Cartagena City Guide
Aviario Nacional de Colombia: Tickets, Hours, Prices
Aviario Nacional Colombia, the country's national aviary, sits on Isla Barú as a 1.5-kilometre self-paced trail through roughly 135 bird species, with two fixed flight shows a day. It is the one attraction on Barú with a full, current official price grid, published straight from the aviary's own site, and this Cartagena travel guide carries it in full along with the one thing that trips visitors up: the aviary runs no transport of its own. For the rest of the island it sits on, see the Barú guide. For the beach most day trips actually mean, see Playa Blanca.
Quick answer Full price grid, hours, and the transport trap most visitors miss
The Aviario Nacional de Colombia is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except January 1, with last admission at 4:00 p.m. Foreign adult admission runs $28.60 (90,000 COP), down to $12.69 (40,000 COP) for Colombian children and students, effective September 1, 2026. The aviary runs no shuttle or transport of its own, which is the detail that catches visitors off guard.
Key takeaways
- The full price grid has five paid categories plus separate parking fees, all effective September 1, 2026.
- No transport of its own means you need a private vehicle, taxi, or a tour with hotel pickup to actually get there.
- Two fixed flight shows a day, 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., see what's on the trail below.
Key facts
Opening hours
| Daily, except January 1 | 9:00–17:00 |
|---|
Closed January 1 only
Admission
- Adult
- $28.60 (90,000 COP) foreign adult. $15.86 (50,000 COP) Colombian national adult
- Reduced
- $20.60 (65,000 COP) foreign child/student with ID. $12.69 (40,000 COP) Colombian child (2-12) or student with ID
- Free
- No free category stated on the official page. A local ticket presented without Colombian ID is charged the foreign-adult rate
Planning it
- Time needed
- Not stated officially. Our estimate: 2 to 3 hours to walk the 1.5 km trail and catch one flight show
- Address
- Km 14.5, Vía a Barú, Isla Barú
Aviario Nacional admission, effective September 1, 2026
The complete admission grid from the aviary's own visitor page, every paid category, next to the one GetYourGuide tour that bundles the ticket with transport.
The question that splits buyers is whether you want the ticket alone and to arrange your own way there, or a tour that folds in hotel pickup.
| Option | Price | Includes | Cancel | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign adultAny foreign visitor without a student or child concession, arranging their own transport | $28.60 (90,000 COP) | Entry to the 1.5 km trail and both daily flight shows | Not stated as refundable | Official site |
| Foreign child/student, with IDForeign visitors travelling with children, or students with ID | $20.60 (65,000 COP) | Entry, valid student or age ID required | Not stated as refundable | Official site |
| Colombian adultColombian citizens and residents with ID | $15.86 (50,000 COP) | Entry | Not stated as refundable | Official site |
| Colombian child (2-12)Colombian nationals aged 2 to 12 | $12.69 (40,000 COP) | Entry | Not stated as refundable | Official site |
| Colombian student, with IDColombian students with a valid ID | $12.69 (40,000 COP) | Entry, valid student ID required | Not stated as refundable | Official site |
| Tour with hotel pickupAnyone who doesn't want to arrange the drive themselves, since the aviary has no shuttle of its own | $97.10 | Round-trip transport from your hotel, admission, a guided visit | Free up to 24 hours before pickup | Check Availability |
A ticket bought as "local" without a Colombian ID is charged the foreign-adult rate at the door, per the aviary's own policy. Parking is separate: $3.17 (10,000 COP) for cars, $1.59 (5,000 COP) for motorcycles. Figures current in Q3 2026.
Aviario Nacional tour
The one listing that folds transport and admission into a single booking, priced in USD as GetYourGuide lists it.
from $97.10
Cartagena: Aviary National Park Tour with Hotel Pickup
A half-day trip to the National Aviary of Colombia with hotel pickup and the entry ticket included, seeing over 135 bird species across 17 acres. One reviewer felt the 5-hour duration ran long against roughly an hour of actual aviary time plus a bird show.
Check AvailabilityPrices, ratings and details are the platform's own. dollar figures are the listed prices — the platform bills in your account's currency.
The practical trap: the aviary runs no transport of its own
The Aviario Nacional sits at Km 14.5 on the road to Barú, about 50 to 60 minutes from downtown Cartagena, and the aviary itself operates no shuttle, bus or transfer service. Getting there means one of three things: a private vehicle or taxi you arrange yourself, a tuk-tuk once you're on the island, or a tour that includes hotel pickup. Figures below come straight from the aviary's own visitor page, checked for this guide.
| Way there | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Private vehicle, round trip with wait time | Roughly $250,000-$450,000 COP depending on car size | Aviario Nacional visitor page |
| Taxi from Torre del Reloj | Not stated as a fixed fare | Aviario Nacional visitor page |
| Tuk-tuk, once on the island | Not stated as a fixed fare | Aviario Nacional visitor page |
| Tour with hotel pickup | $97.10, see the tour | GetYourGuide listing |
Mobile signal is weak on this part of Barú, so the aviary's own page recommends messaging its WhatsApp line rather than calling if you need to reach them. Flight-show start times are fixed at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. and are not adjusted for a late arrival, so a transport delay costs you the show, not just some browsing time.
