Excursion: La Guajira

The Guajira Peninsula is the most northern part of South America. It is also one of the most beautiful landscapes you will find in Colombia. In my opinion it can definitely compete with the desserts of Bolivia.

How to get there:

Arriving in Riohacha, the capital, you search a good hostel, where you can leave your luggage for the days of excursion. The bona vida is recommendable. They have good comfortable beds, well equipped kitchens, water for free, ac and fans, good information material about the peninsula, three choices of breakfast, of which one is vegan, computers and scanner free to use and good wifi. The hostel is parted in three buildings, but they are very close together, so it doesn’t matter.

They will call for you a colectivo (15’000 Col$/4.70$) that will drive you to the jeep station in Uribia. There you take a jeep or other 4×4 car (30’000 Col$/9.40$) to cabo de la vela. That’s it.

How to get through:

Arriving in Cabo de la vela you can search for accommodation. Most offer a hammock (7’000-15’000 Col$/2.20-4.70$) or a warmer hammock/Chinchorro (15’000-25’000 Col$/4.70-7.85$) or a cabin (25’000-35’000 Col$/7.85-11$). If you are fine sleeping outside (alone), you can take a hammock, it’s more comfortable, because the temperature gets cool outside in the night, while the huts stay hot. El Pargo Dorado is recommendable, because they have better infrastructure (single rooms with private bathrooms).

In the afternoon you can take a motorbike tour around the sights. Depending the amount of sights you go to you pay more or less. There are about 8-10 sights and you pay about 5’000 Col$ (1.55$) per sight.

Most restaurants have exactly one vegetarian plate which is rice with veggies and patacones (18’000 Col$/5.65$). Sounds vegan, but I thought to taste butter out of the rice. Unnecessary and how the hell do they manage to keep that thing cool during the day, without electricity. Interesting how far carnism can go to keep itself existent…

The next day you can take a tour to Punta Gallinas. Those tours are all inclusive, which means you need to assure they provide you vegan food before booking.

It’s helpful to bring snacks, like nuts, dried fruits, some type of carbs and fruits and enough water with you. You can buy some fruits and water in cabo de la vela, but it’s expensive and they only have small water bottles (600ml) on the peninsula.

Bring lots of small bills.

How to get back:

You either get a 4×4 transportation organised through your tour or your accommodation. Back in Uribia you take a colectivo back to Riohacha.

Tip: If you can’t pay the colectivo with small bills, help the driver pay the toll, by offering the 50’000 Col$ bill. He will give back the difference to the ticket price.

What you might struggle with:

La Guajira is one of those regions where people traditionally and out of need eat mainly meat (fish, mussels and goats) so you will not be able to avoid getting in touch with carnism. Unless you drive your own vehicle (4×4) and cook for yourself. But getting in touch with culture is part of traveling.

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