mountains rush forward at great speed, creating multi-tiered waterfalls, whirlpools, and funnels.
This river is multi-colored and differs from other colored rivers in the world in that the water in it is not just one yellow, red or green color, but contains five colors of the rainbow at once.
On the geographical map of the world, Caño Cristales (Crystal River) can be found at the following coordinates: 02°11′31″ N. w. 73°53′25″ W It is located in the center of Colombia, in the Meta department and originates from the southern side of the Macarena mountain range, and then smoothly moves to the east.
The River of Five Colors connects to the Atlantic Ocean as follows:
- The Caño Cristales River is a tributary of the Losada;
- Losada flows into the navigable Guayabero River, which flows through the territory of Venezuela and Colombia;
- The Guayabero merges with the Orinoco, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
Characteristics of the Rainbow River
The most iridescent river in our world is not very large: its length is about one hundred kilometers, its width is less than twenty, and it is also not deep (however, you can sail along it on a small boat).
The bottom of Caño Cristales is completely strewn with natural round-shaped pools that look like wells (moyas).
They were formed with the help of small stones and pieces of rock: falling into a small cavity in the river bottom, where a constant whirlpool was formed due to the rapid flow of water, the pebble begins to rotate at breakneck speed with the water, trimming the rocky depression and increasing the size of the well.
The Columbia Crystal River has many waterfalls and even a stepped cascade called “Staircase”, behind which there are stone grottoes behind a wall of flowing water. The rocks along which it flows are also remarkable: on some of them you can see well-preserved rock paintings of the Indians who lived in this area many centuries ago.
Amazing waters of the river
Caño Cristales is located in the tropics, so the climate here is hot and dry, temperatures of + 30°C are not uncommon, and therefore the water here is extremely warm and pleasant. And also very pure, one might even say distilled. It is not recommended to drink it, but you can take a dip (there is even a belief that those who swim in the waters of the Rainbow River of Columbia will find harmony of soul and body and understand what true peace is).
This water is not only clean, but also surprisingly transparent - it flows through rocky terrain, so the rocky bottom has no sand, no silt, no dirt, and therefore it can be seen down to the smallest detail.
True, there is nothing else to look at here other than the growing algae: no one lives in this river - neither the mountainous terrain with numerous waterfalls and cascades, nor the overly sterile water, which contains almost no minerals that contributed to to the normal development of organisms.
Colorful waters of the river
The impure and clear water has brought the Colombia River world fame: first of all, Caño Cristales is known for the fact that during the dry season, which in Colombia lasts from June to November, when there is practically no rain here, its clear, quite ordinary-looking waters change color and become colorful.
This happens for one simple reason - at this time algae bloom, which in combination with each other, natural terrain and weather conditions create this amazing natural phenomenon.
The blue color of the sky of Colombia is reflected in the water in a variety of shades and tones; green and yellow colors give the river a bottom, which is also covered in some places with algae and mosses of green, black and yellow tones.
The red color and its shades (especially rich colors can be seen in the spring, here it lasts from September to November), which predominate in the waters of Caño Cristales, are obtained thanks to the endemic algae Macarenia clavigera, a genus from the family Podostemaceae, little-studied tropical herbaceous aquatic plants.
Plants of this family bloom only when the water level in the river drops: the algae receive the right amount of light, which favorably affects their growth and makes it possible to bloom as magnificently as possible. For the same reason, when the rainy season begins, the water in the river rises and the color of the plants becomes less noticeable.
Podostema live only in waters characterized by high flow rates (usually mountain rivers or waterfalls). Many species of this family usually have a very limited range - sometimes their distribution is limited to one river or even one waterfall.
The algae that abundantly cover the bottom, thanks to the absolutely transparent water containing almost no impurities, when the water level drops, are perfectly visible even from the very bottom of the reservoir.
Since the surface along which the river flows is dotted with numerous depressions of natural origin, forming waterfalls, cascades, whirlpools, the appearance of the flowing water is not constant: the colors mix with each other all the time, thereby creating amazing rainbow patterns.
When is the best time to go to a wonderful place?
P You can visit Caño Cristales only at a certain time of the year when the river is in bloom - from July to November. At other times, all travel here is prohibited - and not a single Colombian guide will agree to take a tourist to the river: the rules are strict, and the fine is considerable.
Moreover, the National Park, to which the River of Five Colors belongs, is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site: pumas, deer, anteaters, more than 500 species of birds, a huge number of reptiles live here, fifty species of orchids and many other plants characteristic only of this territory grow. .
