An itinerary through every corner of the Caribe paradise that lasts almost two months. You can abbreviate it if there are parts you can’t get to this time; or extend it for another month by either journeying into the Alto Guajira, or up the North Coast towards Panama and hopping out to the Caribbean Islands.
City jump list: Montería | Lorica | San Antero | Coveñas | Sincelejo | Cartagena | Mompós | Barranquilla | Santa Marta | Minca | Palomino | Valledupar | Riohacha | Uribia | Caba de la Vela | Punta Gallinas | Arboletes | Necoclí | Turbo | Acandí | Capurganá | Sapzurro | San Andrés | Providencia
Parks jump list: Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo | Los Colorados | Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta | Teyuna (Lost City) | Tayrona | Los Flamencos | Macuira | Bahía Portete – Kaurrele
Montería (2 nights)
San Jacinto de Montería is a great stop after the long ride from Medellín (over nine hours). Montería is the capital of the Córdoba Department and has an eclectic mix of architectural styles, from Republic-era to Sirio-Lebanese. It has been designated by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) as a Sustainable City.
Stretch your legs, strolling in the parque lineal (said to be the longest such park in South America) along the banks of the earthen-colored Río Sinú. In this park, you can observe local wildlife like sloths, monkeys, and iguanas. Stop into the Museo Zenú de Arte Contemporáneo, shop for crafts at the Mercado Público and catch the sunset from the Muelle Turístico (Carrera 1, between Calles 34 and 35). Side trips include the Zooparque los Caimanes in Buenavista, the indigenous community of Tuchín, and petroglyphs near San Jacinto y San Juan Nepomuceno.
The city’s Founding Day is observed the 1st of May. The big festival each year, though, is the Feria de Ganadería (Cattle Fair) in June, featuring not only agricultural activities, but also dance, concerts and other cultural activities.
Lorica (2 nights)
Santa Cruz de Lorica used to be the major port on the Río Sinú. Its mudéjar (Andalusian-Arab) architecture is best represented by the riverside market where you can shop for artesanía and enjoy regional cuisine. Ciénaga Grande de Lorica is an ecotourism destination with numerous species of birds and other fauna. Another side trip is to the seaside town of San Bernardo del Viento which is just forty minutes northwest of town, where lodging is available.
Lorica is the hometown of writer David Sánchez Juliao, choreographer and folklorist Delia Zapata Olivella, and Manuel Zapata Olivella, one of Colombia’s most important 20th-century writers. Zapata Olivella documented the country’s African roots in anthropological, ethnographic, and literary works. Only a few of his novels have been translated into English. Check out Changó el gran putas (Changó the Biggest Badass). All of Zapata’s oeuvre in Spanish is available free online.
Lorica’s founding day is celebrated on the feast day of the Holy Cross, the 3rd of May.
San Antero (2 nights)
If you arrive in San Antero during Semana Santa (Easter Week), you will definitely feel like you have entered a “Macondo”, the famous fictional town in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s 100 Years of Solitude that feels on one hand exotic and undisturbed while on the other hand governed by magic. Semana Santa is when the village holds its world-famous donkey beauty pageant.
Even if you can’t make it here for this great festival, San Antero is worth a few days of exploration. Stop by the Museo de Calabazo (Gourd Museum, about its uses and crafts) or soak in the rustic El Tesoro mud volcano. The 27,000-hectare Bahía de Cispatá has fine beaches like Playa Blanca (lodging), Punta Bolívar y Grau – all with terrific seafood restaurants. The bay also features floating houses at Punta Terraplén, and a great variety of flora and fauna (in total, almost 770 species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and other wildlife, as well as five classes of mangrove). Mirador de Santa Rosa del Bálsamo (10 kilometers away) has fantastic views of the Golfo de Morrosquillo.
San Antero’s patron saint, the Virgin of Carmen, is fêted the 16th of July.
Would you like to soak in more hot springs in Colombia or elsewhere in Latin America? Check out the South America Buses guide to Hot Springs by Bus
Coveñas (2 nights)
The village of Coveñas on the Golfo de Morrosquillo has several sections. The more pleasant place to stay is the Segunda Ensenada of Punta de Piedra. Here you’ll find a variety of lodging options, including camping, and a long stretch of white sand beach. The gulf has calm and warm waters – perfect for swimming and snorkeling!
Take a boating excursion through the Ciénaga de La Caimanera. Some local tour agencies offer tours to Islas de San Bernardo (see below).
Coveñas has its main festival the first weekend in February, with horseback riding, bicycling, and other sporting events, as well as cultural and gastronomic fairs.
Tolú (2 nights)
Santiago de Tolú is more famous than its cousin Coveñas and considered the Best Beach Town in Colombia. Also on the coast of the Golfo Morrosquillo, Tolú has more lodging, dining, and nightlife options. Rent a bike to get out to the farther beaches, or hire a bicicletero (bicycle taxi) to give you a tour around town.
