One of the things I think I love most about Colombia and all the travel I’ve been fortunate enough to do here is the number of neat and diverse places and landscapes we’v been able to see.
We’ve been able to enjoy amazing beaches in the Rosario Islands, the island of San Andrés, the gorgeous National Park of Tayrona, and the lesser known gems of the San Bernardo Islands. We’ve seen otherworldly landscapes in the desert of La Guajira at Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas and the fascinating Tatacoa Desert. We’ve seen the lush jungles in Minca and Leticia, in Colombia’s Amazon region, the wax palms of the Cocora Valley near Salento, and the mystical Cerros de Mavecure.
However, I think maybe the very neatest place we have been in Colombia is San José del Guaviare.
I’d go so far to say Guaviare is Colombia’s best hidden gem, slightly edging out the rugged plains of Los Llanos and Casanare, the best place for wildlife spotting in Colombia.
If you’re looking for nature, adventure, or outdoor experiences in Colombia, I’d recommend you put Guaviare at the top of your list of places to include.
Travel Guide to Guaviare, Colombia – Contents
- Why You Should Include Guaviare on Your Colombia Trip
- Where is Guaviare in Colombia?
- Is Guaviare Safe?
- Places to See and Things to Do in Guaviare
- Going with a Tour vs On Your Own
- How to Get to Guaviare
- Where to Stay in Guaviare
- Where to Eat in Guaviare
- Packing List for Guaviare
- Additional Practical Tips
Want to take the hassle out of planning your trip to Guaviare?
Let the experts at our partner BnB Colombia Tours help you! They are now offering 3 day and 4 day group tours to Guaviare that are a great value and include all your excursions with bilingual guides, as well as your accommodation and meals.
I suggest the 4 day wet season tour (available from June to November) so you can see the river of colors. They also offer a 3 day wet season tour, as well as a 4 day dry season tour and 3 day dry season tour that are still great options if your travel time is from December to May. Click any of those links to see the full itinerary and current prices.
They also offer private tours to Guaviare and nearly the entirety of the rest of Colombia. So if you’re interested in a more exclusive experience or doing a multi-destination trip, fill out this form and they will work with you to design a truly unforgettable, custom made trip to Guaviare and/or anywhere else in Colombia.
Why You Need to Visit San José del Guaviare in Colombia
Hiking to ancient rock wall painting that are thousands of years old.
Swimming with pink dolphins.
Swimming in neat natural pools.
Seeing waterfalls.
Pretending to be Indiana Jones and hiking through narrow rock tunnels and over natural stone bridges.
We did all this in Guaviare.
There is even a river where the same unique plant that gives the more well known Caño Cristales its special rainbow colors grows!
We also saw tons of wildlife, including seeing several species of monkeys in different places and lots of bird species.
I would definitely recommend it over the more well known and traveled Leticia as we saw more animals in the wild here than on either of our visits there.
If you strictly want to see wildlife, go to Los Llanos, but if you want a lot of great hiking too along with ample wildlife spotting opportunities, do yourself a favor and go to Guaviare.
So as I hope I’ve made clear, there is a wealth of things to do and see here. While it is certainly now on the map, it still remains very much off the beaten path in Colombia, although I’m not sure if it will stay that way for long.
Honestly, San José del Guaviare was not even really on my radar until I started reading about it when researching to plan our trip to Caño Cristales.
Reading Chris Bell’s always informative work on the See Colombia blog convinced me we definitely needed to include this on our list of places to see before leaving Colombia.
In fact, it ended up being the first of our destinations on a several months long trip to places we hadn’t been in late 2021 and early 2022. We came here in October 2021.
We originally went on a 3 day tour package and thought we might stay for a couple more days. We ended up staying a whopping 9 days in total!
There was just so much to do and see!
I really, really, can’t recommend Guaviare enough to anyone looking to visit under the radar places, especially those interested in nature and hiking.
Here, I’ll share all we did in Guaviare and hopefully convince you to include it in your Colombia travel plans.
So read on to learn all about how to visit San José del Guaviare in Colombia for yourself!
Where is San José del Guaviare in Colombia?
San José del Guaviare is located almost directly south of Bogotá in sort of south central Colombia. It is located just east of where the Ariari and Guayabero Rivers come together to form the Guaviare River.
This area is sort of the the western most reaches of the Llanos plains and is located just east of the plateau of the Serranía de la Macarena where Caño Cristales is located and just north of the edge of the Amazon rainforest.
It’s technically part of Los Llanos but the landscape is a mix between jungle, forest, and plains. The entire area was covered by water at some point in the distant past, leaving behind neat rock formations that dot the landscape.
San José del Guaviare is the capital of the larger department, or province, of Guaviare and the main population center. It’s where you will want to stay and use as a starting point to explore the nearby sites. It’s reachable by plane or road (more on getting there below).
Is San José del Guaviare Safe?
Yes.
The caveat here is that it is a former conflict zone, or zona roja. Coca was grown in much of the area, and the guerrilla group FARC also exerted considerable control over large parts of the province where it fought with the Colombian military and rightwing paramilitary groups, often leaving civilians caught in the crossfire and displaced or killed.
However, since the Colombian peace deal and demobilization of the FARC, the area is no longer a no go zone. The urban area of San José del Guaviare and the immediate surrounding area, including all the places I’ve included to see here are quite safe today.
At several places we visited guides told us that the surrounding areas used to be full of coca plants, and one guide remarked how nice it is now to be able to go to places without being stopped and hassled about who you are and where you are going.
So, rest assured you should feel safe in visiting Guaviare.
Now, I wouldn’t go wondering off into the jungle or boating up the river on your own either. However, many locals see tourism as a viable path towards replacing the coca economy, as does the Colombian government, and barring a drastic deterioration of the security and political situation in Colombia, I don’t think you need to worry about safety visiting Guaviare.
The Many Things to See in Guaviare
Ok, now that we have that out of the way, time for the fun part: all the neat things to do near San José del Guaviare!
Like I said before, we stayed 9 days here and got to see and do almost everything there is to do in Guaviare. We also did most of these things to do in Guaviare in tours with guides, usually with multiple activities in a day.
However, many of them could be done on your own.
