Tour along the Río Cauca highlights its tourism, environmental, and social potential

On June 24, a technical river tour was conducted along the Río Cauca, from the corregimiento de Juanchito (Candelaria) to the communities of Campestre–Manzanares, El Tiple, and El Desbaratado, covering a distance of 8.2 kilometers. The activity, led by th Alcaldía de Candelaria and its Secretaría de Desarrollo Económico, Cultura y Turismo, was accompanied by delegates from the Espacio Nacional de Consulta Previa de Comunidades Negras, Afrocolombianas, Raizales y Palenqueras de la Comisión Segunda, as well as representatives from INVIAS, the Corporación Autónoma Regional del Valle del Cauca (CVC), and the World Travel Journalism Organization (WTJO).

During the tour, the ecological richness of the Río Cauca was highlighted, with the identification of more than 93 bird species, 83 fish species, and 123 tree species. “This river has fundamental ecosystem value for the country. Its biological diversity is remarkable and must be preserved,” stated Néstor Pulgarín, representative of the CVC.

The journey made it possible to observe not only the area’s biodiversity but also social and industrial dynamics. Sand extraction, artisanal fishing, and the presence of monocultures were evident, along with a key social factor: one bank of the river belongs to Candelaria, while the other borders Cali, just behind some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods. 

In this context, the possibility was raised of transforming this area into a tourism corridor with a cultural, environmental, and social focus, including the infrastructure needed to support responsible and sustainable activities. If realized, the project could create development opportunities for the Afro-descendant communities living along the riverbanks. 

“This is a territory with memory, with history, and with a tremendous cultural legacy that deserves to be made visible and strengthened from a perspective of inclusion and sustainability,” said one of the delegates from the Espacio Nacional de Consulta Previa.    

Today’s technical tours are part of a series of preliminary studies and evaluations aimed at laying the foundation for a comprehensive transformation plan for the river, positioning it as a central axis for community tourism, environmental education, and local economic development.