Community and Biodiversity Tour of the Tatacoa Desert

Explore Tatacoa Desert’s biodiversity, unique rock formations, and local culture. Join our tour for unforgettable nature encounters and stargazing at the Astronomical Observatory.

Duration: 14 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • backpackers & travelers hostal neiva - desierto de la tatacoa - This is the meeting point, we start at 8:00 am, space to meet the group, prepare what is necessary and a talk about the history of the Hostel, its facilities and an explanation and recommendations of the tour
  • Villavieja - Transportation from the city of Neiva to Villavieja.70…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Travel insurance
  • Lunch
What's Not Included
  • Entry and Use of the Hoyos or Natural Pool. Value 10 thousand pesos
  • Entrance to the Observatory. Value 10 thousand pesos
Additional Information

With Backpackers Neiva, you’ll experience the full splendor and variety of the Tatacoa Desert. From strolling along the Magdalena River to discovering natural reserves and valleys steeped in history, you’ll dive deep into the richness of this unique ecosystem.
Unforgettable Encounters with Nature: Witness wildlife such as turtles, birds, reptiles,…

Location
backpackers & travelers hostal neiva - desierto de la tatacoa
Carrera 1c
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(26 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Myles_h
Jul 22, 2025
Truly wonderful experience, great guides. Do it! - This was a really great tour. You don't appreciate the beauty until you see it for yourself. I feel like the pictures don't do it justice. Pro tip, you can get some amazing photos of the galaxy at night at the observatory if you bring a tripod (purchased from someplace like Panamericana) and you use the 30 second night mode exposure on like an iPhone 16. Though obviously it is dependent on whether the clouds cooperate.
Review provided by Viator
080mrsun080
Jul 10, 2025
Challenging yet rewarding - Before you book this trip, just aware of that this is a very physical demanding tour you'll have with more than 5 hours of hikes total. Otherwise it's a magnificent tour that you can walk within the desert that made of mud, a mountain hike that pass through 3 valleys. The tour and the driver are professional to keep us safe and accommodated, best when book with the backpacker Hostel.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marianabt7264by
Jul 2, 2025
FANTASTIC - It is a very complete tour, you get to know both types of deserts (the red and the gray), the lunch is very rich and with a very good portion, the transportation was punctual, the tour along the Magdalena River is very beautiful, you feel its immensity, the pool is too refreshing, it is recommended to bring a lot of sunscreen, light clothing, since it is too hot, the time at the observatory is something unmatched, they explain the constellations very well, some history, it is too entertaining, I highly recommend the tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
71sergiis
Jan 24, 2025
Great experience - Everything was great. There was no rush to leave a location to move to another one - we had as much time as we needed. Provided lunch was great. The guide Carlos was fun and knowledgeable. We didn’t get to the observatory, but it was because of the rain (obviously we wouldn’t be able to see any stars and there was no point in going there), not because of any fault of the tour provider.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
D9283mqsylvainl
Jan 2, 2025
Great excursion - Professional and caring guide Fluent in English and integrates all group members to give information Guide shares knowledge about the site and Colombian history ° only downside, dinner could be better.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lolak556
May 26, 2024
Highly recommend Fabian's Tatacoa Desert tour! - I had an amazing time on the Tatacoa Desert tour with Fabian. Fabian is a lovely person and great fun to be with. He organised every aspect of the tour well, down to little details like getting us the perfect spot at a café to watch the sunset at the end. The desert itself is incredible and not one to miss while in the area. It was an interesting and magical tour, thank you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sherpa22485623212
May 23, 2024
Perfect day in an unique landscape - The tour was amazing. Fabian was an amazing guide who was very nice, took care of everything and has so much knowledge and passion for the area that he shared with us. The driver who joyned us the whole day was very caring and did drive safely. From beginning to end it was a perfect day in a unique landscape and the perfect activities. We especially loved the both hikes in the different areas, the break at the swimming pool and ending the day in the observatory. We could discover the area very well and had also enough breaks in between.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
736titoh
May 15, 2024
Magic place - 100% recommended experience where they take you to explore the beautiful Tatacoa desert and share with locals who introduce you to their culture. You should be prepared for an intermediate level hike but they also have routes that are friendlier for the whole family. Very good guides like Don Miguel, sharing through their singing and poetry, their tradition and love for the desert. If you visit Colombia you can't miss it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sightsee36481198197
May 15, 2024
A must! - There were two of us and the tour still took place. Fabian is not only a tour guide but also a hostel owner. It was a very exciting day and Fabian was one of the best tour guides I had in Colombia. He is very knowledgeable and speaks English very well. The special thing about this tour was that Fabian was flexible and adapted the tour for us.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alexanderlq3957ps
Jul 3, 2025
A great experience - The tour was very good overall. During the journey to the desert, we made several brief stops that allowed us to discover curious and fascinating details of the road. Once in the desert, the tour was wonderful, full of magical places steeped in history and culture. We also saw some of the local animals and plants. The most special moment was, without a doubt, the spectacular stargazing session. Amidst the tranquility of the desert, we enjoyed a breathtaking sky, accompanied by a very complete and enriching explanation that allowed us to better understand the universe and its mysteries. We also visited a natural water pool, perfect for relaxing and connecting with the environment. Miguel, the guide who accompanied us on the second tour, shared a wonderful story about the cultural origins of the desert, giving even more depth to the experience. However, there were aspects that could be improved. The main guide who accompanied us throughout the tour didn't introduce himself or share a clear plan from the start, which somewhat hampered the organization. Furthermore, the boat tour was brief and lacked detailed explanations, which meant a valuable opportunity to learn more about this beautiful place was lost.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $55
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).