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When you think of the Colombian landscape you probably thinking of lush green mountains, valleys, and rivers. Maybe the coastline of the Caribbean or Pacific jump into your head. Desert is probably the last thing on your mind. The Tatacoa Desert (desierto de tatacoa) will make you feel as if you got transported to the Badlands National Park in South Dakota, USA. At least that’s how I felt.
It’s worth a trip out this way if you’ve got the time, and even more so if you can spend at least a night camped out under the stars. There are plenty of hikes to do, natural rock formations to see, and cactus flowers to eat (not too many though or you’ll be stuck on the toilet).
I’ll pass along learned knowledge from my journey to Tatacoa and hopefully answer any questions you have. Let’s go.
Stay safe while on the road. Here are my 21 travel safety basics.
How to Get to the Tatacoa Desert
To enter the Tatacoa Desert you have to get to Villavieja. It’s a small town that has enough accommodation options if you want to stay a night here before going into Tatacoa.
The most straightforward way to get to Villavieja is to first find a bus to Neiva, and then catch a smaller shuttle from Neiva to Villavieja. There are no direct buses to Villavieja from Bogotá or Cali. Unfortunately, all roads to Tatacoa go through Neiva.
Coming from Bogotá, you have an option for a quicker arrival if you choose. You can get off your bus in Aipe and catch a ferry across the river directly to Villavieja. Otherwise, you’ll have to continue a couple more hours to Neiva and then a couple hours back up North on the other side of the river to Villavieja. I did the bus route because I didn’t know about the ferry, but I’ve heard it’s quite affordable and only takes a couple minutes to cross the river – the choice is yours.
Need ideas for things to do in Bogota?
Bogotá to Neiva will take somewhere around 4-8 hours. Busing in Colombia is unpredictable. Neiva to Villavieja will be about 90 minutes. As well, maybe take a premium bus on this route if you can. I went for the cheapest option and had my backpack stolen from under the bus somewhere along the way. It seems to be a common occurrence along this route. A premium bus will have better security measures.
Once in Villavieja you’ll have to find a tuk-tuk driver to take you into the desert. Just head to the main plaza where they all hang out and finding one won’t be a problem. If I remember correctly it was 20,000 COP for one way into the desert. Maybe it was 30,000 COP, but they have set rates for going so you’re unlikely to be ripped off.
And that’s how to get to Tatacoa Desert. You’ll arrive in style with your tuk-tuk driver.
Tatacoa Desert: Red Desert or Grey Desert?
There are two different deserts in Tatacoa, the red and the grey. They are named after the colour of the landscape. In my opinion, the red is the more visually stunning one. The grey desert is cool as well, you almost feel like you’re in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
If you’ve got the time, both deserts are worthy of an experience. You could do both in one day, not extensively of course but you could do a hike in the red desert in the morning and then a hike in the grey desert in the afternoon, or vice versa. The hiking is beautiful, not quite as jaw dropping as in Salento but incredible in its own right.
How to Get to Salento from Bogotá by Bus or Plane
Some hikes you can do without a guide, and perhaps get a little lost like I did in the grey desert. I’d recommend going with a guide though. I’m having trouble remembering the price we paid for a guided tour of a few picture spots in the grey desert and a 1-2 hour hike in the red desert. It wasn’t exactly cheap, but it certainly wasn’t crazy expensive either. Maybe 60,000 COP per person.
The guide was great and told us so many things that we’d have never known. Just learning that we could eat the little peppers growing out of the cacti was cool enough. They were delicious! But will glue you to the toilet apparently if you eat more than 4-5.
The guide explained that the desert used to be a huge lake and took us to incredible lookout points. All things we never would’ve found on our own. It was well worth it.
If you only have time for one, I’d go with the red desert.
Where to Stay in Tatacoa?
There are a few options to stay overnight in the desert. I chose to camp under the stars (unfortunately on a cloudy night) and enjoy a campfire. I love camping and will often jump at any chance I get to sleep outside, in nature that is – I don’t like to sleep outside in cities. Nothing against those that do, just not my cup of tea.
