Tayrona Park Hike to Cabo San Juan from Santa Marta

From $139 USD per person

Tayrona National Natural Park runs along the Caribbean coast less than an hour east of Santa Marta, roughly 58 square miles of it, from the Sierra Nevada foothills down to the sea. The beaches people come for are not at the entrance. They are a few hours of jungle trail past it, which is the part the photographs leave out and the part that decides whether the day works.

This is a ten-hour day with about four hours of walking in it. The trail runs from the El Zaino entrance through forest to Arrecifes, then along the coast to the clear-water coves, and ends at Cabo San Juan with its thatched kiosk on the rocky point between two beaches. You can take it private with hotel pickup, or shared from Rodadero.

Check live availability and prices — or read on for how the day unfolds.

How the day works

• Pickup and the drive to El Zaino (about 1 hour). On the private option your driver collects you from your hotel in Santa Marta and runs east along the coast to the park entrance. On the shared option you meet at Hotel Playa Blanca in Rodadero, CRA 3 # 9-70, at 7:15 AM, and you get yourself there.
• Into the forest, to Arrecifes (about 30 minutes). Marked trails under closed canopy to the park’s largest beach. You cannot swim at Arrecifes — the currents are dangerous, and that is not a formality.
• On to the clear-water beaches (about 3 hours). The trail rises and falls along the coast to the coves where turquoise water meets white sand and smooth boulders. These are the ones ranked among the top 25 most beautiful beaches in South America. Swimming here is the point.
• Cabo San Juan (about 2 hours 30). The last stretch reaches the most photographed spot in the park: a thatched kiosk on a rocky point between two beaches. Climb it for the view over the bay.
• Lunch and the beach, then the hike back (about 3 hours). A Caribbean lunch by the sea at Cabo San Juan, not included, so bring cash. Then swim, walk, or sit under a palm until you are ready to walk out.

What’s included

• Private English-speaking guide
• Private hotel pickup and drop-off, on the private option
• Shared transport to and from the park, on the shared option
• Entry to Tayrona National Natural Park
• All-risk insurance

Not included

• Breakfast and lunch
• Extra purchases

Good to know

• The park closes every year for environmental and cultural protection. The typical closures are 1 to 15 February, 1 to 15 June, and 19 October to 2 November. Confirm the dates when you book, because they are set by the park and not by us.
• Four hours of hiking over uneven terrain. Proper walking shoes. Sandals are for the beach, not the trail.
• You cannot swim at Arrecifes. Strong currents. The swimming beaches come later on the trail.
• Bring cash. Lunch, drinks and anything else at Cabo San Juan are not included and card is not a safe assumption inside the park.
• Temperatures run 27 to 35C. Sunscreen, a hat, light clothing, and more water than you think you need.
• No vegan options at the lunch stop.
• The shared option departs at 7:15 AM from Rodadero and you arrange your own way to the meeting point. The private option starts at your hotel door.

Frequently asked questions

Private or shared: which should I take?

Private if you want hotel pickup, your own guide and your own pace. Shared if you are happy to be at Hotel Playa Blanca in Rodadero for 7:15 AM and would rather put the difference toward the rest of the trip. The walking and the route are the same.

How hard is the hike, honestly?

About four hours of walking across the day on uneven ground, in heat, with the sea at the end of it. It is not technical and there is no climbing. It defeats people who came in flip-flops and people who did not bring water.

Can I swim?

At the clear-water coves and at Cabo San Juan, yes. At Arrecifes, no, and the currents there are genuinely dangerous rather than a liability notice.

What if the park is closed on my dates?

Then we tell you before you book. The annual closures usually fall in early February, early June and late October into the start of November, and the park sets them. Confirm when booking and we will check.

Is there anywhere to leave a bag?

Plan to carry what you bring. Take water, sunscreen, cash, swimwear and a dry shirt, and leave the rest at your hotel.

Just need the ride, not the tour?

Our private transfer from Santa Marta to Tayrona puts you at the entrance with the same vetted driver and no itinerary attached.

Ready? Check your date and lock it in