Things to do in Riohacha: beaches, waterfront promenade and tours
Riohacha, the capital of La Guajira, is the departure city for tours to Alta Guajira, at 8:30 a.m.; meeting point: Hotel Laguna Salá (Cra 3 #4-81), which your advisor confirms when you book.
Riohacha at a glance
- Tour departure
- 8:30 a.m., from Riohacha
- Meeting point
- Hotel Laguna Salá, Cra 3 #4-81 (your advisor confirms it when you book)
- Airport
- Almirante Padilla Airport, in Riohacha
La Guajira
Things to do in Riohacha in one day
Waterfront promenade and pier
Riohacha’s waterfront promenade runs along the sea, with palm trees on the sand and a wooden pier that goes out over the water. It is the walk for the afternoon before the tour: you walk by the sea and watch the sunset from the pier.
Riohacha beaches
Riohacha’s beach is in front of the waterfront promenade and works for a short swim. For a full beach day, you need to leave the city: the option is Mayapo, below.
Nuestra Señora de los Remedios Cathedral
Nuestra Señora de los Remedios Cathedral is the one in the main photo on this page. At night its façade is lit, so you can see it after sunset, the night before your tour leaves.
Wayuu crafts
In Riohacha you will see Wayuu mochila bags and chinchorro hammocks. If you want to buy, do it from the person who weaves them or from someone who can tell you who made the piece, and pay the agreed amount in cash. If you are taking a tour, you can leave the purchase for the return and travel lighter.
How to get to Riohacha
Responsible travel in Wayuu territory
Riohacha is the gateway to La Guajira and to the route toward Alta Guajira, where you will sleep in Wayuu rancherías, which are family homes. In the city, buy mochila bags and chinchorro hammocks from the person who weaves them or from someone who tells you who made them, pay the agreed amount and ask permission before photographing a weaver at work. On the beach in front of the waterfront promenade, take your trash with you. For the route, fill your reusable water bottle in Riohacha; it is on the tour packing list, and it helps you avoid adding plastic to the desert. To plan the rest of the trip, check things to do in La Guajira and the tours in La Guajira.
Near Riohacha: Mayapo and Los Flamencos Sanctuary
Mayapo is a beach near Riohacha that you can visit in a day. It fits the day before your tour departure or the day you return.
Los Flamencos Flora and Fauna Sanctuary is in the township of Camarones, in the municipality of Riohacha, according to the National Natural Parks sanctuary page (consulted on October 5, 2026). None of the Punta Gallinas Tours trips stop there, and seeing flamingos is not guaranteed: check that page for how to visit before you go.
Where tours to Alta Guajira leave from
The three tours leave Riohacha at 8:30 a.m.; meeting point: Hotel Laguna Salá (Cra 3 #4-81), which your advisor confirms when you book. From Riohacha, the route goes by road to Uribia, and from there by 4×4 on desert tracks, because there is no paved road to Cabo de la Vela or Punta Gallinas.
Tour data as of October 5, 2026. Source: Punta Gallinas Tours.
Tour | Duration | How far it goes | From (COP per person, 6 or more) |
|---|---|---|---|
2 days / 1 night | Cabo de la Vela | 409,500 | |
3 days / 2 nights | Punta Gallinas and Taroa dunes | 900,000 | |
4 days / 3 nights | Punta Gallinas, Taroa dunes and Punta Agujas | 955,500 |
Leave Riohacha for the desert on one of the tours from Riohacha; if you want to coordinate the night before, message us on WhatsApp.
More places in La Guajira
All places in La Guajira
La GuajiraTaroa dunes
Dunes that drop toward the Caribbean Sea, near Punta Gallinas.
Taroa dunes: how to visit and sandboarding
La GuajiraLa Guajira desert
The stretch of desert tracks between Uribia, Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas.
La Guajira desert: travel guide
La GuajiraManaure salt flats
Colombia's largest salt complex and the first stop on the tours.
Manaure salt flats: travel guide
Frequently asked questions about Riohacha
What can I do in Riohacha in one day?
In one day in Riohacha, you can walk the waterfront promenade and pier at sunset, swim at the beach in front of the city, see the lit façade of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios Cathedral at night and look for Wayuu mochila bags and chinchorro hammocks by buying them from the person who makes them. With a full free day, you can go to Mayapo beach or to Los Flamencos Flora and Fauna Sanctuary, in Camarones.
What is the nicest beach in Riohacha?
For a beach day outside the city, the option is Mayapo, a beach near Riohacha that you can visit in a day. Inside the city, the beach is in front of the waterfront promenade and works for a short swim or for watching the sunset from the pier the afternoon before your tour. Neither beach is included in the tours to Alta Guajira.
Where do Punta Gallinas tours leave from in Riohacha?
Departure from Riohacha is at 8:30 a.m.; meeting point: Hotel Laguna Salá (Cra 3 #4-81), which your advisor confirms when you book. It is the same for tours to Punta Gallinas and Cabo de la Vela. Tours leave from Riohacha, not from Santa Marta, so it is best to sleep in Riohacha the night before.
Should I arrive in Riohacha the day before the tour?
Yes. Tours to Alta Guajira leave early, so arriving the day before keeps you from rushing that morning. That afternoon is useful for walking the waterfront promenade, getting the cash you will need on the route, because there are no ATMs or digital payments there, and packing what you will bring.
Where is Riohacha?
Riohacha is the capital of the department of La Guajira, in Colombia, and the city where Punta Gallinas Tours trips to Alta Guajira depart. From Riohacha, the route goes by road to Uribia, the last stop before the desert, and from there by 4×4 on desert tracks to Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas.