3-day Punta Gallinas tour from Santa Marta: Wayuu culture

The Wayuu live in the desert facing the Caribbean, and you sleep where they do.

A 3-day tour from Santa Marta to Punta Gallinas, the northernmost point of South America, with a Spanish-speaking guide, accommodation in traditional Wayuu hammocks and chinchorros, meals at Wayuu inns, and 4x4 transport through the Guajira desert. The route includes Cabo de la Vela and the Taroa Dunes, ending back in Santa Marta on day three.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel to Cabo de la Vela and explore

• Depart hotel early morning
• Travel through Palomino and Riohacha
• Have typical breakfast
• Drive to Uribia
• Visit Manaure salt collection
• Explore Desert of Auyama and Cabo de la Vela
• Lunch at Wayuu inn
• Visit sugar pylon
• Watch sunset at lighthouse
• Enjoy Wayuu dinner
• Overnight in hammock at Posada Wayuu

Day 2: Visit Taroa Dunes and Punta Gallinas

• Breakfast at accommodation
• Depart to Taroa Dunes by 4x4
• Bathroom break and take photos at dunes
• Tour Punta Gallinas
• Dinner and sleep in Wayuu chinchorro

Day 3: Return to Santa Marta via Riohacha

• Breakfast at accommodation
• Depart to Uribia by 4x4
• Have lunch in Uribia
• Free time at Malecon de Riohacha for handicrafts
• Depart Riohacha mid-afternoon
• Return to Santa Marta evening

The experience

The tour departs Santa Marta between 4:00 and 4:30 am on day one, heading south toward Riohacha with a typical breakfast stop along the way. After three hours in an air-conditioned vehicle, you reach Uribia, then drive twenty minutes to Manaure to watch the salt collection process. The route continues through the Auyama desert to Cabo de la Vela, where you visit the lighthouse at sunset and eat dinner at a Wayuu inn before sleeping in a hammock at a Wayuu posada.

Day two starts with breakfast and a 7:00 to 8:00 am departure in a 4x4 for the three-hour drive to the Taroa Dunes, where you stop for photos and a bathroom break. From there, a forty-minute transfer takes you to Punta Gallinas itself. The point where the Caribbean meets the desert at the edge of the continent. You sleep that night in a chinchorro, a traditional woven bed, at another Wayuu inn.

The return journey on day three leaves between 7:00 and 8:00 am, driving three hours back to Uribia for lunch, then continuing to Riohacha's waterfront where you have free time to buy local handicrafts. The final leg departs Riohacha at 3:00 pm, arriving back in Santa Marta between 5:00 and 7:00 pm. The tour includes three breakfasts, three lunches and two dinners, plus travel insurance and a Spanish-speaking guide throughout.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle for the first day and shared 4x4 transport for the desert sections.
• Spanish-speaking guide for all three days.
• accommodation in a Wayuu hammock on night one and a Wayuu chinchorro on night two.
• three breakfasts, three lunches and two dinners at Wayuu inns.
• travel insurance.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 04:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (10 to 70 years) · Under 10: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 20

Live guideSpanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by RUTA TAYRONA TOURS

Is this one for you?This tour suits travelers who want to spend time with the Wayuu people in their own environment rather than visit as outsiders. The small-group format and overnight stays in traditional lodges make it an immersion in the culture, not a quick stop. You eat what they eat, sleep where they sleep, and move at the pace of the desert.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

1 verified traveler review

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What is Punta Gallinas and why does it matter?

Punta Gallinas is the northernmost point of South America, located on the Guajira peninsula where the Caribbean Sea meets the desert. The tour reaches it on day two after driving through salt flats and sand dunes, and you spend the night there in a traditional Wayuu chinchorro before returning on day three.

Do I sleep in hotels or somewhere else?

You sleep in traditional Wayuu accommodations: a hammock at a posada on night one and a chinchorro (woven bed) on night two. Both are at Wayuu inns where you also eat meals prepared by Wayuu families.

How much driving is involved each day?

Day one includes three hours from Santa Marta to Riohacha, then 1.5 hours to Uribia and twenty minutes to Manaure, with stops in between. Day two has a three-hour 4x4 drive to the Taroa Dunes and a forty-minute transfer to Punta Gallinas. Day three is three hours back to Uribia, then another three hours to Santa Marta.

What meals are included?

All three breakfasts, three lunches and two dinners are included, served at Wayuu inns. Typical local food is part of the experience. Alcoholic drinks are not included.

Is this tour physically demanding?

The tour involves long drives and early departures, but is suitable for all fitness levels. It is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, cardiovascular issues or pregnant travelers due to the rough terrain and extended vehicle time.