I stayed in the grey desert at the Estadero y Restaurante Los Hoyos. It’s a restaurant where you can rent tents and yoga mats to sleep on. They have little cabanas as well if you want the comfort of a closing, locking door. The restaurant is pretty good – a bit more expensive than you’d pay in a city but that’s to be expected in the middle of a desert.
There are a few places you can stay in the desert, all with pretty basic amenities. If you want to sleep under the stars, you’re best to pitch a tent in the desert and enjoy your night out there. If sleeping in the desert doesn’t interest you, just stay in Villavieja where you’ll find more comfortable accommodation.
You can talk to the tuk-tuk drivers in Villavieja about a place to rent a tent or cabana in the desert. They know the desert better than anyone. They’ll also offer to give you a tour of the desert in their tuk-tuk. A good option if you aren’t able to walk a few hours.
Places to Eat in Tatacoa?
There are plenty of little restaurants in Tatacoa Desert. I wasn’t expecting this. I’d still recommend bringing some snacks in case you get hungry in the evening when the restaurant is closed or to sustain you on your hike.
But you don’t need to worry about brining food to survive your expedition into the desert. Bring water though. You can buy it in the desert but everything will be a touch more expensive than in Neiva or VIllavieja. To be honest though the prices are pretty reasonable in the desert.
Top Things to See in Tatacoa Desert
If you hire a guide, they’ll know all the best places to go and will take you there with a tuk-tuk before you go on a hike with them. It’s the best way to do it. I’m usually not one for guides but it’s really worth it in a bizarre landscape like Tatacoa.
That said, here are some of the highlights of the Tatacoa Desert.
The Tatacoa Observatory
I’ve already mentioned that the desert is a great place to stargaze. Well, what better place to see the stars than at the observatory.
The Red Desert – El Cuzco
The red desert was the most impressive for me. The landscape is remarkable. Grab a guide and get them to take you hiking through the red desert. This was my favourite part of Tatacoa. It’s hot, and dry, so bring water and make sure to try some cactus peppers! They’re tough to extract but deliciously fruity, not spicy at all.
The Grey Desert – Los Hoyos
The grey desert has an otherworldly feel to it. It doesn’t feel like it’s part of Earth, and certainly not like it’s part of Colombia. It’s a really cool area with some great lookout points that you should ask you tuk-tuk driver to take you to. Rock formations like the turtle are cool to view from a distance. Mention la Tortuga and your driver will know where that is.
La Piscina Los Hoyos
People will tell you about the natural pool which is in the grey desert. I thought it was going to be a natural oasis in the desert. I was disappointed and unimpressed. It’s a man-made set of 3 pools. A nice location to go for a swim but not so much the natural wonder I was expecting. Nice place to cool off though after a long hike I suppose.
Reasons to Visit the Tatacoa Desert
Everyone will have their own reasons to visit the desert. Choose yours and find yourself a tuk-tuk into Colombia’s strangest landscape.
Camp Out Under the Stars
The stars are beautiful in Tatacoa. It reminds of being at the lake.
Side note: Canadians love to escape the city in the summer and head to a little cabin in the forest by a lake. We just call this being at the lake. There’s no specific lake, we have so many, ‘the lake’ means a different place to everyone but it’s all the same idea – family, friends, water, campfire, wildlife, and happy times. My favourite place to be in the world is at the lake.
Discover the Absurd Landscape
The rock formations will make for some killer photos. I guarantee you’ll catch yourself with you mouth gaping open while you survey the landscape.
Unplug and Recharge
Sometimes you just need some natural respite. Tatacoa is the place for that if you need to unwind for a bit and unplug. Cell service isn’t great in Tatacoa so you won’t be glued to your phone. Electricity isn’t easy to find either so charging phones isn’t always an option. Save your battery for pictures and postpone the social feed scrolling until you’re back in civilization.
Ride a Horse Through the Desert Trails
Maybe you’re a horse lover and you want an opportunity to get back in touch with your inner cowboy/cowgirl. This is one of those places where taking a horse around would be exceptional.
Final Words
It’s a bit out of the way but certainly worth the trip. There isn’t anywhere in Colombia quite like Tatacoa. Pack yourself a few things and head out to the desert. Something about being surrounded by natural wonder in 360 degrees recharges your personal battery. It’s an impressive experience that I promise you won’t regret, even if you do get your backpack stolen on the way out there.
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