Some of the places also have local guides you have to go with even if you have your own guide too. (I’ll share more below on my thoughts of doing tours or a package versus doing it on your own by the way).
So for each of them, I’ll share if it is doable on your own, as well as what other places were combined with it on the tours we did.
I’ve also put these roughly in the order I would prioritize them, although that will also come down to personal preference.
See the Rock Wall Paintings of Guaviare at Cerro Azul
This is a fairly easy choice for the number one thing to do in Guaviare in my opinion.
There are actually 3 sites where you can see the ancient rock wall paintings in Guaviare, called pinturas rupestres in Spanish.
Well actually, there are certainly many more sites, but they either haven’t been discovered yet or are not easily accessible enough to visit for the average tourist.
These rock paintings are fairly mysterious.
Archaeologists and anthropologists are not entirely sure when they were made. Carbon dating of ceramic artifacts at Cerro Azul suggest there were humans present here as long as 12,600 years ago and the paintings may date to that time period.
Some researchers contend that the paintings may depict ancient ice age giant fauna like mastodons and giant sloths.
Others believe they may just represent capybaras and other animals still alive today, and that the preservation of the red paint suggests they were painted much more recently.
You can read more about some of the theories in this article in the Guardian and this one from CNN.
It’s also unclear just how the heck they painted these walls!
They stretch high up high cliffs.
Our guides told us about some of the theories. One contends they simply built wooden ladders. Another suggests they may have hung from vines while painting.
Finally, another suggests the walls may have once been along a river or lake, and that the paintings were completed over many years as the water level dropped.
It’s also mysterious just how long the paint has lasted and what their ancient painters may have used to paint them that has stood the test of maybe tens of thousands of years. Local indigenous peoples do not claim to have made them nor do they have an explanation either.
By the way, while there are barriers up, just a reminder to not touch them so they remain preserved for years to come.
Hopefully more time and research will let us learn more about these mysterious sites. However, in the meantime, they are still a true marvel to see and, in my opinion, a real testament to human ingenuity.
As I mentioned above, there are actually three fairly easily visitable sites to see them near San José del Guaviare.
The best in terms of ease of access and size of the paintings is Cerro Azul, which is really an obligatory thing to see in Guaviare.
Cerro Azul is visitable on your own, as the site has its own guides that must accompany you whether you have your own guide or not.
It is about a 90 minute drive outside of San José del Guaviare to reach the trail head where there is a little welcome center that sales drinks, snacks, and has bathrooms.
We did this on our first day, which is a common way to do it with tour packages as it works very well as a sort of long half day to near full day activity. So, after having breakfast and checking in to our hotel, we set out with our guide and others in our tour group.
When we got there, we got a short introduction to the place and discussion of the trail while we waited our turn to head out with the park guide.
I appreciate that they wait a short time between groups so you aren’t too bunched up on the trail.
However, when we were on deck and getting ready to go, the sky opened up in a torrential downpour.
Our group decided to wait it out, which well, didn’t work. Every time there was a lull and we got ready to go, it started pouring again. Eventually, the rain did let up some.
We finally made the decision to head out and brave the rainy and wet trail.
Cerro Azul is basically a big rock, and I remember thinking it looked pretty imposing as we hiked up to it. The trail itself wasn’t too tough. A few areas of steeper incline but lots of flat areas breaking up the inclined sections as well.
As we hiked up, our guide Christian and the park guide shared with us more on the theories behind the paintings and pointed out different kinds of trees.
We passed through a bat filled cave at one point.
We also passed a few spots with smaller paintings, teases of what was to come.
Eventually, we reached the largest and most impressive of the rock wall painting.
You can spot paintings of anacondas, which Colombia’s indigenous people saw as a life giver, as well as large circles that may have represented communities or the cycle of life. You can definitely see some animals as well as human figures, including celebrations of fertility.
It really is impressive, not only the artistry, but how well preserved they are. You could easily spend hours here studying every detail.
As we continued on, we passed by a slightly smaller wall with more paintings. This one is known as the Salón de los Dantas, the Spanish word for tapirs, which anthologists believe are represented by the animals in the upper central part of this painting.
Shortly after that, we came to a small clearing on a rocky outcrop of the cliff. The clouds cooperated just enough to let us see the view of the forest and rivers below.
I imagine on a clear day this view would be even more impressive!
We then headed back down the rock and on the same trail back out.
All together, it took about 3 hours for the round trip hike. Tired and wet, we headed back to San José del Guaviare.
I think with good weather and a really early start, it’s possible to combine this with something else but you’re looking at roughly 6 hours between the hike and roundtrip drive. Sunset at Laguna Negra might be the best combo with this if you want to pack as much as possible into a day.
See the Multicolored River of Caño Sabana at Tranquilandia
The macarenia clavigera is an aquatic plant that only grows in a handful of places in this region of Colombia. When it blooms, it does so in hues of white, pink, red, and even green.
It’s this plant that makes the amazing Caño Cristales such a special place. However, Caño Cristales is even more remote than Guaviare and is pretty costly to visit (see my guide if you’re interested in visiting by the way).
If you can’t manage a trip there, you are in luck, because you can also see the macarenia clavigera in Guaviare!
The Caño Sabana, located on the finca known as Tranquilandia (you might see the river called Tranquilandia too), is home to this plant. This single stretch of river where it grows is really large and impressive.
This would definitely be the second thing I would prioritize in Guaviare, and I’d consider it all but obligatory.
The one caveat is the colors are only visible during the season when the flowers bloom. The rest of the year, they lay dormant collecting sunlight to bloom later. In fact, the amount of sunlight they receive determines their color.
The season to see the multicolored river is from approximately July to November.
While there is a small watering hole and waterfall you can hike to nearby, I would probably just skip this if you are visiting another time of year as the other things below are more worth doing.
However, if it is in season, you should absolutely make sure you do it.
We did this on what was one of our busier days. We visited the waterfalls of Cascada las Delicias before coming here. Afterwards, we actually hiked across the savannah on what seemed to be an unmarked trail though the bush growing on the sometimes rocky, sometimes muddy terrain to see the Puerta de Orión.
