Between Cerro Azul, the Sistine Chapel of the Amazon, and Trankilandia, the little brother of Caño Cristales, a visit to Guaviare was one of the destinations we absolutely had to visit!
So when we had the chance to go to San Jose del Guaviare, you can’t imagine how happy we were to be able to realize our dream of discovering this region of Colombia, which is opening up to tourism and has so much to offer.
We spent 5 exceptional days there, as much for the beauty of the natural sites we visited as for the powerful human encounters we made! Beautiful souls working to show the beauty of a Guaviare of peace and reconciliation.
Contents
1. San José del Guaviare
2. Playa Güio
3. Puerta de Orion
4. Laguna Negra
5. Cerro Azul, rock paintings
6. The pink dolphins of Damas de Nare
7. Caño Sabana (Trankilandia)
8. Los Tuneles
9. Time to leave, time to take stock
10. Contact a local guide to visit Guaviare
11. Where to stay in San José del Guaviare
12. How to get to Guaviare
Related posts
- Local agency to visit Guaviare
- Cerro Azul (Rock paintings)
- Caño Sabana (Colored river)
- Laguna Damas de Nare (Dolphins)
- Laguna Negra
- Where to see pink dolphins in Colombia
- Guaviare, all practical information
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Disclaimer: we apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as our native language is not English (we're a Colombian-French couple), so we hope you'll forgive us and still enjoy the information we share with you! Please note that all the information on our blog is based on our own experience, and is checked and updated regularly.
San José del Guaviare
Visit Guaviare travel guide
San José del Guaviare, founded in 1938 by missionaries (amazing, isn’t it?) and officially registered as a Colombian municipality only in 1976!
This region, like the Amazon, has long been unexplored and underdeveloped. The region has always been inhabited by indigenous Amazonian communities, and small “colonies” o finhabitants from other parts of Colombia gradually settled in to form San José.
It was only after the “violencia” of the 50s that the village really took off, attracting workers in search of a new El Dorado where they could make “easy” money. Throughout its history, San José has experienced various economic booms, all linked to illicit activities: first rubber, then Marijuana, then Coca.
From the 1980s onwards, the violence linked to drug trafficking and the armed conflict between the FARCS, paramilitaries and the Colombian army plunged the region into a decades-long hell. The inhabitants have suffered the serious consequences of this rampant insecurity.
Thanks to the 2016 peace agreements and conversion programs, the region is now recovering. Tourism plays a key role in this reconstruction, and our 5 memorable days there prove it.
Gateway to the Amazon, Guaviare offers a variety of experiences that are unique in Colombia. Colorful rivers, thousand-year-old cave paintings, ancient rock formations and lush nature, with the chance to perhaps swim with pink dolphins.
After 3 days in the Casanare, we reach San José del Guaviare by bus from Yopal, via Villavicencio. Nowadays, buses and direct flights make the trip easier. So don’t hesitate, come and discover Guaviare!
Contact Marcel to visit Guaviare
Playa Güio
Visit Guaviare travel guide
We arrive in San José for lunch and meet Javier, leader of the Playa Güio community tourism project, for the first time. The connection with Javier is immediately strong, and you can sense his passion for the project he has now been championing for many years. He takes us to his home, where his wife has prepared a succulent Sancocho de gallina. Javier begins to tell us his story, a powerful and exceptional one.
Javier is one of the pioneers of tourism in San Jose del Guaviare. Before anyone else, he saw tourism as a possible alternative to illicit crops, when no one believed in tourism in the region. He rallied his coca-growing neighbors to stop growing coca and set up a cooperative offering accommodation and tourist services around the Laguna Negra. He fought for tourism to be recognized as a potential source of development for Guaviare and an alternative to coca cultivation.
As you can imagine, no sooner had we arrived than we were thrust into the reality of San José del Guaviare’s tragic history. We’ll tell you all about Javier’s story in a future post.
Over lunch, we meet Marcos, Javier’s son, who will be our guide for the day as we discover the Puerta de Orion and the Laguna Negra. So it’s with full bellies and hearts already filled with emotion that we set off to discover the Guaviare.
Contact Marcel to visit Guaviare
Puerta de Orion
Visit Guaviare travel guide
Angélica’s uncle has decided to spend the day with us, and Marcos and I head for the entrance to Puerta de Orion in a 4×4. Here, as elsewhere in Colombia, most sites of tourist interest are located on private land, where the owners charge a fee. We discover a Marcos who is totally passionate about his territory and knows the local flora and fauna inside out, having worked alongside the many university scientists who now come to study the Guaviare’s unique ecosystems.
After an hour’s walk, we arrive at the Puerta de Orion, a rock formation of marine origin (since it was covered by the ocean millions of years ago) with a significant opening in its center.
The gate, which is around 12 m high, owes its name to the constellation Orion, which can be seen perfectly aligned through the opening during the months of June… we’ve heard it’s more likely to be in December… other versions claim that the name is due to the sacred nature of the place for the natives, who used the gate to communicate with the gods.
Along the way, we come across the emblematic Guaviare plant for the first time, the “Flor del Guaviare”, a highly recognizable endemic species that can only be seen in this region.
