Perico cultural tour with Wayuu communities and flamingo lagoon

Spend a full day in Perico learning from the Wayuu people who live there, not watching from a distance.

A full-day cultural tour in Perico, a village inside Los Flamencos Flora and Fauna Park near Santa Marta, where you walk with Wayuu and Afro-descendant community members, eat what they cook, and boat the Navío Quebrado lagoon to see pink flamingos and local birds. Private transport from your hotel, a local guide in English or Spanish, breakfast and lunch are included. The day runs 10 to 12 hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Wayuu cultural immersion and lagoon tour

• Immerse with Wayuu and Afro-descendant communities
• Enjoy a traditional lunch in Perico village
• Walk and boat in Navío Quebrado lagoon
• Observe local birds including Pink Flamenco
• Optional tubing descent on Palomino River

The experience

Perico sits inside a protected sanctuary on Colombia's Caribbean coast, and the tour starts with pickup from your hotel in Santa Marta. You arrive in the village itself, not a tourist center built nearby: the place where Wayuu and Afro-descendant families actually live. A local guide walks you through daily life there, explaining customs and knowledge passed down in the community, and you share a lunch they prepare. The guide speaks English or Spanish depending on availability.

The second half moves to water. You board a boat on the Navío Quebrado lagoon, a shallow complex of channels and wetlands where pink flamingos gather alongside herons, egrets and other species that feed in the shallows. The boat navigates slowly enough to watch birds without startling them, and the guide points out what you're seeing. This lagoon is the reason the whole area became a protected park.

An optional tubing run down the Palomino River to the sea is available for an extra cost if you want to add a second activity: a short descent that ends where the river meets the Caribbean. Most travelers skip it and spend the time on the lagoon or resting in the village. The air-conditioned vehicle waits for your return to Santa Marta, and the full day usually wraps by late afternoon.

What’s included

• Private hotel pickup and return transport in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• local guide in English or Spanish (depending on availability).
• local breakfast.
• one hydration.
• local lunch prepared by community members.
• medical insurance.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (18 to 80 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 20

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Perla del Navío Quebrado

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're staying in Santa Marta without a car and want to spend time inside a real community rather than on a standard sightseeing route. The private pickup means you don't arrange transport separately, and the guide is someone who actually lives in Perico.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

2 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (5 to 12 years); Infant (1 to 4 years).

What do you actually do with the Wayuu guides in Perico village?

You walk through the village with a local guide who lives there, learning about Wayuu customs, knowledge and daily life. The guide explains the community's traditions and history, and you share a meal (breakfast and lunch) that they prepare. It's not a performance or a demonstration. You're spending time in the place where people work and live.

Can you see flamingos on this tour?

Yes. The Navío Quebrado lagoon is where pink flamingos feed, and you'll boat through the shallow water to watch them alongside herons, egrets and other wading birds. The lagoon is part of Los Flamencos Flora and Fauna Park, which exists to protect these species and their habitat.

How long is the full day, and what time does pickup happen?

The tour runs 10 to 12 hours total. Your hotel in Santa Marta arranges the pickup time. Private transport is included, and you travel in an air-conditioned vehicle.

Is tubing down the Palomino River part of the tour?

Tubing is optional and costs extra. It's a short descent down the river to where it meets the sea. Most travelers focus on the village and the lagoon instead, but you can add it if you want a second water activity.