Punta Gallinas | Tourist Attraction

Just a few point... I used google maps, this navigation aid.. a bad idea. I was lost and went around in circles.

You will be constantly stopped by ropes asking for money.. 😢

Second point.. Bring candy for the kids. You can buy a large bag of 20 lollipops for next to nothing.. Kids love them.

For the mums hotel soaps and shampoo does the trick.. Mums love the hand cream.

Oh! I did make it, the return trip was horrible as in the dark....like Mr. Stupid I was lost but Somehow I made it home.

I strongly recommend that you do not attempt to travel in this area after heavy rain in a non 4x4 .This is because of deep gully crossing ok in dry conditions. Also looking at the tyre tracks you will be driving in deep mud.

Near the end you will find deep soft sand. This will be a problem in non 4x4.

I had trouble I my 4x4 Toyota 4runner. If I did not have a 4x4 I would have been stuck in mud..

Steve from Australia

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We came here alone with our Defender, we spent a week in the region from Riohacha. Maps.me is enough to find the right track, even if sometimes you have to test several to find the right path. We had no problem of insecurity and camped in the middle of nowhere in the desert. The region is splendid, the landscapes incredible and it is the paradise of the 4x4! The only negative point is the relationship with the Wayuu people. These people are not very welcoming to tourists, we are seen as dollars on legs. The hundreds of ropes are tiring. Many of them are held by children, we did not stop, we slowed down and they drop it easily. From time to time they are adolescents or adults and there they want money, by giving rice it unlocked the situation, otherwise sometimes we only got around the rope. What is funny is that the ropes move, on the return it will not necessarily be in the same places.

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Viemos até aqui com o tour de 3 dias da agência History Travelers desde Riohacha. A estrada esta bem alagada nessa época do ano (setembro a novembro/2023 fica intransitável) mas o local é lindo e sem dúvidas vale a pena conhecer, é das coisas de se fazer uma vez na vida!

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We came from Cabo de la Vella with our Defender, following a local guide on his motorcycle - we paid 150k COP for he just bring us here, and we recorded the way on Wikiloc to return alone. To spend the night and return with us the next day, we would have to pay him 200k COP, plus accommodation (in a hammock) and food.
The guide left us in the dunes and told us that the way to Punta Gallinas would be good, but it was exactly in this path that we got stucked in the soft sand. So combine everything with the guide before to not go through the same as us. Anyway, we recommend 100% hiring a guide or following a convoy - there are numerous paths where you can easily get lost, and a large part of mud that when the ocean rises, totally changes the paths. We came back alone following the path we came, but some stretches flooded and we have to detour.
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Viemos de Cabo de la Vella com nossa Defender, seguindo um guia local em sua motocicleta - pagamos 150k COP para que ele só nos trouxesse até aqui, e gravamos o caminho no Wikiloc para voltarmos sozinhos. Para ele passar a noite e voltar com a gente no dia seguinte, teríamos que pagar 200k COP, mais a acomodação (em uma rede) e alimentação. O guia nos deixou nas dunas e nos disse que o caminho de lá até aqui seria tranquilo, mas foi exatamente nesse trecho que atolamos na areia fofa. Então, combine tudo com o guia para não passar pelo mesmo que nós. De qualquer forma, recomendamos 100% a contratação de um guia ou que esteja seguindo um comboio - existem INÚMEROS caminhos, em que você pode facilmente se perder, e uma parte grande de lama, que quando a maré sobe, muda totalmente os caminhos. Voltamos sozinhos seguindo o caminho que viemos, mas alguns trechos alagaram e tivermos que desviar.

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Did a 4 day trip on basic local motorcycles. Took a wayuu lad with us but he wound up being utterly useless, so we basically did it all ourselves. With spare tools and water, Lots of candy to bribe the local roadblocks,and plenty of cash as there are no options for withdrawal. Stunning route, lots of variety, one of the best I've done . Download offline maps and you should be fine navigating solo.

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We first went to Cabo de la Vela by ourselves but when we stayed there, a guide told us with the previous rain and ppl, it will be too dangerous to go by ourselves to Punta Gallinas. So after negotiate we follow a convoy with for 200 000 for the roundtrip for the car. They were super nice.

So for the children, families, take 2 bags of 50 little bags of water and maybe 2/4 crackers but better is fruits like banana or orange. Because we went almost empty on our way to punta gallinas. So be careful, they are smiling but you never know and you can also drive most times on the rope.

Enjoy it's really an adventure, it's exhausted yes but super nice.

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We didn't know if the info of feasibility of doing it alone is still valid.. as we are only one car (no 2nd one to pull the other one) and absolutely everyone said its not possible to do alone, we didn't want to risk it and found a tour in Cabo de la Vela where we just could tag a long with our car for 50k COP per person (200k per car). They also did the negotiations with the locals when necessary. Bring LOTS of water bags and cracker bags, we had ar least 150 rope blocks.

