The Tayrona National Park sits between the Caribbean Sea and the Sierra Nevada mountains, covering 58 square miles of coastline thick with coral reefs and hillsides heavy with dense foliage. The park is home to 108 mammal species, more than 300 bird species and 110 coral types. Stay in the Ecohabs resort in the heart of the park, built into the cliff-face overlooking the Caribbean and surrounded by jungle. At Salamanca Island, between Barranquilla and Santa Marta, the focus is on preserving mangrove forest, where turtles and birds thrive. The area is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve blessed with 200 bird species. From Barranquilla, follow the Caribbean trunk road to the Los Cocos administrative center at kilometer 11, where walking or canoe tours can be arranged.
Of the 2.6 million square miles of Amazon rainforest, 154,000 square miles lie within Colombia’s borders. An ideal place to immerse yourself in the steaming biosphere is the Amacayacu National Park, where the indigenous Tikuna Indians eke out a living in a high canopy forest patrolled by jaguars and seasonally flooded swamp and rivers that nurture manatees and pink river dolphins. Access to the Amacayacu is through the pioneer town of Leticia, reached by air, followed by a canoe trip up-river for 37 miles. Snakes preclude the possibility of camping in the park, but the visitor center has accommodation in hammocks. Local guides lead trails along the Amazon river or in the tree canopy via the 100-foot-high Canopy Bridge.
The world’s longest mountain range, the Andes, crosses Colombia from north to south, creating a landscape of high, snow-capped plateaus and deep valleys. One of the easiest national parks to visit, Chingaza, is just an hour’s drive on good roads from the capital Bogota. The landscape of lakes, waterfalls and swamps nurtures rare animals such as paramo tapir, puma, condor and spectacled bear. More challenging is the Los Nevados National Park, a high-altitude, snow-capped trekking and climbing mecca. Tours tackle the El Ruiz snow peak, where there are hot springs, and the serene Otun Lake, where fishing is possible. Stay at the El Cisne visitor center, which has accommodation in nine shelters, but come well prepared and properly equipped.
With 1,876 species and counting, Colombia is the world’s No. 1 country for bird diversity. In the Amazon region, 750 species exist, including colorful parrots and macaws. The easiest access is at Leticia, near the borders with Peru and Brazil. Birdwatchers also congregate around the town of San Bernardo del Viento south of Cartagena, where there is rustic accommodation in the Estado Natural Ecolodge, named one of National Geographic’s best hotels in Colombia, along with the El Cantil Lodges.
The Guardian waxes lyrical about Playa Koralia, on the shore of the Caribbean Sea in the shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. A one-hour journey from Colombia’s oldest town, Santa Marta, Playa Koralia is a popular celebrity resort. Shakira, among others, has stayed here. Near Nuqui on the Pacific coast, the Pijiba lodges are electricity-free cabins just off a beach renowned for whale watching, while along the coast, the El Cantil lodges are short excursions away from waterfalls and hot springs.
