Colombia: Trekking to Tayrona National Park

Six Months in South America: Part 20

The journey to Cabo San Juan in Tayrona National Park is not for day trippers in a time crunch. To get to Cabo San Juan, one of the most unspoiled beaches on Colombia's Caribbean coast, you have to commit to an all-day affair involving multiple buses, a long hike through the jungle, and possibly a boat or horse ride. It may not be the easiest beach to get to, but the experience is more than worth it.

My friend Juan and I took a public bus from Santa Marta that lasted about an hour and cost 8 Colombian pesos. Next, we loaded a small shuttle to the trailhead and then started our hike to the campground.

The hike took around two hours as we passed pristine beaches and playful monkeys in the jungle. There were tons of boulders and rocky inclines along the trail, as well as muddy areas from when it rains, so we wore good walking shoes and trail runners. 

After stopping for photos, we made it to the campsite which had a bar, restaurant, tents, and options for diving and snorkeling trips. I recommend bringing plenty of water and cash as the park doesn’t always have card readers that work.

We swam in the beaches around the campground and then walked a short trail through the jungle to a hidden virgin beach to relax and sunbathe.  

Juan and I opted to rent tents at the beach campground which included bedding. There were also hammocks for rent, and I believe you could pitch your own tents, too. Later, that night, the restaurant played music, and everyone sang and danced until early in the morning. Juan and I went on a short night walk along the beach and admired the moonlight hitting the water. 

We were planning to take the shuttle boat to Taganga the next day, but it ended up not leaving until 4 p.m. and we both wanted to get back to the city a little earlier since we had to work. Instead, we opted for the second fastest option: an hour long horse ride back to the main trailhead. 

Despite being raised in Texas, I’d never rode a horse for more than five minutes and had no idea what I was doing. The guide helped Juan and me mount our horses and then Juan’s horse started walking down the trail, with mine close behind. Our guide, the only person who actually knew how to ride, had not even saddled his horse. 

“Juan, where are we going?” I called, trying not to panic, and I craned my neck to see if the guide was following yet. He was not. 

Juan shrugged as our horses ambled deeper into the jungle. After about 15 minutes, I heard our guide and his horse trotting up to us, where he stayed most of the trip. It was a bumpy ride that took a little over an hour, with our horses occasionally deciding it would be fun to trot up and down the hills. We went down the rocky, muddy trail, me holding on for dear life, with Juan and his horse in front of me. 

Later on, we came upon a woman and her daughter who were riding comfortably on their horses. We followed them to the end of the trailhead, where we realized we were still miles from the entrance where we could catch the public bus. 

The woman, Nicole, offered to drive us to the bus stop and we chatted with her and her daughter Mar about life in Cartagena, where Nicole lived. Nicole and I exchanged numbers, and she said to message her if I was ever in her city. 

Juan and I grabbed a public bus that dropped us near the center of Santa Marta, took much needed showers after sweating in the jungle for two days, and prepared to pack up our things and move to another part of the city, where we would work remotely for the rest of the trip. 

Visiting Cabo San Juan in Tayrona National Park is 100% worth the journey through the jungle. The hike was actually my favorite part thanks to the abundant wildlife (especially the monkeys) and the exceptional views of the Caribbean.