Ruta Humbolt: Tuparro Park, Orinoco River & Mavecure Hills

Reception at Cesar Gaviria airport, lunch and transfer to the port. Then we travel by boat up the Inírida River for two hours to the Mavicure Hills, rocky outcrops that are part of the Guiana Shield and are sacred sites for several ethnic groups in the region such as the Puinaves, as they are home to several species of culturally important plants. The indigenous community of El Remanso is located there, where we set up our base camp and then have dinner. Before going to bed we receive all the recommendations for the next day’s activities.

According to the weather conditions of the day, we visit the Mavicure Hill, if it is raining the lichen on the rock makes it very slippery and prevents its ascent. If it is not possible to climb this hill, it will be postponed for the next day and in exchange we do other activities with the inhabitants of the community, such as walking through the savannah to admire the flower of Inírida or visit and bathe in the Caño San Joaquín whose characteristic red wine colour is due to the tannin of the leaves of the trees. At the end of the afternoon we return to the camp for dinner and rest.

After breakfast, depending on the activities of the previous day and following the indications of the local guides of the indigenous community of El Remanso, we travel through the Amazonian savannah to see the Inírida flower. Then we sail along the Inírida River to the Estrella fluvial (Ramsar Site) located at the mouth of the Guaviare River on the Orinoco, here we stay in the Moru Nature Reserve, after settling in we have lunch and in the afternoon we can appreciate the beautiful white sandy beaches of the Atabapo River where we take a refreshing swim in its tannin waters. At the end of the afternoon, once we are settled in the reserve, we have dinner and rest.

We have breakfast and then we hike through the Moru Reserve to the Laguna de la Nutría, after the hike we return to the lodge to pick up our luggage and continue our journey along the Orinoco River to the great Mataveni Jungle, where we settle in Sarrapia, an indigenous community of the Puinave ethnic group. After lunch and following the indications of our hosts we navigate through the fruit pipe to the mouths of the Mataven, there we make the ascent to the Mataveni Hill to appreciate the immensity of the jungle and the savannah of the Altillanura. Additionally you can paddle a canoe down the Caño Fruta to appreciate the scenery and see the river dolphins. We return to the community for dinner and rest.

After breakfast we leave the jungle of Mataven to continue our journey along the Orinoco River until we reach the Maipures rapids in a journey of approximately three hours. When we reach the mouth of the Tuparro River we settle in the camp on the Pedro Camejo Island. Once we are settled we have lunch and in the afternoon we visit the impressive Raudal de Maipures, catalogued by the explorer and naturalist Alexander von Humboldt as the eighth wonder of the world. Dinner and rest.

After breakfast we start our journey along the Orinoco and Tuparro rivers to the indigenous Sikuani Raudalito community of Caño Lapa. There we can observe the process of elaboration of the cassava, the mañoco and appreciate the churuatas that are built of wood and palm. Finally we visit the waterfall of Caño Lapa to take a refreshing bath in its beautiful crystalline waters. In the afternoon we make the ascent to the Cerro del Guahibo to appreciate the beautiful savannah landscape.

We have breakfast and start our journey along the Orinoco River to Puerto Carreño, passing the Raudales de Atures. The trip is done by boat, but when we reach the area of the rapids we take a walk to see the petroglyphs, appreciate the landscape and take a swim at Playa Mar. Then we continue to Cazuarito to Puerto Carreño in a 4×4 van to appreciate the beauty of the landscape given by the savannahs and the hills. We settle in the hotel for dinner and rest.

We depart from the Puerto Carreño dock for a river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) sighting at the mouth of the Meta River on the Orinoco. Afterwards we take a tour of the mouths of the Bita River, which is a Ramsar Site and the subject of research programmes due to its great biodiversity and high level of conservation. Then we visit the Bojonawi Nature Reserve to see the Laguna El Pañuelo and appreciate various species of wildlife. At midday we return to the hotel to get our luggage ready and transfer to the Germán Olano airport for our return to the city of Bogotá.