Colombia has a unique feature that has been dubbed ‘the most beautiful river in the world.’ This river, called the Caño Cristales, is also known as the river of five colors for the vibrant path it winds through the Colombian landscape. The Caño Cristales is a unique biological wonder that, for most of the year, looks like a completely normal river. During the transition between the rainy and dry seasons, the riverbed becomes covered with vibrant shades of red, pink, yellow, green, blue, and black, creating one of the world’s most colorful natural landscapes.
Caño Cristales flows through Serranía de la Macarena National Natural Park in central Colombia. The region sits where the Andes, Amazon, and Orinoco ecosystems meet, creating exceptional biodiversity and many species found nowhere else on Earth.
For most of the year, the riverbed of Caño Cristales looks much like any other rocky river, with clear water flowing over moss-covered stones. When water levels are just right, a plant called Macarenia clavigera blooms. Macarenia clavigera is an aquatic riverweed endemic to Colombia. Under the right combination of sunlight and water depth, it turns brilliant shades of red and pink, creating the river’s signature colors.
What causes the colors of Caño Cristales?
The Macarenia clavigera plant requires just the right combination of sunlight and water depth to flourish. During the rainy season, high water levels prevent enough sunlight from reaching the riverbed, causing the plant to remain dormant. During the dry season, water levels become too low to sustain its growth. Only during the transition between the wet and dry seasons do conditions become ideal, allowing the plant to bloom and transform Caño Cristales into a river of vibrant colors.
When is the best time to visit Caño Cristales?
Blue water, colorful sand, and other plants of varying hues in addition to the red Macarenia clavigera plant have given the Caño Cristales the reputation it has for being Colombia’s most beautiful river, and certainly one of the most beautiful rivers in the world. The river is generally open to visitors from June through November, although the exact season varies each year depending on rainfall, river conditions, and park management.
Visitors typically reach Caño Cristales by flying to the town of La Macarena before joining guided tours into Serranía de la Macarena National Natural Park. Visitor numbers are carefully managed to help protect this fragile ecosystem. In addition to the river, visitors can expect beautiful Colombian rainforests, hiking opportunities, and the chance to see an extraordinary natural area unknown to much of the outside world.
References
Colombia’s Liquid Rainbow. Karen Catchpole, BBC Travel.
