Palomino River Tubing & Hiking Adventure
About this activity
Highlights
- Tubing adventure on Palomino River
- Guided hike through lush landscapes
- Explore indigenous Wayuu communities
- Breathtaking views of Sierra Nevada mountains
- Experience Colombia's Caribbean coast
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Tubing across Palomino River
- Guided hiking tour
- Round-trip transportation from Santa Marta
- Meals and beverages
Itinerary
If you are coming from Santa Marta, the guide will meet you at the bus stop and you’ll continue with the regular itinerary.
In this tour a guide will pick you up in a motorbike, which will be your transport for a part of the tour. Then, you will do a hike of 40 minutes across the surrounding forest of Palomino. There, the guide will give you a short lesson of flora and fauna of the area. And if you are lucky, and the sky is clear enough you’ll be able to see the two most important peaks of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta: Simon Bolivar and Colon peaks. Once ready you will take your floating tires and life jackets downstream the Palomino River. There will be a part of rapids in this route, but you will also enjoy going down the river among nature. Finally, you will get to the Palomino River mouth, the exact place where it meets the Caribbean Sea.
If the tour starts from Santa Marta, the return is at 3:30 p.m. from the bus stop, so you’ll have some time to explore Palomino on your own or enjoy the beach.
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- This tour involves moderate physical activity; participants should be in good health.
- Children under 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
- Availability may vary; check the latest schedule before booking.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable clothing and sturdy footwear suitable for water activities and hiking.
- Bring a waterproof bag for personal belongings and a change of clothes.
- Ensure you have a valid ID for registration purposes.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Good to know
- Be aware that transport of this tour will be by motorbike
- Be aware this tour is part walking and with the floating tires
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Bring comfortable shoes and water. Keep hydrating constantly and use sunscreen
- The Tour Guide will contact you the day before in case you have any questions or assist you with any requirements
- The tour from Santa Marta operates with shared transportation. Please keep in mind that you must arrive on your own at the meeting point located in Edificio Playa Blanca, Cl. 10 #9-70, Gaira at 7:15am
Traveler reviews
Be a little careful...
Great trip, no fault of the tour but the river was very murky due to recent rain falls. Very well looked after and they were just 2 of us, so it was very informative. The only reason I knocked off 1 star is because I contracted both Weils disease and Dengue Fever. Wear loads of mozzies spray, and do not walk around barefoot
Don’t miss this adventure while in Palomino or nearby areas!
We absolutely loved this tour! Everything was as described and Luis was so great and helpful every step of the way, from being responsive on Whats App helping me to figure out the transport from Tayrona ( we took the public bus to meeting point in Palomino which was super easy), to carrying my tube for me while on the moto-bike ride. Moto-bike ride was super fun, the hiking portion was also great, along with the tubing. We ended with a great lunch at the spot where the tubing ended on the Caribbean in Palomino afterwards, before our moto-bike ride back to where we had to meet the bus. This tour was the perfect mix of adventure, beauty and relaxation. Tubing down the river was beautiful, peaceful and relaxing. We brought a couple beers with us to enjoy on the river which was nice, but there was also a guy set up in the middle of the hike selling drinks and snacks that you can purchase that stuff from. Our group consisted of just us and one other couple who by the end of the day we felt like we had made new friends in both them and Luis. Luis also took some great pictures of us throughout the tour which I always appreciate. Such a great day! I highly recommend doing this exact tour with this company.
Very good time
We had a great time, attraction that is out of the ordinary and superb walk. Our guide was on top
For those who want...
For those who want to make this descent in February 2026, know that the river is higher than normal with all the rain they have received. The minimum would be to know how to swim, because there are no flotation jackets provided and the current is strong. But everything went well for our group, the small rapids were appreciated by all! Bring mosquito repellent and water, as there is a good climb to do before the river.
Great experience!!!!
Great, very relaxing experience with clean explanation from Jaïr, our tour guide. We also went with Jaïr to the Tayarona parc, where he showed us around. We recommend Jaïr as a great, wide experienced tour guide for the area!