South America
Colombia
Valle del Cauca Department
San Cipriano
Places to visit in San Cipriano
Reserva Natural San Cipriano
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Reserva Natural San Cipriano

See all things to do
See all things to do
Reserva Natural San Cipriano
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
95 reviews
Excellent
53
Very good
24
Average
9
Poor
3
Terrible
6
Shannan S
3 contributions
Beautiful
Jul 2022 • Couples
One of the best excursions I've ever been on. If you love nature and don't mind ALOT walking this is the adventure for you. Everyone was so nice and inviting.
Written 3 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dawszein
1 contribution
beautiful scenery, mixed feelings about service and trustworthiness of San Cipriots :(
Aug 2022
The nature we encountered was super lovely. The water was clean, and there were well-shaded areas due to the cliffs and vegetation around some of the natural pools in the river. Floating the river was very fun. We liked the fried fish at Hotel Restaurante David, a restaurant with two stories that is opposite a hotel whose name includes the word "Posada". The restaurant was on the right side of the road as we walked from the entrance to the natural reserve toward the natural pools. Still it was not a spectacularly delicious meal, so maybe it would be worthwhile to bring a picnic and eat next to Pozo los Avalos, which is a short walk from the town. The transport from Cordoba to San Cipriano and back on motorcycles jury-rigged to train tracks was thrilling and beautiful.

Be careful not to link yourself to a guide before exploring the lovely natural pools that are accessible without the help of a guide Some guides will try to charge you for accompaniment to places that are safe and easy to arrive at without assistance. A guide will be necessary to arrive at the larger waterfall. We felt our guide was dishonest and not very forthcoming with information about the tour. After the tour, the guide tried to charge us for having stored our bags, even though it was implied that storage was included in the price of the tour.
Written 21 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
904agnesc
Zoutleeuw, Belgium327 contributions
Good birding
Jan 2022
There is only 1 road/path that goes through the reserva. Mid mornings and mid afternoons it tends to get a bit busy on weekends as a lot of people come for tubing.
Written 27 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
turps66
Buga, Colombia152 contributions
Unique experience
Sep 2019 • Couples
San Cipriano is definitely off the beaten track but if you enjoy natural settings and a small insight into the lives of local people, you will love it!
We parked our car in Córdoba, 13000 pesos all day in parqueadero with sun shades. Then we walked towards the railway line and bought our return tickets (6000 pesos per person) to ride the incredible local transport system - the brujitas (translates as little witches). These ingenious machines are perfectly safe and a thrilling way to travel! They are small wooden platforms with seats powered by a motorbike using the disused train tracks.
On arrival in San Cipriano you are struck by the poverty of the families living there but life is stress free and children seem happy. Our guide was 12 years old and proved to be excellent! After walking through the village we reached the national park entrance and paid a small fee to enter - our local guide entered free of charge. We were taken to the best hotel/restaurant/pool (called Zully) in the area but don’t expect 4 star luxury!!! The welcome was warm and we left all our belongings in their safe hands before heading off to the river with our guide and a large inflatable inner tube! The pool we were taken to was large and very deep in places. Weaker swimmers and young children would be best equipped with a life jacket. The river here here flows slowly and the water is incredibly clear! Even in the deepest parts about 10 metres deep, you can see the river bed from the surface. The water is cool and refreshing but we swam for about 90 minutes without getting cold. For the adventurous there are a range is safe places to jump or dive into the deep waters from differing heights. Our guide climbed a tree to jump from even higher!
As lunch approached we headed downstream using the inflatable and letting the river carry us! It started slowly and peacefully but picked up pace in the areas of mini rapids! Was great fun. Lunch was tasty especially the fish soup starter! The pool was a typical home made design fed by river water. We had a fab day and would definitely go back for longer to explore the park more.
Written 6 September 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jlcaldwell507
29 contributions
Beautiful
Nov 2018 • Couples
What an adventure San Cipriano has to offer. From start to finish is a wild ride. Disconnect and enjoy nature waterfalls and the river. A very small town atmosphere and the people are very friendly.
Written 15 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kai O
San Antonio, TX4 contributions
Understand the risks or don't take the trip
Aug 2018 • Family
My extended family visited San Cipriano today. We've rented buses for outings before, so I was laissez faire with the details of the trip. There were 40 of us ranging from a year old to over 80 years old.

The poor rating is due to the abject disregard for safety. The lunch at Restaurante Lucia saved the reserva from a one star rating. Service was excellent, and the meal was hearty.

As for the reserve, the river is nothing special. My family frequently visits the Guadalupe and Comal rivers in Texas and they are cleaner and have nicer "beaches."

Basically I experienced the visit as series of uncoordinated events led by people with no organization or communication whatsoever. I never had anyone employee or volunteer introduce himself, provide a map, or generally share what we were doing or where we were going. The result was a haphazard adventure that luckily ended without a serious incident.

Here were the near misses: a pregnant family member slipped on a muddy slope and fell on her side. The baby seems ok but it could have been serious.

