Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas

Wayuu Ancestral Territory On The Guajira Peninsula, Where The Desert Meets The Caribbean. Cabo De La Vela Has Kitesurf Bays And Sunsets At Pilon De Azucar; Punta Gallinas Is The Northernmost Point Of South America With The Taroa Dunes. · Uribia, La Guajira

Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas sit on the Guajira Peninsula, a dry and windy land, at the far north of Colombia and of South America, where red desert meets the Caribbean. This is Wayuu territory, and the experience is shaped by that: you travel with Wayuu hosts or guides, sleep in simple rancherias with hammocks and shared bathrooms, eat what the family cooks, and pay tolls where Wayuu families stretch a rope across the track. Cabo de la Vela has the flat bays used for kitesurfing, the red rock of the Pilon de Azucar, and a famous sunset at the lighthouse. Further on, Punta Gallinas has the northernmost point of the continent, the Taroa dunes that fall into the sea, and Hospital Bay with its pink water and flamingos. It is remote, hot, windy and basic, with no ATMs, thin phone signal and limited water and power. Roads are rough and distances long. It rewards visitors who come prepared and go with respect, and who treat it as a multi-day journey rather than a quick beach stop, and one with patience for long rough drives.

Remote Wayuu desert coast on the northern tip of South America, reached by 4WD from Uribia or by tour from Riohacha, Uribia, La Guajira, Colombia

The coast, dunes and viewpoints are open all day and cost nothing beyond tolls and tours. Travel happens in daylight: 4x4 convoys leave early from Riohacha or Uribia and rancherias serve meals at set times, with lights and fans only part of the day when generators run. Sunrise and sunset are the main events, and boat trips to Taroa and the bay run in the calmer morning hours. There are no formal opening hours, so confirm the day's plan with your host.

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