5 Days 4 Nights
Colombia
6
1
LA GUAJIRA DESERT 5D4N
This 5-days experience is designed for people that want to discover all the attractions of the desert at a slow pass and do not have time restrictions. Here you will have the same itinerary of the 4-days experience, visiting Manaure salt flats, Cabo de La Vela, Punta Gallinas and Mayapo beaches & La Macuira National Park, but without any rush due to the extra night at the desert that will give you some flexibility in the transportations and times at the attractions in a smooth way.
Itinerary
Itinerary Expand All
CABO DE LA VELA
On this day, a person from our team will be waiting for you at the Riohacha airport, then you will be taken to Cabo de La Vela in a 4x4. In the way, you will have a stopover in Uribia where you can get supplies for the next days in the desert. Once you arrive to the hotel, you will check-in and will spend the rest of the afternoon visiting Ojo de Agua beach and the lighthouse, where you will contemplate a beautiful Caribbean sunset in the calm waters of this windy place.
PUNTA GALLINAS
On this day, after breakfast, you will have a full day tour starting with a visit to the main spots of Cabo de La Vela: Pilon de Azucar, Rainbow and Golden beaches. Then you will have transfer in a 4x4 to Punta Gallinas. On the way you will have lunch before visiting Bahia Honda and the Eolic Park. Once at Punta Gallinas you will visit the lighthouse, which is the northernmost point of Colombia and the Taroa dunes, where you can do sandboarding and enjoy the beach.
LA MACUIRA NATIONAL PARK
On this day, we will wake up at 5 AM in order to cross the dessert towards the town of Nazareth, which is the entrance of La Macuira National Park. Once there, you will have a talk with the authorities and will have lunch. Later on, you will walk by the dunes of Aliwalu. After that, you will be taken to the accommodation and will have a cultural activity with the community and a display of traditional dances by the indigenous children.
MAYAPO BEACH
On this day, you will wake up early to depart towards Mayapo beaches. The breakfast will be on the way. Once you arrive, you will visit the Manaure Salt Flats and will have lunch. In the afternoon, you will visit a Ranch of the Wayuu, which is an indigenous community of the Colombian Caribbean known for its matriarchal traditions and handcrafted woven handbags. You will have the opportunity to involve in their culture and also enjoy the beach.
RETURN TO RIOHACHA
On this day, after breakfast you will be driven back to Riohacha in 4x4 vehicles. On the way to the airport two hours before your domestic flight to Bogota, you will take the opportunity to visit some of the attractions that adorn our route, stopping to explore and enjoy the beauty of the surroundings. During the trip, we will take a break to enjoy a delicious lunch.
Cost Info
Cost Info
Included
- LODGING 4 nights of lodging in beds in private rooms at basic accommodations of the area + 1 night of accommodation in hammocks where you cannot expect luxury, but will have all the facilities for resting properly at nights.
- ROOMS Anauli Cabo de la Vela: Double, triple or multiple rooms.
- Kijoru Punta Gallinas: Double, triple or multiple rooms.
- Naty hotel in Nazareth: Chinchorros (traditional hammocks handmade by indigenous communities).
- Playa Isashii Mayapo: Double, triple or multiple rooms.
- ACTIVITIES All the activities mentioned in the plan, all in shared tours and transportations of maximum 6 people.
- MEALS 4 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 4 dinners.
- TRANSFERS All land transportations in shared vehicles up to 6 people.
- GUIDANCESpanish speaking guides throughout the trip for all activities.
- MEDICAL ASSISTANCE CARD The tour includes a travel assistance card for all the days that covers possible accidents, medical attention and emergency transportations for a quick response in case of being necessary according to the evacuation time during the activities and level of medical attention at the destination.
Not included
- National and international flights.
- Activities, additional drinks or elements not described in the plan.
- Tips, snacks and souvenirs.
- Personal items not described in the itinerary.
- English or other language speaking translators.
Add-ons & optionals
Add-ons & optionals
- Flights from & to Bogota or any other Colombian cities. The price would depend of the dates and the anticipation the flights are booked.
