Tranquilandia

The colour comes from Macarenia clavigera, an aquatic plant that grows attached to rock in clear fast shallow water and turns deep red when it gets the right combination of sunlight and water depth - too much water and it stays green, too little and it dries out, so the display appears for a few months and then goes. It is the same species and the same phenomenon as Cano Cristales in the Macarena, which is far better known and far more visited; Tranquilandia is smaller, closer to San Jose del Guaviare and gets a fraction of the traffic. Access is with community guides. The plant is fragile and rules about where to walk, sunscreen and insect repellent are strict, since chemicals in the water kill it.

What you actually see

• Red aquatic plants in shallow channels - Macarenia clavigera in season.
• A few months of colour - dependent on water level and light.
• The same species as Cano Cristales - with a fraction of the visitors.
• Strict rules on repellent and sunscreen - chemicals kill the plant.

When to go

July to November for the colour. Half a day.

Honest expectations

Outside the season the channels are green or brown and the trip is pointless. Sunscreen and repellent are prohibited in the water. Guides are required. The track in is rough.

Nearby

San Jose del Guaviare is the base; Cano Cristales is west in the Macarena.