La Guajira: where the desert meets the sea

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Sanctuary of the flora and fauna of flamingos

  Your adventure will begin in Riohacha, where your guide and the Wayuu driver will take you aboard a Land Cruiser. Your first destination is Camarones, a Wayuu village that is the gateway to the Flamingos Natural Sanctuary. After lunch on the beach at Camarones, you will board a paddle boat to see the pink flamingos and other seabirds of the reserve's lagoon. Next, you will cross the marshy area of the reserve to observe its many land birds. You will then visit the Wayuu Tocoromana community to discover their way of life and taste their music, dances, and traditional dishes.

• day 2

  Sailing cap

  From Camarones, you will take a coastal road to Cabo de la Vela. Along the way, you will pass by the Manaure salt complex, with its collection ponds and mountains of sea salt. As you approach Cabo de la Vela, you will leave the paved road and put your 4x4 vehicle to work on dirt tracks and sand dunes. Cabo de la Vela — "Cape of the Sail" — has long beaches and spectacular headlands set against a backdrop of rolling dunes. Here, you will visit Punto Arco Iris (Rainbow Point), where the waves crashing on the red and green rocks create a curtain of colorful paint. You will walk up to the headlands to enjoy breathtaking views, relax on the beach, and swim in the clear Caribbean water. You will end the day watching the sunset over Pilon de Azucar ("Sugar Mound"), a hill overlooking the cape and the highest point of Cabo de la Vela.

• day 3

  Bahía Honda, Puerto Estrella and Nazareth

  Today, you will continue north, your first destination being Bahía Honda. You will spend the morning on a quiet beach in the bay, with golden sand and turquoise water. After lunch, you will head towards Puerto Estrella and hike on the sand dunes to visit the Laguna de los Patos, a picturesque lake in the middle of the desert. You will end the day in the Wayuu town of Nazareth, gateway to the Macuira National Park.

• day 4

  Macuira National Park

  Macuira is an oasis of 25,000 hectares and, for the Wayuu, it is the most sacred place in all of Guajira. It is a region of mountains, cloud forests, and streams. Macuira is a refuge for more than a hundred species of birds, 17 of which are found nowhere else in the world. You will spend the morning exploring this lush paradise in the desert and walk to one of its unique features: Las Dunas de Arewaru, a sand dune in the middle of a chain of wooded mountains. You will end the day with a swim at Las Bateas, a series of small lagoons and waterfalls in the middle of the forest. You will spend the night in Nazareth.

• day 5

  Punta Gallinas

  Today, you are heading to Punta Gallinas, the northernmost part of your journey. The Taroa dunes are waves of powdery sand that meet the Caribbean Sea. You will walk on the dunes and go down a steep 10-meter slope to reach the water. You will visit El Faro, a lighthouse at the northern tip of the South American continent. In the afternoon, you will take a boat to go around Bahía Hondita, a bay with such a small opening that it looks like a blue lake. You will visit the mangroves and mudflats of the bay to see flamingos and other migratory birds. Towards the end of the day, you will go to Punta Aguja (Needle Point) to relax on the beach. You will spend the night on a plateau overlooking Bahía Hondita.

• day 6

  La Boquita Beach and return to Riohacha.

  It's a long journey back to Riohacha, but fortunately, you will avoid 3 hours of driving by taking a 20-minute boat ride instead. While the vehicle goes around Bahía Hondita, you will cross the bay to its mouth and enjoy a beach called La Boquita. When your vehicle arrives at the beach, you will continue to Riohacha, where you will visit the cultural center. Your adventure in Guajira ends here, and you will leave with memories of unique experiences, photos of spectacular landscapes, and a beautiful tan.