Spanning 4.2 million hectares—an area similar in size to Denmark—and making it the largest natural park in Colombia and the continent, the Serranía de Chiribiquete National Park has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located in the heart of the Colombian Amazon, the park is one of the richest regions in biodiversity, history, and archaeology, safeguarding one of the world's most important wilderness areas.
A 50-meter-high stone amphitheater serves as the gateway to this natural sanctuary, where trees reach up to 20 meters tall. Its rocky, tabletop mountains—known as tepuis—are over 1.5 billion years old and rise to heights of 800 meters, equivalent to the height of the iconic Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
The park is a landmark for national archaeology, with murals containing more than 70,000 documented pictographs, according to the park's nomination documents. Consequently, it has been designated as a Mixed World Heritage Site, meaning it holds outstanding universal value for humanity in two categories: natural and cultural heritage.
The paintings are truly astonishing, some dating back up to 20,000 years, with the jaguar featured as a prominent figure. Dutch scientist Thomas van der Hammen famously described them as the "Sistine Chapel of the Amazon rainforest."
This remarkable art form depicts the countless stories of the Carijona indigenous people who inhabited these territories for generations. ArchDaily's previous coverage has highlighted the beautiful rock art of Serranía La Lindosa, which was declared a Protected Archaeological Area last May. This site is also located in the department of Guaviare, bordering this magnificent park.
The British newspaper The Guardian published an article titled "The world's most inaccessible art lies in the heart of the Colombian jungle," in which filmmaker Mike Slee, director of the documentary Colombia: Wild Magic, described it as "one of the most beautiful places on Earth." Slee captured exclusive footage of the iconic Serranía de Chiribiquete National Park before its expansion, when it spanned 2.7 million hectares.
As a point of interest, the last surviving members of the Carijona ethnic group currently live here in complete isolation. In their language, Chiribiquete means "the hill where painting is drawn." The park is part of the Guiana Shield, one of the oldest geological formations in the world.
Via Parques Nacionales de Colombia, Revista Semana.
This article was written by Yamid Rivera. The translation is powered by AI.
