About La Guajira

Hi dear foreinger!

In this page you can read about La Guajira, an amazing and magical place.

General Facts

La Guajira is a department located in the north of Colombia its capital city is Riohacha; its coordinates are 11°33′N 72°54′W; it is composed of 15 municipalities and 4 Indigenous territories, its surface has 20848 km²; La Guajira has an important number of people living there, the estimated of the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) for its acronym in Spanish is 874.532 residents; In this department the weather is very warm, the average temperature is 30°C. In some areas like La Guajira desert it can reach more than 40°C at midday, but it’s the perfect weather for outdoor activities.

The department of La Guajira is very popular among local and foreign people for being a magical destination, its most representative places are, first the Cerrejón mining facility, it is one of the largest open-pit mines in the world. Second the Cabo de La Vela in the north of Colombia it is a part of a large peninsula, predominantly desertic, and mostly surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, so its charm resides in the exotic beaches, capricious vegetation, and spectacular sea. Third La Guajira has 2 natural national parks, the most important characteristic of these sites is the diversity on the wildlife, one park is close to the Camerones village and the Tapias River, it is called "Sanctuary of fauna and flora los Flamencos", and their extension is 7000 hectares ; the other park is localized in the range of mountains of Macuira, it is called "Natural National Park Serranía de Macuira", and it is constituted by a unique ecosystem due to the presence of mountains and forests, its extension is 25000 hectares. Finally, but no less important, is the wayúu enigmatic culture who dwells this territory for several centuries.

Sanctuary of fauna and flora los Flamencos.

On political issues, the governor Juan Francisco Gómez has been removed from his position for many reasons, corruption in his administration is the most important; now Gómez is incarcerated and the new governor, for second time in the history is a woman, Sugeila Oñate Rosado, representing the political party Cambio Radical, and she is the interim governor.

The History of the department of La Guajira its very interesting, is was discovered in 1499 by the trader and explorer Americo Vespucio in an expedition through the territory of Venezuela; at the beginning it was thought that it was an island and it was named Coquivacoa.

Map of La Guajira in 1769.

Where to Go

The Guajira has a historical richness that you could enjoy. For example, you could walk on the Streets of Riohacha, the Department Capital City. You can take a photo with the monuments about the wayuu culture and also you can know all about the folklore Guajiro.

If you want to know beautiful places. You should to see to landscape of salt at Manaure that will delight you. A place where the desert is made of water and salt and white mountains or what do you mind about the Cabo de la Vela . In La Guajira you can enjoy desert, beaches and a beautiful blue sea.

But It does not end here. You can visit the wayuu´s house. You will Talk with them and You can buy a handwork souvenirs.

At night You can enjoy the Delicious meals around the Malecon. You can Test a Friche a dish of fried meat from “Chivo” to representative from Guajira or “Malangada” a dish of chiken with a vegetables but if You prefer a sea food here there are some dishes that You would like test. For Example Rice with shrimp or Pargo Rojo, tipical fish of here.

Lifestyle

A traditional Wayuu settlement is made up of five or six houses that were caserios or rancherias. Each Rancheria has a name of a plant, animal or geographic place. A territory that contains many villages named after the name of the mother, due to the matriarchal structure of the Wayuu culture. The Wayuus NEVER group in towns and villages that are often isolated and far from each other, to control and prevent mixing of their goat herds.

The typical house is a small structure called piichi or miichi generally divided into two rooms where they hang hamocs to sleep and store their personal belongings such as purses and ceramics to keep water. Living quarters can be rectangular or semicircular and the roof is made from dried cactus hearts. Traditionally, the walls are made of yotojoro -A adobe mud, straw and dry reeds- but some of them have moved to a more modern style, the use of cement and other construction materials.

Near the main house, similar area are erected to a living room named luma or bower, but almost in the open. It is made of six pillars and a flat roof and serves as a common area for everyday and where visitors are attending tasks, business activities are handled here and this is where relatives hang their hammocks for the noon nap.

What to do
La Guajira is a unique place in Colombia. It Is a place for people without fears to sleep in a “Hamaca” and to enjoy aventure activities that this place can offer us. There you can see the desert, the birds variety, the calm water of the Sea and the strong wind, you can also practice bikesurf. Also you can share with the native people about their food, traditional activities and buy their souvenirs.

The activities you can do there are:

los Montes de Oca

-Ethnotourism : The indigenous are willing to share their life’s style and traditions. Also they share their house with the foreign people.

-Ecotourism: The guided walks, in the natural parks, are a big attraction because you can see the desert zone and the wildlife. The best place for this are the Shrines Flamingos, The crayfish’s valley in the nortest of Riohacha, The Mayapo beach, “la Serranía de la Macuira”, “Cerro Pintao” and “los Montes de Oca”.

-Aventure sports: The Guajira is a place of extreme sports. In the desert you can do the best rallies of south America. The calm water allows people swing and in some zone with a tour guide you can do cycling. The La Guajira’s weather allows that these activities are the best in the pacific region in Colombia. Also in days between December and May, in this season that is summer, the wind is the best to practice the kitesurf.

Taroa Beach at Punta Gallinas

-Sun and beach: La Guajira has excellent beaches like Cabo de la Vela, Bahía Portete and Punta Gallinas.

-Birdwatching: In all La Guajira you can see a variety of birds, but in especially you can go birdwacthing in the nature parks. In this region, there are Flamingos, el cari cari (Caracara Plancus), el pato cucharo (Platalea ajaja), el chupaflor (Leucippus fallax), el cardenal guajiro (Cardinales phoeniceus) la palguarata (Mimus gilvus), el ostrero (Haematopus palliatus), el pájaro bobo (Haypnellus ruficollis), el atrapa tronco (Picumnus cinnamomeus) and el fin fin (Coereba flaveola),and many more.

-Souvenirs sale: And finally, you can buy the souvenirs made by native people.