The Caribbean region is mostly lowland plains extending from the northern reaches of the Colombian Andes to the Caribbean Sea that are characterized by a variety of ecosystems including: humid forests, dry forests, savannas, wetlands and desert. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta rise from the plains to snow-capped peaks, separated from the Andes as an isolated area of high biodiversity and endemism. It contains one of the largest marshes in Colombia, the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta. The main river is the Magdalena which is fully navigable in the region and a major path for the flow of shipments to and from inland Colombia.
Caribbean
Ecosystems
Cloud forest, Tropical rainforest, Moorlands, Dry forest, Mangroves, as well as Swamps and low-lying wetlands.
Climate
Mostly warm. Low temperatures in the highlands. Possible raining.
Altitude
0 – 3700 MSL
Experience
Indigenous communities, Landscape, Festivals, Gastronomy
Representative Birds
Routes
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
is an isolated mountain range in northern Colombia. Reaching an elevation of 5,700 m (18,700 ft) just 42 km (26 mi) from the Caribbean coast, the Sierra Nevada is the highest coastal range in the tropics, and one of the highest coastal ranges in the world
Of Colombia’s 87 endemic species, 19 are found in the park, for example seven species of endemic hummingbirds. The area is home to 440 species of birds,including black-fronted wood-quail, Santa Marta warbler and Santa Marta parakeet.
Serranía del Perijá
The Serranía del Perijá, Cordillera de Perijá or Sierra de Perijá is a mountain range, an extension of the eastern Andean branch, in northern South America
Birds may include parrot species such as the endangered Painted parraquet. An endangered bird species found in the park is the Perija metaltail hummingbird. It is also the habitat for another hummingbird, Coeligena consita, an endemic species of the Sierra de Perijá found on its southern slopes. A newly discovered species of tapaculo found in the park is the Perijá tapaculo which was first described in 2015.
The Guajira Peninsula
The Guajira Peninsula is a peninsula in northern Colombia.
Los Flamencos Sanctuary has been a designated wildlife sanctuary since 1977. Its main attraction is the American flamingoes, Many other shore and water birds can be found in the sanctuary such as roseate spoonbills, great egrets, laughing gulls and many others. The surrounding xerophytic scrub habitat is also home to many endemic birds such as buffy hummingbird, white-whiskered spinetail, Tocuyo sparrow, and vermilion cardinal
Experiences
Yonna
Traditional Wayuu music is closely tied to economy and social life. La Yonna is a traditional dance used to honor guests.
Wayuu artisan
Weaving and crocheting make up a large part of their daily life, especially for women. Most of the women presently weave or will do it at some point through their lives.
Landscapes
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
Cabo de la Vela
Cerro Pintado (Perija)
Los Flamencos Sanctuary
Festivals
February
Barranquilla’s Carnival
The Barranquilla’s Carnival, held in the first quarter of every year, a few days before Ash Wednesday, is the best party in Colombia. The pre-carnival starts in mid-January with a series of street celebrations including dances, processions, and parades. The festivities attract about 500 folk groups, international artists, and just about everyone in Barranquilla.
Barranquilla/Atlantico
April/May
Vallenato Legend Festival
The Vallenato Legend Festival is a folk festival in Valledupar that has brought together the greatest composers and interpreters of the vallenato musical genre since 1968. The main event of the contest is a competition between male and female accordion players of all ages to be recognized as King and Queen. This award denotes the best exponents of this folklore.
Vallenato is a Colombian music genre that represents the folklore of the Colombian Caribbean Coast. Its popularity reaches far beyond national territory, even reaching as far as countries like Panama, Ecuador, and Mexico. One of the most prominent characteristics of the vallenato is that it is played with three instruments that do not need any kind of amplification: the snare drum and the guacharaca on the percussion side, and the accordion which plays the melody.
Valledupar/Cesar
Photo gallery
Continue your journey through Colombia
From cloud forests to volcanoes. Coffee, hummingbirds and heritage towns.
The wild Chocó: where the jungle meets the ocean, and birds meet music.
Orinoco Region
Vast plains, hidden waterfalls, and the rhythm of the llanos.
Rainforest, rivers, malokas and birds of ancestral origin.