Ciénaga de la Leche has waterfalls and abundant bird life (including toucans!). Tours to Islas de San Bernardo are easier to arrange here. Some agents also offer scuba diving.
Tolú’s fiestas include a sailboat regatta (8-9 January), Semana Santa (March/April) and its patron saint, Santiago (20-25 July).
Parque Nacional Natural Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo
On the eastern side of Golfo de Morrosquillo is Parque Nacional Natural (PNN) Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo. It consists of 43 islands covering 120,000 hectares of mangroves, coral reefs, and other marine ecosystems. The main islands of the archipelago are Grande, San Bernardo, Palma, Mangle, Tintipán, Santa Cruz del Islote, Múcura.
Snorkeling and scuba diving are optimal in this national park. Many day tours stop at the aquarium on Isla San Martín. If you want to overnight on Isla Grande, the Nativos Activos Community Enterprise Visitors Center community tourism project provides accommodation (camping, hammocks, rooms) and a restaurant. Other hotels exist on Grande, Encanto and Pirata islands.
PNN Corales del Rosario y de San Bernardo is accessible by boat from Coveñas, Tolú or Cartagena.
Sincelejo (2 nights)
Located in the coast’s Savannas Region (Región Sabanas), Sincelejo is in a gently rolling landscape with a dry climate. It was originally founded in 1535 in Zenú indigenous territory and refounded in 1775. Some architecture from this latter founding still exists. You can learn more about the region’s history at the Museo Arqueológico Manuel Huertas Vergara (Carrera 26 nº 24-55).
Other museums of interest are Museo del Encuentro with a focus on art (Carrera 16 nº 415) and Ospina Casa Museo, a cultural center that features musical events (Carrera 27 nº 23A-58).
If you’re a shopper, pick up a handmade hammock or a sombrero vueltiao, the hat that is Colombia’s national symbol.
And if you are a music aficionado, welcome to the home of two of the Colombia Caribbean signature rhythms, porro, and fandango. These genres are the center point of the Fiestas del 20 de Enero (20th of January). Other big musical festivals are Encuentro Nacional de Bandas (August) and Festival Sabanero del Acordeón (end of June-beginning of July). Every October, Ovejas (41 kilometers north of Sincelejo) hosts the Festival Nacional de Gaitas, a native flute instrument bearing a feather in the mouthpiece.
Other holidays of note in Sincelejo are Semana Santa (moveable feast: March-April) and Fiestas de San Pedro y San Pablo (29 June).
Los Colorados Flora and Fauna Sanctuary (1 night)
Near San Juan Nepomuceno, 100 kilometers north of Sincelejo and 90 kilometers southeast of Cartagena, is Los Colorados Flora and Fauna Sanctuary. The reserve is named for Los Colorados Mountain, home of the red howler monkey. Other mammals present are cotton-top tamarin, kinkajou, and ocelot. More than 280 avian species may be spotted here, such as blue-billed curassow, keel-billed toucan, red-throated caracara, and scarlet macaw. Los Colorados has several hiking trails, including Planeta Bosque Trail (difficulty: medium, time: 2-3 hours).
Being midway between Sincelejo and Cartagena, you can opt to visit this nature reserve on a day trip from another city or spend the night immersing yourself in nature. In San Juan Nepomuceno are hotels, hostels, and camping.
Cartagena (7 nights)
Cartagena is, without doubt, the most renowned tourist destination on Colombia’s Caribbean coast – and for good reason. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can spend days exploring this city’s incredible colonial architecture, plazas, and museums, and a few more making day trips to nearby towns.
Besides strolling down the narrow streets and along the fortress ramparts overlooking the Caribbean Sea, there are numerous churches and museums to visit. Important religious temples to visit are Santuario de San Pedro Claver (Carrera 4 nº 30-01) and Convento de la Popa on the highest hill in the city (Calles 37); both have museums. Among the best museums in the city are the Museo Histórico, located in the eerie Palacio de la Inquisición, which was the Spanish Inquisition’s regional headquarters (Plaza Bolívar), Museo de Oro Zenú (Carrera 4 nº 33-60) and Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, the Spanish fortification that protected the port (Avenida Antonio Arévalo).
Several sites associated with Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez are in Cartagena. His home for many years in this port city (Calle del Curato and Baluarte de Santa Clara) is being turned into a museum. His ashes rest at the nearby Claustro de la Merced – the setting of his book Of Love and Other Demons (Carrera 4 nº 38-40).
The most spectacular beaches in Cartagena are La Boquilla (6 kilometers east), where you can take a boating tour into the mangroves and eat fresh seafood, and Playa Blanca on Isla Barú. Other off-shore islands you can visit are Tierra Bomba with fortifications and Islas del Rosario National Park (see above).
