Before you read any further, please click
HERE to read the introduction of this new segment I shall be calling, '1000 Places To See Before You Die'.
This segment - I guess you could call it - is basically my own personal bucket list of places I have to see before I die, and hopefully inspire you to feel the urge to visit as well. Most places I discover will have been taken from the aforementioned book, however today's destination was discovered through
Stumbleupon.
SO, Welcome to Caño Cristales.
In Meta, Columbia - during the short span between the wet and dry season - this usually indistinguishable river breaks out into an explosion of vibrant colours. Known as "The River Of Seven Colours", "The Liquid Rainbow" and "The Most Beautiful River in the World", Caño Cristales has certainly taken its spot on my list of places I have to see. What I find most interesting, is that for the majority of the year this river is like any other - cool, clear and calm. The water level must be at a certain level in order for the colour to come through, as a unique plant which sits on on the river floor (Macarenia Clavigera) turns into a magical red.
The red is offset by some yellow and green sand, blue water and an array of shades in between (purple, brown, black). In the wet season, the water runs too fast and is too deep, therefore the sun cannot reach the Macarenia Clavigera to bring out the deep red. This being said, in the dry season there is not enough water to support the life in the river. So, if you plan on heading over to Columbia anytime soon, be sure to go between September and November to see what is usually a fairly ordinary river transform into a magical liquid rainbow.
Caño Cristales is not easily accessible by road, therefore it is a destination for the adventurous. The recommended means of transport is flying into the remote nearby town of La Macarena, and from there travelling down to the Serrania de la Macarena National Park, where Caño Cristales is located. The national park is home to many rivers, rapids and waterfalls, all which flow from the plateau south of the Serrania de la Macarena. Behind the oldest tepuis (tabletop mountain) of the Sierra, numerous rock paintings can be found, many still unexplored. This site was closed to tourists for several yard due to guerrilla activity (irregular warfare) in the region. It reopened in 2009, and there are now several Colombian Tourist Agencies that will actually fly travellers to La Macarena. It is now common to get to the river via horseback (or donkey), or by foot on a guided tour.
Happy travels!
The red is offset by some yellow and green sand, blue water and an array of shades in between (purple, brown, black). In the wet season, the water runs too fast and is too deep, therefore the sun cannot reach the Macarenia Clavigera to bring out the deep red. This being said, in the dry season there is not enough water to support the life in the river. So, if you plan on heading over to Columbia anytime soon, be sure to go between September and November to see what is usually a fairly ordinary river transform into a magical liquid rainbow.
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