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Caribbean and Sierra Nevada: from Cartagena to La Guajira
by Felix Gillen
The route follows the Caribbean coast from Cartagena east, with detours to the mountains of Minca, Tayrona National Park, and the beach town of Palomino. Optionally, it ends on the desert peninsula of La Guajira at Cabo de la Vela.
6 stops
Why This Route?
Want the Caribbean but more than beaches? Here are colonial towns, mountain forests, national parks, and desert within just a few hundred kilometers. All stages are feasible by bus or colectivo; no rental car is necessary.
Hidden Gems
- Santa Cruz de Mompox, a detour from Cartagena, several hours' drive
- multi-day trek to Ciudad Perdida from Santa Marta, only with an approved operator
- Punta Gallinas, the northernmost point of the mainland
Getting there and back
Open jaw: start and end are in different places
- Arrival
- Flight · Cartagena (CTG)Arrival in Cartagena usually with a layover in Bogotá, flight time Bogotá to Cartagena around 1 hour 30 minutes. Complete Check-MIG within 72 hours before entry.
- Departure
- Flight · Santa Marta (SMR)From Cabo de la Vela or Palomino back to Santa Marta, from Cabo de la Vela this is a day's journey. Return flight from Santa Marta via Bogotá.
Itinerary
Stop 1 • 3 Nights
Cartagena
Route highlight
Cartagena de Indias is the most famous city on Colombia's Caribbean coast and, with around a million inhabitants, the capital of the Departamento Bolívar. You come for the walled colonial city, which, along with its port and fortifications, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1984. Within the walls are the neighborhoods San Pedro and San Diego; directly in front is the lively Getsemaní with street art and bars.
Arrival at Rafael Núñez Airport. Walled Old Town, day trip by boat to the Rosario Islands.
6 Sights
5 Restaurants
History and City Life
Pedro de Heredia founded the city on June 1, 1533. Because gold and goods from the colony were shipped here, the Spanish built an extensive fortification system over centuries.In 1741, a British fleet under Admiral Edward Vernon attacked the city; Blas de Lezo led the defense. Around November 11th, Cartagena celebrates the anniversary of its independence for several days.Districts: San Pedro with cathedral and noblemen's palaces, San Diego as the former merchants' quarter, Getsemaní as the traditional working-class district.Music: In the bars of Getsemaní and the Old Town, Salsa and Champeta play, often live.
Stop 2 • 1 Night
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is the capital of the Magdalena Department on the Caribbean coast and Colombia's oldest surviving city, founded in 1525 by Rodrigo de Bastidas. You come here as a starting point for Tayrona National Park, Minca, and the Ciudad Perdida. The city has around half a million inhabitants; highlights include the colonial center with the Gold Museum, as well as the beach districts of Taganga and El Rodadero.
Bus or shuttle from Cartagena, approx. 4 to 5 hours. Starting point for Minca, Tayrona and the trek to Ciudad Perdida.
6 Sights
5 Restaurants
Colonial City and Bolívar
Santa Marta was founded on July 29, 1525. In the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, then a country estate outside the city, Simón Bolívar died in 1830.The Gold Museum in the Casa de la Aduana displays objects of the Tayrona, ancestors of today's indigenous peoples of the Sierra Nevada.
Stop 3 • 2 Nights
Minca
Minca is a small mountain village in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, about 45 minutes from Santa Marta. You come for waterfalls to swim in, coffee farms, birdwatching, and hikes with views over the coast. The village has fewer than 1,000 inhabitants and today thrives mainly on hostels and lodges.
Colectivo from the Mercado in Santa Marta, approx. 45 minutes. Fincas on the hillsides of the Sierra Nevada, birdwatching.
5 Sights
2 Restaurants
Coffee in the Sierra
The first settlers came from Ireland and Germany to cultivate coffee. Finca La Victoria is considered one of Colombia's largest and oldest coffee farms.On the Finca's premises, Nevada Cervecería brews its beer. Additionally, nearby fincas offer cocoa tours.
Stop 4 • 2 Nights
Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona
Route highlight
Tayrona National Park is located about 34 kilometers east of Santa Marta, where the Sierra Nevada directly meets the Caribbean Sea. You come for bays between granite cliffs and rainforest, for hiking trails to Cabo San Juan and the ruins of Pueblito. The park closes completely three times a year.
Bus from Santa Marta to El Zaíno entrance takes about 1 hour. The park closes several times a year for about two weeks; check dates in advance with Parques Nacionales.
5 Sights
Closing Times and Rules 2026
Under the Respira Tayrona program, coordinated with the Arhuaco, Kogui, Wiwa, and Kankuamo communities, the park closes three times a year. In 2026: February 1-15, June 1-15, and October 19 to November 2, reopening on November 3. During these periods, there is no access or services.Additionally, from February 17, 2026, the park was closed by Resolution 091 due to the security situation, reopening on March 5 with increased police presence. After the June closure, land access points Calabazo and Zaíno remained temporarily closed, while Bahía Concha, Neguanje, and the sea route remained open. Before visiting, check which access points are currently open.Entry 2026 (Foreigners): 81,000 COP in low season, 96,500 COP in high season, for Bahía Concha 43,500 COP (Resolution 551 of December 19, 2025).Mandatory Insurance: Accident insurance from a Parques Nacionales-approved provider is mandatory and not included in the entry fee.Tickets: Tickets are available at the access point ticket offices; they may sell out during high season. Check with Parques Nacionales Naturales beforehand to see if online purchase is possible.
Stop 5 • 2 Nights
Palomino
Palomino is a small coastal town on the Caribbean coast, about 90 minutes to 2 hours east of Santa Marta, already within the La Guajira Department. Here you can enjoy tubing on the Río Palomino, discover waterfalls in the hinterland, and relax on a long, wild palm-fringed beach. The town has around 2,500 inhabitants and numerous hostels.
Bus along the coastal road, approx. 2 hours from Santa Marta. Quiet beach town on the coastal road towards Riohacha.
3 Sights
3 Restaurants
Beach and River
The beach is long and palm-fringed, but swimming is dangerous due to strong currents.After rain in the mountains, its water level can rise quickly.
Stop 6 • 1 Night
Cabo de la Vela
Cabo de la Vela is a Wayuu fishing village on the La Guajira peninsula, three hours overland from Riohacha. You come for the desert by the sea, the viewpoint Pilón de Azúcar, sunsets at the lighthouse, and year-round kitesurfing. You stay in simple posadas and hammocks.
Optional. Via Riohacha and Uribia, the last leg about 1 hour by 4x4, easiest with an organized tour. Check before your trip the current travel and safety advisories of the German Federal Foreign Office.
4 Sights
1 Restaurant
Jepirra and Wayuu
The Wayuu call the area Jepirra. According to their beliefs, the souls of the deceased cross over to the afterlife here, and the Pilón de Azúcar is sacred to them.In 1499, Alonso de Ojeda's expedition, with Juan de la Cosa as pilot, reached the cape. In the surrounding Rancherías, you can buy woven Mochilas and other Wayuu crafts.
6 stops
Route Summary
Duration12 Days
Stops6 Places
TypeBeach & Relaxation
Best Time to GoDecember to April, when it's dry in the Caribbean. Check Tayrona's closing times beforehand.