One day trip you can add to your itinerary is to Palenque de San Basilio, a Maroon village that has preserved African language and culture for hundreds of years and that is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Another escape from the city is to Salinas de Galerazamba (65 kilometers / 1 hour), where the sea turns pink in the dry months (October to May). Watersports like kayaking and surfing (good in October) can be enjoyed here. On the same trip, hit up the famous Totumo mud volcano (10 kilometers southeast).
Cartagena has festivals every month. A few you can enjoy are: Virgen de la Candelaria, the city’s patron saint (2 February), the prestigious International Film Festival (March), Festival de los Dulces (Semana Santa), and Festival Internacional de Poesía (December). Cartagena’s Independence is a masked ball street party celebrated the 11th through the 14th of November.
Mompós (3 nights)
Mompós (also spelled Mompox) is another beautiful colonial city and another UNESCO World Heritage Site.
As a major port on the Río Magdalena – which for centuries was the main highway in Gran Colombia – Mompós played a major role in the country’s history, especially during the Independence struggle. Simón Bolívar stated, “If to Caracas I owe my life, to Mompós I owe my glory.” This town also appears in Gabriel García Márquez’ The General and His Labyrinth, a novel about Bolívar. One could call Mompós “The Fantasy Island of Yesteryear.”
The colonial architecture has a strong Andalusian-Mozárabe influence. Iglesia Santa Bárbara (1630), with a curious octagonal Baroque bell tower, is just one of six churches in the village. Other places of interest are the Municipal Cemetery and Museo de Arte Religioso. You can also take a boating tour of the Ciénaga de Pijiño. Mompós is famous for its fine filigree jewelry.
Mompós is well-known for its traditional and austere Semana Santa (Holy Week) processions. At this time, lodging is solidly booked months in advance. Another great gathering is the Mompox Jazz Festival, drawing performers from around the world (September-October).
If you want to head back inland and want a bit of an adventure, take the local boat up the Magdalena River to Barrancabermeja. It’ll be a highlight you’ll never forget!
Barranquilla (2 nights)
Barranquilla is Colombia’s main Caribbean port city, sitting near the mouth of the Magdalena River. It is most renowned for its riotous pre-Lenten Carnaval (moveable feast: February/March), recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and for being the hometown of singer Shakira.
It’s worth hanging out for a few days in this metropolis. Casa de Carnaval is where you can learn more about the Caribbean’s biggest party (Carrera 54 nº 49B-39). The Museo Romántico (Carrera 54 nº 59-199) has the gowns of all Carnaval Queens since 1918, letters by Simón Bolívar and the typewriter on which Gabriel “Gabo” García Márquez created his first novel, La Hojarasca (Leaf Storm). If you are on the Gabo Trail, another stop you may make is to La Cueva, the restaurant where the García Márquez and fellow literaries hung out in the 1950s (Carrera 43 nº 59-03).
Several day trips may also tempt you. Boca de Cenizas (15 kilometers north) is where the Río Magdalena empties into the Caribbean Sea (check to see if the trencito – small train – is operating). Puerto Colombia (13 kilometers west) has fine beaches and the Castillo del Salgar Spanish fortress. Tubará (23 kilometers southwest) has workshops that craft traditional gaita flutes (with a quill mouthpiece), guitars and other musical instruments.
If you want to join in Barranquilla’s Carnaval festivities, be forewarned: lodging prices triple and quadruple, and reservations must be made months in advance.
Santa Marta (7 nights)
Santa Marta, founded in 1525, is one of the oldest Spanish cities on the Caribbean coast of South America. This port city definitely has a different, less touristy vibe than Cartagena – one reason some travelers prefer Santa Marta over its coastal cousin. You can spend many days here, hitting the beaches, visiting neighboring towns, and immersing yourself in nature. It is the jumping-off point for Minca, the Lost City (Ciudad Perdida), and the national parks Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Tayrona.
You can opt to stay in Santa Marta itself, or in El Rodadero (20 minutes by buseta to the south), which is more popular with Colombians, or Taganga (20 minutes to the north), more popular with international backpackers. Both of these latter towns have camping facilities.
In Santa Marta is Museo del Oro Tairona – Casa de la Aduana which is an excellent introduction to the history and engineering feats of the ancient indigenous cities of El Pueblito (in Tayrona) and the Lost City. This is also the building in which Simón Bolívar’s body was displayed after his death. (Carrera 2 and Calle 14).
Another stop on the Bolívar Trail is the Catedral where he was originally interred and where his heart still lays in repose (Carrera 4, between Calles 16 and 17). Bolívar died at Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, a house museum, art museum, and botanical garden five kilometers southeast of Santa Marta. Take a water taxi to El Rodadero’s Ensenada Inca Inca to visit Acuario y Museo del Mar del Rodadero which has lots of information about maritime ecology and pirate history.
The beaches in all three towns are good. Other excellent ones accessible by launch from Taganga are Playa Grande and Bahía Concha on the far western side of Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona. Watersports include scuba diving (PADI certification courses in Taganga), snorkeling, kayaking, surfing, and fishing.
