Cartagena to Tayrona National Park

What to expect when visiting Tayrona

Tayrona National Park is a magical paradise on Colombia’s north coast. With lush jungles and breathtaking beaches, it is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. Its beauty is unparalleled in Colombia, some would say even in Latin America.

Despite the number of tourists visiting Tayrona, many areas remain off-limits, and the park is able to maintain its untouched glory. But don’t worry, there’s still a huge part of it you can explore while hiking, diving, snorkelling and camping. Tayrona National Park is an adventurer’s dream!

Access points

Tayrona National Park covers 225 km² and has many access points. Most visitors enter via El Zaino or Calabazo, since they are relatively easy to reach from other major destinations in Colombia.

Given its proximity to Santa Marta, most visitors chose to hop on a bus from here, but many travellers also go straight to the park from Barranquilla. Instead of spending the night in Santa Marta, you overnight in one of the most unique places to stay in Colombia in or near Tayrona Park. A guaranteed unforgettable stay.

When is Tayrona National Park closed?

It’s important to know that Tayrona National Park is closed for a proportion of February, June and October every year.

The indigenous communities living in Tayrona request this so that they can physically and spiritually clean the area, allowing the plants and wildlife to return.

In 2024, Tayrona National Park will be closed on:

• 1-15 February
• 1-15 June
• 19 October – 2 November

The last time we checked, the same closure schedule applies for the year 2024. However, these dates can still vary slightly every year, so make sure to check out Parque Tayrona for the latest information.

Entrance into Tayrona

A ticket for Tayrona can be bought with either cash or card (card is accepted only at El Zaino and Calabazo). The price for foreigners during the low season is 74,000 COP (€15.80) or 87,000 COP (€18.70) in the high season – December to January, during the Easter holiday and mid-June to July.

Also consider that insurance is mandatory, which is sold at the park entrance, for 6,000 COP (€1.30) per day. This has to be paid in cash.

Looking for more info about Tayrona National Park and the different entrances? Check out this route post from Santa Marta to Tayrona where we go into more detail.

TIP: Before you make your way from Cartagena to Tayrona National Park, we highly recommend taking a boat from Cartagena to Isla Grande. On this paradise island, you find some gorgeous white-sand beaches with turquoise water. It’s the perfect getaway from the city live in Cartagena.

3 ways to get from Cartagena to Tayrona

There are 3 ways to travel the distance of 240 kilometers (149 miles) from Cartagena to Tayrona by bus (3 hours 45 minutes to 5 hours 15 minutes), minivan (4 hours to 5 hours 30 minutes) and private Transport (3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours 40 minutes). The journey duration ranges between 3 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours 30 minutes and the quickest way is by private transport. The lowest priced tickets start from €10.30 for the bus.

Cartagena to Tayrona by Bus

Duration: 3h 45m - 5h 15m

Costs: €10.30

Duration: 3h 45m - 5h 15m

Costs: €10.30

You’ll first need to head to Cartagena’s bus terminal, found outside the city and catch the daily bus from Cartagena to Riohacha, asking the driver to stop at Tayrona’s entrance.

If you miss the previous option, you can easily take a bus to Santa Marta which runs more frequently, and from the bus terminal there find another bus that heads to Palomino or Riohacha and ask the driver to stop at the park entrance.

You can find out more about the bus from Santa Marta to Tayrona here.

Cartagena to Tayrona National Park by Taxi

Since the trip can be made with a cheaper shared minivan, not many people take taxis, but depending on season and operator, you can expect to pay from 550,000 COP (€120) to 730,000 COP (€155).

Getting around inside Tayrona

Once inside the park, getting around is mainly done by walking, but horse riding and a small bus exist at the El Zaino entrance. We recommend taking the bus because it skips 30-minutes of walking along a road, and it takes you straight to the start of the trail – that’s where the fun begins.

The bus from El Zaino to the Cañaveral area, a 10-minute ride, will cost 5,000 COP (€1.10).

Bus schedules from Cartagena to Santa Marta

Cartagena to Tayrona by Minivan

Duration: 4h - 5h 30m

Costs: €18.40

Duration: 4h - 5h 30m

Costs: €18.40

From Cartagena to Tayrona, minivans take 4 hours to 5 hours 30 minutes depending on traffic and stops along the way. Travelers prefer this option because the agency provides door-to-door service.

Tickets for Marsol Transportes, the company who run the minivans, can be booked online or via WhatsApp (+57 3197601810).

We recommend avoiding the minivan that stops in Barranquilla, as this will add time onto your journey.

Minivan schedules from Cartagena to Tayrona National Park

Cartagena to Tayrona by Private Transport

Duration: 3h 30m - 4h 40m

Costs: €185

Duration: 3h 30m - 4h 40m

Costs: €185

A private transfer is a convenient option when travelling in a group from Cartagena to Tayrona.

Rates start from €185 for a 2-seater private transfer. Divide the cost and that’s just about €93 per person. Travel time is around 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours 40 minutes.

Private Transport options from Cartagena to Tayrona National Park