What's inside: the 1.5 km trail and the flight shows
The visit follows a self-paced, 1.5-kilometre trail through roughly 135 bird species and about 1,700 specimens, walkable in either direction and built to let visitors move at their own speed rather than in a guided group. Two flight shows run daily at fixed times, 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., the closest the aviary gets to a scheduled event inside an otherwise open-ended visit. Last admission is 4:00 p.m., an hour before closing, which leaves enough time to walk the trail without rushing but not much slack if you arrive close to the cutoff.
How much time to give the Aviario Nacional
Three ways to route the visit
The aviary does not publish a recommended visit length, so the routings below are this guide's own estimate based on the trail's size and the two fixed flight-show times.
| Routing | What it covers | What it skips | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quick visit | A walk through the main trail and one flight show timed to your arrival | The second flight show, a slower pace through every enclosure | About 1.5-2 hours |
| Full visit | The full 1.5 km trail at a relaxed pace, both flight shows if timed right | Nothing on the trail itself | About 3 hours |
| Combined with Playa Blanca | The aviary plus a stop at Playa Blanca on the same road, since neither is walkable from the other | A slow pace at either stop | Full day, 6-8 hours including driving |
Do
- Arrange transport before you leave, whether a private vehicle, a taxi from Torre del Reloj, or the tour with hotel pickup, since the aviary has none of its own.
- Time your arrival for 11:30 a.m. or 3:30 p.m. if you want to see a flight show, both are fixed and not delayed for late arrivals.
- Message the aviary's WhatsApp line rather than calling, mobile signal is weak on this part of Barú.
- Bring cash in pesos for parking, $3.17 (10,000 COP) for a car or $1.59 (5,000 COP) for a motorcycle.
- Arrive well before 4:00 p.m., the last-admission cutoff, since it's an hour ahead of the 5:00 p.m. close.
Don't
- Don't expect a shuttle or transfer from the aviary itself, arranging your own way there is mandatory.
- Don't buy a "local" ticket without Colombian ID expecting the discounted rate, the foreign-adult price applies at the door instead.
- Don't plan to phone ahead if you're running late, weak signal means WhatsApp is the more reliable channel.
- Don't assume the flight shows will wait, both run at their fixed times regardless of when you arrive.
- Don't combine this with a boat-only Rosario Islands day, the aviary is reachable by road only, not by any boat route.
Five things most visitors don't know about the Aviario Nacional
- The aviary runs no transport of its own, despite being one of Barú's most-visited attractions, every visitor arranges their own way there [aviarionacional.co, info-para-tu-visita, checked 2026-09-18]. - A "local" ticket without Colombian ID is charged the foreign-adult rate, so a visitor without local identification cannot access the lower rate by simply asking for it [facts pack, Aviario Nacional de Colombia, checked 2026-09-18]. - The two flight shows run at genuinely fixed times, 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., with no allowance made for a late arrival [aviarionacional.co, checked 2026-09-18]. - Mobile signal is weak enough on this stretch of Barú that the aviary itself recommends WhatsApp over a phone call for visitors trying to reach it [facts pack, same section]. - Private-vehicle round trips quoted by the aviary's own page range from roughly $250,000 to $450,000 COP with wait time, a wide enough spread that the size of car you book changes the price meaningfully [aviarionacional.co, info-para-tu-visita, checked 2026-09-18].
Aviario Nacional map: Km 14.5 on the road to Barú
Inland on Barú, well away from the beach, and reachable only by the road route.
Near the Aviario Nacional
Both nearby stops sit on the same road, reached by the same drive rather than on foot.
Playa Blanca
The beach most Barú day trips are actually built around, easy to pair with the aviary if you're driving.
Further along the same road toward the south end of BarúIsla Barú (the wider island)
Beach clubs, Cholón, and the fishing side of the island the aviary is part of.
The aviary sits on this islandGetting around Cartagena
Taxi and private-driver logistics for reaching attractions with no transport of their own, like this one.
Practical transport guide, relevant since the aviary has none of its ownAviario Nacional de Colombia questions
How much does it cost to enter the Aviario Nacional de Colombia?
Effective September 1, 2026: foreign adult $28.60 (90,000 COP), foreign child or student $20.60 (65,000 COP), Colombian adult $15.86 (50,000 COP), Colombian child or student $12.69 (40,000 COP). See the full grid.
What are the opening hours for the Aviario Nacional?
Daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except January 1, with last admission at 4:00 p.m.
How do I get to the Aviario Nacional de Colombia?
The aviary runs no transport of its own. Arrange a private vehicle or taxi, ride a tuk-tuk once on the island, or book the tour with hotel pickup. It sits at Km 14.5 on the road to Barú, about 50-60 minutes from downtown Cartagena.
Is there parking at the Aviario Nacional?
Yes, $3.17 (10,000 COP) for cars and $1.59 (5,000 COP) for motorcycles.
What time are the flight shows at the Aviario Nacional?
Two fixed times daily, 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Both start on schedule regardless of when you arrive.
What does the Aviario Nacional include?
A self-paced, 1.5-kilometre trail through roughly 135 bird species and about 1,700 specimens, plus the two daily flight shows. See what's on the trail.
Prices, hours and terms are set by the venue or operator and confirmed at checkout.
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