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The Tatacoa Desert, or Desierto de la Tatacoa, is a hidden gem in Colombia’s Huila department that promises an adventure for those willing to stray from conventional tourist paths. This remarkable destination is more than just a desert; it’s a unique experience, and, for now, still away from the well-known Gringo Trail. This post will guide you through everything you need to know to plan your visit: how to reach the Tatacoa Desert, where to stay, and the top activities to participate in!
Tatacoa Desert near the small town of Villavieja in Colombia, South America
The Tatacoa Desert is a stunning and lesser-known natural sight in Colombia that offers an exceptional experience for those seeking unique adventures.
Contrary to a typical desert, Tatacoa astonishes with its beautiful red and grey landscapes which is a result of its geological history as a dry tropical forest. At Tatacoa, you can witness extraordinary soil formations, diverse in color and shape, that remind a bit of Peru’s Rainbow Mountain.
As a traveler to Tatacoa, you are treated to a surreal environment, where winding trails lead through natural labyrinths and expose an array of cacti and local wildlife, including goats and birds.
The desert’s raw beauty can also be admired at night, as it becomes a great place for stargazing. Because of its clear, pollution-free skies, it offers a chance to explore out galaxy by visiting one of the astronomical observatories you can find in the desert.
The red Cuzco Tatacoa desert
The Tatacoa Desert is a mesmerizing landscape and there are various things you can do here! Here are the main highlights of what you can do in the Tatacoa Desert.
The Red Desert area of Tatacoa is known for its deep red soil and feels a bit like setting foot on Mars. A walk through this part of the desert is really like being on another planet for a moment! The iron oxide in the soil gives it its unique coloration and creates a rare and dramatic landscape.
Hiking through this area, you’ll encounter fascinating rock formations and canyons that offer perfect opportunities for photography and exploration.
The red Cuzco Tatacoa desert
The Red Desert, also called the Cuzco Desert is free to visit. That said, it isn’t entirely clear when you arrive without a tour where “the entrance” to the desert actually is.
The best starting point for exploring the Red Desert is this location on Google Maps. The panaroma view over the desert from this point is lovely and there is a walking trail down to explore the trails.
According to the locals, there are actually four different trails to explore at the Red Desert but we found it very difficult to know what trail we were actually on. There seems to be some signage (we saw poles with a yellow color) but it’s not consistent.
you have to make sure you don’t get lost while wandering the trails and note that cell phone signal is wanky here. The best way to orientate yourself is to download Maps.me. That way, you can always find your way back to the main road.
The grey Tatacoa desert (Los Hoyos)
Contrasting with the Red Desert, the Grey Desert area is another integral part of Tatacoa’s diverse landscape. This area is characterized by greyish, moon-like terrain, formed by sedimentary rocks and clay.
It’s a quieter part of the desert, where you can wander through the labyrinth of cacti and enjoy the serene beauty of this less-visited area. The Grey Desert’s unique topography makes it an excellent spot for those looking for a tranquil escape into nature.
The grey Tatacoa desert (Los Hoyos)
There is only one walking trail in de grey desert. You first have to make your way down to Los Hoyos Piscina Natural and you will see a trail that start on the right of the swimming pool.
Don’t worry about wondering into the swimming area without paying the entrance fee. They won’t charge you if you don’t use the swimming pool.
The route you can walk in the grey desert is a small loop. It takes about half an hour to walk the loop and the end point is back on the top of the way to the swimming pool.
I assume it used to be possible to walk further into the desert but, at the time of my visit, the pathway was closed down with wired fencing.
→ Did you know? There’s another park in Colombia that resembles the grey Tatacoa Desert? It is called Los Estoraques Unique Natural Area!
Los Hoyos, the grey part of the Tatacoa desert has, aside from it moon-like landscape, another unique feature: an outdoor swimming pool, known as “Piscina Mineral.”
This pool is filled with natural groundwater, adding a refreshing element to the desert’s rugged environment. It is owned and managed by the shepherd families that have been living and roaming in this area for centuries tending to their goats and cattle.
Los Hoyos mineral pool is a great spot to visit for anyone exploring the Tatacoa Desert and a welcome place to cool down after a hike. When visiting, you can expect to pay a small entry fee upon arrival. We paid 10.000 COP per person (December 2023).
The venue also offers facilities like showers and the option to purchase drinks and snacks. Do note that, while the pool may look impressive in photos, it is very much a local affair. Don’t expect a luxury pool.
There are several astronomical observatories in the desert that you can visit during the evening. There is not much light pollution in the Tatacoa desert which makes it an ideal place for stargazing.
According to information online, there should be one that also gives a lecture about the desert and the stars in English but it didn’t seem to be running at the time of our visit.