Schedule a few days for excursions to nearby destinations. Santuario Flor y Fauna Ciénaga de Santa Marta and the adjacent Vía Parque Isla de Salamanca are between Barranquilla and Santa Marta. Both are Ramsar Sites and UNESCO Biosphere Reserves. They protect the mangroves and wetlands of the Ciénaga de Santa Marta and the mouth of the Río Magdalena. Observation of Isla Salamanca Park’s birds and wildlife is possible by hiking the Los Cocos interpretive trail and taking a boat excursion to the coast. Neither reserve has accommodations.
Fans of Gabriel García Márquez should make a day trip to Aracataca (85 kilometers south of Santa Marta), the original “Macondo”. García Márquez was born and raised in this town and his boyhood home is a museum called Casa Museo. Also drop by the Arabesque church where Gabo was baptized and the Casa del Telégrafo (Calle 9 nº 9-30), mentioned in several of his works. On the way is Ciénaga, the scene of the 1928 banana worker massacre that García Márquez mentions in One Hundred Years of Solitude. Outside the market is Juan el Machete, a statue that commemorates the massacre’s victims (estimated to be about 2,000 by some sources). Ciénaga famed Festival del Caimán occurs in January. Both of these towns have basic lodging.
Santa Marta has several festivals of note on its calendar. Carnaval de Mamatoco is an irreverent and eccentric party, with San Agatón and Santo Borrachero and the honored “saints” (February). Fiestas del Mar includes a regatta between Taganga, Santa Marta and El Rodadero (July).
Minca (2 nights)
Minca gives you a refreshing break from the coast’s heat, sun, and salt air. This small pueblo is the coffee-growing region in the Sierra Nevada. It allows you major chill, with hiking through cloud forest and countryside to Pozo Azul (45-minute walk) and Cascadas de Marinka (90 minutes) where you can dip into crystalline pools. Bird watching is also rewarding in the area. Drop by the Museo de Cacao to learn more about this food of the gods and to purchase organic products of the Sierra Nevada indigenous nations. Several farms and homes offer lodging. Transport to Minca departs from Santa Marta’s market area.
Parque Nacional Natural Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (2 nights)
As you follow the road from Minca, climbing higher into this mountain range (the last 20 kilometers are unpaved), you enter Parque Nacional Natural Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and arrive at the ranger station at San Lorenzo. This snow-peaked Sierra, the highest coastal range in the world, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and home to the Arhuaco, Kankuamo, Kogui and Wiwa indigenous nations. For them, these mountains are sacred. Most of the range is closed to the public, except the San Lorenzo and Ciudad Perdida sectors.
At the San Lorenzo Experimental Station are several hiking trails:
- San Lorenzo Sector to San Lorenzo stream where you can see a 15 meters-high waterfall, wildlife, and sub-Andean forest (difficulty: average, time: 1.5 hours).
- San Lorenzo Sector to the Gaira River headwaters that has a 30 meters-high waterfall (difficulty: high, time: 5 hours).
Bird watching is excellent, with over 600 species present. Fauna also includes 120 mammal species, and 142 of amphibian and reptile. The station has basic shared accommodations with a basic kitchen.
Teyuna (a.k.a. Ciudad Perdida / Lost City) (5 days/nights)
On the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta are the ruins of the Lost City of Teyuna, unknown to the outside world until 1975 when tomb raiders began looting the site. Since 1976, Teyuna has been protected. It is one of Colombia’s most important archaeological sites. Spread over 30 hectares are over 200 buildings, including houses, stone roads, terraces, canals, and other structures, dating from 650 CE and occupied until about 1600 CE.
The only way to access Teyuna is by undertaking a strenuous five-day hike (3 days up and 2 down) with an authorized tour company. Trips are best arranged in Santa Marta or Taganga. Visits and entrances are strictly controlled by the Instituto Colombiano de Antropología e Historia (ICANH) and in coordination with the Sierra’s indigenous communities. ICANH’s website has a downloadable booklet on Teyuna (in English and in Spanish).
Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona (2 nights)
After weeks of zipping from village to city to village, and after long treks and scuba diving, what you now need is some maximum (but MAXIMUM) chill. That is precisely what Tayrona provides – and precisely why this national park is one of the most popular destinations on Colombia’s Caribe coast. Spend days swaying in a hammock, hiking through the jungle to the ancient city of El Pueblito, swimming, and snorkeling at La Piscina beach. Ah, indeed, this is paradise!
Accommodations range from upscale ecohab cabins to hammocks and camping (in the Cañaveral and Arrecifes sectors). There are restaurants, also.
Entrance control centers are found at El Zaíno (Cañaveral), Palangana and Calabazo. Visits to this super popular park are capped at 6,900 per day, so advanced reservations are advised. Tayrona closes for the entire month of February at the request of the four indigenous nations of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. Check the national park website for more restrictions and cautions.
