The Los Flamencos wildlife sanctuary in the Guajira department is a nature reserve that welcomes thousands of flamingos every year during the migration season.
We went there to see for ourselves if it was really worth it, and to tell you a little about the experience you can have there for a day.
We were staying in Palomino, for a few lazy days away from the village, and set off in the morning with our friend Adrian’s agency to see the flamingos!
Summary
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Disclaimer: we apologize in advance for any grammatical or syntactic errors, as our native language is not English (we're a Colombian-French couple), so we hope you'll forgive us and still enjoy the information we share with you! Please note that all the information on our blog is based on our own experience, and is checked and updated regularly.
See flamingos at Los Flamencos
Sanctuary of flora and fauna
We meet our guide at the door of our accommodation on the outskirts of Palomino. It’s 9 a.m. sharp and we’re off on the road towards Riohacha to go flamingo watching and discover this nature reserve we’ve heard so much about.
After an hour’s drive, we turn off the main road to Riohacha, enter the small village of Perico and emerge into a desert landscape bordering a desiccated lagoon.
After a few kilometers on track, we finally arrive at our final destination. A few traditional Wayuu houses, a few boats, children playing soccer and our guide waiting for us with a smile on his face.
Here we are, inside the Los Flamencos Wildlife Sanctuary, awaited by a local Wayuu guide from the Pushaina family, one of the most important clans in the local Camarones community.
In the distance, orange spots betray the presence of numerous flamingos. But we can’t yet appreciate the spectacle that awaits us. We take the little wooden boat, to get closer to the group of migratory birds busy finding something to eat.
The traditional boats are made from Caracoli wood and are used by the communities to fish and transport tourists to the lagoons.
Pelicans, egrets, frigate birds, sandpipers and more. It’s not all flamingos at Los Flamencos Nature Reserve. But all our eyes are on these thousands of majestic wading birds.
Pink flamingos owe their color to their food (mainly shrimps), to the micro-algae present in the water and to the water quality of the places they choose to spend the winter.
That’s why you’ll see grey specimens that haven’t yet taken on their final color: they’re baby pink flamingos!
In Wayuunaiki, the Wayuu language, the pink flamingo is called Tokoko. Apparently, the Wayuu gave it this name in reference to its song!
Once we’re closer to the group of flamingos, we get out of the boat. The lagoon is very shallow, with water up to our ankles. And we slowly get closer.
Little by little. Talking to our guide about the lagoon, the ecosystems, the flamingos’ habits and so on.
Little by little. Taking more and more photos.
Little by little… until all at once, as if moved by an invisible conductor, the pink and winged mass came to life and took to the skies, streaking the sky with their orange bodies, covering our entire field of vision in a magical moment that only nature has the secret to.
We’ll be lucky if the group doesn’t stray too far, and we’ll be able to approach them a second time and watch the spectacle once more.
Then we’ll walk back to the car, along the beach, to take the road back to the village of Camarones to meet our guide’s family and take part in a little “tarde de Racheria”.
Los Flamencos Tour with Responsible Local Agency
Paola’s agency is one of the few in la Guajira to have developed responsible tourism. You You can go with your eyes closed and know that your money will also impact and help developing the social project behind this tour.
Tarde de Rancheria in Camarones
Los Flamencos wildlife sanctuary
It cannot be repeated often enough, but Guajira is the poorest department in Colombia. It’s a tough territory, and a complex one to understand.
After a meal in a small restaurant on the beach, the village children flock to us to ask for the leftovers of our dishes… They’ll clean every last crumb off our plates. They will also fight to sell us their bracelets. It was an uncomfortable moment, but unfortunately a very common one.
We then head for the Rancheria Pushaina.
A “tarde de Rancheria” in Guajira’s tourist language consists of welcoming tourists to a Wayuu rancheria (a farm) to talk about Wayuu culture.
In most cases, you’ll be treated to traditional face painting and a demonstration of the traditional Yonna dance by the family’s children. Usually danced during rituals and important moments in the community.
In some cases, you’ll also be dressed in traditional garb to finish off with a souvenir photo…
As we’ve often explained, these moments always make us a little uncomfortable, and aren’t really our cup of tea. Folklorization is not far off…
What we remember most about these moments are the discussions that enabled us totry and understand something of the mysterious nature of these people, their clan relationships, and their relationship with dreams and the sacred.
If you take part in this kind of activity, we advise you to be curious, to ask questions, to really engage in an “exchange”… It will undoubtedly be more enriching for you and for them.
Los Flamencos Tour with Responsible Local Agency
Paola’s agency is one of the few in la Guajira to have developed responsible tourism. You You can go with your eyes closed and know that your money will also impact and help developing the social project behind this tour.
Los Flamencos wildlife sanctuary
Where to see flamingos in Colombia
This nature reserve is an area recognized as important for bird conservation by Colombia’s national parks.
Species such as the pink flamingo and osprey, as well as the Cana, Carey and Loggerhead turtles, pass through this area on their migration. It’s a resting, nesting and feeding ground for these animals.
The presence of the flamingo is of great importance to the ecological balance of the lagoons of the Los Flamencos Wildlife Sanctuary. Its presence, and thus the conservation of its natural habitat, also enables other species to find refuge there.
The pink flamingo has become the symbol of the reserve, enabling the nature park rangers to set up environmental education programs for the Wayuu communities, guides and, of course, the visitors who come to discover this emblematic Guajira site.