While I wouldn’t do that hike on your own, you could definitely arrange for transportation and do Trainquilandia on your own. I do believe you would have to pay a small admission fee. You could then arrange for taxi transportation from there to the Puerta de Orión. And Las Delicias is not far away, so you could I think do all three of these things in a day on your own as well.
Swim in the Pozos Naturales
This was another of the highlights in Guaviare for us.
The Pozos Naturales, or natural wells in Spanish, are exactly what they sound like, big circular pools that look like wells. And they are perfect for a nice and refreshing swim!
A couple of them actually go really deep in the center, and we had a lot of fun jumping in!
When you arrive off the road to the Pozos Naturales in Guaviare, there is a small shop where you can buy snacks and drinks, from there it’s about a 30 minute walk down to the pozos over mostly flat, rocky terrain.
There is also a waterfall down another path called the Cascada del Amor, which we did not do since we got rained on at the pozos.
We really enjoyed this, and I’d say it’s all but obligatory, although it would have been so much better on a sunny day!
I’d say you could definitely do this on your own.
We did it in the afternoon after doing Ciudad de Piedra in the morning. In fact, this is one of the few things I wish we had done on our own rather than as a tour because I think we would have enjoyed having more time to enjoy swimming.
We did have a great lunch nearby at the Beraca Charco Indio before coming here. Besides some delicious chicken, they also gave us a nice presentation on the history of coca, the traditional use of it, how it is turned into cocaine, and the effects the trade and conflict has had.
We even got to plant our own seeds for a tree. Once they grow, they transfer them to help with reforestation of lands that were previously used for cattle. Rather you go on your own or in a tour to Pozos Naturales, it is definitely worth a stop here for lunch.
Nuevo Tolima and Los Tuneles are also located along this same road relatively close by so could in theory be combined with Pozos Naturales instead of Ciudad de Piedra.
Swim with Pink Dolphins in the Laguna Damas de Nare
This is maybe the neatest experience we had in Guaviare, and one of the neatest we’ve ever had!
The only reason I haven’t included it higher on the list is it requires one of the longest trips and is one of the most costly activities you can do in Guaviare due to how far the trip is.
However, if you have more than 2 days, I highly recommend doing it!
In this lagoon, located off the Guaviare River northeast of San José, there is a group of particularly curious river dolphins, called Toninas by the indigenous peoples and locals.
In fact, they are so curious, they will come right up to you in the water!
This was one of the main reasons we decided we definitely wanted to spend more time than our initial 3 day trip, and we were able to arrange it for our 6th day.
If you do this, try as hard as you can to do it with transportation on the river rather than by car over land. It’s so neat traveling up and down rivers in undeveloped areas like this.
We saw lots of birds and even a few caimans along the way.
We also saw a slew of turtles! Plus the scenery along the river is so pretty the entire way.
It’s also quicker, taking about 2 hours one way by boat and about 3 by car.
We arrived at the Finca Villa Lilia after a short walk from the small river landing where we stopped, spotting a whole troop of monkeys in the trees alongside the creek overhead.
It almost felt like they were escorting us in.
It’s the little things like this, seeing monkeys randomly in trees overhead while hiking, seeing tons of birds (and a slew of turtles) along the river and just feeling immersed in nature in a place that still feels so untouched that makes Guaviare so special.
As our monkey escorts kept watch, we also passed by some cacao plants and got to taste a few that had fallen.
Once reaching the finca, we had a short introduction.
By the way, we had been told to make sure we didn’t wear any sunscreen, bug spray, or even deodorant for this activity as they can harm the dolphins, but they did have a small shower to wash off if you happen to be wearing them, although it’s probably best just not to put them or any other chemical or cosmetic products on in the morning.
After that, we headed out on a small canoe on the lake.
As we paddled around, our guides called out “Taaaaaaaatiiiiiii….Taaatiiiiiiaaanaaaaaa!” Apparently all river dolphins in this area have adopted the name Tatiana.
For a while we had no luck. Tatiana was being shy.
We paddled from one side of the lake to the other in search of her. This is probably where I should give the disclaimer there is no guarantee you will see the dolphins.
On days where there are a lot of people they may get too nervous and not approach. I guess I would say if at all possible try to avoid doing this on the weekend to have a better chance of less people being on the lake.
I also worry a bit that as Guaviare grows as a destination, which is really good in most conceivable ways, this might become too overrun. Hopefully, they can manage to strike the right balance of offering this as a very unique activity without negatively affecting the dolphins and their ecosystem.
After a while, we began to think Tatiana wasn’t going to come out and play today. So, we slid off the side of the canoe into the tan colored water for a swim.
A few minutes later, some fins appeared nearby. We climbed back on board and headed over nearby and again slid into the tannish waters of the lake.
The Tatis like to check out just who is in their lake and are drawn to calm movements and brightly colored things like rope.
The are also really playful.
In fact, our guide Santiago had one pull him in the water on a piece of rope. Once you’ve managed to locate them, it’s best to try and get in a circle and be calm in the water. They are known to come right up to you and check you out, in some cases touching you or even letting you pet them.
I was able to get one to come close to me by throwing a rope from the boat and letting it float. It brushed right up against my foot for a split second, but I didn’t get close enough to pet. I did see a girl from a different group get approached several times though.
This was a really, really neat experience!
Seeing these fascinating and intelligent animals up close was a real treat, and getting to travel down the river and see monkeys were terrific icing on the cake with a cherry on top.
This is definitely best done as a tour. I imagine it is possible to hire transportation for the day, but you will probably get an overall better deal doing it in a group, especially if you want to go by boat.
See the Pinturas Rupestres at El Raudal del Guayabero
Next up is a second site to see the rock wall paintings, and maybe the most adventurous trip we took out of San José del Guaviare.
You might also see this referred to as the Raudal de Angosturas or even the Raudal de Angosturas II, as there is another site with the same name closer to Caño Cristales further up river west of here. It’s also just commonly called Raudal.
To get here, we headed up the Guayabero River past where it enters the Guaviare River. The boat ride alone was really neat and we saw lots of birds and even a few caimans along the way. If you do not do Nare or don’t get to do the trip there on a boat, this is definitely worth it for the boat ride alone.
We saw lots more turtles, some small caimans, a few monkeys, and lots of birds on the boat ride.