Lectures start at 7 PM. and you will first be taken to an open ground space where you will be asked to lie down. The lecturer will start with a short introduction about the galaxy and several things you can see before directing you to four telescopes through which you can watch Saturn, the Pleiads, Jupiter, and Andromeda.
Even though it’s hard to understand the lecture when you don’t speak much Spanish, it’s a very special experience to be lying in a desert watching the stars. The entrance fee is 10.000 COP per person.
Do note that, if you already know a lot about the galaxy, this activity might not be for you. While you can see something through the telescopes, like the ring around Saturn, they are not incredibly strong and you cannot compare this to professional observatories in the world like the La Silla Observatory in Chile or the Maunakea Observatory in Hawaii.
We watched the stars at the Astronomical Observatory Astrosur.
The ideal length of stay in the Tatacoa Desert largely depends on your interests and the range of activities you plan to engage in. For most travelers who have a bucket list to work through, a stay of 2 to 3 days is usually recommended to fully experience what the desert has to offer.
Remember to take into account the travel time you need to get to and from the desert when planning your itinerary. The remote location requires a significant portion of a day to reach, depending on your starting point. We spent the whole day on the bus to reach Villavieja from Bogota.
While most travelers only hang around for one or two days, as a slow traveler, it is worth it to stay a bit longer and explore other sights in the area like the cute town of Villavieja and Piscilodo, a natural mud bath and mineral pool.
Here are the websites I use when I travel to Colombia:
Booking.com: For the best guesthouses, homestays, or small hotels
Hostelworld: To find the best hostels located in the cities
Homestay: For a unique immersive homestay experience in the big cities or the countryside
Busbud and Redbus: The best transport websites for long-distance buses in Colombia. Note that 12Go also works in Colombia but the tickets they will buy for you are open-seat tickets and don’t guarantee a seat on the bus you book online.
Uber: Uber is a convenient and cheap ride-hailing app that can be used in the bigger cities of Colombia. Other apps are Cabify or Didi.
Skyscanner: For affordable flights to Bogota and intercity flights in the country.
Viator and Get Your Guide: book all kinds of activities from the Ciudad Perdida trek to a guided private tour of Comuna 13 in Medellin.
Citizens of many countries, including the United States, Canada, the European Union, Australia, and New Zealand, do not require a visa for short tourist stays (typically up to 90 days). However, this can vary, so it’s always best to check iVisa for the specific requirements for your nationality.
If you’re looking for travel insurance, the one with the best benefits online is undoubtedly Heymondo! It’s very easy to ask for a quote on the website and, if you book with this link you’ll get 5% off!
Access mobile data immediately when entering the country with a Colombian E-sim or a Latamlink E-sim when traveling through multiple countries. If you are already in Colombia, the best local prepaid sim card is Claro.
The Tatacoa Desert has a hot, arid climate similar to that of an official desert. The temperatures in the Tatacoa Desert are consistently high throughout the year and daytime temperatures range between 28°C to 40°C (82°F to 104°F).
When planning a trip to the Tatacoa Desert, it’s important to prepare for the heat. It was my first destination in Colombia after landing in Bogota and, even though I knew I was going to a desert-like area, I was not prepared to spend my days in temperatures hovering around 40 degrees Celcius.
Bring lightweight, breathable clothing, a hat, and sunscreen for protection against the sun. Staying hydrated is crucial in this environment, so carry plenty of water. sunglasses are also an absolute must. It felt like the sun was brighter here than in other places and my eyes started to tear up easily.
The Tatacoa Desert lies far away from most popular places in Colombia so it will take a while to get there no matter where you are coming from, except when you decide to take a plane.
Here is how to reach the Tatacoa Desert from Bogota, Medellin and Salento.
There are direct bus services from Bogota to Neiva, the capital of the Huila department and the closest major city to the Tatacoa Desert. The bus journey takes approximately 5 to 6 hours and once in Neiva, you can take a local bus or taxi to the desert, which is about one hour to an hour and a half away.
Another option is to fly from Bogota to Neiva. The flight takes about an hour, and from Neiva’s airport, you can hire a taxi or take a small van to the desert.
Ask around at the transport terminal in Neiva where the ticket booth for Villavieja and Tatacoa is located. It is managed by Coomotor but is not that easy to find.
You can take a bus from Medellin to Neiva. The bus journey is around 10 to 12 hours. After reaching Neiva, you can continue to the Tatacoa Desert by local bus which costs 10.000 COP or by taxi.
Flying is the quickest but not the most sustainable option. Flights from Medellín to Neiva take about an hour. After landing, take a taxi to the desert or make your way to the transport terminal in the city to grab a minivan.