All this is extremely valuable and unique, and therefore UNESCO representatives are extremely vigilant to ensure that nothing harms the river or park in any way.
general information
Colombians speak of Caño Cristales as “the river of five colors” or “the stream that escaped from paradise.” It is curious that the variety of colors appears only during the dry season, which lasts in these places from the beginning of summer to the end of autumn.
The picturesque watercourse flows into the Losada River, which is part of the Orinoco Basin and is located in the Serrania de la Macarena National Park. The Caño Cristales River is quite short. Its length does not exceed 100 km, and its width is 20 m. It flows along a rocky bed, so even a little rain turns the river into a rapid mountain stream. There are no organic and mineral impurities in the river water, there is no silt at the bottom, and large fish do not live here. Due to the high transparency, bright color shades are clearly visible even at a depth of one meter.
The Caño Cristales River has many small waterfalls and round washouts in which tourists like to swim. Colombians call them "moyas". Here you can see a picturesque stepped cascade, which is called the “Staircase”. Behind the falling water there are several grottoes where bats live. In addition, rock paintings left many centuries ago by Indians who lived in the foothills have been preserved on the stones.
The Macarena mountain range, from which a colorful river flows, is considered one of the most ancient on Earth. It was formed more than 1 million 200 thousand years ago. The Serrania de la Macarena reserve is rich in flora and fauna. This national park is home to 8 species of primates, 43 species of reptiles, 10 species of amphibians and 420 species of birds.
River Valley Expeditions
Expeditions to the colored river are carried out only from June to November, when it is most beautiful. Traveling along the Caño Cristales river valley lasts 2-4 days. Tourists are advised to get vaccinated against yellow fever and tetanus in advance. The route along the river bed is not marked and is laid in the tropical jungle, so tourists who come here use the services of guides.
Travelers are advised to dress in light cotton clothing. It can be very hot here in jeans and military camouflage. It is better to wear durable shoes with hard soles, as part of the path passes over rocks. Personal equipment includes sunglasses, a flashlight, repellent and a swimsuit.
Most tourists stay in a tent camp, which is located 2 km from the village of La Macarena. For overnight stays in tents, travelers use personal sleeping bags or mattresses and blankets. Some tourists stay in guest houses in the village of La Macarena itself and spend the night in rooms without air conditioning.
It should be borne in mind that settlements in the reserve are provided with electricity only from 15.00 to 23.00. On Wednesdays, almost all institutions, with the exception of guest houses, are closed.
How to get there
The Caño Cristales River flows from the Macarena Mountains, located in the Colombian province of Meta. Almost all tourists come here as part of organized expeditions and fly to the reserve from Vilvicencio or Bogota by plane. The cost of tours around the national park includes transfer to the place - air travel, travel by boat and jeep, as well as payment for guide services and a fee for visiting the reserve.
Caño Cristales or River of Five Colors is located in Colombia. The source of the river is in the Macarena mountain range. Caño Cristales flows east from the mountains and flows into the Guayabero River. The river is quite unique.
In the dry season it turns into a small stream in a sun-scorched riverbed, and in the rainy season it is a rather powerful stream. But there is a special time (the very beginning of spring - at this time the rainy period gives way to a hot period) when the river literally glows with all the colors of the rainbow. This is due to the influence of a specific local algae, Macarenias clavigera.
This endemic plant, which turns water bright purple when exposed to the sun, was discovered by the scientist Jesus Idrobo and is found only in this area.
The river is so transparent that you can clearly see the bottom even through a meter of water. The compositional features (the absence of impurities, salts and minerals) give river water the properties of distilled water. This is one of the reasons why there are no fish in the river. A rocky, silt-free bottom and unfavorable conditions for plankton only exacerbate the impossibility of life in the colorful river.
Although it does not have outstanding parameters - the length of the “rainbow river” does not reach 100 km, and the width does not exceed 20 m, it is still considered a unique one of its kind. From a bird's eye view, its waters periodically resemble a liquid rainbow with a clear highlight of five colors, not counting their many shades - bright red, turning into purple, turquoise, yellow, green and black.
The river bottom is a unique natural landscape, including interesting pools, almost round depressions and small but picturesque waterfalls.
In the deepest places you can see multi-colored wells called “moyas”. They look like the tracks of giant elephants.
There is a belief that moyas are endowed with healing powers and can bring happiness. Travelers always try to swim in them. They say that these wells immerse a person in nirvana and reveal the secrets of existence.
Caño Cristales is classified as a natural heritage site and is protected by UNESCO. You can see it with your own eyes only during the algae bloom; the rest of the time access is closed to tourists.
The road to the Caño Cristales River is quite difficult (first you need to fly by plane, then sail by boat, and then also wade through the jungle on foot.), but this does not deter thousands of tourists who visit the river during its maximum “blooming”. The river is accessible to tourists from June to November.
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