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- Bogotá, Colombia
Palomino and Guajira
Bird watching
Nature
Sun and beach
Palomino and Guajira
What to visit
Unparalleled experiences!
What you can't miss
Recommendations
Palomino and Guajira
It is recognized in Colombia as the cradle of the most numerous indigenous ethnic group in Colombia "The Wayuu", is one of the places where you can live a real experience of sharing with an indigenous community and learn about their customs and traditions.
In its surroundings we find beautiful natural landscapes, which combine very well with the visit to this interesting city such as Cabo de la Vela, Punta Gallina and Los Flamencos Fauna and Flora Sanctuary.
What to visit
The city of Riohacha: During a short walk we can visit the Plaza José Prudencio Padilla, built in 1538, the statue of Admiral Padilla, founder of the National Navy. The Cathedral of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, patron saint of the city and who in the month of February celebrates a very popular festival named after her. In the evenings a good plan is to walk along the Tourist Pier either to watch a beautiful sunset or buy in local craft sites a colorful "Wayuu backpack", bracelets, hats or blankets, all handmade by indigenous communities, a good way to contribute to their people, taking a nice souvenir.
Crab Valley: Thanks to the constant winds throughout the year, it is one of the favorite places to practice adventure sports including kitesurfing, if you are interested. The name is given by the amount of crabs found there.
Los Flamencos Fauna and Flora Sanctuary: One of the sites that you cannot miss during your visit to this region. It is the habitat of twenty-five species typical of the region and offers a spectacle of coral-colored flamingos, who go in search of the artemia salina that gives them their pink color.
Cabo de la Vela: It is an excellent option to enjoy a day at the beach, because it has the quietest beaches in Colombia, it is located only three hours from the city of Riohacha, the best plan is to stay at least one night and take advantage of its tourist inns made in bahareque and otojoro, as well as to share with the Wayúu community.
Punta Gallinas: Beautiful destination and one of the most important tourist destinations in Colombia that is defined as "The northernmost tip of South America" has stunning scenery and a rich culture. To visit it you must have at least one night to stay there, it is worth including it in your trip itinerary to La Guajira.
Macuira National Natural Park: Located eight hours from Riohacha (approximately) excellent option for those looking for experiences such as hiking and bird watching wildlife.
Unparalleled experiences!
The Francisco el Hombre Festival, Vallenata music is an important part of the rhythms of the Colombian Caribbean and La Guajira is one of the places where you find more lovers of this famous Colombian rhythm. This festival is an annual tribute to contemporary vallenata music, where the best performers of this genre are recognized in its different variants; romantic, modern or traditional. New talents in the field of singing, composition and interpretation of vallenata music are also awarded. The date of this celebration is from March 20 to 22.
The Wayúu Culture Festival is one of the festivals full of cultural expressions and tradition. Craft shows, horse races and indigenous olympics are the centers of attraction during the three days.
The festival is the most significant event for the Wayúu Indians, even for those who occupy the state of Zulia in Venezuela, and because of its colorful pomp it attracts not only members of the ethnic group, but also tourists and researchers who want to join the party.
Women with clay faces weaving the history of their people, children on the back of a horse bringing centuries-old traditions, dances of mystical colors and percussion that evoke the logic of relationships between men and women.
What you can't miss
If you decide to include Guajira in your Colombia trip itinerary, you can't miss the following experiences.
One of the ways to live this experience is to stay in a Ranchería, the name given to the indigenous settlements. There you will learn about their customs, traditions, dances and taste their delicious traditional cuisine.
One of the livelihood activities of its inhabitants is fishing, so you can find a variety of seafood dishes, one of which is the salpicón de raya. Another one of their flagship foods and that represents the Wayuu culture is the goat or ram, to taste the goat you can try the following dish “el friche”which is a fried mixture of viscera, meat and blood of the animal, among other dishes.
Something that will catch your attention are the Wayuu women for their traditional colorful blankets, they are experts in weaving the famous Wayuu backpacks, hammocks, bracelets and hats. If you visit this region with the purchase of one of these handicrafts you will not only contribute to the livelihood of these communities, but also to preserve their traditions and make them known in your country of origin.
Recommendations
- We recommend you to wear very cool clothes to resist the heat, you will find a very hot climate. warm desert. However, the air currents coming from the trade winds, slightly modify the temperature according to the time of the year. It has an average temperature of 28° C.
- The most important areas to stay are Riohacha as the main city, where you will find modern hotels, but if you decide to stay in Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas you can enjoy a stay in Rancherías, a traditional way to experience the destination.
- To arrive you can take a plane from any of Colombia's major cities or arrive by land from nearby cities such as Santa Marta, Barranquilla, Valledupar and even Cartagena de Indias.