The wonderful colors of the rainbow color the waters of this Colombian river. And every year, during the rainy season, the magic begins.
There are places in the world where all the things we thought belonged only to our imagination, or to some science fiction film, come to life. And they do it thanks to the extraordinary art that belongs to Mother Nature and that makes the world we inhabit a wonderful place. Like that river that looks like a painting and which is made with the colors of the rainbow dissolved in the water. But it is real and it is extraordinary.
It is considered the most beautiful river in the world and in fact, Caño Cristales really is. Also known as the five-colored rainbow or liquid rainbow, this waterway enchants citizens and travelers from all over the world with its wonder.
Located in Colombia, Rio de la Sierra de la Macarena presents itself to the eyes of people with a peculiarity that really seems the result of a spell. Instead, as science explains, this phenomenon is characterized by the presence of the river of a particular alga named Macarenia Clavigera which lives right in the area and which during certain periods of the year transforms the stream into a liquid rainbow that enchants the eyes and warms the heart.
The rainbow of wonders
The colors that extend for almost 100 kilometers sparkle in the sun which, with its rays, enhances the beauty of the colors ranging from blue to green, passing through orange and red. The nuances blend and merge, they lie on the rocks and intertwine on the coast making the panorama so unique and extraordinary that it leaves you with bated breath.
The Caño Cristales is located within the Parque Nacional Natural Sierra de la Macarena and a visit to this enchanted corner of the world is almost a must. Its beauty shines every day of the year but it is in the month of July, and until that November, that nature stages its most beautiful spectacle by dyeing the flowing waters. And it’s magic.
Beyond the colors: what to see in Caño Cristales
Getting to Caño Cristales is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. One of the most suggestive ways to reach this waterway is the one that starts from San Josè del Guaviare and leads to La Macarena by boat, sailing on the Rio Guayabero.
The river flows over the extraordinary mountain range of Serrania de la Macarena and it is right here, among the colors of the liquid rainbow, that you can observe other wonders of nature.
There are quartzite rocks that date back billions of years ago, and by carefully observing the rainbow river it is possible to admire deep circular wells where the water, falls dramatically, in turn creating new and extraordinary visions.
The river is also home to a great variety of aquatic flora. In addition to the Macarenia clavígera, the creator of the magic that occurs during the rainy season, between July and November, and that grows in the river, there are other species typical of the hydrophytic rainforest. Here also live many specimens of animals, including birds (over 420 species), amphibians, reptiles, and primates.
