Sabanalarga to Guachaca Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 13 October, 2026

Plan on about 2 h 32 min of driving for the 118-mile (190 km) trip from Sabanalarga to Guachaca, before any stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Colombia — Level 3, Reconsider Travel

Read the full advisory before you go: Colombia. Advisory issued: Colombia March 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.

On the roads, the State Department says:

  • Colombia: “Highways may not have lights or signs showing destinations.”
Teatro RexSalamanca Island Road ParkRodadero Sea Aquarium and MuseumCathedral of Santa MartaQuinta de San Pedro AlejandrinoPiedra de DonamaTayrona National Natural ParkSabanalargaGuachaca
Route from Sabanalarga to Guachaca with the 7 stops listed below (blue dots).
Total distance118 mi (190 km)
Drive time without stops2 h 32 min
Departments on the routeAtlántico, Magdalena
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 4.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below7

The Sabanalarga–Guachaca drive in a few lines

It runs through 2 departments: Atlántico, Magdalena. Of the 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

Sabanalarga to Guachaca: the road sequence

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miDepartment
local roads0–118118Atlántico, Magdalena
  • Mile 34 of this route: Atlántico → Magdalena (department line)

Places worth a stop between Sabanalarga and Guachaca

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Salamanca Island Road Park (mile 50), Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino (mile 91)
  • Nature and outdoors: Salamanca Island Road Park (mile 50), Tayrona National Natural Park (mile 106)
  • Museums and history: Rodadero Sea Aquarium and Museum (mile 87), Cathedral of Santa Marta (mile 90), Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino (mile 91)
  • With kids: Rodadero Sea Aquarium and Museum (mile 87)

Teatro Rex

Mile 32 · Theater · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Designed as a theater in the mid-1930s by Cuban architect Manuel Carrerá, Teatro Rex is an Art Deco building in Barranquilla, Colombia.

Salamanca Island Road Park

Mile 50 · Park · 0.4 mi from the route

On the western outskirts of Ciénaga in Magdalena, Salamanca Island Road Park is a protected area where fresh water from the Magdalena River meets the salt water of the Caribbean, supporting abundant plants and wildlife.

Rodadero Sea Aquarium and Museum

Mile 87 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Opened in 1965 by Captain Francisco Ospina Navia, the Rodadero Sea Aquarium and Museum is a public aquarium and maritime museum in Inca Inca Cove off Rodadero beach in Santa Marta.

Cathedral of Santa Marta

Mile 90 · Cathedral · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Set in Santa Marta's historic center, the Cathedral of Santa Marta is a Renaissance-style Catholic church that held the remains of Simón Bolívar for 12 years in the 19th century.

Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino

Mile 91 · Museum · 0.5 mi from the route

Built in 1608, the Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino in Mamatoco, Santa Marta, is the hacienda where Simón Bolívar died on December 17, 1830.

Piedra de Donama

Mile 101 · Rock formation · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Piedra de Donama is a rock about 4 meters across and 3 meters high in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, carved with zoomorphic and abstract petroglyphs.

Tayrona National Natural Park

Mile 106 · National park · 2 mi from the route

About 34 km from central Santa Marta, Tayrona National Natural Park protects Caribbean coast and Sierra Nevada terrain rising from sea level to 900 meters.

More drives to Guachaca

From Sabanalarga to other places in Colombia

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to drive from Sabanalarga to Guachaca?

About 2 h 32 min of driving without stops, over 118 miles.

What is the driving distance from Sabanalarga to Guachaca?

About 118 miles (190 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.

Is it safe to drive from Sabanalarga to Guachaca?

The U.S. State Department rates Colombia Level 3: Reconsider Travel. Read the full advisory before you go.

Where can you stop on the way from Sabanalarga to Guachaca?

Closest to the road: Salamanca Island Road Park (park, mile 50, 0.4 mi from the route); Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino (museum, mile 91, 0.5 mi from the route); Tayrona National Natural Park (national park, mile 106, 2 mi from the route). All stops are described above.

How we put this guide together

Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.

Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.