Tayrona National Park closes from 19 October to 2 November
Published on 10/04/2026 at 08:17 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Tayrona National Park will close to visitors from 19 October to 2 November 2026, placing the Nabbatashi closure on the travel calendar for Santa Marta, Colombia. The protected area is currently listed as open, but ecotourism services will be suspended throughout the two-week period.
Tayrona National Park sets Nabbatashi closure for 19 October
Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia lists three annual periods when activities and ecotourism services stop. The next one begins on 19 October 2026 and ends on 2 November 2026, during the period known as Nabbatashi. The authority says the closures are agreed with the four Indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and provide time for environmental, cultural and spiritual activities.
Visitors will not be admitted during the closure, according to the park authority. The official park page also lists the February and June closure periods, making the October dates part of the published annual access calendar rather than an unscheduled operational measure. A park closure schedule gives the dates and the affected site on the same page.
Why the October closure matters at Tayrona National Park
The park stands on Colombia's Caribbean coast in the Magdalena department, near Santa Marta. Its protected area covers 19,309.4 hectares, according to Parques Nacionales, and includes terrestrial and marine environments.
Dry forest, humid forest, cloud forest, beaches, mangroves, coastal lagoons, rocky shores, seagrass meadows and coral formations occur within the area. The connection between the closure and the landscape is direct: the authority describes the annual periods as time for the territory to rest and for environmental work, while the park's management also recognises the area's cultural importance to the Kogui, Wiwa, Arhuaco and Kankuamo peoples. A September report on the closure also states that access and ecotourism services will stop from 19 October to 2 November.
Visiting Tayrona National Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The Nabbatashi closure runs from 19 October to 2 November 2026, and visitor admission and ecotourism services are suspended during that period.
- The closure applies across the protected area, so a visit to beaches, trails or marine sectors cannot be treated as a normal park visit during those dates.
- The park is near Santa Marta on the Caribbean coast. Land access includes the Zaino, Calabazo, Palangana and Bahia Concha sectors, while maritime access is available from Santa Marta, El Rodadero or Taganga when the park is operating.
- The landscape combines coastal paths, beaches, mangroves, dry forest, humid forest, cloud forest and coral areas. Visitors must remain on authorised routes and follow instructions from park rangers.
- Spanish is the official language used by the Colombian authorities, and the national currency is the Colombian peso.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Tayrona National Park
When does the Nabbatashi closure take place at Tayrona National Park?
The closure runs from 19 October to 2 November 2026. Visitor admission and ecotourism services are suspended throughout that period.
Where is Tayrona National Park and how do you get there?
The park is on Colombia's Caribbean coast near Santa Marta. Visitors can use land sectors including Zaino, Calabazo, Palangana and Bahia Concha, or maritime access when the park is open.
What is Tayrona National Park?
It is a protected coastal area covering 19,309.4 hectares, with forests, beaches, mangroves, coral formations and other terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
