Voyage to the Heart of High Guajira (3 days)

Day 1

Uribia, the salt flats of Manaure and Cabo de la Vela

The journey begins at 8.00am in Riohacha, and it´s recommended to breakfast before arriving, as we will set off for Uribia, the indigenous capital of La Guajira on a trip which takes one hour. Then we will set off for the salt flats of Manaure where we will have time to explore las Charcas (entry fee not included). From there we will travel to Cabo de la Vela where we will visit the Pilòn de Azucàr (Sugar Loaf), the Eye of the Waters beach (Playa Ojo de Agua) and la Dorada (Golden beach). We finish the day with dinner and a hearty sleep in either a hammock or a bed in one of the best lodgings in Cabo.

Day 2

Taroa Dunes and PUnta Gallinas

We leave early for the Taroa Dunes, which are one of the loveliest landscapes in La Guajira, being hills and tunnocks of sand moulded by wind and wave until they slope down to meet the Caribbean Sea. We will have breakfast in a restaurant in front of the sea in Honda Bay and from there we will visit the lighthouse of Punta Gallina where we can enjoy a truly spectacular sight as this is the most northernly point of the whole of South America, with the Caribbean stretched out before our eyes like a glorious canvas of adventure, imagination and the unknown. In this special place, we stay the night as guests of indigenous hosts who have an agreeable if basic offering especially considering the extraordinary isolation and the basic living conditions of the area.

Day 3

Mayapo beaches

We breakfast early en route to the beaches of Mayapo. On arrival, we will visit the Maliwala Auberge, a place to spoil ourselves tasting traditional cuisine and at lunchtime we will enjoy dishes which bring together the most delicious recipes of Guajira cooking. We will have time to enjoy the beaches of Mayapo, one of the unmissable destinations of a journey to La Guajira, unmissable because this place is ideal for those beach sports requiring strong winds, rigorous waves and sandy beaches: kite and wind-surfing top of the list, although these sports are not well-established in this area at this time. Half way through the afternoon we will arrive at the hostel in Riohacha where you can rest, take a shower and prepare yourself to go to the airport or onto your next destination.

Uribia town

Uribia is the town with the highest indigenous population in Colombia. It is located in the north of the La Guajira department, and its population is largely made up of the Wayúu people who have lived in this area since before history began. Uribia is recognised as under the collective ownership of the greater indigenous reserve of High and Middle Guajira, which covers the entire rural expanse of the peninsula.

Salt Flats of Manaure

Here modern and ancient exist side by side. The biggest salt mine in Colombia is located in Manaure, with the 1 million tonnes of salt mined annually representing 70% of all national production.

Cabo de la Vela

Located on the La Guajira peninsula, this desert landscape is inhabited by the indigenous Wayúu who call this land Jepirra, which in their tradition means the sacred place where the spirits of the deceased come in order to pass over to the next life. Amongst the principal attractions of the Cabo are the Pilòn de Azucar, la Playa Dorada, el Ojo de Agua and the Rancherìas Aledañas.

Taroa Dunes

The dunes are 60 metres high, and to scramble up them might seem like a tall order at first, but once at the summit, there is an unparalleled view of the Caribbean stretching away in front of you, but what’s more impressive is that the whole landscape feels like a dreamscape, or a hallucination, but this is the reality of light and sand and thousands of years of constant human habitation is this immensely old corner of the world.

Punta Gallinas

The most northern point of South America. Close to Punta Gallina is a community of almost 100 people of the Wayùu ethnicity, one of the few South American cultures who have conserved their ancestral traditions in this abrasive modern world. This is already extraordinary enough, but in addition to this these delightful people live in the most eloquent landscape: rocky bluffs, sandy mesetas, dunes and all rising up out of the sea to embrace Honda Bay.

Mayapo beaches

An outstanding group of beaches where strong winds attract aficionados of surf sports such as kitesurfing, windsurfing or sailing close to shore in smaller sail boats.

Do not leave home without a good sunblock for face and lips, there is so much wind and sun that chapping is inevitable without good products. You will also regret not bringing insect repellent.

Sunglasses, water container of minimum 1.5 litres, a towel and a small rucksack to contain all of the above.

Basic toiletries should be brought with you as there is no guarantee that our lodgings will have them.

Bring a snorkel and snorkelling goggles with you

Travel documents: passport, identity card or citizens identity card, military service card and your medical insurance card.

Clothing: it’s important to wear comfortable clothes and specifically light-coloured clothes which dry rapidly, and optionally you can bring some extra sandals with you. A light wind cheater, light clothing for swimming, hat, buff or any other element which can protect you from the sun.

Health Issues: it’s important to be vaccinated against yellow fever; if you have specific medications bring them with you as there is no guarantee that you would be able to find them in the unlikely event of finding a pharmacy, bearing in mind that when out adventuring, a light-weight medical kit is never out of place.

Special recommendations

This is an area where it is essential to stay hydrated and protected from the sun throughout the excursion. Equally, you will be around or in water on various occasions so if you can bring your personal documents and electronic equipment safely with you inside a hermetically sealed `dry bag` then so much the better. Word to the wise: don’t drink alcohol or use psychoactive substances before or during the trip, medical attention is not guaranteed.

Finally, it’s essential to bring a camera and some binoculars on this trip to observe the extraordinary flora and fauna of the region.