Palomino (2 nights)
You can extend your maximum chill at Palomino, a small village at the foot of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. In fact, on a clear day, you can see the snowy peaks from the beach. There’s nothing really to do here except swing in your hammock, eat fresh fish, walk kilometers along the palm-shaded beach, and swim in the sea (beware of strong currents).
If you’re looking for a bit of action, you can tube down the Río Palomino or take surfing lessons. There are hostels, camping, and other lodgings.
Palomino holds its Festival del Jaguar at the beginning of January.
Valledupar (3 nights)
Inland, on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, is Ciudad de los Santos Reyes del Valle de Upar (or simply: Valledupar), the supposed birthplace of Vallenato music. The town center is full of narrow cobblestone streets and 16th-century architecture.
Centro De Memoria El Cuartico recounts Valledupar’s long history (Carrera 14a nº 9-50). SAYCO (Colombian Composers Society) (Carrera 5 nº 13C-40) and Casa Beto Murgas-Museo del Acordeón (Carrera 17 nº 9A-18) have museums dealing with the region’s music. If you would like to study vallenato music, enroll in Academia De Música Vallenata Andrés “El Turco’ Gil” (Calle 31 nº 4-265). At the end of the day. take a dip at Balneario Hurtado (Río Guatapurí at the edge of town).
One day trip you can make is on a bike down the road to Guacoche, a pottery-making village. Along the way, you’ll see howler monkeys and macaws in the trees along the roadside. Or you can hit the road to the indigenous village of Guatapurí (58 kilometers northwest) in the folds of the Sierra Nevada. Along the way, you can stop off at Eco-Parque Los Besotes (hiking trails, bird watching), La Vega (swimming hole), Patillal (hometown of many Vallenato composers), La Mina (swimming hole with incredible rock formations, women’s weaving cooperative), Atánquez (known for its woolen shoulder bags), and finally to Gautipurí and the more remote indigenous villages of Chemesquemena and Maruamake. Other traditional indigenous villages that you may visit are Pueblo Bello and Nubusimake.
Valledupar’s birthday celebration culminates on 6 January. The big party, though, is the Festival de la Leyenda Vallenata (late April), celebrated with Vallenato music, and all-night parandas music, and lots of drinking whiskey.
From Valledupar, the highway continues south, to Bucaramanga, San Gil, Bogotá, and many interesting towns between.
Or you can decide to head northward again, to Riohacha, and explore the indigenous Wayu’u homeland.
Are There Other Places to Experience the Caribe?
There sure are! And if you have a bit more time to explore, it’s well worth making the effort to get to them!
One fantastic destination is the Wajirra (Guajira Peninsula), the desert homeland of the Wayu’u indigenous nation. Other destinations are only for those who have specific goals – and/or deep pockets, i.e., travelers taking a more adventuresome route to Panama, or those in search of Caribbean island voyages.
Into the Wajirra, the Wayu’u Homeland
The Wajirra (La Guajira) is a peninsula that is the northernmost point of South America. Divided between Colombia and Venezuela, this is the ancestral home of the Wayu’u, Colombia’s largest indigenous nation. Their language is Wayuunaiki. This is a matrilineal society: family name, indigenous identity, and property passes through the mother. Their manner of dispute resolution, led by a Pütchipü’üi (orator), is recognized by UNESCO as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The Wayu’u are very traditional, and it is best to follow their societal norms. Either gender may wear shorts. In public, men should wear shirts with sleeves, but women may use any type of shirt. Going topless or skinny dipping is a big no-no. Drinking alcohol is also taboo. After a meal (especially lunch), it is customary to take a nap. Do not take photos without permission. Water is a precious commodity, so use it sparingly and wisely.
Because of the environment and isolation, costs for lodging, food, and water are quite a bit higher than in other places in Colombia’s Caribe. Often, lodging is in hammocks and the shower is a toss-water affair.
Riohacha (Wayuunaiki: Süchiimma) (2 nights)
Riohacha is where Colombia’s Caribbean cultures meet: it’s the end of the Vallenato route and where Sierra Nevada indigenous nations and the Wayu’u have traded for millennia. Founded in 1535, this coastal town was once a wealthy place for the prized pearls harvested in this Caribbean Sea – so fantastic, that the port was a target of pirate Sir Francis Drake. But with time, it became a tropical backwater with the fame of being devoted to running of contraband.
Today, it is the capital of the La Guajira Department. On the road into town is a statue of vallenato accordionist Francisco el Hombre, immortalized in song and in Gabriel García Márquez’ One Hundred Years of Solitude.
The seaside promenade (camellón) and the adjacent beach are pleasant, with eateries and shaded gazebos where you can take a break from the sun. Also on the plazuelas along the way are stands where you can buy hammocks, bags, and other crafts directly from the Wayu’u women crafters. At the end is the Casa de la Cultura and Museo Riohacha (Carrera 15 nº 2-1). To learn more about Wayu’u culture, you can book a visit to a ranchería (settlement).