We waited over an hour and a half for the brujitas to pick us up. When we did depart the were torrential rains. The group in front of us had their brujita partially derail. Later on the return trip it ran out of gas. All told we spent nearly an hour on the tracks and in the rain.

My suggestion for anyone considering a day trip to San Cipriano is this: prepare for chaos and accept that the trip is dangerous. Bring hiking gear, a first aid kit, and even if you get laughed at, consider bike or motorcycle helmets. The brujitas go fast, maybe 30 miles per hour. They have sketchy seats with no belts and nothing to hold on to.

If I'd known the risks before going, I would have not brought my three and six year old children. No one at the reserve seems to be concerned with safety, but you should be!
Written 21 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Claudia M
Dallas, TX168 contributions
A Hidden Gem
Jun 2018 • Family
If you are a lover of nature without much human intervention, this is a place that you will love.

I loved this place for the following reasons:

1. The natives of the area are very clean. The place is immaculate and the community really takes pride in maintaining the place. Their clothes are clean, their houses are clean and the overall environment is just clean.

2. Have a day living with the natives. People live in houses made out of wood. Some houses are made of concrete. It is beautiful to see how people live in such simplicity and in contact with nature.

3. Brujitas. The motorcycle powered wooden vehicle over the rail road made by the locals is cool!! The brujita ride for almost 30 minutes is perhaps one of the most rewarding parts of this trip. This trip through the humid jungle while being able to observe rivers, the beautiful sound of the monkeys and birds while enjoying the houses, it is just mesmerizing. I went with my 7 and 10 year old and they loved the brujita ride.

4. The water. This river is a wonder of emerald colors. This river is one of the most beautiful rivers that I have seen in my life. I recommend you avoid the weekends or long holidays, if you can. During the week, very few people are there so the locals would do anything to please you. This place during week time is perfect for photography and meditation or relaxation.

5. The ride there is also an experience. Beautiful jungle and lots of warnings for wild animals crossing.

I feel that a day trip is not really enough to understand this place. I think the best duration would be minimum an overnight stay since the rain forest really has a lot of rain. Due to the changing weather is better to have more time instead of rushing. If I was to go back again, which I would, i would take a camping tent and spend the night with my own equipment.

Surprisingly enough, I did not see many mosquitoes. However, take a lot of repellent. Take clothes that are light weight or water proof so when it rains, you can get dry quickly. Also, take very comfortable shoes since there are a lot of stones and the walks are very long.

Regarding the safety of the place. I was a little afraid but it was reassuring to find a very large group of soldiers camping nearby. I asked them about the safety of the place and they told me that it was safe. Always check with police to find out if things are safe in the area. The locals within the park are very fair and did not look pushy or trying to abuse your wallet. Very relaxed experience and very inexpensive trip.
Written 16 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SPurcy
9 contributions
Great Day
Feb 2018 • Friends
This is a great day trip from Cali. I went with Valley Adventours in a small group and we really enjoyed it. The railway ride is so fun - sat on a little wooden benched, powered by a motorbike. The little village is interesting and the curried fish is really fresh. Tubing was my favourite part, so relaxing surrounded by beautiful scenery.
Written 5 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rapha_y_nici
Zurich, Switzerland5,972 contributions
Special experience
Aug 2017 • Couples
From Cali Terminal we took a bus direction Buenaventura but jumped off in Cordoba (after about 2h15min). Bus ticket was 23'000cop.
There some guys will bring you to the Brujitas (transportation on rails). This transportation takes about 15-20 minutes and is the highlight of the trip. We payed 10'000cop pp per way, but this was a bit too much so you can discuss about it. After that you're in San Cipriano itself.
The people overthere are nice and the accommodation is basic. You can walk through the village and reach after 30 and 45 mins places where you can enter the clear river what can be very refreshing while it can be humid and hot in this environment. Tubing also possible, several places in the village to rent inner tires.
Overall it's worth a visit. It feels quiet remote what makes it special and infrastructure is basic but that's what makes it charming as well. Meals they offered (ceviche colombiano and rice with camarons) were delicious!
We stayed a night to be closer to Buenaventura the next morning since it seems to be easier to get a boat to Juanchaco before noon. The bus ride from Cordoba to B/ventura took about 45mins (3000cop pp). So we were not in a hurry.

San Cipriano was a good experience and worth it as well to support a bit the community. It can be done as a tour but we thought it was not a big problem to do it individually.
Written 5 September 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Debra B
Vancouver, WA37 contributions
Awesome experience
Feb 2017 • Family
Hard to describe the ride down the tracks but or definately something you should experience. The town, obviously neglected by the powers that be, has found a niche that is very exciting and unique. We rode into town then had a guide take us to a swimming hole with a rope swing that my kids loved. We also hiked about 40 minutes through the jungle to a beautiful waterfall. Then we took inner tubes down the river. The water could have been higher but we all had an incredible time and supporting this community was well worth it. Very friendly locals. We will definitely come back next time we visit Colombia. Our guide was awesome! A young man named Johan.
Written 21 February 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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