Camping in Cabo San Juan, Tayrona National Park
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Hiking through Tayrona National Park is unlike anything throughout Medellin or Colombia. We saw monkeys, poisonous frogs, massive crabs, and colorful lizards. It is incredibly humid in this part of Colombia, so be prepared for that.
We decided to camp inside the park, which was my best decision all year. Sleeping on a jungle beach is unlike anything I’ve done before.
I love budget travel, and this activity was no exception. We took the bus from Mercado Publico, which set us back $5,000 COP. Other travelers were making the same trip, and it was easy to ask questions or follow others.
In this guide, I will show you exactly why you should visit Cabo San Juan in the Tayrona National Park.
Where is Tayrona National Park?
Tayrona National Park in Colombia is home to many amazing beaches and tons of wildlife. This jungle is located next to Santa Marta and borders the Caribbean coast.
There are currently 4 indigenous communities of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta that live in the park. Access to these tribes is not allowed.
While that may be a bummer to some, some breathtaking beaches exist. One of those includes the famous Cabo San Juan beach in Tayrona National Park.
The Options of How to Reach Cabo San Juan
Alternate Routes to Cabo San Juan in Tayrona National Park
There are three entrances if you want to enter Tayrona National Park by land. The main entrance is El Zaino (far east), Calabazo right before that, and Palangana (far west). All entrances will cost the same amount of pesos to enter.
El Zaino is the entrance you will want to enter if you, like us, want to visit Cabo San Juan beach in Tayrona. Below, I will go over some different alternatives for getting here.
NOTE: Tayrona National Park is closed every February by request from the indigenous communities within the park.
Day Trip
If you are short on time or simply like to have the details ironed out for you, then booking a tour would be my suggestion. There are many tours going to Tayrona and especially Cabo San Juan Beach. These tours can pick you up from many of the popular locations around the park. One of the great perks these tours have is that they also cover the park entrance fee. Below I’ll list what some of these tours come with. If you want to see the unique perks of each then click the link below!
- Tayrona Park admission fee
- Water
- Private Transportation
- Professional guide
- air-conditioned vehicle
Boat to Cabo San Juan in Tayrona
If you still would rather go on your own but want to save time, then there is another option. It is possible to take a boat from Taganga to Cabo San Juan. The cost is $80,000 COP and it will take around 60 to 90 minutes to arrive at the beach.
This would be my preferred method if I didn’t have enough time to hike to the beach. I do suggest only hiking to the beach if you either arrive exactly at 8 am or want to camp.
Hiking to Cabo San Juan in Tayrona (El Zaino Entrance)
I highly suggest you fit time into your itinerary when visiting Colombia to hike, especially camp on the beach. This is unlike any hike that I have done in Colombia so far. There isn’t much elevation game unlike Cerro Quitasol and Cerro Tres Cruces in Medellin.
This could be good or bad for some but the scenery is just as amazing if not better. Plus you will see so much wildlife throughout Tayrona National Park.
Arrive at El Zaino Entrance (Tayrona National Park)
If you are wanting to hike to Cabo San Juan in Tayrona then you will want to take yourself toward the El Zaino entrance. This is the last entrance and the main one.
The cheapest way is to take the bus from Mercado Publico. There will be a large sign on a building saying ‘Tayrona’. The bus will be white and light green. The cost is $8000 COP each way.
Another possible way is to take a taxi. This will cost around $80,000 COP or possibly more. This can be viable if you have enough passengers. We did take a taxi home from Tayrona National Park for $30,000 so it may be possible to haggle down if your Spanish is good enough.
Below will be other costs that you will encounter when arriving at El Zaino entrance.
- The entrance fee is $57,500 COP
- Mandatory insurance is $5000 COP per day ($10,000 total if camping)
- $5000 COP to take you to the trailhead
Other Hikes You’d Love in Colombia:
- 9 Amazing Hikes in Medellin
- Salto Del Angel
- Cascada del Escalera
- Santa Rita Waterfall
- Valle de Cocora
- La Cueva del Esplendor
- Cerro Kennedy in Minca
My Experience Hiking to Cabo San Juan
Once you have paid all of your fees you will go past the map of Tayrona National Park and be greeted by a few busses or shuttles. These will take you to the trailhead and cost $5000 COP each way. We did not take these when we first arrived but did on the way back.
This will add an extra hour to your hike, so if you don’t have much time then I suggest you take it. This walk was actually the only time that we saw howler monkeys throughout the park!
Once you reach the trailhead it is very simple to follow. You will want to follow the signs towards Arrecifes first and then after reaching here follow the Cabo signs. If you ever have any questions there will be multiple people around to ask.
The trail is a little muddy at first but turns into a well-maintained path that has plenty of amazing views. Thirty minutes in you will be shocked at how pristine this park is.
One of my favorite sections of the trail is when it opens up and you are in a field of palm trees. I didn’t think something like this existed.
I couldn’t help but stare up at them the entire time while walking by. This is one of the many reasons you have to visit this beach in Tayrona. You won’t regret it.
After about 2 hours you will arrive at the beautiful beach area!
The field will open up and you will see many tents to your left. Go to reception on your right if you have not already reserved your sleep arrangements.
Cabo San Juan Camping
As I said previously, I highly suggest that you camp overnight on Cabo San Juan Beach in Tayrona! It is something you won’t regret. Below, I will go over a few different options.
Hammocks
This is a popular option and the one that we chose. There are 2 different options for camping in a hammock on on the beach. You have your regular hammock camping which is under a roof. This costs $40,000 COP per night and comes with your own locker. This is what we chose.
There is another option and that is to sleep in the hammocks on the watchtower. This costs extra but it is only $50,000 COP. We wished we stayed there instead-but both are great! The watchtower hammocks do sell out, so get there early!
Tent Camping
Personally, the tent camping didn’t look too appealing. I can only imagine how hot it gets in the morning with the humidity in this area. If you have your own tent then it could be a cheaper option.
It costs $40,000 Cop to rent a tent and $20,000 COP to place your own.
Things to Know
Cabo San Juan, Tayrona Hike Details
You can find this info plus more reviews on Alltrails
Tips When Visiting
Tayrona is a very popular national park in Colombia and Cabo San Juan is its most popular beach. With this comes some rules.
Below are a few tips that I would suggest knowing before you go as well as a few rules.
- Bring Bug Spray
- Plastic bags are banned (plastic bottles are ok)
- Make sure you have brought enough cash
- Try the Arroz con Pollo at dinner
- Bring a grayl filter water bottle
- Try to arrive early to enjoy as much of the beach as possible
- bring a good camera for all the animals you’ll see
What Animals Will You See Inside?
This park is full of different types of animals. It’s one of the best reasons to visit this national park.
- Over 100 types of Mammals: pumas, ocelots, jaguars, and monkeys. If you’re lucky, you might get the chance to see a rare species of monkey only located in this park, the Santa Marta white-fronted capuchin
- Birds: With over 350 species of birds in the park, you won’t get bored looking for new ones.
- Marine animals: there are many different species of fish, dolphins, and some turtles!
Final Thoughts on Cabo San Juan in Tayrona National Park
It is probably pretty clear by now but you have to visit this national park. I had heard many things about it before I came and I was still blown away. It is my favorite thing I’ve done in Colombia up to this date (and probably won’t be beaten). The price for everything can seem a little much for those big-budget travelers it’s totally worth it. Hurry up and get here!
