Colombia Wildlife: Best of Casanare, Meta & Guaviare ([thisyear]-[nextyear])

Domestic flight to Yopal (The maximum weight allowed is 15kg per piece of luggage, any excess will incur an additional cost to be paid directly at the airport).

Depart Yopal by 4×4 for the El Encanto de Guanapalo reserve. The Eastern Llanos are located in the heart of the Colombian savannah. Known for its magnificent sunrises and sunsets, the region is also characterized by the presence of a unique and varied fauna (Giant Eateater, Capybara, Anaconda, Caimans, Pumas, and many species of Birds), and by a strong cowboy culture,

A day dedicated to the search for local wildlife. We rise at dawn to enjoy the sunrise and the birdsong that accompanies it. We can observe the animals around the house in these early hours. After breakfast, we set off for a canoe trip on the river that runs through the Nature Reserve. We can admire the animals along the water’s edge, such as Capybaras, Crocodiles and a wide variety of Birds. If we’re lucky, we may even spot an Anaconda. In the afternoon, we head further into the Reserve on a tractor safari. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot Anteaters, Foxes and Pumas. Arriving at the magnificent Garcero de Altamira, a key breeding ground for herons and egrets circling the water mirrors at sunset.

Throughout the day we will enjoy nature and breathe fresh air, while we travel through the savannah to visit the gallery forests, marshes, streams, the Chitamena River and Caño Güira. We will be able to enjoy beautiful landscapes and wildlife in their natural habitat. El Hato has special routes where bird lovers can easily find a great variety of the more than 270 registered species. Even in the backyard you’ll find reptils, mammals, insects and all kinds of beautifully colored birds.

Today, we immerse ourselves in the traditions of the Colombian wild west and discover the hard work of cowboys in the corrals before exploring the savannah once again to observe new species of local fauna. Hato Barley is the ideal place to discover unspoilt nature and contemplate in its natural habitat typical Casanare wildlife species such as Capybaras, White-tailed Deer, Spectacled Caimans, Iguanas, Anteaters, Tamanduas, Foxes and Armadillos.

Rancho Camana Natural Reserve integrates restoration areas, gardens and agrosystems; it also has feeding and bathing areas for birds. We will be able to walk the internal trails and rest in its gardens. Featured species: Barred Antshrike, Gilded Barbet, Black-banded Owl, Little Cuckoo, Chestnut-eared Aracari, Pectoral Sparrow, Rufous-and-white Wren, Turquoise Tanager, Straight-billed Woodcreeper, Plain-brown Woodcreeper, Rufous-fronted Thornbird.

It’s time to explore the Amazon region, where you will discover places to appreciate Colombia’s natural and ancestral treasures. To begin with, we will arrive in the jungle to stay in rustic but comfortable lodges, surrounded by nature and a great variety of exotic fauna. In the afternoon, we will take a boat ride on a water trail through flooded forests to the Laguna Negra, home to the enigmatic Aruco, the Hoatzin, turtles and primates.

Let’s get ready for a journey back in time! To begin this adventure, we’ll head to the village of Cerro Azul, accompanied by a local guide, to begin a hike up to the sacred tepuy which houses a thousand-year-old gallery of rock art on its rock walls, something magical that’s part of history with over 12,000 years of age according to experts. As an option, we’ll enter a tunnel-like cavern where a torch is required, or it’s possible to skip the cavern and take an alternative route to the natural viewpoint over the Amazon rainforest canopy. On the way back, we’ll visit El Chontaduro, a farm whose main activity was once coca leaf cultivation. During a conference, we’ll learn about the processes used by local communities to make the transition from illicit activity to community-based tourism.

With the first rays of the sun, we enter a trail of flooded primary forest, with the chance to observe a wide variety of birds and primates (monkeys). When we reach the banks of the Guaviare River, we board a boat to cruise along the river for about 1 hour to the Raudal del Guayabero. Then we’ll hike up to the Tepuy (rock formation) in search of the impressive rock paintings, something magical that is part of the millennial past with evidence dating back over 12,500 years. From the summit, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Amazon jungle through which the river flows.

One of the most emblematic cave paintings of the Serranía de La Lindosa, about 8 meters high and at least 20 meters wide. We will ascend the mountainside until we reach the natural viewpoint from where we can enjoy the magnificent view and the cave paintings. Then we go to another place for a moderate walk along trails that lead to a series of passages formed in the rocks where ancient indigenous communities probably lived. In the afternoon, we will walk along a rocky path through tropical vegetation leading to crystal clear waters where we can bathe in natural pools.

With the first rays of sunshine, we’ll head into the jungle surrounding the huts to look for primates and other birds, a short but exciting hike. We’ll have a local breakfast before heading to San José del Guaviare airport.