Eventually, we came to a small dock and small community where we disembarked to switch to a smaller canoe style boat to head a bit further up the river to the rocky hill where the paintings are located.
One of the things I really appreciated about this trip too was that it is a largely community run project, and Freddy, who we arranged the visit with told us they are working to grow it with a focus on community development.
The word raudal literally translates to torrent. The river here wasn’t really all that particularly rough, but you do go through some narrow straights with a bit of rapids and big rocks on either side.
This is one of the things that made this trip so neat.
Passing through narrow stretches of the river with rock formations on either side was really special and certainly made us feel small.
The other thing that stood out was how rugged this area felt, much less explored than Cerro Azul and Nuevo Tolima, the other sites where wall paintings can be seen.
We saw lots of birds and even some more monkeys along the way.
After reaching the rock face with the paintings and checking them out, we headed up further up the rock.
The trail up was tougher but a great hike too.
Even though it only took about half an hour to get to the paintings and maybe another 10-15 to reach the top of the rock, I’d say this hike was probably the toughest overall, so it might not be apt for everyone.
There were a few spots where we had to climb up rocks using ropes and a wooden ladder.
The payoff at the top was well worth the effort though!
The view from the top of the rock is amazing, seeing the forest and bends of the river stretch off in the distance into the province of Meta. Luckily, we had a much clearer day for this mirador than we had at Cerro Azul a few days before!
This is probably the most amazing view in all of Guaviare and surely one of the neatest in Colombia.
After hiking back down and heading back through the narrows, we stopped for a bit at a small waterfall and watering hole known as the Cascada del Amor for a quick dip to cool off.
Then we headed back to the small community and had a tasty lunch and relaxed a bit before hopping on the boat to head back to San José del Guaviare.
The boat ride took a little over an hour on the way there, going against the current, and a bit under an hour traveling down river on the way back. We met the boat at Puerto Arturo, which is about 15-20 minutes outside San José del Guaviare and to which we took a taxi.
This was the one tour we did in Guaviare not with GeoTours (more on them below), and it is still a less common trip. In fact, it was a bit difficult to arrange. GeoTours said they do sometimes do it but were unable to arrange it for us.
Freddy in the community though was extremely helpful. He helped us not only arrange the tour there (they are the actual operators) but also hooked us up with contacts for the boat transportation (which does need to be prearranged) and taxi. Plus, he was a super nice guy, and is working not just to grow tourism but ensure that money is reinvested in the community as well. If you’re interested in visiting Raudal, you can contact him via Whatsapp at +57-310-708-2454. He can also help arrange visits to other sites too.
Explore the Laguna Negra
The Laguna Negra is another one of the most popular sites in Guaviare. It’s, well, a black lagoon, and located just outside of San José.
We did this on our third day after the Puentes Naturales.
After arriving to a small boat landing, we boarded some canoes to head down the Caño Negro. This little creek is black in color due to the decomposition of leaves, branches, and plants that grow along it.
Honestly it looks like the perfect hangout for anacondas.
We didn’t see any anacondas, but we did see some birds, lots of turtles, and even a monkey with her baby cub.
After about 15 minutes, the creek opens up into the lagoon, a big lake. We saw lots of birds here in the reeds along the banks of the lake.
On our first visit here, we didn’t have a ton of time because most of our tour group were leaving that day and needed to be back in town to catch their flight.
We did return here though while we stayed at the cabins of Playa Guio nearby. On that return visit, we got to stop at a little bank on the lake and do some swimming and enjoy a cold beer.
The sunset over the lagoon is supposed to be spectacular.
Unfortunately, we had to leave before sunset time the first day and the two nights we spent at Playa Guio it either rained or was cloudy in the afternoon. We did get the see the pretty colors given off by the sun setting behind the clouds though. It would be even more beautiful on a clear day.
So, if you go, I hope you have better weather and get to see it!
This is most likely to be included in just about any tour package, but could also be done easily on your own. Taxis can reach the boat landing on the creek. It would probably be best to try to arrange the boat before hand as you may or may not find someone there.
You can contact Marcos, who not only runs Playa Guio but also boats via his agency Naturlog to set it up. He is very responsive but does not always get service, so I’d recommend not waiting until the last minute if you do plan to do this on your own. He can be reached via Whatsapp at +57-315-547-8297 or email at naturloguaviare@gmail.com.
Marvel at the Fascinating Puerta de Orión
Near Tranquilandia, there are a bunch of neat rock formations.
The most fascinating is the Puerta de Orión, or Orion’s Gate.
This is a massive rock with a circular opening near the top and another opening below that almost look like two columns. It looks a bit like something out of a science fiction movie, almost like a star gate or portal to another world.
There are a couple different stories about how this got its name. Some claim you can see the constellation of Orión through the opening in the rock on certain days.
Our guide that day, Luis, who was terrific and one of the first guides to explore the area, claimed he gave the site its name based on a book he was reading about astrology and Christianity. I can’t recall the name of the book, but supposedly it was something about how Christ would appear in the belt of Orión, and the rock formation reminded him of the book.
Of course later that day, the head of GeoTours filled us in on a bit more of the story that Luis wasn’t just exploring by himself but had taken a special lady friend out there for some, let’s say privacy, when he discovered the formation.
Yet another story claims a tourist just called it the Puerta de Orión one day, and the name stuck. Supposedly, you can actually see the belt of Orión through the opening during December from about 7 to 9 pm.
Regardless of the exact origin of the story, this is absolutely worth seeing.
It’s really quite neat, and a reminder of the fascinating and odd things that can be found in nature.
I would say you could definitely do this on your own if you wanted.
We took a long, unmarked path from the Caño Sabana across the savannah here, and did get to climb up another cool rock cliff on the way. I probably wouldn’t try that without a guide, but there is a main entrance just off the road about 20 minutes outside San José you could easily taxi to from town or from Tranquilandia.
Los Tuneles
All of the sites discussed above were definitely the highlights of our trip and, in my opinion, the best things to do in Guaviare. Nare and Raudal do require full days and are a bit harder to arrange and more costly, so you might opt not to do them if you are more limited on time and/or budget. Cerro Azul, Pozos Naturales, Puerta de Orión, Laguna Negra, and Tranquilandia, if the colors are in season, I’d consider more or less obligatory though.
