3-Day Tour of Colombian Guajira in Riohacha

Salt marshes, lighthouse sunsets and the northernmost point of South America

A 3-day guided tour of the Colombian Guajira starting from Riohacha, traveling through Manaure's salt extraction sites, the beaches and lighthouse of Cabo de La Vela, and ending at Punta Gallina, Colombia's northernmost point. You stay two nights in hostels and hotels along the coast, moving between three distinct landscapes: salt flats, desert and dunes, with time at each to photograph and explore.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Visit salt marshes and beaches

• Visit salt marshes of Manaure
• Explore indigenous capital and buy handicrafts
• See Rainbow Beach and Pilón de Azúcar beaches
• Watch sunset at the Lighthouse

Day 2: Travel to Punta Gallina and explore dunes

• Travel through Guajiro desert and Hondita Bay
• Arrive at northernmost point of Colombia
• Visit dunes and beaches of Taroa
• Watch sunset at El Faro

Day 3: Return to Riohacha with farewell

• Enjoy farewell cocktail

The experience

Manaure opens the route: you'll see how salt extraction and processing work in Colombia's largest marine salinas, then continue to the indigenous capital to browse local handicrafts before heading to Cabo de La Vela. The second day pushes further north through Guajiro desert and Hondita Bay to Punta Gallina, where the landscape shifts to vast dunes and the northernmost beaches of South America. The third day brings a farewell from this remote corner before the return to Riohacha.

Each stop is built around light and landscape. Rainbow Beach exists for photography; the lighthouse at Cabo de La Vela marks the sunset; the dunes of Taroa and the beaches beyond Punta Gallina carry the same pull. The route itself is the draw: passing through difficult-access terrain that most day trips from the coast never reach. You'll need moderate fitness for the terrain and the pace. The operator notes this area demands it, and children can join from age 5 onward.

Accommodation moves with you: a hostel in Cabo de La Vela on the first night, then a hotel in Punta Gallina. A Spanish-speaking guide leads the group, and pickup from Riohacha is included in the booking.

What’s included

• Pickup from Riohacha.
• Spanish-speaking guide for all three days.
• two nights' accommodation (hostel in Cabo de La Vela, hotel in Punta Gallina).
• access to Manaure salt marshes, Rainbow Beach, Cabo de La Vela lighthouse and beaches, Punta Gallina dunes and northernmost beaches.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (18 to 59 years) · Senior (60 to 80 years) · Youth (15 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 14 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 6

Live guideSpanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 12 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Guajiro Dream

Is this one for you?Three days away from Riohacha means you commit to the full arc of the peninsula (from salt flats to lighthouse to the northernmost dunes), but it also means you cannot fit this into a single day trip or combine it with other Caribbean stops on the same itinerary. Choose this if you have the time and the fitness for remote terrain. If you need to stay closer to the coast or move on the same day, a shorter excursion from Riohacha would suit better.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (15 to 17 years); Child (5 to 14 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What is Manaure and why does the tour start there?

Manaure is Colombia's most important marine salt flat, where the main economic activity centers on salt extraction and processing. The tour begins there to show how this work happens on the ground: the methods, the landscape shaped by the industry, and the scale of the operation.

How far north does Punta Gallina reach?

Punta Gallina is the northernmost point of Colombia and all of South America. The tour reaches it on the second day after crossing Guajiro desert and Hondita Bay, arriving at a landscape of extensive dunes and remote beaches that few visitors see.

What happens at Cabo de La Vela?

Cabo de La Vela is where you spend the first night. The stop includes Rainbow Beach for photography, a sunset at the lighthouse, and access to the beaches of Pilón de Azúcar: three distinct moments across the same coastal area.

What kind of fitness does this tour require?

The operator recommends at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The terrain is difficult to access, the pace covers ground across three days, and the landscape (desert, dunes, remote beaches) demands stamina. It is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries.

Where do you stay on this tour?

You stay two nights: the first in a hostel in Cabo de La Vela, the second in a hotel in Punta Gallina. Both are included in the booking.