To go to Cabo de la Vela or Punta Gallinas, the city you need to reach is Riohacha, the capital of La Guajira: Punta Gallinas Tours depart from there, not from Santa Marta. This guide explains how to get to La Guajira as far as Riohacha by plane, bus or car, and how to continue from there to Alta Guajira. If you are still planning the trip, the La Guajira guide explains the department and its zones.
By air to Riohacha
Almirante Padilla Airport
Riohacha has an airport, Almirante Padilla Airport, with commercial flights (Aeronáutica Civil, consulted on October 5, 2026). This is the airport to look for if you want to get to La Guajira by plane and start the tour in Riohacha.
Routes, airlines and schedules change, so check with the airlines which cities have flights to Riohacha on your date and what time you would arrive. For the Bogotá–Riohacha route, also compare the option of flying to another city on the Caribbean coast and continuing overland.
The condition for choosing a flight is one: be in Riohacha before 8:30 a.m. on the tour departure day. The safest option is to arrive the day before, so a delay does not make you miss departure.
How to get to La Guajira by bus
From Santa Marta
If you are coming from Santa Marta, Tayrona National Park or Palomino, keep in mind that tours do not leave from Santa Marta: you first need to get to Riohacha. The guide from Santa Marta to La Guajira explains how to make that trip and how many days to reserve if you want to add Alta Guajira.
From other cities
For longer trips, such as Barranquilla to Riohacha or Medellín to Riohacha, ask at the terminal or with the bus company, before buying the ticket, for the estimated arrival time in Riohacha, where the bus drops you in the city and whether you need to change buses along the way. With that information, you can calculate whether you will arrive the day before the tour, which is the recommended option.
By car
You can drive as far as Riohacha. What changes is the next section: from Uribia toward Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas there is no paved road, and the route is done by 4×4 on desert tracks. If your car is not a 4×4 or you do not know the tracks, leave it in Riohacha and continue with a tour or private transport; ask your hotel whether it has parking.
If you are looking for car rental in Riohacha to go on your own, confirm with the company first whether the contract allows driving on desert tracks, and bring cash: on the Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas route there are no ATMs or digital payments.
From the airport or bus terminal to the meeting point
The tour meeting point is Hotel Laguna Salá, at Cra 3 #4-81 in Riohacha, and your advisor confirms it when you book. If you arrive the day before, sleeping near the meeting point saves transfers on the morning of departure; ask your accommodation how to get there from the airport or bus terminal.
Before leaving, keep a photocopy of your passport or ID handy: during the tour you do not need to carry the original, and the authorities may ask for the document along the way. For your free afternoon, check what to do in Riohacha: the waterfront, the pier and the beach in front of the city.
From Riohacha to Alta Guajira
From Riohacha, you travel by road to Uribia, the last stop before entering the desert, where the trip logistics are adjusted: water, snacks, food and cash. From there, the route continues by 4×4 on tracks to Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas. There are two ways to do it with Punta Gallinas Tours:
- On a tour. The tours last 2, 3 or 4 days and include an air-conditioned 4×4, a local driver-guide who speaks Spanish, chinchorro hammock lodging in Wayuu rancherías and medical assistance insurance; the included meals are listed on each tour page. The 2-day tour to Cabo de la Vela starts at COP 409,500 per person and the 3-day tour to Punta Gallinas starts at COP 900,000, in both cases for groups of 6 or more.
- With private transport. The transport to Alta Guajira is a private 4×4 between Riohacha, Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas, without meals or lodging, for travelers who do not want a tour package. It is quoted by WhatsApp or through the form, and we confirm the times per section when quoting.
Already have a flight to Riohacha? Choose your tour: the tours from Riohacha compare the 2-, 3- and 4-day routes with their price based on the number of travelers.
