A river that turns red. From the end of July to November the bed of this stream in the Serranía de la Macarena runs yellow, green, blue, black and above all a deep red, and the red is a plant: Rhyncholacis clavigera, which grips bare rock where the current runs fastest and shifts from green when young through yellow to red. It needs exactly the right water depth and sunlight, which is why the window is narrow and why the river is ordinary the rest of the year. The region was effectively closed by Colombia’s conflict for decades and only opened to visitors again recently, taking over 16,000 in 2016. Go with a licensed guide, in season, and expect rules about sunscreen and where you may swim, because the whole spectacle is a fragile plant holding onto stone. Meta Department.
Serranía de la Macarena, Colombia
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