San Cipriano Rainforest Day Trip: River Tubing & Waterfalls

Swim in one of Colombia's cleanest rivers, then tube back downstream through the rainforest.

A full-day activity in San Cipriano rainforest near Cali where you swim, snorkel and tube in the river, visit waterfalls and natural pools, and hike jungle trails with a local guide. The day runs 10 to 12 hours and includes breakfast, lunch, entrance to the reserve, life jacket and tube rental, roundtrip transport from Cali, and a traditional brujita ride. You'll need to be a comfortable swimmer and wear clothes that can get wet. Medical insurance and assistance are provided.

Step-by-step itinerary

Jungle walk and river activities

• Walk through Colombian Pacific jungle
• Swim in San Cipriano River
• Enjoy outdoor nature and adventure

The experience

How do you spend a day in one of Colombia's cleanest rivers without arranging your own transport into the jungle? You book this activity and start with a brujita ride: a narrow wooden boat powered by a long-shaft motor, the typical way locals move through the waterways of the Pacific region. The boat takes you from Cali through the rainforest to San Cipriano, where the day centers on the river itself: swimming in emerald pools, snorkeling to see what lives beneath the surface, and tubing downstream through the jungle canopy. The guide leads you to waterfalls and natural pools tucked into the forest, and you walk trails between swims rather than spending hours on a bus between distant sites.

Breakfast arrives before you leave Cali, and lunch is served at the reserve, so you're not hunting for food in a remote area. You'll wear a life jacket for tubing and have a tube provided. The guide stays with the group throughout. Belongings go into lockers at the start of the day, and anything you bring into the forest or river needs to be waterproof: a camera, a dry bag or zip-lock bags work. Wear shoes that can get soaked, bring sunscreen and insect repellent, and pack spare dry clothes for the ride back. The day ends at the meeting point in Cali. If you need transport to your lodging afterward, that's arranged separately.

The activity suits swimmers who are comfortable in moving water and don't mind getting thoroughly wet. It's not recommended for people with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or those unable to swim. The pace is steady but not strenuous. You're in and out of the water all day rather than hiking long distances. A local guide leads in either English or Spanish, depending on which tour option you choose at checkout.

What’s included

• Breakfast and lunch.
• entrance fee to the natural reserve.
• life jacket and tube for tubing.
• visit to waterfalls, puddles and natural pools.
• local guide in English or Spanish.
• roundtrip transportation from Cali.
• roundtrip brujita ride through the jungle.
• medical insurance and assistance.

Options for this experience

2 options

Tour in Spanish07:00You will be assigned a Spanish-speaking guide, who is not bilingual.

Tour in English07:00You will be assigned an English-speaking guide, who is bilingual.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (8 to 60 years) · Under 8: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 7

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Valley Adventours

Is this one for you?Book the English-language tour if you want the guide's explanations of the forest and river in real time. Choose Spanish if that's your working language. Either way, the full day, 10 to 12 hours, is built around water activities rather than long hikes, so you're swimming and tubing most of the time you're at the reserve.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What is San Cipriano's river actually like for swimming and snorkeling?

San Cipriano River is one of the cleanest and most crystalline rivers in Colombia, fed by rainforest sources. You'll swim in natural pools and snorkel to see the river life. The water is clear enough to see what's below you, and the pools are deep enough for safe swimming.

Do I need to be an experienced swimmer to do this activity?

You need to be a comfortable swimmer. The activity is not recommended for travelers unable to swim. You'll wear a life jacket while tubing, and the guide stays with the group, but you'll be in the water most of the day in a river environment.

How long is the full day, and what time does it start?

The activity runs 10 to 12 hours total. This includes the brujita ride from Cali to San Cipriano, the full day of swimming, snorkeling, tubing and waterfall visits, and the return ride to Cali.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to bring?

Breakfast, lunch, entrance to the reserve, life jacket, tube, local guide and roundtrip transport from Cali are all included. Bring sunscreen, insect repellent, a bathing suit, comfortable walking shoes that can get wet, flip-flops, a water bottle and spare dry clothes. Waterproof bags or a waterproof camera are useful for keeping belongings dry.

What is a brujita, and why do I ride in one?

A brujita is a traditional narrow wooden boat with a long-shaft motor, the standard way to travel through the waterways of Colombia's Pacific region. It's how locals move through the jungle, and it's part of the experience. You'll take one from Cali to San Cipriano and back.