Trails, a tower and a multipurpose centre on the island.
Since February 2026, with Patrimonio Natural (Colombia’s Fund for Biodiversity and Protected Areas) and funding from FONTUR (Colombia’s National Tourism Fund), MARA has been building the ecotourism infrastructure of Gorgona National Natural Park in the Poblado sector: pressure-treated timber bridges, stairs and boardwalks on the Playa Palmeras and Yundigua trails; a tower about 15 metres high for whale watching; the conversion of a warehouse of about 750 m² into a multipurpose centre for 300 people; four traditional market stalls, a day-visit deck and new water and wastewater treatment systems.
A Pacific island 35 km off the coast.
Gorgona lies in the Pacific off Cauca, about 35 kilometres from the mainland: rainforest, beaches and reefs, and a stopover for humpback whales. It is MARA’s third project on the island, after the maintenance of the Poblado sector and the upgrade of its cabins (2024–2025).
Everything arrives by sea.
Cargo is consolidated in Buenaventura and shipped over; the crew comes from Guapi by boat. Swell and frequent rain set the pace of the works. Before the new roof of the multipurpose centre, the old asbestos-cement roof was removed, and debris is sorted to be shipped off the island.
45.8 % as of September 2026.
As of 30 September 2026, the bridges, stairs and boardwalks of the Playa Palmeras trail are 98 % complete; wastewater treatment is at 73 %, with the compact plant for the Umantatay area already installed; the whale-watching tower is at 65 %, with its foundation finished; and the multipurpose centre is at 29 %. The Yundigua trail, the market stalls, the deck, water and power come in the next stages. Completion is due in February 2027.
An island better prepared to welcome visitors.
Safe timber trails, a place to watch whales, a centre to welcome groups and better water and sanitation for the Poblado, the sector where park rangers live and work and where visitors arrive.
