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Part of La Guajira

Cabo de la Vela: travel guide

Cabo de la Vela is in Alta Guajira, on the Caribbean Sea, and it is home to the Pilón de Azúcar hill, the Cabo de la Vela lighthouse and Playa Arcoíris. From Riohacha you drive to Uribia and then continue by 4×4 on desert tracks, because there is no paved road.

Tours that stop in Cabo de la VelaGetting there on your own
Aerial view of the Pilón de Azúcar, a rocky hill rising from green water, with Playa del Pilón on the right, in Cabo de la Vela, La Guajira.

Alta Guajira

Cabo de la Vela at a glance

Getting there
By 4×4
From Riohacha, through Uribia.
How many days
2 days
With the 2-day tour. With 3 or 4 you continue to Punta Gallinas.
Where you sleep
Wayuu ranchería
In a chinchorro hammock, or in a bed for an extra fee.
Money
Cash only
No cash machines or card payments on the route.
Tours that stop here
3 tours
2, 3, and 4 days, from Riohacha.

What to see and do in Cabo de la Vela

Each number matches the sketch.

Sketch not to scale, with approximate positions.

  1. Pilón de Azúcar

    A rocky hill by the sea. A wooden staircase climbs from the beach, and from the top you see the desert and the Caribbean.

    More about Pilón de Azúcar
    Aerial view of the Pilón de Azúcar, a rocky hill rising from green water, with Playa del Pilón on the right, in Cabo de la Vela, La Guajira.

  2. Playa Dorada

    A stop on day 1 of the 2- and 3-day tours.

  3. Playa Arcoíris

    Day 2 on the 2-day tour and day 1 on the 3- and 4-day tours.

  4. Ojo de Agua

    Only on the 2-day tour, on day 2.

  5. Cabo de la Vela lighthouse

    The lookout where all three tours watch the sunset on day 1.

    Sunset
    Silhouette of the Cabo de la Vela lighthouse tower at sunset, with the sun about to set over the sea.
The Pilón de Azúcar hill with the wooden staircase to the top, a palm shelter on the right and the sea on the left, in Cabo de la Vela, La Guajira.

Stop 1 on the sketch

Pilón de Azúcar: the lookout over Cabo de la Vela

The Pilón de Azúcar is a rocky hill by the sea with a beach at its foot. From that beach a wooden staircase climbs to the top, where you see the desert and the Caribbean Sea.

The climb
Up the wooden staircase from Playa del Pilón
What to bring
Closed shoes, water and sunscreen
When the tours stop
Day 2 on the 2-day tour; day 1 on the 3- and 4-day tours
Tours that stop at Pilón de Azúcar

Beaches: Playa Arcoíris, Ojo de Agua and Playa del Pilón

Playa del Pilón lies at the foot of the Pilón de Azúcar, and the staircase up the hill starts there. Facing the lodgings in Cabo de la Vela, the beach has palm-thatched shelters (enramadas) on the sand. Playa Arcoíris, Ojo de Agua and Playa Dorada complete the tour stops, though not every itinerary includes all of them.

For the water, the packing list asks for a swimsuit, a towel or sarong, sandals and high-SPF sunscreen. Before you go in, ask your driver-guide how the waves are that day.

Stops in Cabo de la Vela by tour, from the itineraries as of October 5, 2026. Source: Punta Gallinas Tours.

Place

2-day tour

3-day tour

4-day tour

Playa Arcoíris

Day 2

Day 1

Day 1

Pilón de Azúcar and Playa del Pilón

Day 2

Day 1

Day 1

Ojo de Agua

Day 2

No

No

Playa Dorada

Day 1

Day 1

No

Cabo de la Vela lighthouse (sunset)

Day 1

Day 1

Day 1

The full list of what to bring is in what to pack for La Guajira.

The route to Cabo de la Vela: road to Uribia, then 4×4 desert tracks

By tour, in a 4×4 from Riohacha, or with private 4×4 transport, quoted separately.

With a tour

By 4×4 from Riohacha

The tour leaves Riohacha at 8:30 a.m. and the same vehicle takes you to Cabo de la Vela, through the Manaure salt flats and Uribia. You arrive around midday, and the night at a Wayuu ranchería is included.

Tours that stop in Cabo de la Vela
On your own

Private 4×4 transport

If you don't want a tour, private 4×4 transport leaves from Riohacha and is quoted on WhatsApp or through the form. It doesn't include lodging or meals.

  1. Riohacha to UribiaBy road, through the Manaure salt flats
  2. Uribia to Cabo de la VelaBy 4×4 on desert tracks, with no paved road

Uribia is the last stop to buy water and get cash: there are no cash machines or card payments on the route.

Transport from Riohacha to Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas
Caribbean SeaRiohachaUribiaCabo de la VelaN
Illustrative map, not to scale.See the animated route, day by day
Handwoven Wayuu mochila bags hanging on display, with geometric patterns in black, cream and bright colors.

