Distance 185 km (115.6 miles) | |
Price range US$224-US$455 | |
Ride Duration Range 4h 45m-5h | |
Earliest Departure 15:00 | |
Latest Departure 23:00 | |
Most Popular Operator |
Find up-to-date information on departure times, schedules, and prices so you can easily compare and book your tickets.
Fastest minivan: 4h 45m
Cheapest minivan: US$296
For the 250km (155 mile) journey from Cartagena to Tayrona National Park (or Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona if your Spanish is good), you only have one option - a twice-a-day tourist minivan. A simple journey over well-maintained roads, it’s the best and only way to reach Tayrona National Park, and serves as an excellent gateway to all of Tayrona National Park’s action and adventure.
An attractive but largely unspectacular ride, traveling to Tayrona National Park from Cartagena allows you to experience two contrasting sides of traveling in Colombia.
While quaint Cartagena has towering churches, cobbled lanes and some of the finest colonial buildings in Colombia, Tayrona National Park offers some of the nation’s best outdoor adventures. From lagoons to rainforests to shoreline hikes, it’s the perfect antidote to city life - and by traveling from Cartagena to Tayrona National Park, you get to experience both.
Possibly the best national park in Colombia, Tayrona National Park is unbelievably diverse. Not many regions manage to pack in the fun of both sandy beaches and lush rainforests, but Tayrona National Park does exactly that. And it does it beautifully. From snorkeling and incredible coral to both flat and lofty hikes, it covers all bases for adventure travelers.
The park also has great archaeological sites, which are an excellent insight into the pre-hispanic indigenous populations of Colombia. And for nature lovers, the park is home to an endless host of exotic animals, including monkeys, reptiles, bats and fish.
After you’ve hiked, swam and snorkelled yourself into exhaustion, the park is also home to lots of cute towns and villages, which are perfect for grabbing some food.
Getting to Tayrona National Park from Cartagena is very easy, very affordable and very simple. And because there’s only one way to do it, you don’t have to mull over the different options available to you. You simply jump in your minivan and make your way to one of Colombia’s most incredible natural areas.
The journey from Cartagena to Tayrona National Park takes you north east, and largely along roads which hug Colombia’s western coast. Though the views aren’t spectacular, they’re pretty varied, and they of course get more interesting and exciting as the road winds its way to your verdant destination.
The entire journey is on well-maintained roads, so you won’t experience the juddering potholes or churning stomachs which many other South American journeys consist of.
On the first part of your minivan ride from Cartagena to Tayrona National Park, you’ll be riding on the road from Cartagena to Barranquilla, one of the largest cities in the country. The least interesting part of the ride, you’ll see glimpses of the shore to your left as you drive onward through the tree-lined roads.
After reaching - and passing beyond - Barranquilla, your trip becomes more scenic, as your minivan rides on the small strip of land which runs right through the Caribbean sea. To both sides of the minivan are vast stretches of water. While this water is sometimes in view, it’s at other points obscured, replaced by the humble and wholesome settlements, cafes and restaurants which line the road.
As you reach Tayrona National Park from Cartagena, you’ll be greeted by palm trees, lush greenery and distant foothills. You’re dropped right at the entrance to the national park, so you can check in to your accommodation and get exploring right away.
Taking a minivan
For lots of popular, well-touristed journeys through South America, you have several options for how to make your way from one place to another.
But for the journey to Tayrona National Park from Cartagena, your only choice is to ride a minivan. While this would be an inconvenience were the journey subpar, the minivan from Cartagena to Tayrona National Park is very comfortable and convenient, so it’s a great way to make the trip.
The Tourist Minivan from Cartagena to Tayrona National Park has AC and comfortable seats, and offers hotel pick up (if your hotel is in the El Cabrero neighborhood). Though there aren’t any toilets on board the minivan from Cartagena to Tayrona National Park, the van makes stops for toilet breaks - and food breaks - along the way.
The minivan to Tayrona National Park from Cartagena is a great place for meeting travel buddies as you journey towards the park, perfect for finding other intrepid travelers to share your outdoor adventures with.
By using our simple checklist, you can ensure that you optimise your decision to travel in the most environmentally sound way when traveling by bus.
5 brilliant ways to turn your mobile into the best travel buddy ever… especially if you`re traveling alone and start to feel a bit lonely.
Although you may be starting your holiday on your own, you`ll likely end up spending your entire holiday with others.
Bookaway.com makes it simple and easy to find, compare, and buy city-to-city tickets via bus, train, ferry, and more. We support over 13 languages and 23 currencies worldwide, and we believe that everyone should easily be able to find and purchase what they are looking for. We don’t just want to help you get where you want to go - we want you to enjoy the ride.