- English or other languages speaking guides/translators, according to availability of guides for the desired date, in this case it is advisable to book in advance.
- Private tours for couples or small groups that don’t want to have shared activities and transportations.
- Private single rooms for just one person (price under request).
- Specialized guides for special itineraries.
What to take?
What to take?
- Hat and/or other sun protection for the head and neck.
- Sunglasses to protect your eyes from the reflection of the sun and the sand.
- Long-sleeved shirts to avoid sunburn and mosquito bites during outdoor activities.
- Comfortable pants and avoid jeans.
- Appropriate footwear for the walks in the sand dunes.
- Swimming suit, towels and sandals, as there will be chance to swim in the ocean and lagoons of the area.
- Sunscreen and mosquito repellent.
- Non-disposable rigid container to refill water (canteen or thermos).
- Hands-free backpack, please avoid wheeled suitcases as much as possible.
- Day-packs for carrying personal stuff, hydration, snacks and other elements during the outdoor day activities.
- Flashlight.
- Personal documents and count with your own medical insurance.
- Personal medicines and first aid kit.
Recomendations
Recomendations
The ecosystems of the places to be visited are special and therefore it is important to follow all the recommendations of the guides to minimize the negative impact on them, while enjoying a pleasant experience. For this it is important to keep in mind that:
- It is necessary not to have significant physical limitations, since the area does not have an infrastructure that facilitates activities for people with limited mobility.
- It is important to reduce waste generation (single-use plastics). According to that, it is important to take your own rigid non-disposable recipient for liquids.
- Follow and abide by the instructions of the guides and authorities during each of the routes and tours.
- Take your cautions against mosquitoes and sun such as hat, long-sleeved clothes, repellent, among other cautions you or your doctor might consider.
- Currently, there is no major outbreak of contagious disease or mosquito transmission in the areas to be visited. However, if there is an outbreak or important biological risk in the destinations to be visited, it will be informed in a timely manner prior to the trip.
- We recommend the use of binoculars to wildlife watching and moisture-protected cameras.
- If you want to give something to the indigenous communities, avoid candies and elements that are not healthy or generate garbage, instead you can look for books, bread and fresh food.
- This trip takes place in indigenous territories; therefore, it is important a good and respectful behavior regarding their traditions and spaces.
- Excessive consumption of alcohol and/or psychoactive substances during the activities mentioned in the plan can be harmful to your health and safety.
FAQ'S
FAQ'S
WEATHER CONDITIONS, CONNECTIVITY & BILINGUALISM
It is necessary to be properly prepared for the weather conditions of the destination which are detailed below, but as this is an approximation, please note that they may vary. Also, keep in mind that it is difficult to find bilingual staff or people at the destination.
La Guajira peninsula:
Temp. Min: 25ºC Max: 40ºC, very dry climate / (5 - 200 m.a.s.l.)
ATM´S
It is advisable to carry cash for extra expenses during the trip since access to ATMs and dataphones at the desert are non-existent and the last place to withdraw money is the city of Riohacha.
PHONE SIGNAL & WIFI
You will visit a destination where there is good phone and internet signal in the city of Riohacha. Once you get into the desert you will hardly have any phone or internet connection.
TIPPING
Tipping is not mandatory, but if you consider you can tip the guides and/or other staff with an amount from 20.000 to 50.000 COP (5 to 12 USD approx.) per day of service.
SEASONS
- The dry weather is normal all year long under normal conditions, specially from December to September, where you can also find strong winds. However, October and November might have more probability of rain.
- Migratory birds might be easier to spot during the dry season.
- In the Caribbean there is a hurricane season from May to October, where rare and sporadic hurricanes and different tropical events could pass close to La Guajira and might cause abnormal rain, that can make difficult the transportations, having a muddy desert where 4x4 transportations are not possible. In this case, we can use boats or offer different activities., but the local authorities can close the beaches, although this is very uncommon, but it is advisable to check in advance.
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