Now I am going to get into things I’d consider a little less high priority.
I’d definitely still recommend doing as many as possible or preferably all of them if you have the time though, because we thoroughly enjoyed them all. The nice thing is as well that just about all of them can be done as half day activities and can be paired with something else, especially if you are doing them as guided tours.
First up is Los Tuneles, which I thought were absolutely fascinating.
We did this our fifth day.
They are located about a 45 minute to one hour drive outside of San José. I imagine you could easily arrive here on your own, but I’d strongly encourage doing this with a guide that knows the path. I was unclear if it’s possible to get a guide there if you arrive on your own, it might depend on day and availability.
After arriving and checking in at the little office, we headed out for a walk across the savannah where there are some neat rock formations. One in particular stood out and is called La Ballena, or the whale, for its shape.
Eventually, we arrived to an overgrown area of forest where there is a series of large rock formations that have narrow passageways between them as well as small caverns inside some of them.
After placing some rocks as an offering and asking for safe passage from the spirts in the place, we climbed in through a narrow opening between boulders.
The entire labyrinth, so to speak, is known as Los Tuneles because they feel like walking through natural tunnels in the rock.
It definitely feels very Indiana Jones like, and you’ll definitely want a flashlight.
Also Indy like, there are reportedly lots of snakes in the area, including poisonous ones. This is another good reason to go with a guide!
We actually didn’t see any snakes but did find a snake skin.
As we hiked through the narrow passageways, we got rained on pretty good, a running theme in our trip. It was still really neat passing through these areas though.
After exiting the labyrinth of rock, we came up to a small creek with a swimming hole known as the Jacuzzi Natural.
Our guide told us they once filmed an episode of Naked in the Wild here. The Jacuzzi is supposedly normally very clear and you can see little fish swimming around.
It was really churned up due to all the rain when we visited. I did hop in for a dip, but Susana was not very interested.
It did start to clear up a bit just before we left, so I imagine on a hot, sunny day, this would be really refreshing.
After a bit of swimming and a snack, we hiked back out across the savannah.
Our tour of the day paired this with Nuevo Tolima and we stopped for a second delicious lunch at Beraca before heading there. Due to the proximity, I’d say this could also be paired pretty easily with Pozos Naturales or Ciudad de Piedra as well.
See the Ciudad de Piedra
Speaking of Ciudad de Piedra, it’s next on this list of things to see in Guaviare.
The fascinating rock formations in this area look almost like a small town, even giving the impression of roads between them.
On the walk to this city of stone, we stopped near the start of the trail at a giant rock boulder that rises 10-15 meters above the ground. We scaled the backside to reach the top in a mostly not too difficult climb but with a couple tough maneuvers to the top.
This is called the Mirador de los Vientos, due to the sound of the wind you can hear at the top.
It’s a neat view and definitely makes the climb worth it.
After climbing back down, we headed on a short hike through some forest and savannah to reach the Ciudad de Piedra. Along the way, we passed a small cave known as the Cueva del Amor, and according to legend a favorite spot for lovers.
Then we reached the outskirts of the Ciudad de Piedra.
It’s quite eery in a way that there are so many rocks of practically the same height so close together with what really does look like narrow streets between them. If you told me this was the remnants of some ancient civilization, you might be able to convince me.
Again, so fascinating the odd and interesting things nature creates.
The area is pretty extensive.
We came up to what first looked like a set of houses packed narrowly together, before entering the city center so to speak.
In that central area, there is a spot that looks like a courtyard with a rock you can climb for a great photo.
Then we headed out the far side of this apparent city of stone, passing between other large rectangular rock formations.
Nearby, you can also see the Flor de Guaviare, or Guaviare flower, which is a neat plant that almost looks like a giant and much prettier dandelion.
This flower, though native to the province, is pretty rare, and this was the only site where we saw it. So, that alone might be reason enough to include this on your list of things to do in San José del Guaviare.
This might be doable on your own, but I’d recommend doing it with a guide as the trail from the road to the Ciudad de Piedra is not particularly well marked. I definitely feel like it would be easy to get lost out here.
As I mentioned above, we did this before Pozos Naturales, but it’s along the same road that goes to Nuevo Tolima and passes Los Tuneles.
See the Waterfalls at Las Delicias
We did this our second day before going to Tranquilandia. There is a big waterfall here you can observe. The hike there is pretty easy and nice as well.
You do have to cross a shallow section of the creek, but you pass some mini-waterfalls along the way that are really pretty and a nice photo op.
The bigger falls is impressive due to the sheer drop off the cliff.
I don’t know if I would consider this a must do, but it’s a nice and pretty easy addition near Tranquilandia. To get there, you should head to the Finca Las Delicias and take the short trail.
There is another finca known as El Paraíso nearby where there is another waterfall known as Cascada Arcoiris as well.
Puentes Naturales
We’ve already discussed natural wells, natural tunnels, and a natural jacuzzi. There are also natural bridges in Guaviare known as the Puentes Naturales.
These are located near the restaurant and recreation area known as Picapiedra, which is the name for the Flintstones in Spanish.
We did this on Day 3 before doing the Laguna Negra in the afternoon.
There are a couple trails here, an easier one and a longer, tougher one.
We did the longer one. It heads down along the creek and brings you under the bridges before climbing back up to the bridges themselves.
There was a good bit of climbing over slippery rocks and boulders on this trail. I’d say it wasn’t hard but wasn’t easy either. If it has been raining enough for the creek to rise, this trail might be closed. They were working on creating a third, longer trail too, so that may be open by now and I’m sure will be neat.
Once we climbed up to the bridged, we walked across one of them in another moment that felt like an Indiana Jones movie.
There are some other neat rock formations nearby. Particularly neat is one that is called the Turtle, or La Tortuga.
There are also rocks that are supposedly meant to promote fertility, one for women and one for men. For full effect, you are meant to lay naked in the sun on them.
This was neat, and I’d definitely say is worth doing if you have the time, but I’d say both Los Tuneles and Ciudad de Piedra were neater.
I will say, Picapiedra did have tasty food, so you might consider stopping here for lunch at least and maybe doing the shorter trail.
