Don Diego River - Santa Marta

Santa Marta isn’t only sun, beach and history. There’s also an entire chapter dedicated to nature. An alternate plan, that involves a tropical jungle, a stretch of sweet water that spills into the Caribbean sea are waiting for you.

Don Diego is a river – its beauty and adventure bump it to the honor of being The King of the Santa Marta Rivers. Flowing directly from the heart of the Sierra, it’s born as a timid strip of silver that, on its way down the mountain, starts to pick up tributaries and rivers until it reaches the Caribbean, earning the title of “Don.”

His arm is adorned by thick and majestic displays of tropical jungles that seem like they’re embracing the crystalline river. The river opens, and small shores of golden sand replicate the beauty of the beaches by the sea, where Don Diego’s route ends.

Because Don Diego merges with the Caribbean Sea in this marvelous natural trip, you can navigate his waters to share in the journey. Rent a kayak and descend down this jungle-hugged river with stretches of calm that build momentum into moments of dramatic currents only to lull into a peaceful calm again. It’s a roller coaster of adventure of incomparable beauty.

Now, imagine this same descent on an inflatable raft. Tubing is an adventure like no other, as you sit, drifting down the river amidst howling monkeys who shake tree branches; pelicans that dive into the waters to fish; hundreds of birds and the cacophony of the stories they tell; colorful butterflies that look like dancing flowers; unforgettable details and moments to enjoy while lazing down the river.

It would be a shame to go to Santa Marta and not experience the adventure of Don Diego. In fact, the river is located between two must-do plans: the city of Santa Marta and the celebrated Tayrona National Park. It’s 58 km to the North East of Santa Marta and 5 km to the East of Tayrona Park. Check out our section about Taironaka and enjoy Don Diego with a combined plan of river and archeology.

A final note: Don Diego was one of the locations chosen to film The Mission – a historical movie filmed in 1986 starring Jeremy Irons and Robert de Niro. So, now you have the chance to experience this location not only in cinema, but also in real life!