Before you arrive

Responsible travel in Wayuu territory

In Cabo de la Vela, the people who receive you at the ranchería are your hosts: ask permission before photographing anyone, and if you buy a craft, pay the person who made it, in cash. The other practices for visiting rancherías respectfully are in our guide to La Guajira.

Where to sleep: rancherías and hammocks

On the tours, you sleep in Cabo de la Vela in a chinchorro hammock in a Wayuu ranchería (settlement). If you would prefer a bed, it costs COP 30,000 per person per night, subject to availability. Before you leave, ask your advisor whether the ranchería for your date has electricity, showers and cell signal.

Cabo de la Vela is the first night on all three tours. To continue to the northern tip, the 3-day Punta Gallinas tour spends its second night in Punta Gallinas, and the Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas 4-day tour adds a third night there.

  • Hammock or bedA chinchorro hammock at a Wayuu ranchería; a bed costs COP 30,000 per person per night, subject to availability.
  • Power, showers and signalThey depend on the ranchería for your date; ask your advisor before you go.
  • For the nightA flashlight or headlamp and a light jacket.
Colorful chinchorro hammocks hanging under a wood-and-palm shelter facing the beach in Cabo de la Vela.

Tours that stop in Cabo de la Vela

  • Aerial view of the village of Cabo de la Vela: rows of guesthouses with tin and palm roofs, sandy streets and a beach of turquoise water.2 days and 1 night

    Alta Guajira

    Cabo de la Vela tour 2 days from Riohacha

    The 2-day Cabo de la Vela tour is a private 4×4 trip that leaves Riohacha at 8:30 a.m. It stops at the Manaure salt flats, Uribia, Pilón de Azúcar, the lighthouse and Playa Arcoíris, with a night in a chinchorro hammock in a Wayuu ranchería (settlement). The Cabo de la Vela tour costs from COP 409,500 per person for groups of 6 or more, with a 7% deposit to book.

    • 1 night in a hammock
    • Leaves from Riohacha
    • 4×4 with air conditioning

    Next departure: Mon Oct 12

    Per person, group of 2

    COP 803,250

    COP 409,500 per person in groups of 6 or more.

  • 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: Mon Oct 12

    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: Mon Oct 12

    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

Plan your trip to Cabo de la Vela

Frequently asked questions about Cabo de la Vela

What is Cabo de la Vela?

Cabo de la Vela is a destination in Alta Guajira, in the north of Colombia, by the Caribbean Sea. Its main sights are the Pilón de Azúcar hill, the Cabo de la Vela lighthouse, Playa Arcoíris and Ojo de Agua. It is the first night on all three Punta Gallinas Tours itineraries, which leave Riohacha at 8:30 a.m. and sleep here in chinchorro hammocks in a Wayuu ranchería.

What is there to do in Cabo de la Vela?

In Cabo de la Vela you climb a wooden staircase up the Pilón de Azúcar hill, with views over the desert and the Caribbean Sea, watch the sunset from the lighthouse and visit Playa Arcoíris, Ojo de Agua and Playa Dorada. The 2-day tour covers all of that between midday on day 1 and lunch on day 2. Pack a swimsuit, sunscreen and cash.

How much does it cost to go to Cabo de la Vela?

On the 2-day tour from Riohacha, Cabo de la Vela costs from COP 409,500 per person for groups of 6 or more, and COP 803,250 per person for 2 travelers. The tour includes 4×4 transport, 1 breakfast, 2 lunches and 1 dinner, the night in a chinchorro hammock, a driver-guide and medical assistance insurance. Private 4×4 transport without a tour is also available and is quoted separately.

How do I get to Cabo de la Vela?

From Riohacha you go by road to Uribia and from there by 4×4 on desert tracks, because there is no paved road. The 2-day tour leaves Riohacha at 8:30 a.m. and reaches Cabo de la Vela around midday. If you would rather go without a tour, Punta Gallinas Tours offers private 4×4 transport, quoted on WhatsApp or through the form.

Is Cabo de la Vela worth it?

Yes, if you want a short trip from Riohacha with desert and sea: in two days you climb the Pilón de Azúcar, watch the sunset from the lighthouse and visit Playa Arcoíris, Ojo de Agua and Playa Dorada. Keep in mind that the last stretch is by 4×4 on desert tracks, the night is in a hammock and there are no cash machines on the route.

Where do you sleep in Cabo de la Vela?

On the tours, you sleep in Cabo de la Vela in a chinchorro hammock in a Wayuu ranchería. If you would prefer a bed, it costs COP 30,000 per person per night, subject to availability. It is the first night on all three tours: the 2-, 3- and 4-day tours. For the evening, bring a flashlight or headlamp and a light jacket.

Is it safe to go to Cabo de la Vela?

On the tours, you travel to Cabo de la Vela in a 4×4 with air conditioning and a driver-guide from the region, with medical assistance insurance included for the whole trip. Carry cash, since the route has no cash machines or card payments. Check your government's current travel advice for Colombia before you go, and if you have a question about the route, write to us on WhatsApp.

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