Tayrona National Park (Sierra Nevada, Colombia)

Tayrona National Park is a vast protected area in the Sierra Nevada foothills by the Caribbean Sea. The park is exceptionally biodiverse; it is home to 400 species of birds, 60 species of mammals, and countless reptiles and amphibians. There is something in the park for everyone. For me, it was the hikes and Playa Brava beach.

There are two entrances to the park: El Zaino and Calabazo. Based on the type of visitor and the time of the year, the entrance fee is different. There is also a 5,000 COP (approx. USD 1.5) per day fee for the mandatory park medical insurance.

Want to know how my two nights in the park went? Read on.

Once I cleared the El Zaino entrance, I walked for about 2 hours until I finally arrived at the famous Cabo San Juan beach. Being unavailable to find the trail to Playa Brava, my intended destination, I asked a park ranger for directions.

He looked at me inquisitively and responded, "TODAY?!"

Playa Brava was at least 3.5 hours away, up a steep mountain before the descent to the beach. Given the time, crowd-phobic me had to spend the night at Cabo San Juan.

My choice was between a pre-erected tent for 40,000 COP (approx. USD 11.51) or one of the 50 hammocks located in a wooden structure overlooking the ocean for 50,000 COP (approx. USD 14.4). The private sheds, priced at 200,000 COP (approx. USD 57.3), were all booked.

Photo credit: Shutterstock Fotos593

Once I paid for my tent, I walked for about 15 minutes to the almost desolate Nude Beach to escape the crowd. Of the ten people on the beach, only two were in the buff. The public-nudity-shy me was not alone – phew!

I returned to my tent at sunset, had a terrible night's sleep, woke up the next morning, and then accidentally ripped my one-month-old nose ring out of my nose. It. Was. Painful!

The trip was not going as planned nor as I wanted. But I continued to on, and I am glad I did.

Playa Brave was a peaceful, uncrowded, and serene beach. I stayed at Playa Brava Teymakke hotel in a private beach hut. My time at the beach was what I needed after trekking to the Lost City in the Sierra Nevada and climbing the steep mountain to Playa Brava. The next morning I hiked out of the park through the Calabazo exit.

Would I go again? I am not sure. I did not experience any "wow" moments. I did have an 'ow' moment, though! RIP nose ring!

Cover photo credit: Shuttertock, Diego Grandi

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