Caño Cristales (Crystal Channel) is a Colombian river located in the Serrania de la Macarena province of Meta. It's a tributary of the Guayabero River. Caño Cristales is commonly called the "River of Five Colours" or the "Liquid Rainbow," and is even referred to as the most beautiful river in the world due to its striking colours. The bed of the river from the end of July through November is variously coloured yellow, green, blue, black, and especially red, caused by Macarenia clavigera plants (family Podostemaceae) on the bottom of the river.
As you can see above the baggage car is actually a horse and cart, and the plane a very small propeller driven Bombardier.
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| La Macarena, a sleepy town in the Colombian Lleneros |
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| Nuestra Señora De La Macarena |
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| Sunset on the Llanero |
To get to the Caño Cristales we had had to take a canoe across the river Guayabero, this was followed by a 5 km drive in a 4 x 4 truck, and then we had to walk 8 km in 34 Celsius. We were not allowed to take sunscreen or repelant as the chemicals can kill the plants in the river. We had to take our own water, snacks and lunch in a backpack together with any other items that we needed. And don't forget that 8 km walk back to the 4 x 4.
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| Typical canoe used to travel across the river |
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| National flower of 'La Macarena' |
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| All geared up for the walk |
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| Getting close |
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| Arrived in one piece |
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| Footbridge across the river |
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| Typical palm tree for the region |
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| The colours start to reveal themselves |
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| How many colours can you count? |
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| One of the best views |
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| Another spectacular view |
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| This is the wilderness we had to walk through to get to the rivers |
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| The concrete building was constructed by the FARC Guerrilla to control the region, Today the area is very safe, |
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| Close up of the flower 'Macarenia clavigera' which creates the colours in the river |
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| Happt to have arrived |
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| We had to climb up this small mountain to pass into another valley |
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| Caño Cristalitos |
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| Our ride home |
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| This is the llaneros on the opposite side of the river |
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| Locals bathing in Caño Piedras |
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| Sunset on the river |
The Wild Life
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| Giant Broad-headed Treefrog |
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| Black-headed Parrot |
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| Blue-grey Tanager |
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| Brazilian Skipper |
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| Brown-throated Parakeet |
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| Channel-billed Toucan |
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| Checkered Setwing |
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| Crested Oropendola |
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| Executioner Paper Wasp |
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| Feral Pigeon |
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| Fork-tailed Flycatcher |
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| Helemted Guineafowl |
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| Hoatzin |
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| Langsdorfia franckii |
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| Marathon Pixie |
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| Mauritia flexuosa |
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| Mexican Fritillary |
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| Noni |
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| Ornate Footman |
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| Red-capped Cardinal |
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| Ringed Kingfisher |
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| Sara Longwing |
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| Scaled Dove |
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| Scarlet Macaw |
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| South American Coati |
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| Speckled Chachalaca |
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| Spectacled Caiman |
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| Swan Goose |
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| Taro |
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| Soap Bush |
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| Tropical Kingbird |
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| Turkey Vulture |
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| Violaceous Jay |
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| White Peacock |
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| Wild Turkey |
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| Yellow-crowned Parrot |
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| Yellow-headed Sideneck |
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| Yellow-rumped Cacique |
