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Part of La Guajira

Taroa dunes: how to visit and sandboarding

The Taroa dunes are sand dunes that drop toward the Caribbean Sea near Punta Gallinas, in Alta Guajira. You reach them by 4×4 on desert tracks, with the 3-day and 4-day tours that leave from Riohacha.

Taroa dunes at a glance

Where they are
Near Punta Gallinas
In Alta Guajira, in northern Colombia.
How to get there
By 4×4
On desert tracks, with the 3-day and 4-day tours.
When tours visit
On day 3
Early, on the 3-day and 4-day tours.
Tours that stop here
2 tours
3 and 4 days, from Riohacha.
Tours that stop in Taroa dunes
Aerial view of the Taroa dunes: a high pale-sand dune slopes down to a narrow beach with waves beside the Caribbean Sea in Alta Guajira.

Alta Guajira

What to do: climb, go down to the sea and sandboard

Sandy plain and low scrub reaching the sea in the Punta Gallinas area, with blue sky and clouds.

  1. Climb to the top of the dune

    From the top you can see the desert and the Caribbean Sea.

  2. Go down to the sea and swim

    Whoever wants to can go down the dune to the beach and swim. Before entering the water, ask the driver-guide what the waves are like.

  3. Sandboarding

    It is offered depending on availability and at an extra cost; ask about it when you book.

How to get to the Taroa dunes

You can only get there by 4×4, with the 3-day and 4-day tours from Riohacha.

With a tour

With a tour from Riohacha

The 3-day and 4-day tours leave Riohacha at 8:30 a.m., spend the first night in Cabo de la Vela and continue toward Punta Gallinas. The dunes are visited early on day 3.

Punta Gallinas: travel guide

Before climbing the dunes

  • Sun

    The packing list calls for high-protection sunscreen, a cap or hat and sunglasses.

  • Water

    Bring your reusable bottle filled.

  • Feet

    Sandals for the sand and closed shoes for walking, as the packing list says.

  • For the sea

    Swimsuit and towel or sarong, if you plan to go down to the beach.

When to go and what time

On the 3-day tour, the Taroa dunes are visited early on day 3. After that come the Punta Gallinas lighthouse, lunch in Uribia and arrival in Riohacha around 3:00 p.m. On the 4-day tour, they are also visited on day 3, together with the lighthouse and Punta Agujas beach at sunset, and that night you sleep again in Punta Gallinas.

Before setting the date, ask on WhatsApp about the condition of the desert track, especially if you are traveling in the rainy season.

Responsible travel in Wayuu territory

The Taroa dunes and the Punta Gallinas area are Wayuu territory: if there are families near the dune, ask permission before photographing anyone. Leave nothing of yours on the dune: bottles, wrappers and cigarette butts go into the trash bag from the packing list, and water goes in your reusable bottle. If you do sandboarding, go down on loose sand and not through areas with vegetation, and do not take sand as a souvenir.

Tours that stop in Taroa dunes

  • Two wooden boats pulled up on a beach in La Guajira at sunset, with a calm sea and palm fronds in the upper corner.3 days and 2 nights

    Alta Guajira

    Punta Gallinas tour 3 days (with Cabo de la Vela)

    The 3-day Punta Gallinas tour is a private 4×4 trip from Riohacha, leaving at 8:30 a.m. It covers the Manaure salt flats, Uribia, Cabo de la Vela, Bahía Hondita, the Taroa dunes and the Punta Gallinas lighthouse, with two nights in chinchorro hammocks in Wayuu rancherías (settlements). The 3-day tour costs from COP 900,000 per person for groups of 6 or more, with a 7% deposit to book.

    • 2 nights in a hammock
    • Leaves from Riohacha
    • 4×4 with air conditioning

    Next departure: Wed Oct 14

    Per person, group of 2

    COP 1,650,000

    COP 900,000 per person in groups of 6 or more.

  • The red-and-white lattice tower of the Punta Gallinas lighthouse beside a white 4×4, on a sandy plain with scrub under a cloudy blue sky.4 days and 3 nights

    Alta Guajira

    Punta Gallinas tour 4 days: Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas

    The 4-day Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas tour is private and leaves Riohacha at 8:30 a.m. by 4×4. It follows the 3-day route and adds a second night in Punta Gallinas and sunset at Punta Agujas, with three nights in chinchorro hammocks in Wayuu rancherías (settlements). The 4-day tour costs from COP 955,500 per person for groups of 6 or more, with a 7% deposit to book.

    • 3 nights in a hammock
    • Leaves from Riohacha
    • 4×4 with air conditioning

    Next departure: Wed Oct 14

    Per person, group of 2

    COP 1,874,250

    COP 955,500 per person in groups of 6 or more.

4.9 out of 5 on Tripadvisor6,458 reviews of Expotur Eco, the operator. Checked on October 7, 2026.

Book with 7%7% deposit of the total. An advisor confirms within 12 hours at most.

All Alta Guajira tours

More places in La Guajira

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Frequently asked questions about Taroa dunes

Where are the Taroa dunes?

The Taroa dunes are near Punta Gallinas, the northernmost point of continental South America, in Alta Guajira. You reach them by 4×4 on desert tracks, because from Uribia there is no paved road. On tours from Riohacha, the dunes are visited on day 3, after the night in Punta Gallinas and before the stop at the lighthouse.

Can you get to the Taroa dunes without a tour?

Yes, but only by 4×4: from Uribia, the road to Punta Gallinas and the Taroa dunes follows desert tracks. If you do not want a tour with meals and lodging, Punta Gallinas Tours offers private 4×4 transportation between Riohacha, Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas, quoted by WhatsApp or with the form. When you request a quote, ask whether the stop at Taroa is included.

How much does sandboarding cost at the Taroa dunes?

Sandboarding at the Taroa dunes is not included in the tour price: it is offered depending on availability and at an extra cost, and its price is not published. Ask about it on WhatsApp before you travel and bring cash, because on the Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas route there are no ATMs or digital payments.

Are there hotels at the Taroa dunes?

Tours that pass through the Taroa dunes do not use hotels: nights are in a chinchorro hammock in Wayuu rancherías (settlements), and sleeping in a bed costs COP 30,000 per person per night, depending on availability. On the 4-day tour, nights 2 and 3 are in Punta Gallinas, near the dunes; on the 3-day tour, night 2 is there.

What time do tours visit the Taroa dunes?

On the 3-day tour, the Taroa dunes are visited early on day 3, before the Punta Gallinas lighthouse and lunch in Uribia, with arrival in Riohacha around 3:00 p.m. On the 4-day tour, they are visited on day 3, the same day as the lighthouse and Punta Agujas beach at sunset, and that night you sleep again in Punta Gallinas.

Which tour includes the Taroa dunes?

The Taroa dunes are on the 3-day and 4-day tours to Punta Gallinas, both leaving Riohacha at 8:30 a.m. The 3-day tour starts at COP 900,000 per person in groups of 6 or more and COP 1,650,000 per person if 2 people travel. The 2-day tour to Cabo de la Vela does not reach Taroa.

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