Tubing Across Palomino River Including a Hiking Tour
Description
Between Santa Marta and La Guajira, there is a place that boasts nature and adventure. And we want you to know it. Come with us to Palomino. Take a motorbike. Hike across the forest and enjoy a walk by the song of birds. Gaze at the views of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta’s surroundings. And then take your tires downstream the Palomino River and enjoy the rapids until you get to the point where it meets the Caribbean and take the motorbike back to Palomino. A perfect mix between adventure and deep chill connection with nature. - A short hike among nature - Tubing downstream the Palomino River by the rapids - Getting to meet the place where Palomino river meets the Caribbean Sea - A trip by motorbike across Palomino
Tour Options
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.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We pick-up our clients anywhere within Palomino city - hotels, hostels, vacation rentals and points of interest.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- 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
Reviews(17)
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
Thank you for your detailed and honest review. We're glad to hear you enjoyed the trip overall and felt well taken care of, especially with the more personalized experience. We’re sorry to hear about your health issues following the tour—that must have been very difficult. We truly appreciate you sharing this important advice for future travelers. Your feedback is very valuable, and we hope to have the opportunity to provide you with another, much smoother experience in the future.
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.
Thank you for your amazing and detailed review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a memorable experience and that everything—from the coordination and transport to the adventure activities—went smoothly. It’s wonderful to know Luis made such a positive impact with his helpfulness, great attitude, and attention to detail throughout the day. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back to Colombia with Gran Colombia Tours for another unforgettable experience soon!
We had a great time, attraction that is out of the ordinary and superb walk. Our guide was on top
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're delighted you enjoyed such a unique activity and a beautiful walk. It’s wonderful to hear the guide made it even more special. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back to Colombia with Gran Colombia Tours soon!
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.
Thank you for sharing your experience and these very helpful recommendations! We truly appreciate you highlighting the river conditions and the importance of being prepared, especially regarding swimming ability and what to bring. Your advice will certainly help future travelers have a safer and more enjoyable experience. Thank you again for your valuable feedback, and we hope to welcome you back to Colombia with Gran Colombia Tours!
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!
Thank you for your kind review! We're glad you enjoyed such a relaxing and well-explained experience, and that your time in Tayrona felt so special. It’s wonderful to hear Jaïr’s experience and guidance made a great impression. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back to Colombia with Gran Colombia Tours soon!
Superb family activity. Getting there by motorbike from our hotel pick-up is an activity in itself. A short walk along the path to get to the river (we sweat big drops) and then let yourself drift on the river through the mountains and its breathtaking landscapes. Arrival is by the sea where you can enjoy a delicious meal at the restaurant on the beach. Many thanks to our guide Super Mario for his dynamism and all his explanations about the fauna, flora and local customs.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear that you and your family enjoyed such an adventurous experience. It’s great to know that Mario made the day even more special with his energy and explanations about the local fauna, flora, and traditions. Thank you for choosing Gran Colombia Tours. We hope to welcome you back again soon!
Our tubing guide, David, was wonderful. Kind, careful and fun. The tubing bit was peaceful and relaxing. A few words of advice: it's a long day out (7am - 5.30pm) and having a Spanish speaker in your group would be helpful. An email with practical advice on what to bring, what to wear, schedule etc would have been appreciated. We were quite confused at times as to what was going on! Also be warned, the trip involves mototaxis which are exhilarating but not for the nervous traveller! Overall a great day out!
Thank you for your detailed feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed the experience and that David made the day so special. We have taken your comments into account and have already made some adjustments to improve communication and provide clearer pre-trip information, helping future travelers feel more prepared and comfortable. Your feedback is very valuable as we continue enhancing our experiences.
Our guide arranged for the pick-up from our hotel, a jeep brought us as far as possible and then we walked for 25 mn in the forest before reaching the river. We then went down the river for 2 hours. Our guide, Davide, was very friendly and indicated spots where kids could jump off and swim. The river is very safe and it was a very peaceful experience.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience! We're so happy to hear that you enjoyed your river adventure with David as your guide. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you again in Colombia with Gran Colombia Tours
Very nice setting: sole for walk as for tubing. Very sympathetic guide, David, who helped us when needed. Think about bringing water☺️
Thank you for your lovely review! We’re glad you enjoyed the beautiful setting for both the hike and tubing, and that David’s assistance made the experience even better. We truly appreciate you choosing Gran Colombia Tours and hope to welcome you again in Colombia!
I really enjoyed this relaxing tour. I want to highlight the excellent service and willingness to help you at all times. 100% recommend the agency. Fernando M. (Mza. ARG)
Thank you for your kind words! We're delighted you enjoyed the tour and appreciated the attentive service from our team. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we hope to welcome you again on another experience soon!