Picapiedra is reachable by the road, and they have their own guides you can hire to do the trails, so you could definitely do this on your own if you wanted. It’s on the way to the road to Tranquilandia, and Puerta de Orión as well as the road to Pozos Naturales, Ciudad de Piedra, and Nuevo Tolima. It could easily be paired with any of those, and even possibly two of those if you start early enough, with the exception of perhaps Nuevo Tolima, depending on road conditions as it is a good bit further past where the paved road ends.
Nuevo Tolima, Third Site with Rock Paintings in Guaviare
Which brings us to the last thing on this list of things to do in Guaviare, a third site to see the mysterious rock paintings.
I’ve got this last on the list not because we didn’t enjoy it. In fact, this site has the single largest painted wall panel. However, there is only one wall here, unlike the several at Cerro Azul. Well actually, there are a few more, but there are not safe trails to reach them.
It’s quite isolated and the road to get there is a bit rough though.
Now, when we went, it took longer than normal because it was, you guessed it, raining, and the road was in particularly rough shape. We spent more time in the car there and back than we did doing the hike.
So, I’d say if you only do one set of rock paintings, do Cerro Azul. It is the best hike and has several panels of paintings and is the easiest to arrange. Second, do Raudal because the trip to get there is a great adventure itself and the view at the top is spectacular. If you have the time and want to see a third site, do this one third.
When we arrived at Nuevo Tolima, we met a guide from the Colombian National Park Service, who maintain this site. We headed out on a path between two cow fields with the cows eyeing us suspiciously. We eventually headed up a steep hill into the forest covered rocky cliff.
The hike up took about 45 minutes and was tough, not really because the trail was difficult but it was just almost constantly up.
The rock wall painting panel is really impressive though. So again, while I’d prioritize other things, this is totally worth seeing if you have time.
There is also a neat view out over the pastures below. Once again, the rain clouds kind of ruined our view though.
This can be done on its own if you arrange transportation there and back, as you are required to contract a guide there rather you come with your own or not.
You’ll definitely want a 4×4, but if you have better weather and the road is in better condition, it should take considerably less time to get there. Nuevo Tolima is basically further down the road that Pozos Naturales, Los Tuneles, and Ciudad Piedra are on, so it could pair with any of those. We did it after Los Tuneles.
That closes out the things we did in Guaviare.
Like I said, I think Cerro Azul, Tranquilandia if it’s in season, Pozos Naturales, Puerta de Orión, and Laguna Negra are pretty much must sees.
Swimming the dolphins at Nare and doing a day trip to Raudal are also well worth it if you have the time to include one or both.
From there, I’d say pick out as many of Los Tuneles, Puentes Naturales, Nuevo Tolima, and Ciudad de Piedra as you can manage, prioritizing whatever sounds most interesting to you. We did all of these in 7 days, with our last two days spent relaxing at Playa Guio.
Watch the Sunset Over the Guaviare River
Oh, and one final thing to include on this list of things to do in Guaviare.
Be sure you try to see the sunset one day over the river. If you head down to the river front or Malecon, there are some boardwalks you can go out on and watch it.
On whatever day you get back before sundown, be sure to head down here and watch it.
The pretty colors over the river are well worth it!
Guaviare with a Tour vs Doing Guaviare on Your Own
This a tough one, because Guaviare can be done, at least partly, on your own.
There are some places I would not want to do alone without a guide because the trails aren’t that well marked, but most of the places I mentioned above could realistically be done without a guide, and some of them require you to contract a guide there anyway rather you have hired another one or not.
However, I think all types of travelers will get a lot of benefit out of doing nearly everything guided.
First of all, even if you don’t hire a guide, you’ll have to hire transportation, and at least for a lot of the places to see, due to the distance from town you may need to contract them for the day or half-day to wait for you there.
Second, doing tours is a good way to maximize your time.
On all of our guided tours, not only was our transportation always waiting for us when finishing an activity, but our lunches were also included and arranged ahead of time. This meant we were able to do at least 2 things most days except for the longer trips to Raudal and Nare.
We also enjoyed all of our groups and made some friends along the way.
Most importantly, though, you just get so much more insight.
A guide is going to be able to point out interesting rock formations or plants and tell you the stories behind them. Even the places where there was a guide there that went along, we got a lot out of having the guide from the agency, who were often better at providing additional information rather than just leading us on the paths.
Plus, you are supporting the continued growth of tourism in the area through local guides. An area previously ravaged by conflict, tourism and cattle are seen as the two primary alternative ways forward economically. There’s a lot of problems with tourism, even so called “eco-tourism,” but it’s almost certainly better than the deforestation that cattle ranching causes.
So, I’d highly encourage you to consider doing guided tours, even if just for some of the activities.
New Tour Packages to Guaviare Offered by Our Partners
If you are interested in tours sith guides that speak English, I’m pleased to announce the agency I partner with BnB Colombia Tours is now offering trips to Guaviare, including group trips, which are really a pretty good value and include not only all your excursions with bilingual guides but also your meals and accommodations in San José del Guaviare.
Bruce, the head of the agency, has put a lot of work into finding quality guides that speak English, and they are trying to grow it as one of their signature destinations.
You can see their current offerings with details on the itineraries and prices by clicking the links below:
- 4 day wet season tour (my recommendation; available June to November)
- 3 day wet season tour
- 4 day dry season tour (December to May)
- 3 day dry season tour
If you’re interested in a private tour, customized tour, and/or a multi-destination package, they can also help you put that together. Just fill out the form here, and someone will get back to you to start working on planning a custom tailored trip to Guaviare and anywhere else you’d like to go in Colombia.
We booked our initial 3 day package through Awake, which offers packages to a lot of great adventure destinations in Colombia.
Their actual local partner on the ground is Geo Tours.
We were overall really impressed with Geo Tours.
All of our tours were well organized, and they offer a lot of different combinations and packages ranging from 1 to multiple days. Our groups were also always small, never more than 6 other people. They also included a few extra night time activities like a visit to a nearby indigenous community that included a great meal as well as a welcome dinner with some dance presentations. I thought those were nice touches.
