It is a pleasure to have you here, today we will tell you 7 reasons to take a break and know the wonders that La Guajira has to show you:
GUAJIRA’S LOCATION
Travel to La Guajira is to go to one of the furthest points of this wonderful country, it is a place full of magic and fantasy. Its landscape is a mixture of sea, sand, salt and many but many cactus; it is a long travel through an ocean of orange sand as surreal as you can only find it in the Colombian Caribbean.
An old place…
La Guajira is not about what modernity means of the 21st century, there is only one sand road through the desert, there is no electricity, no drinking water and you will not find a hotel in kilometers; but none of this is necessary when you can sleep with the sound of the sea under the light of the stars.
GUAJIRA’S PEOPLE
When you arrive to La Guajira you will find another type of Costeños, who although they are not as open as other of their countrymen and at first they will seem a bit rough; they are just as happy, friendly and helpful, they are “Los Guajiros”, that in their great majority are descendants of the Wayuu, indigenous people like few in America, so brave and courageous that the Spaniards could never conquer or colonize, on the contrary, over time they established trade and exchange relations. So if you want to go to a place where you can live directly with traditional indigenous tribes, this is the perfect plan for you, because almost all of the tours in the region consist of living with them in their distant rancherias (as they know their settlements).
ITS GASTRONOMY
The habitants of the region live mainly from fishing, so in their dishes you will always find the fruits of the sea, such as the salpicón de raya and a great variety of fish, squid, octopus and crabs that are commonly cooked so they are soon captured.
In addition, another branch of the Wayuu economy is represented by the goat; originally introduced by the Spaniards at the time of the conquest, due to its resistance can survive just like the indigenous Wayuu, the harsh droughts, for this it has become permanent company and in some cases currency
Typical dishes
From this animal are prepared a variety of dishes such as “the friche”, which is a fried mixture of visors, meat and blood of the animal, among other dishes; since all its parts are used in the preparation of different dishes. The goat is so important in its culture that it is the protagonist of the Wayuu Culture Festival. All these elements constitute an excellent experience for those who want to try local foods from the places they visit.
ITS CULTURE
The Wayuu are the largest indigenous group of Colombia and were declared by UNESCO as intangible heritage of humanity because it is one of the few people on the planet who still keep their oral tradition alive through their dialect, the wayuunaiki, from the Arawak linguistic family; even in their young people who, although they speak Spanish fluently, they communicate with each other through their native language, and transmit their ancestral knowledge from generation to generation.
Clothing and accessories…
It is normal to see the inhabitants of the rancherias with their traditional blankets, especially the women who are the ones who are mainly responsible for the work the land and the housework. One of the most important aspects of their culture are the weave; the Wayuu are experts not only weaving the roof of their huts and arbors but in their colorful backpacks and hammocks with intricated designs made in different materials; which are highly appreciated not only in Colombia but internationally. Visiting La Guajira is a great opportunity to know ancestral cultures.
We invite you to read more information about the Tours to La Guajira. Click here!
THEIR WAYUU CULTURE FESTIVAL
Do you like to have experiences where you can appreciate the diverse cultural expressions of the villages?
I have to tell you about the festival that takes place in the indigenous capital of Colombia; the ranch IChitki located in 92 km from Riohacha that was refounded in 1935 with the name of Uribia in honor of Rafael Uribe Uribe. The Festival was created in 1985 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the town and it is celebrated in the month of June; this event is that important, because is part of the Cultural Patrimony of the Nation. Where you can find cultural samples and knowledge of the community Wayuu from handcrafts, traditional games, folkloric and ritual gastronomic samples, even to their own beauty contest, because more than the beauty of their women seeks to highlight the knowledge of their traditions and language in order to obtain the title of Majayut.
During the festival …
During the festival you can find the Wayuu women weaving their backpacks and hammocks; they elaborate and offer typical dishes such as friche, roasted goat and mazamorra among others. At night, you can see dances like the Chichamaya or the Yona; where the woman is directed towards the man, who walks backwards, in order to make him fall. In addition to various representations of traditional customs such as wakes, marriages and the game of the goat known as Kaulayawá where children and young people are the protagonists.
HOW TO GET TO CABO DE LA VELA
Starting from Santa Marta to Riohacha, it’s about 3 and a half hours; once you get there, a journey of about 2 hours passes through Uribia. So if you accepted my previous suggestion, you are closer.
If you are staying in Riohacha, you can also do the Tour with us. In the same way, if you want to know this destination in a more independent way, in Expotur we offer you the service of Transport to Punta Gallinas and Cabo de la Vela
When you arrive, you realize that it is very different from all the conventional tourist plans. It is a place of peace where you will find just the basics; but you will not need more than food and a place to sleep; I mean fresh fruits of the sea and a chinchorro. So forget about the distractions of the world and enjoy the beauty of this sacred place that the Wayuu call Jepira; according to their worldview over there circulate the souls of the deceased before going to the depths of the sea. There you will find beautiful places to visit where the blue of the sky contrasts with the orange sand and the endless sea that is lost in the horizon, the cactus and bushes that are the companions of trip.
Attractions in Cabo dela Vela
You will be able to know El pilón de azucar; a hill that can climb in 15 minutes where you have a 360 ° view of the sea. El Faro with the most beautiful sunsets. And Playa Ojo de Agua a natural pool. To go to Cabo dela Vela more than an adventurous spirit you need to know how to find happiness with basics and open your eyes to an amazing landscape. Finally, this is the base for our last reason to visit La Guajira.
PUNTA GALLINAS, MANDATORY
To think of this place is to imagine the northernmost point where you can be in South America. The most remote place of civilization, the simplest description could be: Take a transport from Cabo de la Vela and continue by the desert through the almost red sand for 3 or 4 hours until you see the immense turquoise-green sea around you. But to go to this place as atypical as beautiful goes beyond reaching the end of the country; it is to see a landscape where simplicity is the protagonist.
What will you find in Punta Gallinas?
Although here you will not find the usual comforts of a paradisiacal hostel; beauty of the dunes, the sea, the salty breeze and the calm and starry nights will captivate you completely. The opportunity to appreciate how life and nature develop in their own way, it is invaluable; the calm and peace that you will find here is very difficult to find in other places of the earth. You can not say that you traveled through Colombia or you knew the Caribbean if you have not been in Punta Gallinas.
Finally…
Here I showed you our 7 Reasons to visit the Guajira; but it is rather an invitation to come to know all the wonders you can find in the hostile environment. Despite the rains are scarce and it is one of the poorest areas of the country; you can find beauty and culture wherever you look. Come, join us to the adventure in the Wayuu land, it is waiting for you.
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