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you don't really need a guide to come here. with maps me definitely so easy to find. even did it without it.
I wasn't sure whether it would be worth coming after riding through the deserts in Bolivia but it definitely was. the desert landscape changes a lot and the peninsula here is really nice too.
my recommendation is to start at 5 on cabo de la Vela so you see the sunrise on the desert. stay a night at punta gallinas. when you go back don't leave before sunrise because some parts of the desert get muddy overnight and need to dry.

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Beautiful spot to start or end exploring the continent.
Let's head south!

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We followed a convoy of Colombians to get most of the way here. With a bit of trial and error, most vehicles could find their way here following Maps.me in the dry season. BUT if you are heavy, or if it's wet, be very cautious which track you take over the mud-pans Some of the tracks are soft and you could get serious bogged-in out there. We weigh 6T and were a bit nervous, but it was dry and firm enough. Smaller/ordinary 4x4s shouldn't have any problem - just follow the tracks of the tour jeeps over the mud-pans at the start of the route.

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We made it here with maps.me, where it does lose your location, just follow the track that looks the most well worn. The only part we weren't totally prepared for were the amount of road "tolls", yes some of the kids will drop the rope without anything but most of them just wanted water, we regret not taking enough so wanted to let future travellers know that we experienced 40+ of these road blocks. We had 10 bags of lentils, 10 rice, a load of fruit, 6 bags of coffee, and around 20 small cakes and it was no where near enough. we were giving away old water bottles we could find in the car and any food items we could replace. I'd reccomend bringing a load of water, lentils, rice, fruit and veggies, as much as you can! I wish I'd known to bring more so just wanted to let you all know. It's sparse but incredibly beautiful up here, well worth the trip! Took 5 hours from Cabo De La Vela.

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We left Cabo de la Vela on our own after waiting 30 minutes for a guide that never showed up even though we had arranged the night before. Followed our Garmin and maps.me. Made it. Many "tolls". we gave out 20 waters, 20 small bags of rice, 5 sugars and about 50 dulces on the way and all that plus a dozen oranges on the way back! There were many unmanned tolls as well. Also paid three 1000 COP ones. We spent a quiet night beside lighthouse BUT it rained overnight and the first 20kms coming back were challenging. Got stuck in sand once then muck and had to use our winch; thank goodness there was a 🌲! So you can do without a guide and feel safe. Stock up in Riohacha. These people are desparately poor. We could have brought twice as much.

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Totally agree with Kasbah (12/2016) comments bellow. Get a guide to go in your vehicle from Cabo de la Vela where you can stay at Kite Center Eoletto (German/Colombian couple) they will help you get organized. pay the guide at the very end of the trip. Stuck up on cash, fuel and groceries (plenty of water for you and to give away) at the Éxito in Riohaca. We made arrangements to follow a guide through Rodrigo in Cabo and he screwed us by taking us to the lancha drop off where they take the backpackers and he wouldn't continue to Punta Gallinas. We had to find another guide to come in our rig, he ended up being great (Pedro 310 495 7895) We wish we had hired him from Cabo because following the guides that take the backpackers is no fun, they drive like maniacs and you don't enjoy the trip, can't stop for pictures etc. Also take a lot of 1000 bills to pay about 4/5 families road blocks, they are friendly. For the road blocks maned by children just give them water, fruits or sweets. The kids will drop the string if you just drive through. Also a great place to buy muchilas (hand made bags) and bracelets for cheap and to support their craft instead of encouraging begging.

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A good option to come here is to first head to Cabo de la Vela and then to get organized from there, where you can join an overnight trip or find a guide to take you here in your own vehicle (check the iOverlander entry Kite Center Eoletto).
We had to do the former because the whole area was flooded over the past weeks and not even the locals can access this part by land.

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Attempted to make it to this location. Made it about 30 miles from the point after serious off road driving. Left the main road about 14 miles south of Puerto Bolivar and headed northeast.

Stick to the inland routes and pay attention to what the locals have to say for directions!! The roads are labyrinths and almost entirely impassable in many places. Cannot say how the roads are closer to the border with Venezuela.

Must have capable vehicle if attempting to reach along the western coast of the peninsula. Do not attempt in the rainy season unless you have a capable vehicle!!

Best season according to the locals in around December, which is also apparently when they have a off road rally of sorts through the desert from Uribia to the point.

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Stayed here two nights away from the lighthouse + concrete structure. Not as beautiful as Cerro Pilon de Azucar but a neat place to see + a fun journey getting here! Be sure to bring plenty of giveaways (water, small bags of rice, oranges) as there are several "rope stops" with children begging. We don't support begging but this is a very desolate area. Be prepared to have your heart strings pulled. Some families sell a cactus fruit + we really liked it. 4WD + good clearance necessary to get here. Be prepared to air down and/or throttle through the sand dune sections.

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Nice flat sheltered space to park for night behind an unused concrete building right on the point, pretty deep sand on road here though, no problem in low box on Landcruiser.

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Just checking in. Drove up with friends, intense drive but really fun. Not sure we would have done it alone though.

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Northern most point of South America

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