Their guides were also terrific. We did our initial tour with Christian who was great, and then we did several with Luis, an eccentric old head who was not only extremely knowledgeable about the area but very kind. Plus, dude was really impressive, in his 60s, helping me scramble up rocks and cliffs. Santiago, we also had multiple days and was great. Finally, we had one other guide one day who I think was named José or Javier, and he was also great.
We booked all the rest of our activities with Geo Tours through except for Raudal.
Our contact there Freddy, who again can be reached on Whatsapp at +57-310-708-2454 may also be able to arrange most or all of the things we did, and is obviously a great contact for Raudal.
Additonally, Marcos at Playa Guio through his Naturlog agency may also be able to arrange most or all of the things we did. He can be reached via Whatsapp at +57-315-547-8297 or email at naturloguaviare@gmail.com.
These were all shared tours, and our guides did not speak English though, so if you’d like to have bilingual guides or are interested in a private tour, check out what BnB Colombia has to offer mentioned above.
How to Get to Guaviare
If you book a tour package through any of the aforementioned options, then you might be able to disregard this section.
However, if you’re doing the trip on your own, interested in day tours, or just want some flexibility like we did, you’ll need to know how to get to Guaviare.
First of all, the easiest thing to do is fly. The small airlines Satena and EasyFly both offer flights from Bogotá to Guaviare.
You can also bus from Bogotá to San José del Guaviare. Be forewarned it is a long bus ride. It took us about 8 hours and included some winding roads at high speed, which is fairly typical of bus travel in Colombia.
We took a night bus, which is what I would recommend if you do bus to San José del Guaviare from Bogotá. We bussed with Flota La Macarena, which can be found in Module 2 in the main Bogotá Salitre bus terminal. A bit of crazy driving aside, the bus was very comfortable and I was able to sleep at least a bit.
Although it isn’t always necessary and sometimes you can find more options at the terminal, you can book ahead online at BusBud.
We also met a girl who had arrived to Guaviare from Caño Cristales and La Macarena. She said it was a long ride in a small 4×4 over mostly unpaved roads. However, if you plan to do both of these, it is a viable option to go between them rather than fly via Bogotá. Since we didn’t do that (although when we learned you could, we kind of regretted already having flights to La Macarena), I don’t have a lot of info on it. I’d only recommend it for those comfortable speaking Spanish and willing to ask around in whichever place you go first. Do keep in mind, you do have to purchase a package with a guide and permission to enter the park to do Caño Cristales.
Where to Stay in San José del Guaviare
If you do book a multi-day package, your accommodations in Guaviare will likely be included.
That was the case with us for our initial couple nights.
We stayed at the Hotel La Panorama those first two nights, which was ok but really basic and not the most comfortable or cleanest. Since it was included, I’m not sure what they charge, but I would at least hope it was really cheap.
Just to be clear, you aren’t going to find any luxury hotels in San José del Guaviare, but the hotel most of the rest of our group was at was much nicer. We moved there after the first two nights and stayed there for most of the rest of our time.
It was named Neller Plaza and was located in a good spot just down the street from the Restaurante Nomada, which we ate at several times. We paid $60,000 COP a night here for a room with a fan, and were quoted $80,000 for A/C (keep in mind this was October 2021, so rates have likely gone up at least a little bit), which I thought was pretty reasonable. It was still pretty basic, but it was a larger room and much cleaner than the Panorama and in a better location with more around it.
Neither of those are listed online, and there really aren’t a whole lot San Josés del Guaviare hotels you can book online.
A couple hotels in Guaviare I did find listed online that have a reasonable number of reviews and look like good options are the Hotel Quinto Nivel and the Hotel El Aereopuerto.
The Hospedaje Casa Blanca also looks like a solid option for apartment style accommodations in San José del Guaviare.
For our final couple nights, we stayed at Playa Guio, which has some terrific cabins on a nice property right near the Laguna Negra, about 15 minutes outside of town. The cabins are sort of a basic glamping.
The owner Marcos and his wife were really kind, and the food was great. Marcos’s dad built the cabins and they were one of the first eco-tourism projects in Guaviare.
The property was really awesome!
We saw a big family of monkeys go by in the forest just outside our cabin and lots of birds, including a rare and really neat looking speckled brown heron.
There are some trails nearby as well. We mostly were lazy after 7 days of being on the go besides going back to the Laguna Negra one day for a swim.
We, of course, did get rained on, and were unable to see the full sunset over the lagoon though.
It was really the perfect relax in nature spot though after a week of lots of hiking.
There is pretty much no internet or cell service here, so it’s a good spot to disconnect too.
If you have more than a few days, I don’t know if I would suggest spending your entire time here as it’s a bit easier to arrange tours from town, but you could also ask Marcos since he operates his Naturlog agency and may be able to arrange visits to anywhere from here.
You can contact Marcos on Whatsapp at +57-315-547-8297 or email at naturloguaviare@gmail.com. They also have a Facebook Page and Instagram.
Where to Eat in San José del Guaviare
I’ve mentioned a handful of places we ate, but want to include a few more to highlight and mention those again here.
We had terrific lunches between stops on tours on two consecutive days at Beraca Charco Indio.
Not only was there delicious and very fresh chicken here but the presentation on the culture and history of the area they do is really nice, as was the tree planting ceremony and seeing different types of coca plants.
They are definitely worth a visit whether you are doing tours or not.
In town, we enjoyed the welcome dinner at Catumare, which serves up food inspired by traditional Amazonic and indigenous recipes. I was excited to get a glass of Acaí juice here.
I can’t remember who got what, but we definitely tried the pescado a la faringa, fish filets fried after being breaded with yuca flour, here and also a quesadilla made with casabe, a dough made from yuca.
The little side of casabe with guacamole we got almost everywhere, including here, as a side was also delicious.
Likewise, we enjoyed our lunch at Picapiedra a lot.
They had great fish breaded with yuca flour known as pescado a la farina, and I got another interesting fish dish smothered in a sauce that includes beer called Picura (I may have that name slightly off).
We also had a neat dinner at the Resguardo Indígena one night.
In addition to a tasty fish wrapped in Acaí leaves slow cooked and smoked known as pescado moquiado, there were some neat cultural presentations and explanations on the Tucano people’s culture. I even got a quick cameo in an interview in this video here!
The reserve as known as the Resguardo Panuré. It’s located on the edge of town.
