Nature · Culture · Community
Los Flamencos Sanctuary and Wayuu ranchería
Pink flamingos from a dugout canoe and a day with a Wayuu family at their ranchería.
Full dayDifficulty: Easy
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Flora and fauna sanctuary
Camarones and the Los Flamencos Sanctuary
Coastal lagoons where Colombia's pink flamingos gather, explored by Wayuu dugout canoe, at the gateway to La Guajira.
- Region:
- La Guajira
- From La Jorará:
- 80 km
The Los Flamencos Flora and Fauna Sanctuary, beside the village of Camarones, is where Colombia's pink flamingos concentrate. These are shallow coastal lagoons separated from the sea by sand bars, where in season you can see gatherings of hundreds and even thousands of birds on the water.
The tour is made by cayuco, the traditional Wayuu wooden boat, punted through shallow water. That way of moving — slow, silent — is exactly what lets you get close to the birds without scaring them off.
Besides the flamingos there are turtles, deer, migratory birds and a variety of wildlife that makes the sanctuary a serious destination for watchers. It is also your first contact with the Guajiro landscape: the vegetation changes, cactus appear and the air turns dry.
The visit is always combined with a Wayuu ranchería, where there is genuine cultural exchange: the Yonna dance, traditional food, the mantas and face painting, and an explanation of a way of life woven between fishing and herding in a desert that meets the sea.
What to see and do
The pink flamingos
In season you can watch very large gatherings on the lagoons, from the cayuco or from the shore. Their pink colour comes from what they eat: the crustaceans of these brackish waters.
The cayuco trip
Silent navigation in the traditional Wayuu wooden boat, punted along. It is the only way into the shining lagoons without disturbing the birds.
The Wayuu ranchería
Time with a Wayuu family in their own space: the Yonna dance, a taste of traditional food, a crafts display, and the face painting and mantas that are part of their visual identity.
How to get there
- Camarones sits on the Troncal del Caribe highway, about 80 km from La Jorará and 25 km from Riohacha.
- Our tour includes return transfers from Palomino.
- From Santa Marta it is about 155 km, a little over two and a half hours.
- It is a natural stop on the way to Riohacha and the Alta Guajira.
When to go
- The flamingos are not present in the same numbers all year: it depends on rainfall, water levels and migration.
- They are generally best seen between November and March, though there is no absolute guarantee on any date.
- Going early in the morning or late in the afternoon improves both the sighting and the light for photographs.
- Check with us before booking: we know how the sanctuary is at any given moment.
What to know before you go
- Sightings depend on nature. Nobody can guarantee the number of birds on a given date.
- Bring binoculars if you have them: the birds are at a distance and are far more enjoyable up close.
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. There is no shade on the lagoons and the water reflects the sun back at you.
- Boots or closed shoes for walking, and sandals for the cayuco.
- Insect repellent, especially at dusk.
- At the ranchería, ask consent before photographing and remember it is a family's home, not a stage.
Frequently asked questions
Are there always flamingos at the sanctuary?
No. Numbers vary with rainfall, water levels and migration cycles. There are times of enormous gatherings and times with very few birds. Even when there are not many, the cayuco trip, the turtles, the deer and the visit to the Wayuu ranchería hold up the experience on their own.
Can it be combined with the Alta Guajira?
Yes, and it is the logical combination: Camarones is on the way to Riohacha, which is where trips to Cabo de la Vela and Punta Gallinas begin. Many travellers do the sanctuary as a stop before heading into the desert.
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