Busbud is a good choice to book bus tickets from Medellin to Neiva online. Both daytime buses as well as night buses are on offer.
There is no direct bus service from Salento to Neiva. You first need to travel to Armenia or Pereira, and from there, take a bus to Neiva. The total journey can take around 8 to 10 hours. Once in Neiva, you can take a local bus or taxi to the Tatacoa Desert.
Depending on your hour of departure, it is possible you will miss the last minivan to the desert and you will have to stay overnight in Neiva.
There is no shortage of great places to stay in the Tatacoa Desert or the nearby town of Villavieja.
Knowing what I know now after visiting this wonderful place, I think the perfect way to make the most out of your days in the area is to stay for a few nights in Villavieja itself to get to know the town and the local culture with an additional two nights at an eco-accommodation in the desert.
Here are my recommendations for Villavieja and the Tatacoa desert:
If you want to organize your travels into the Tatacoa desert independently, there are various transport options to choose from.
The best way to explore the desert is by hiring a tuk-tuk for the day or a motorbike. There are also bicycles on offer but, considering the hot climate of the Tatacoa desert, this is not the best option to go for during the middle of the day.
Tuk-tuks can drive you around the Tatacoa Desert
We rented bicycles for a half-day tour to the Red Desert and Piscilodo from Villavieja. During the morning, between 6 A.M. and 9 A.M. the weather is still manageable to ride a bicycle on the hilly roads but after that, the sun is simply too strong.
Moreover, while the road from Villavieja to the Red Tatacoa Desert is paved, the road from the Red Desert to the Grey Desert and Los Hoyos swimming pool is not, and neither is the road to Piscilodo. Shortly, while cycling is a great option in terms of sustainability, in my opinion, it’s not the best choice in the Tatacoa Desert.
If you are staying in an accommodation between the red and grey desert, however, the distance to explore the sights is manageable on foot.
Yes, tours are going to the Tatacoa Desert. Every accommodation in Villavieja offers the same tours and they are all equally priced. A full-day tour of all the main sights costs 120.000 COP and it is what most travelers go for.
Of course, this means that you will need to make your way to the Tatacoa Desert independently. If you want to save yourself some hassle and go on a tour starting from another place in Colombia, tour options are available from Bogota and Neiva.
Red Tatacoa desert, Colombia
Tocayá Natura is a group of young people that offer day trips into the Tatacoa Desert starting from Neiva. It includes all the sights mentioned above including a visit to an observatory in the evening. you can book a day tour to Tatacoa from Neiva here!
From Bogota, several organized trips are going to the Tatacoa Desert. They are mostly private tours that include transportation and a two-night stay near the Tatacoa Desert. Here are a few tour options to have a look at:
If you are a vegetarian or vegan in Colombia, you won’t have any trouble finding decent vegan food in Villavieja. There are a few tourist restaurants (Salsipuedes and Costa Azul) at the main square where you can get vegan pasta, rice, and burgers and you can also ask for a vegan burger at Planta Brew Pub.
If you are a conscious traveler who is rather looking for authentic Colombian cuisine, consider going to La Llanerita. They can cater easily to vegans for lunch and you will get a delicious plate with rice, salad, beans, and vegetables for only 9000 COP.
When traveling through the desert, most accommodation options on the road will serve you lunch or dinner but do note that vegan options might be scarce and limited to rice and beans.
Here are a few more tips to help you plan your trip to the Tatacoa desert!
Here are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about traveling to the Tatacoa Desert!
Visiting the Tatacoa Desert can be a highly rewarding experience, especially if you enjoy unique natural landscapes, outdoor activities, and a sense of adventure. The desert offers a unique landscape with its red and grey terrains, making it a photographer’s paradise.
Dressing appropriately for the Tatacoa Desert is crucial for comfort and safety due to its hot, arid climate. Opt for loose-fitting, lightweight clothes that allow your skin to breathe.
There you go! I hope you enjoyed this Tatacoa Desert travel guide. For now, the Tatacoa Desert remains a hidden gem and let’s hope it stays that way!
A great next stop on your Colombia itinerary after the Tatacoa Desert is the enchanting town of San Agustin. Here you can marvel at the sculptures of an ancient culture that inhabited this part of the country between the 1st and 8th century at the San Agustin Archaeological Park.
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions or drop me a message through my contact page.
Also, don’t forget to check out my resources page with my favorite booking platforms and tips to start planning your trip. Additionally, have a look at my favorite travel gear if you want to pack more consciously!
ENJOY!
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Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and yourself!
On this website, I cover different topics like slow travel, plant-based food guides, responsible travel, sustainable packing, eco-travel, and more!
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