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Cano Cristales – the world’s most colourful river

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
February 24, 2010 - Updated on December 13, 2023
in Features, Geography, Great Pics
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Caño Cristales is a river located in Northern Columbia, with a length of almost 100 km and a width of under 20 meters. If you look at it, you’d be tempted to think this is some sort of illusion or photographic trick, but you’d be wrong.

Photo by Mario Carvajal.
Photo by Mario Carvajal.

It’s quite remote, and you can get there only by foot, horses and donkeys, but that doesn’t stop tourists from flooding in. There were so many of them that visiting it was actually forbidden for several years. Now it’s open, but within reasonable limits. The river is a rainbow of colors, changing from corner to corner.

Photo by Mario Carvajal.
Photo by Mario Carvajal.
Photo by Mario Carvajal.
Photo by Mario Carvajal.

The hard rocks which make most of the bottom of the river are covered with moss, which most of the year have a dull green or brown colour. In the rainy season the water is too deep for the colours to bloom, and in the dry season there’s just not enough water to support all the moss.

Photo by Mario Carvajal.
Photo by Mario Carvajal.
Photo by Mario Carvajal.
Photo by Mario Carvajal.

However, there is a window during these seasons when the water level is just right, and the dazzling display of colours appears to delight the eye.

Uno de los lugares más hermosos de Caño Cristales es el sector conocido como Los Ochos, donde se encuentran formaciones rocosas de gran belleza, llamadas Marmitas de Gigante — Licencia Creative Commons Reconocimiento 4.0 Internacional. Algunos derechos reservados, 2014 por Fotur / Fotografía: Mario Carvajal (http://www.mariocarvajal.com). Usted puede usar esta foto gratuitamente según la licencia establecida en Fotur (http://www.fotur.org), haciendo el v'inculo hacia www.cano-cristales.com
Photo by Mario Carvajal.
Photo by Mario Carvajal.
Photo by Mario Carvajal.
Tags: cano cristalescoloredcolumbiageographyriversouth americatourism

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Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

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