Santuario de Flora y Fauna Los Flamencos is an easy day trip from Riohacha (31 kilometers southwest). It protects five coastal lagoons teeming with bird life (237 species!), including pink flamingo and roseate spoonbill. The best months to observe flamingos and migratory waterfowl are October and November. This is also a migratory route for four species of marine turtles. Upon arrival at the Camarones, you cross the river mouth to the ranger station. From here, you can hire a sailing canoe to take you on an excursion through the waterways. If you would like to spend the night in the reserve, there are cabins, hammocks, and camping at the Los Mangles Visitor Center.
Riohacha has quite a different twist with its pre-Lenten Carnaval, said to be the oldest in Colombia: men cover themselves with mud and dance the cumbia de pilón into town. In mid-March is the vallenato music festival, Francisco el Hombre.
Uribia (Ichitki) (2 nights)
Uribia lies in the center of Wayu’u territory, and until 1954 it was the capital of the Guajira Territory. It is the major crossroads to Cabo de Vela, Nazareth, and other villages further north (Alta Guajira). Several reputable tour companies working with Wayu’u communities offer multi-day packages to hard-to-reach destinations in the Alta Guajira. Before leaving for Cabo de la Vela and other Alta Guajira destinations, pick up several jugs of water due to the scarcity and salinity of natural water up there.
A day trip to Manaure (22 kilometers west) will immerse you in Wayu’u culture. In days of old, Manaure was also a target for pirates, and legend has it that Henry Morgan hid treasure here. This seaside town is renowned for its salt works, and the Museo de la Sal Ichi explains the commercial and artisanal extraction of this mineral. Walk along the shore to the Wayu’u community’s artisanal flats which turn a brilliant fuchsia as the salt dries. Several Wayu’u cooperatives produce and sell all types of woven crafts. The main church has a brilliant mural of Wayu’u cosmology, and inside the city hall is a mural of all the Wayu’u clans. Near Manaure is Musichi (14 kilometers) where there is a watchtower overlooking the flamingo-filled lagoon. Manaure has more lodging than Uribia does.
Every year in May or June, Wayu’u from Colombia and Venezuela meet in Uribia for the Festival de la Cultura Wayu’u. This three-day event features traditions like the yonna dance, jayeishi, a sung poem competition, and the election of the Majayut (queen) who must demonstrate a profound knowledge of Wayu’u traditions.
Cabo de la Vela (Jepirra) (2 nights)
On the western coast of the Guajira Peninsula is a broad bay where golden desert sands meet the cerulean-blue sea. Here is Cabo de la Vela. This is one of the oldest Spanish settlements on South America’s Caribbean coast, even though the Wayu’u have lived here forever. The landscape is stunning. It is now a natural regional park.
The main road through town follows the curve of the bay and ends at a faro (lighthouse). Along the way are Laguna de Utta, a marshland with lots of avifauna; Pilón de Azúcar, a rock mastiff with fantastic views of the desert and sea (be forewarned, it is quite windy atop); Hoyos Sopladores blow holes; Ojo de Agua, a natural pool; various caves, and finally the lighthouse. The sea is warm and gentle, perfect for swimming or snorkeling, but be careful of aguamalas (jellyfish) on the north side of the bay.
Most Cabo de la Vela lodging is hammocks (chinchorro) slung in open-sided, palm-thatched enrramadas. There are a few hotels. Many places do not have electricity, so bring a flashlight.
The Alta Guajira
Reaching this part of the Guajira Peninsula with public transport is difficult and time-consuming. It is best to go on a tour with an operator that has a cooperative relationship with the Wayu’u communities, and not an exploitive one.
When heading out into the hinterlands of the peninsula with a tour, be sure the vehicle is in good shape and that plenty of water is on hand. Tours that go as far as Punta Gallina last eight days, though shorter excursions are available.
Some longer excursions include visits to other points of interest along the route, but the following are major destinations in the Alta Guajira:
Parque Nacional Natural Macuira
An oasis is Parque Nacional Natural Macuira. This 25,000-hectare park is like a fairy world in the Wajirra’s desert, protecting a lush evergreen cloud elfin forest. It is classified as a “biogeographical island,” being isolated from similar ecosystems. Activities within the reserve need to be done with an authorized guide and be registered in the visitor’s book.
Macuira has a number of hiking and trekking trails that give you stunning vistas, crystalline pools, and the opportunity to visit Wayu’u communities. This national park is considered an important bird conservation area, with over 140 species, 17 of which are endemic and 10 migratory. Noteworthy species are blue-crowned motmot, red-legged honeycreeper, and the endemic red-billed emerald hummingbird. Also present are 10 species of mammals, and especially keep an eye out for white-faced monkeys. There are also 15 types of snakes.
In Nazareth village is the park information center which also has a campground. If traveling independently, other lodging options are hammocks in Wayu’u rancherías. Restaurants are scarce, though you may be able to order food in some rancherías. Otherwise, bring your own supplies. Weekly public transportation arrives in Nazareth.
