Tinigua National Natural Park Voyage Tips and guide

Tinigua National Natural Park (officially in Spanish, Parque Nacional Natural Tinigua) is a protected natural area where the Andes mountains meet the riparian ecosystems of the Orinoco and Amazon in Colombia.

The park is very large, covering an area of about 202,000 hectares. Rainforest makes up about 85 percent of that land with the remainder being primarily flooded forest along the Perdido, Duda, Guayabero and La Reserva rivers. The park is part of a biological corridor to permit animals to migrate from the Andean paramo to the Amazon basin.

There are archaeological sites in the park where remnants of indigenous cultures, such as petroglyphs and cave drawings can be seen.

The park was established in 1989 as part of the Colombian national parks system.

The park's landscape consists of hilly areas and flat savannahs. Elevations vary between 200 and 500 meters. There are mature forests with a canopy of 30-40 meters.

The park is known for its biodiversity, including species that dwell in the mountains, jungles, rainforest, savannahs and rivers. Many of the species described in Central and South American wildlife including seven species of monkeys and five jungle cats. More than 440 bird species have been cataloged in the park including the black currasow, the scarlet macaw (and some of its macaw cousins), woodcreepers, and toucans.

The average temperature in the park is 25º C. Expect warm temperatures and moist, humid conditions most of the year. The best time of year is during one of the park's two "dry" seasonsː December to March or August to September.

Satena airlines offers flights from Bogota to La Macarena (IATA|LMC). It is a 1-hour flight. From La Macarena, travel by car or bus to Delicias, which is a 7-hour trip. You may also be able to hire a local guide who will take you to the park.

No fee is required to enter the park, however, a fee would be the least of your expenses. Most visitors enter accompanied by a local guide hired in La Macarena at fees starting at COP150,000. Guides typically include transportation to and from the park, but discuss the trip details in advance to avoid misunderstandings.

A boat trip on the Guayabitos River should be expected as should hiking within the park.

• Petroglyphs

• Hiking is the primary activity in the park, along with related activities like nature watching, photography and Birdwatching.
  • The Raudal Angosturas I area of the park has hiking trails, but permission from the park management must be obtained in advance and typically requiires a local guide. Access is via the Guayabero River, which may be unsafe during bad weather events. The Petroglyphs Trail is moderately difficult but provides access to the ancient stone carvings.

Vaccines are recommended for yellow fever and tetanus.

• Sierra de la Macarena National Natural Park
• La Macarena