Colombia's 'Liquid Rainbow'

By Karen Catchpole8th September 2014

During certain months of the year, Colombia’s Caño Cristales turns shades of red, blue, yellow, orange and green in a vibrant natural display that happens nowhere else on Earth.

Cano Cristales, Colombia, river, liquid rainbow

Just east of the Andes, central Colombia’s Caño Cristales is a river like no other. Reaching 100km long and sometimes called the “Liquid Rainbow”, Caño Cristales runs during certain months of the year with shades of red, blue, yellow, orange and green in a vibrant natural display that happens nowhere else on Earth. (Eric Mohl)

Cano Cristales, Colombia, La Macarena, river

Until the mid-2000s, nearby guerrilla activity rendered Caño Cristales almost completely inaccessible. But today, the Colombian military controls a 30km area around La Macarena, the dusty town that serves as the gateway to Caño Cristales, making the region open and safe for tourists. (It’s important to note: the area beyond the 30km safe zone is still designated a red zone by the Colombian government; they cannot guarantee anyone’s safety within it.) Reached by flights from either Bogotá or Villavicencio, the airport in La Macarena is so tiny, its luggage truck is pulled by a mule. Motorised boats then run from La Macarena along the Guayabero River, where bright red macaws and shiny, rust-coloured howler monkeys live along the banks. Letting travellers off at one of three different hiking trails, the rest of the journey to Caño Cristales is on foot. Tour companies are required; [Eco Turismo Macarena](http://www.ecoturismomacarena.com/) is locally owned and one of the most experienced. (Filippo Manaresi/Getty)

Caño Cristales, Colombia, macarenia clavigera, river

Some people mistakenly think Caño Cristales’ colour comes from algae or moss. The real culprit, however, is a picky endemic aquatic plant called macarenia clavigera, which requires precise conditions, including just the right water level and just the right amount of sunlight, to take on its bright hues. Colours can only be seen from June to December; from January to May – the dry season – Caño Cristales is closed to travellers to give the area’s ecology a break. The rivers can also stop running altogether, forcing the macarenia clavigera plants into colourless hibernation. (Eric Mohl)

macarenia clavigera, Colombia, Caño Cristales, river, colours

Though shades of red – from pale pink to hot pink, blood red to maroon – are most common, the macarenia clavigera plant turns bright green in shaded areas. It has been seen in blue, yellow and orange as well. (Eric Mohl)

Caño Cristales, Colombia, Piscina Carol, liquid rainbow

Caño Cristales may be new to travellers, but the area’s residents have known about the river and its colours for generations. Many landmarks in and around the liquid rainbow have been named by locals, including Piscina Carol (Carol’s Pool, pictured), which got its name after a man heard that childbirth was less painful in water and urged his wife to give birth to their daughter Carol in a calm, protected pool downstream from the waterfall pictured. (Eric Mohl)

Colombia, Cano Cristales, river, macarenia clavigera

The early days of Caño Cristales tourism were largely unregulated, but locals soon realized that litter from riverside picnics and other examples of human impact were threatening the macarenia clavigera, which is as delicate as lace. It wasn’t uncommon to see visitors drinking alcohol on the riverbank and swimming where they pleased, even if it meant walking over the plants. Now, environmental protection rules are firmly enforced, including mandatory guides, groups of no more than seven people, a cap of 200 people per day to the area, a complete ban on wearing sunscreen or insect repellent when visiting the river and limited areas where swimming is allowed. (Eric Mohl)

Caño Cristales. Los Llanos, Colombia

Surrounding Caño Cristales is Los Llanos, a plain that measures some 16 million hectares and accounts for about a quarter of Colombia’s total land mass. Ranging in shades of green from jade to lime, Los Llanos is home to some of the richest tropical grasslands in the world. Llaneros (Colombian cowboys) roam the range along with imposing birds of prey, large groups of capybara and anacondas – clocking in at more than 250kg and 10m long. The [Nature Conservancy](http://www.nature.org/), which is lobbying for the creation of a 255sqkm protected area in Los Llanos, estimates that these grasslands are also home to the largest number of critically endangered reptiles on Earth. (Eric Mohl)

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