As a protected reserve, the Los Flamencos Wildlife Sanctuary enables the preservation of ecosystems typical of the Caribbean region, such as mangroves, lagoons and salt marshes.
Los Flamencos Tour with Responsible Local Agency
Paola’s agency is one of the few in la Guajira to have developed responsible tourism. You You can go with your eyes closed and know that your money will also impact and help developing the social project behind this tour.
When is the best time to see flamingos in Colombia?
The best time
The best time to see flamingos is between November and March. On the contrary, it’s between April and October that their presence will be much more uncertain, if not non-existent. We were there in February.
The Los Flamencos wildlife sanctuary is a lacustrine system made up of 4 lagoons that communicate with the sea. Depending on the time of year and the concentration of food,the flamingos move from lagoon to lagoon.
At the time of our visit, they were on the Perico side, but if they had been anywhere else, our guide would have arranged to meet us elsewhere to observe them. During the season, local guides are constantly on the lookout for the best observation sites.
The flamingos that can be seen in Los Flamencos nature reserve migrate regionally, mainly from the Cienaga de los Olivitos at the mouth of Lake Maracaibo in neighbouring Venezuela.
The presence of flamingos in the protected area depends on factors such as water salinity and food availability. All of this is directly linked to the state of the lagoon ecosystem, and therefore to the amount of rainfall required to allow exchanges with the salty waters of the Caribbean Sea.
A particularly fragile balance!
Where to see flamingos in Colombia
La Guajira
It’s in the department of La Guajira that you’re most likely to see pink flamingos in Colombia. Our first sighting was at Bahia Hondita near Punta Gallinas, in the Los Flamencos nature reserve.
In an ideal world, flamingos would be found in all the lagoons and marshes along Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
During the migration season, flamingos seek out suitable sites to feed, and the “quality” of the site is chosen according to various factors, the main one being the quality of the water and therefore the presence of a large quantity of food.
Today, outside the department of La Guajira, it is difficult to observe flamingos in Colombia. In some years, groups of flamingos have settled in the Cienaga de Santa Marta or the Cienaga de la Virgen in Cartagena. But the pollution of these natural areas around large conurbations has generally taken its toll on the flamingos.
Let’s hope that one day these natural areas will be the object of real environmental protection, and without a doubt we’ll see the tip of the beak of his majestic flamingo in these regions too. So that we can see more flamingos in Colombia!
Contact Local Agency – Los Flamencos
How to get to Los Flamencos
The main and best-known village for flamingo-watching is Camarones, and in particular the “Boca de Camarones” district, which is easily accessible via a tarmac road from the Troncal del Caribe. There are hostals and accommodation on site.
From Riohacha
From Riohacha, this is the quickest route. The journey takes around 20 minutes, taking the road towards Santa Marta to the village of Perico or Camarones. Cabs and buses are also available, but please ask at your accommodation.
From Palomino
From Palomino, it takes around 1 hour to get to the village of Perico or Camarones by taking the road towards Riohacha. Cabs and buses are available, but please ask at your accommodation.
Where to stay near the natural reserve
Accommodation in Camarones
If you wish, you can stay as close as possible to the wildlife sanctuary by travelling to the village of Camarones and checking out the local accommodation options.
Lodging in Palomino or Riohacha
Alternatively, here are our tips for accommodation in Palomino (1h) or Riohacha (20 min), close to Los Flamencos.
Riohacha
Appartement
Casa Origen
Double room : $100.000 to $150.000 COP
This is where we stayed during our 10 days in Riohacha. This perfectly located house, two blocks from the beach, offers several beautifully decorated rooms for rent with air conditioning. Tthe hosts, Jeanne and Julian, offer superb local experiences.
Palomino
Eco Lodge
Coco Beach Palomino
Double room : $200.000 to $250.000 COP/Double room : $250.000 to $300.000 COP
We tried out this hotel, a little way from the village, which has its own beach. For those who want the peace and luxury of stepping out of their room to take a dip in the water or sip a cocktail in the shade of the coconut palms, it’s perfect.
Palomino
Hostal
Hostal Media Luna
Dormitory : $25.000 to $50.000/Double room : $0 to $100.000 COP
A hostal recommended by a reader located on the Sierra Nevada side, on the other side of the road so a little far from the beach, but nothing to worry about. The advantage of its location: peace and quiet! Enjoy the hummingbirds dancing in the garden 😉 By the way, it’s the ideal starting point for exploring Seydukwa.
Palomino
Hostal
Finca Escondida
Dormitory : $50.000 to $100.000/Double room : $200.000 to $250.000 COP
A well-known hotel for those who want to wake up with their feet in the sand and their eyes in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea… a relaxing, surfing atmosphere and a meeting place for a drink or a bite to eat!
Palomino
Hostal
Coco Sankala Hostel
Dormitory : $25.000 to $50.000/Double room : $100.000 to $150.000 COP
A hostal in the heart of the village of Palomino, so not far from the beach either, in a bamboo and thatch-roofed atmosphere. Dormitories and double rooms.
Riohacha
Hostal
Bona Vida
Dormitory : $25.000 to $50.000/Double room : $100.000 to $150.000 COP
A Riohacha success story, Bona Vida now has 4 or 5 (we don’t know) different locations in the city. Always in a colorful atmosphere and with the famous “pancake” breakfast for which it is famous.