On the way back, a stormy downpour hits us just before we reach the car. For the next three days, we’ll be lucky enough to have good weather and a heavy afternoon shower almost every day, but that’s the price we have to pay in this hot, humid region.
Contact Marcel to visit the Guaviare
Laguna Negra
Visit Guaviare travel guide
Read more: Laguna Negra
On our way back from Puerta de Orion, we set off for Playa Güio, where we’re about to enjoy three nights in the heart of nature in Javier’s charming cabins. There’s no network or WiFi here, just the wild call of the forest and the rhythm of our breaths.
The stilted cabins, with bathrooms and solar panels, offer us an enchanted interlude, far from modern worries. Marcos takes us on a boat trip to the Laguna Negra, where we admire a sunset shimmering on the dark waters, the opportunity to discover the local flora and fauna, and enjoy a delicious swim in the lake’s warm waters.
At last, the last light of day sets the sky ablaze, as the wading birds return to their heronries. In the evening, we enjoy a hearty meal prepared by Marcos’ wife, before drifting off to sleep lulled by the sounds of the forest, from crickets to crocodiles to greedy monkeys. A true immersion in the heart of the wild!
The Laguna Negra and Guaviare is a great place for birdwatching in Colombia.
Contact Marcel to visit Guaviare
Cerro Azul, rock paintings
Visit Guaviare travel guide
Read more: Cerro Azul
The next day, we meet up with Marcel, our local partner in San José, who has settled in San José del Guaviare where part of his family is from.
He picks us up at Playa Güio to take us to see the rock paintings at Cerro Azul, just a few hours away by 4×4 in the Serrania de la Lindosa. On the agenda: the discovery of rock paintings dating back more than 12.000 years !
Access to the rock paintings is regulated, and it’s only possible to get there if accompanied by a local guide from the Cerro Azul community. So it’s William, a young man from this village, who will accompany us with Marcel.
After an approach walk through savannah and forest, we arrive at the foot of the Tepuye walls and discover the first rock paintings in Cerro Azul. An impressive discovery!
We’re going to walk around the Tepuye to discover more painting panels, and climb to the summit to admire a panorama of the Amazon rainforest as far as the eye can see.
It’s impossible to remain indifferent to a place so full of history, mystery and magic! The ochre paintings tell mysterious stories that are impossible to decipher, but which stimulate the imagination.
One thing’s for sure: it’s a day to remember!
Back in Playa Guio, after a good meal in the company of Javier and Marcos’ family, sleep calls! The days are intense and the evenings are agitated by the deafening sounds of nature and the humidity of the Amazonian night.
Contact Marcel to visit the Guaviare
The pink dolphins of Damas de Nare
Visit Guaviare travel guide
Read more: Laguna Damas de nare
Early in the morning, we set off for the Laguna Damas de Nare for an exceptional encounter, or rather two exceptional encounters! Pacho and the pink Amazonian dolphins.
After a sail on the Rio Guaviare, we reach the headquarters of EcoNare, a community-based tourism initiative stemming from the government’s program to convert illicit coca crops.
Pacho, the project’s leader, tells us about the region’s turbulent history and the saving grace of tourism. Pacho’s story is moving, and bears witness to the many tragedies experienced by many Guaviare inhabitants.
For as long as he can remember, he and his wife have been rubbing shoulders with the “toninas”, the pink dolphins that populate Nare’s Laguna Damas. So he can’t wait to introduce us to his friends!
Once on the water, Pacho calls them from our boat and the pink dolphins appear, as if by magic, curious and playful.
Free and wild, the dolphins decide how to interact with us. We dive and chat with Marcos and Pacho, while the toninas play around us. A unique and unforgettable moment comes when one of them grazes Samuel’s legs with its soft skin!
Enthralled by this unforgettable experience, we return home to monkeys and birds, giving us a glimpse of the local fauna. Exhausted but fulfilled, we let sleep envelop us in the lancha on the way back, our hearts still vibrating from this incredible encounter.
Contact Marcel to visit the Guaviare
Caño Sabana (Trankilandia)
Visit Guaviare travel guide
Read more: Caño Sabana (Trankilandia)
The last day promises to be a rich one, with the discovery of Caño Sabana, the five-coloured river of Guaviare (otherwise known as Trankilandia). Just like its big sister, Caño Cristales. Every year, these Colombian rivers take on sumptuous hues of red, orange and yellow. Images that have travelled the world to showcase Caño Cristales, but can also be seen around San José del Guaviare!
Guided by Franklin, a young self-taught enthusiast, we explore the local flora and the reasons behind these dazzling colors. The endemic “Macarenia clavigera” algae is responsible for this phenomenon, its colors changing according to the amount of water in the river. Although the most intense hues appear in June, our visit in September reveals a majestic spectacle.
The preservation of this exceptional site means that we mustn’t swim where the algae is present, but the pools offer us a refreshing moment of relaxation at the end of our walk. And so ends our morning in Trankilandia, lulled by the natural beauty of the Guaviare.
The colors of the Caño Sabana are only visible during the algae blooming season between June and November.