Punta Gallinas
Punta Gallinas is the northernmost point of South America. If you want to get here, you’ll have to go with a guide or tour. The landscape is breathtaking – the bright ochre Dunas de Taroa cascades into the bright blue Caribbean Sea. There are several basic inns offering hammocks.
Parque Nacional Natural Bahía Portete – Kaurrele
This 14,080-hectare national park is located between Punta Gallinas and Cabo de la Vela. The shallow bay, which measures 13 kilometers in diameter, is very salty. Some Alta Guajira excursions include this on their itinerary.
The North Coast
Between Colombia and Panama is the notorious Darien Gap. No road goes through this jungle, and the daunting conditions with little or no logistical support make traversing it on foot a deadly affair.
For decades, Colombia’s North Coast embracing the Golfo de Urabá has been the route for just a few travelers between the two countries. It skirts the Darien Gap by journeying in local chalupas (passenger boats) up the coast from Turbo to Puerto Obaldía, Panama, or taking a sailboat from Sapzurro to Portobello, Panamá.
In the early 1950s, Gabriel García Márquez penned a series of newspaper articles about traveling into this region on a road government maps said existed, but, in reality, did not. He captures the strange qualities of these villages. These writings have been collected into a volume called Crónicas y Reportajes (Editorial Oveja Negra, 2000).
The region, though, also offers some fascinating destinations that very few foreigners ever get to. From Montería, head north-northwest to Arboletas to begin your adventure circumventing the infamous, impenetrable Darien Gap. Before you head out, though, be sure to stock up on cash. From Turbo northward, money is difficult to exchange, as once out of Turbo, there are no ATMs.
Arboletas (2 nights)
Arboletes is a tropical Caribbean paradise. But there is more to do here than just swaying in a hammock and being bathed by cooling Caribbean breezes. At the edge of the sea is the Volcán de Lodo (mud volcano). Check out the Museo Arqueológica (Calle 30 nº 31-47). If you’re into nature, hike out to Casacadas Las Tinas waterfalls, or up Cerro Las Lajas, from where you can see as far as the San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama. Hotels and camping are available here. Arboletes has several festivals, including the Fiestas del Mar y del Volcán (end of June) and a birthday bash featuring costumes and a vaca local (crazy cow) firework display in November.
Some boats going to the upper North Coast and Panama – including sailboat excursions – leave from Arboletes.
Necoclí (2 nights)
Necoclí, founded in 1509, is one of the oldest cities on South America’s Caribbean coast. It is a culturally diverse town, with Zenú and Kuna indigenous communities (reguardos), and El Volao and Caimán Nuevo nearby. You can learn more about these indigenous nations at Museo Municipal de Historia y Asentamientos Indígenas de Necoclí in the Casa de la Cultura (Callejón de la Marquesa, Parque Principal).
Necoclí has a fine sea and beaches for a relaxing swim, plus 14 (count them – 14!) mud volcanoes to soak away weeks of travel. The most famous mud volcano is at Hacienda Virgen del Cobre (2 kilometers away). Others are La Cenizosa, El Carlos, and San José de Mulatos (which is in constant eruption). The marshlands of Ciénagas la Marimonda and El Salado teem with birdlife.
Necoclí celebrates the Fiestas de Coco in early January with the Festival Nacional del Bullerengue, and a rustic bullfight. A regional musical genre and dance blending African and Kuna rhythms can be experienced in October.
Necoclí is another port for boats and sailboat excursions sailing the upper North Coast, specifically to Acandí and Capurganá, and the Panama route.
Turbo (1+ night)
Turbo is an unattractive port city, but it is the major hub for local boat transportation (chalupas) to villages along the North Coast and the necessary jumping-off point for certain attractions on the edge of the Darién jungle. The number of nights you stay here depends on whether you will be traveling straight up the coast (then one night is enough; check ticket sales the night before, as most boats leave early morning when the sea is calmer) or checking out some interesting places hiding out in the jungle.
While you are waiting to head out to other destinations, you can drop by one of the local mud volcanoes or the Museo de Turbo in the Casa de la Cultura (Km 1, via a Medellín, Carrera 25B). The Carnaval de las Etnias y el Mangle is a huge festival celebrating everything from the indigenous cultures to crabs and bananas, and a tipping of the hat to accordions and bullarengue (October 5th through 15th).
So, what are these attractions that might tempt you to stay a few more days in Turbo? Both are excursions that’ll take you some ways into the Darien jungle.
Parque Nacional Natural Los Katíos protects 72,000 hectares of tropical forests and has many waterfalls and wetlands. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is home to over 100 species of reptile, more than 100 of mammal, and 412 of bird. Noteworthy species are babilla, jaguar, several types of tapir, manatee, harpy eagle, and four species of macaws. The park closes public access at times, so check with the national park office first to check its present status.
