La Guajira: Magic in the land of the Wayuu
La Guajira is the northernmost department of Colombia, a land full of contrasts between the sea, the desert and the mountains. It has a great variety of landscapes and cultures, being the home of one of the largest indigenous settlements in the country, being mostly of the Wayuu ethnic group, a town rich in traditions, colors and human quality.
In this department of Colombia you will not only be able to enjoy beautiful beaches, extensive and charming deserts, forests full of life and places that will leave you speechless, you will also be able to live an enriching experiences, full of learning and life lessons with the communities of the area, which are open to receiving travelers, who in turn can contribute to their development and well-being. So get ready to live an adventure that will not only captivate your senses but also your heart. Come and participate in “A Journey to Change”.
The prices that appear per day are referential and correspond to the sum of activities that were made that day
The first day you will arrive to Bogotá city from your origin country, where you can board a flight to Santa Marta. In Santa Marta airport you can take an urban bus to the bus station, where you will take one to take you to Riohacha. In this city you can walk through the Malecón with its extensive beaches and its main street full of handicrafts from the nearby towns. You can also enjoy a delicious ceviche while you visit its main square.
From Riohacha you will go to the indigenous community “La Esperanza”. There, you will receive a welcome and you will be able to live with them, learning from their traditions and realities. You will start “A Journey to Change” where you will stay in a shelter under the stars sleeping in a hammock, sharing stories and knowing more about the lifestyle of the community. With this activity you will not only be enriching as a person, you will also be contributing to the development of the community.
This day you will spend time knowing the environment of the indigenous community “La Esperanza”, its forests full of trails and life, its closest river where you can swim and share a fun time with the children of the community and you can perform different activities for the benefit of the community, in addition to trying their traditional dishes.
From the community you will go to Cabo de la Vela, a trip of more than 3 hours in which you will pass through one of the most extensive deserts in Colombia (it is actually a tropical dry forest), which will allow you to admire the contrast of the life in this region. Once in the cape you can relax on its quiet beaches and visit its most iconic points such as the Pilón de Azucar and the lighthouse on a 2-hour tour.
This day you will travel from the Cape to Camarones, where you will visit the Flamingos Nature Reserve. There you will take a tour of approximately 1.5 hours on a small sailboat, where you can admire these beautiful birds, and then enjoy a delicious dish of typical food in front of the beaches of the municipality. From there you will move to Palomino, where you will spend the night in a hostel relaxing or going to party according to your preference.
The last day of the trip you will spend in one of the most beautiful beaches of the region in the cozy village of Palomino, a place where you can relax or prepare for the adventure while tubing in the Palomino River or travel the trails of the area. This day in the afternoon or evening you will return to Santa Marta where you can board your flight back to Bogota from where you can return to your country.
The lodging that is shown in the list of each night is recommended by the traveler, you can find more similar options. The cost is per person in a double bed room.
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The prices that appear by transport are referential and correspond to what the traveler paid at that moment
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I recommend day 4 to ask for the locals to stay with the community at their home for one more day and save one night of the cottage. It costs much less and you have an incredible experience to continue sharing with the community.
I recommend bringing sunscreen, comfortable clothes, a hat, mosquito repellent and plenty of water that we can buy before leaving to the community.
Preferably carry dollars, euros or debit card to withdraw at an ATM, as other currencies are not very favorable. Change only a little at the airport as the exchange rates are not very good at the airport and the rest can be changed in the city once you arrive.
Remember that you must have the yellow fever vaccine to enter Colombia and preferably have the tetanus vaccine too. If you are not from Colombia, you will most likely arrive in Bogotá, so you should take a flight to Santa Marta to go to Riohacha. The values provided in the transport information are approximate since the price of the flights varies constantly so they can be more or less economic depending on the case. All activities and tours are hired locally and are provided by people from the community. I will be happy to help you contact them and reserve them.
On the second day, the transfer to the community takes place by taxi from Riohacha, with prior permission of the community. To arrive, you must be accompanied by a member of the community who will be contacted by “A Journey to Change”, since the community is on a road that is not well signposted.
The two days with the community are managed through “A Journey to Change”. The value of the aforementioned contribution (USD 110 in total) is invested in sustainable development projects for the community and includes the stay in it for 2 nights, however you must bring provisions for food during the stay, which you can prepare together with the community.