Contact Marcel to visit the Guaviare
Los Tuneles
Visit Guaviare travel guide
A short detour to San José, Marcel takes us to eat “Mamona”, a speciality of the llanos, a land of beef farming (as described in our post on Casanre). For meat-lovers, it’s a slaughterhouse of a melt-in-the-mouth delicacy, served with papas saladas and fresh fruit juice: perfect.
Then it’s time to hit the road for “Los Tuneles”. Once there, the scenery is truly spectacular, with yellow savannah and blue skies. We start the hike and see a threatening sky in the distance.
Our first stop is to have fun naming the volcanic rock formations. Here, too, we find traces of some fascinating indigenous rock paintings.
We’ve almost reached the tunnels when all of a sudden, a thunderstorm breaks out! Turning the paths into rivers and speeding up our exploration. Franklin, our guide, keeps us safe from snakes dislodged by the rain. We feel like Indiana Jones or Jumanji, totally immersed in this adventure.
Swimming in the waterholes, initially planned for the end of the day, is now impossible, as the small, tranquil river has turned into a raging torrent. Soaking wet but refreshed, we set off again, admiring the landscape that has been transformed in just a few minutes.
Just before dark, we arrive in San Jose del Guaviare and head off for dinner with Angélica’s uncle and cousin on our last evening. Both are cargo pilots. Among other things, they fly back and forth to supply Mitu in the heart of the Amazon. An adventurous job on planes where everything is still flown by hand, without on-board computers or autopilots.
Contact Marcel to visit the Guaviare
Time to leave, time to take stock
Visit Guaviare travel guide
As we’re leaving early the next morning, we’ll be sleeping at Marcel’s, who offers rooms for rent in the center of San José del Guaviare. The next day it’s back to Bogotá on the first plane with Guaviare in our heads and hearts.
We leave with our hearts full of mixed emotions and our heads full of memories. We’ll remember Javier and Pacho, the “old-timers” from elsewhere, and their powerful, moving accounts of their past lives and their struggle to make tourism a vehicle for transforming the region. We’ll remember Marcos, William and Franklin, those young people born in Guaviare who are so passionate and exciting, and who give us hope for the future of Guaviare. We’ll also remember the incredible diversity of Guaviare: in such a small area, the opportunity to experience so many different things is truly a unique experience.
As you can see, Guaviare is a new destination where tourism has a major role to play in this post-conflict period. Our role is to encourage you to come and visit Guaviare, so that you can enjoy an unforgettable experience and participate in the development of peace in a department that sorely needs it!
Contact a local guide to visit Guaviare
Where to stay in San José del Guaviare
During our stay in Guaviare, we spent three nights at Playa Guio, a 20-minute cab ride from San José in the heart of nature, perfect for relaxing, and one night at Casa Miriku in the center of San Jose del Guaviare.
San José del Guaviare, the best hotels
Hotel
Hotel El Aeropuerto
Double room : $300.000 to $350.000 COP
Hotel El Aeropuerto is, as its name suggests, located right next to San José del Guaviare airport. With its swimming pool, nice common areas and all the services of a classic hotel.
San José del Guaviare, the best hotels
Hotel
Hotel Quinto Nivel
Double room : $300.000 to $350.000 COP
The Hotel Quinto Nivel is one of San José del Guaviare’s best-known hotels. Most local agencies lodge their clients in this hotel.
San José del Guaviare, the best hotels
Eco Lodge
Playa Guio
Dormitory : $25.000 to $50.000/Double room : $0 to $100.000 COP
Playa Guio is a haven of peace in the middle of nature, a 20-minute cab ride from the center of San José del Guaviare. On site, you’ll find the warmth of the Melo family, a large common room where you can eat and have a good time, a large hut for those who want to sleep cheaply in a hammock, and two private cabins for those who want privacy.
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How to get to Guaviare
San José del Guaviare is the safest and most accessible tourist destination.
Getting to San José del Guaviare by bus
BUS | Bogota <> San José del Guaviare (8h)
- Fare: approx. $70.000 COP
- Companies: Flota La Macarena
- Departures: all day, with night bus departures as well.
The road to Villavicencio was under construction at the time of our visit, but has been reopened since the end of 2019. Villavicencio is the gateway to the Guaviare, and it’s possible to do the route in two stages, taking advantage of stops to discover a little of the Llanera culture. It’s also a possible arrival point after passing through Yopal and Casanare, as we did in 2019.
BUS | Bogota <> Villavicencio (3h)
- Fare: approx. $30.000 COP
- Companies: Flota La Macarena, Expreso Bolivariano, Copetran
- Departures: approx. every 30 minutes
BUS | Villavicencio <> San Jose del Guaviarel (5h)
- Fare: approx. $50.000 COP
- Companies: Flota La Macarena
- Departures: approximately every hour
Getting to San José del Guaviare by plane
Only the regional airlines Satena and EasyFly offer flights to San Jose del Guaviare from Bogotá.
PLANE | Bogota <> San José del Guaviare (1h15)
- Fare: from $400.000 COP round trip
- Companies: Satena, EasyFly
- Departures: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
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