Parque Arqueológico e Histórico de Santa María de Belén la Antigua del Darién is the site of one of the Caribbean coast’s oldest Spanish settlements, Santa María la Antigua del Darién. The town was founded in 1510 and abandoned in 1524. For centuries, its ruins were lost beneath the dense jungle and rediscovered only in 2012. The 50-hectare site has hiking trails and a museum. To get there, take a panga (boat) from Turbo to Tanela (2 horas), and then an auto from Tanela to the archaeological site (30 minutes).
Acandí (2 nights)
Acandí is the major town along this stretch of the North Coast and is accessible by launch from Arboletes, Necoclí, or Turbo. White sand beaches, some accessible by launch, edge the blue Caribbean Sea. Santuario de Fauna Acandí, Playón y Playona, located just outside town, is where hawksbill and leatherback sea turtles lay their eggs. Birdwatching is worthwhile, with pelicans, gulls, boobies, and many other species being present. Acandí celebrates the Festival y Reinado de la Tortuga Caná from the 3rd to 11th of April.
Capurganá (2 nights)
For many years, Capurganá has been a vacation destination for wealthy Colombians. In recent decades, it has been a stopping-off point for international travelers journeying between Colombia and Panama. Yes! There are inexpensive inns here! Hang out, sunning on the powdery white sand beaches, soaking in the warm, crystalline, blue-green Caribbean, or as you hike along the coast, in one of the many pools carved into ancient lava flows by waves.
To get to Capurganá, catch a direct launch in Arboletes or Necoclí, or if traversing the coast, from Turbo or Acandí. Boats connect Capurganá and Sapzurro. Capurganá also has an airstrip. If you are heading to Panama (or arriving from there), you’ll need to get your passport stamped at the Migración Colombia office here. Panama has a consulate in Capurganá.
Sapzurro (2 nights)
This is another place to do a deep chill in a tropical paradise – whether just to escape civilization or wait for transport into Panama. Sapzurro is the last town on Colombia’s North Coast. Just atop the hill at the north end of town is the Colombia-Panama border. This, though, is not how you cross into that neighboring country. You’ll take a boat to either Puerto Obaldía (and from there, by plane to Panama City) or to Portobello (where a road leads to Colón). There are basic hotels, hammock spaces, and camping in Sapzurrro.
Colombia’s Caribbean Isles
If you have the time and money, the last subregion of Colombia’s Caribe to visit is The Islands: San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina. Here you’ll get a different taste of the country’s culture which, unfortunately, is fading thanks to the intense Colombianization of these islands since the 1950s.
This archipelago is closer to Central America than to Colombia. San Andrés is 190 kilometers offshore from Nicaragua and 637 kilometers from mainland Colombia. Plus, these islands are culturally similar to the Caribbean coast of Central America and many Caribbean isles. Natives of San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina are the Raizals, with their ethnicity rooted in Arawak-Caribe indigenous, enslaved Africans, and English and other European settlers. They speak English (the official language here) and Creole. In 2007, the Raizals declared their homeland an independent state and reclaimed the old names of the isles: Saint Andrew, Old Providence, and Saint Kethleena.
Due to the archipelago’s environmental importance and uniqueness, UNESCO has designated the entire area as the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve.
Although myth has it you can arrive in San Andrés by cargo ship – it is just that: a myth. Legally they cannot carry passengers. The only practical way to get here is by a flight from Bogotá, Cali, Medellín or Cartagena; or from Panama City or San José (Costa Rica). Travel between San Andrés and Providencia is by flight or local ferry. To reach Santa Catalina, you cross a bridge from Old Providence.
Lodging and food prices are much higher in the San Andrés archipelago. Electronics and such are cheaper, as this is a duty-free zone. Much of the lodging is five-star hotels. A less expensive option is to stay at a posada turística. Over a dozen such locally run inns are on the three islands.
San Andrés (4 nights)
San Andrés Island (Saint Andrew) is the largest island in the archipelago, measuring 26 square kilometers. The main city is San Andrés town, also called North End.
A number of attractions await you. On the western coast are Morgan’s Cove – Pirate Museum and Cove Bay. At the southern tip is the Hoyo Soplador blowhole. On the isle’s eastern side are Playas de Sound Bay, Rocky Cay, and San Luis. Big Pond is in the center of the island. Swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving are big water sports here.
Providencia (2 nights)
Providencia (Old Providence) is more laid back than San Andrés. Raizal culture is still strong here. Besides lazing in a hammock, enjoying the beach, and practicing watersports, you can do several day trips. You can climb Providence’s highest peak, El Pico (360 meters) for incredible views over the island and sea. Another is to cross the footbridge connecting Providencia with Santa Catalina to visit the fortress ruins. Old Providence McBean Lagoon National Natural Park, on the extreme northeast sector of the island, protects lagoons, mangroves, a few off-shore cays, and the Caribbean’s second-largest coral reef. The park has several hiking trails. Crab Cay has trails and is good for scuba diving, snorkeling, and kayaking.