In town itself, we ate several times at Nomada.
They had a big menu with lots of options ranging from traditional Colombian fast food dishes like stuffed arepas, to proper plates with chicken, beef, or pork, to quesadillas, to sandwiches.
It’s definitely a really good option for reasonably priced food and a good bit of variety.
Finally, we had surprisingly good burgers La Hamburguesería, located by a park.
We also had some beers at a place called El Mirador, which overlooks the river. There is a little spot next door that we had heard had good food, but it was closed the day we tried to go there.
Packing List for Guaviare
Outdoor gear is what you need to pack for Guaviare. And outdoor gear that you don’t mind getting dirty, wet, and sweaty in. Quick dry stuff is definitely a plus too as the climate is tropical, meaning it’s hot and muggy when not raining.
Honestly, we did not come properly prepared for Guaviare.
I had old tennis shoes with hardly any tread left on them, and was slipping and sliding on rocks and mud all trip. They also never dried out properly and stunk to high hell by the end of the trip. In fact, I tossed them afterwards.
So a good pair of hiking shoes or boots, preferably waterproof, are definitely worth bringing!
These men’s Merrell hiking boots would be a good choice for the guys, and these women’s Columbia boots would be good for the ladies.
Taking along a pair of water shoes, especially if you don’t have waterproof hiking shoes is also a good idea as there are some hikes where you cross little rivers and places to swim with rocks and muddy bottoms.
I also didn’t have a rain jacket, just a simple little flimsy plastic poncho. While I was glad I at least had that, I definitely wish I had a proper jacket, because we got rained on almost every day, including a few pretty hard rains.
Susana had a light one that was really more a windbreaker and also wished she had a proper rain jacket.
So, definitely bring a good rain jacket. Columbia has solid ones for men and women. You could also bring a more proper poncho that saves some space and also gives you some coverage of your pants.
Speaking of pants, I would recommend good hiking long pants. This will protect you from any scrapes from underbrush as well as bug bites. I have several pairs of these Wrangler ATG pants and love them. These cargo joggers would be a good choice for the ladies.
I’d also suggest some long sleeve quick dry shirts too. These help protect from sunburn when the sun is out and bugs too, although short sleeves are also fine.
Other things you’ll want to have along include sunscreen, good bug spray, a good water bottle, and a small flashlight.
You’ll also want a bathing suit to swim in at least the Pozos Naturales and perhaps for dips in other watering holes and waterfalls.
Also, I’d recommend a few extra changes of socks and underwear. Especially if you get rained on a lot like we did, you will appreciate having them!
Also, if you need any outdoor gear before you go to Guaviare while in country, definitely check out Decathlon, which has several stores in Bogotá. Their gear, especially the Quechua brand, is decent enough quality and pretty reasonably priced. We stocked up there between Guaviare and Caño Cristales after we learned our lesson that we were not properly prepared!
Some Final Practical Tips for Guaviare
- Can’t stress enough to come to Guavaire prepared for the tropical climate. Come prepared for both hot and humid and rain. Extra changes of clothes is a good idea as well.
- I would also recommend being in at least moderately decent shape and health. Raudal and Nuevo Tolima were the only really difficult hikes with truly tough inclines, but most do require walking over at times uneven terrain for an hour or more.
- This is still a fairly isolated and underdeveloped part of Colombia. Be sure to bring any special medications you might need.
- Cell service was ok in town and even sometimes out in the countryside, but it could also be pretty spotty. I want to say Neller Plaza had wifi but it was iffy too and often down. I wouldn’t try to plan to digital nomad from San José. It’s a good chance to disconnect a bit though.
- There are ATMs in San José del Guaviare. You should be sure to have cash with you as few places will take cards here, especially outside of town. My experience is ATMs in small town Colombia can often breakdown or run out of money, so I’d probably recommend bringing some from Bogotá or wherever else you’re coming from. If you start to run low, try the ATMs and if need be come back the next day.
- As I mentioned at the start, Guaviare used to be a conflict zone. We felt very safe at all times. There was not even necessarily much of an army or police presence. Still, it’s not a place I would go wondering around outside the established tourist sites, especially without a local guide and especially in rural areas. It’s never a bad idea to give a quick Google search for recent news as well just to be extra sure conditions remain safe.
- Guaviare is still very much an off the beaten path type of destination. You should not expect most people to speak English in hotels and restaurants nor should you expect luxury. It’s a great chance to have a bit more of an authentic experience than more established destinations in Colombia though.
Ready to plan a trip to Guaviare, Colombia yourself?
Honestly, I was so impressed with Guaviare!
I had honestly been putting off writing this post for a while because I knew it would end up being incredibly long (which it has!) because we did so much here.
As I mentioned at the start, I would strongly recommend Guaviare over Leticia if you want to do some nature/adventure/wildlife/hiking in the Amazon. Yes, you can actually say you’ve been on the Amazon River in Leticia, but Guaviare has so much more to offer and for me felt much more authentic. If you’re planning to go on a multi-day stay with indigenous communities outside of Leticia, ok, stick with it. If you’re just going for a couple days and going to do the river tour and some things around town, at least strongly consider Guaviare instead.
Of course, it’s even better if you could do both!
I really think assuming Colombia continues on the path of peace, that Guaviare will grow to be a well known nature and adventure destination, and I really encourage you to include it on a visit if you enjoy nature, hiking, and outdoor travel.
If I have convinced you and you do visit Guavaire yourself, I hope this was helpful in planning, and, most importantly, that you have as good a time as we did, and hopefully more sunshine!
Cheers and Happy Exploring!
Did you like this post?
If you enjoyed or think you will enjoy Guaviare, you might also enjoy hiking in the eery landscape of the Páramo de Ocetá, going on a wildlife safari in Casanare, and the mystical Cerros de Mavecure. Of course, Leticia and Caño Cristales are great options too.
Planning a trip to Cartagena?
Be sure to check out the rest of the site to help you plan!
In particular, you might want to check out my complete guide to planning a trip to Cartagena, my guide to the best areas to stay, my list of over 75 things to do, my picks for the best Cartagena tours, the best day trips from Cartagena, my suggested packing list, my guide to the Rosario Islands, and my guide to all the beaches of Cartagena.
