DEPARTAMENTO LA GUAJIRA

ThE Department of La Guajira is in the extreme north of Colombia and South America, has an area of 20,848 km2, its capital is Riohacha. The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta creates a natural barrier of the department with the rest of Colombia. The population of La Guajira is formed mainly by the Wayuu people, with its own language called wayuunaiki by mestizos and whites and indigenous ethnicities Kogi and Wiwa who live in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. The common name for all inhabitants of this region is "peasant". In the region of La Guajira is the largest coal mine in Colombia opencast: CERREJON, and the exploitation of sea salt in Manaure, which constitute its main source of economy. The territory of La Guajira has quite special reason has been classified into three areas known as: The Alta Guajira: arid and desert borders the Caribbean Sea and Venezuela The Middle Guajira: Located in the northern SiThe known populations of La Guajira are: Riohacha, capital of La Guajira Department Maicao: Inhabited mostly by Arab residents, commonly known as Turks, whose main activity is trade, is on the boundary with Venezuela Villanueva: Known for its Cradle of Accordions Festival Uribia, Fonseca and Manaure, among others. GUAJIRA TOURIST ATTRACTIONS: National Park Macuira Mountains: It presents various types of forest according to its vegetation, giving rise to a diversity of flora and fauna, as well as several streams forming a privileged nature, which contrasts with the desert areas. You can find: ocelots, deer, monkeys and a variety of birds. Cabo de la Vela: site most visited by tourists for its beautiful natural beaches, is also in the Lighthouse and Cerro Pilon de Azucar, sacred place of the ethnos. Sanctuary of Fauna and Flora Sanctuary: named for the presence of these pink birds that build nests of mud around the various marshes inhabited, forming a natural spectacle worth seeing. Punta Gallinas: This place is in the far north of the Department of La Guajira, Colombia and South America, its lonely places have breathtaking natural landscapes, such as cliffs, dunes, mangroves and beaches, leaving an unforgettable memory in tourists visit them. Festivals: In the various regions of the La Guajira department held a variety of festivals, among which we mention: Cradle of Accordions Festival in Villanueva, the festival's return Fonseca, in Riohacha Dividivi festival, Festival of the Wayuu culture in Uribia, Festival of salt, gas and flamenco Manaure, birthplace of composers festival in San Juan del Cesar . erra Nevada The Baja Guajira: situated between the eastern Sierra Nevada and the valleys of the Rio Rancheria. This area is most of the population. The average temperature of la Guajira oscillates between 25 and 30 degrees, with a maximum of 45 °. In the Sierra the temperature can drop to 3 ° C

CAPE OF SAILING (La Guajira) Characterized by reddish sand against green sea. Conducive to astronomical observation, it also allows to enjoy the breeze that accompanies the sound of the waves. In addition to analyzing and watch the people of the Wayuu culture (population of this quiet region) can visit the lighthouse, mountains pyramid of Tea and loaves of sugar, to which can be accessed enjoy walking, a challenge to who are lovers of landscape and the challenges of nature. Already on the Guajira, you can also visit the Sanctuary of Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, the Natural Park Macuira, caves among the mountains of Blacktip and Punta Espada, Maicao, free and commercial port, the salt and the ruins Manaure historical in the village of Puerto Lopez.

National Natural Park Sierra Macuira Some of the most recommended are walking through the highlands of the Blacktip and visits to cemeteries Wayuu. Other sites include Premontane and Montane Dry Forest in a desert area, these places are unique ecosystems and fauna is very rich and varied: monkeys, ocelots, brown cat, deer, guacharacas, blackbirds and tiles, among other species. To reach this park is part of Riohacha down the road that will Maicao. Five miles before reaching this city there is a bias that is known as the Y. Sailing to Uribia take a road leading to Bay Portete via Arocho, Cerrito and San Antonio. At Portete Bay, the road ends, and from there it takes a path towards Nazareth, to Buenos Aires. In the town of Nazareth begins the Serrania del Macuira.

In this place of contrasts you will find the Sanctuary of Fauna and Flora Sanctuary dominated by beaches and coastal marshes, which in the rainy season come to communicate with the sea. It has 7,000 hectares rich in fish, crustaceans, molluscs and algae, and because of its wealth of fauna and flora, attracts a wide variety of resident and migratory waterfowl that stand between the Flamingos, and for them the name. The temperature at this site was between 25 and 30 º C, also rains in the months of May and October.The Wayuu Culture Festival to be held in Uribia the second week of May and showing the ancestral customs and traditions of the ethnos. The Festival of La Sal and Los Flamencos showing the conditions of work of this group of artisans and their passion for the old ways. It takes place in Manaure the second week of July.

The Reign of traditional and Dividivi Festival which takes place in Riohacha, and where candidates from all the departments should Chichamaya dance, dance of the Wuayuú. This event takes place from 29 June to 2 July each year. The Reign Festival and National Carbon is held in October at Barrancas, where they also live an unforgettable festival of the Virgen del Pilar. La Guajira is a paradise to discover, is all the more wonderful than your own oasis in the desert.