10 Things you did not expect in Casanare

Casanare in Central Eastern Colombia is famous for its Llanos as the vast plains are called, for its cattle industry, beef and cowboys. But there are plenty of things that may surprise you. Here are 10 things you (perhaps) did not expect to find in Casanare.

1. Beaches

Almost 1000 kilometers from the coast you will find tons of beaches! Nope, this is no spelling mistake (beech perhaps?)… Casanare, Colombia, has beaches, plenty of beautiful sandy beaches along its many rivers and streams: Rio Cravo Sur, Rio Charte, Rio Meta, Rio Pauto and Rio Orucué are just the biggest to name. Plenty of smaller rivers have decent sandy spots for a picnic and a plunge without having to deal with salt in your eyes, hair or mouth. If you aren’t a fan of sand either then Casanare’s rocky and stone beaches are for you. It’s lovely to warm up on the rocks after a cool swim.
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2. Mountains

Casanare is mainly flat. Having said this, the department also contains the spectacular lush foothills of the Eastern Andes. It is here that mountains meet prairies and that the Amazonas and Orinoco ecosystems geographically link to the Andes through the Llanos. The biodiversity of Casanare is spectacular.
Thanks to its diverse ecosystems and even climates Casanare has a huge variety of fruit, animals and landscapes. Within just half an hour one can visit both colonial mountain villages and authentic farms in the prairies.
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3. Waterfalls

Casanare has spectacular waterfalls along the Andean foothills and even hot thermal falls offer the option to indulge in a natural shower. Combine with a hike or walk and picnic along the sandy beaces and the day is perfect. Plenty of blissful natural swimming pools and rock water holes allow for a bath surrounded by lush tropical forest.

​4. Mountain Biking and Cycling Routes

​Thanks to Casanare’s stunning mountain ranges visitors will find an abundane of mountain biking tracks of all levels. Dirt track cycling as well as road cycling into the endless plains are great experiences on which one may spot anteaters, parrots, capybaras, lapas, turtles and certainly a huge array of birds. Yopal’s cycling scene is growing rapidly and regular ‘travesías’ and tours are organized.
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5. Coffee cultivation

While the hot plains aren’t for coffee, Casanare’s mountain ranges and the foothill of the Andes offer a fresh breeze and mild enough climate for growing some of the world’s finest coffee and cacao. The colonial town of Tamara about an hour north of Yopal is exporting its coffee beans to Spain and contributing to Italy’s notorious Illy Coffee company.
While the towns of Tamara and Nunchía on the Pauto river are known as hotspots of Casanare’s coffee, plenty of small scale farms and rural villages all along the foothills of the Andes produce fine coffee, too. It can be purchased at local markets or directly from the farms.
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6. Excellent fish

Almost 1000 kilometers from the coast in one of Colombia’s top notch meat producing departments you will find: excellent fish! The Amazonian species ‘cachama‘ (engl: tambaqui or black finned pacu) is a tasty fish that looks a little bit like a piranha. It can be caught wild or be cultivated. Another delicious fish is the large ‘bagre‘ (catfish) or any of its close relatives. And then there are plenty more… Excellent are the local fish soups! Check out the local markets, menus and restaurants!


7. Rap Battles
Yes, you read correctly. While performers from Los Llanos do not wear *bling bling*-necklaces, caps and baggies but large hats, jeans and elegant jackets they also perform rap battles in pairs during the Llanero festivals. Contrapunteo requires one to begin mocking the other’ by singing (or more so speaking) a few lines, and the other to shoot back by singing his lines and so forth. The result is a creative back and forth between two singers. Both men and women participate in contrapunteos. Topics evolve around nature, farming, scenery, wild birds, domestic animals such as horses, pigs and cattle, love, family, traditional fashion and legends.


8. Pink dolphins
In the rivers in the department’s east in Orocue the Delfín Rosado can be spotted. The Amazon river dolphin looks pink when it emerges from the water and white when under water. A good place to find it is Rio Meta in Orocué as well as Puerto Gaitan in neighboring Meta.


9. The harp is played

Llanero music is distinctive for its use of the harp, the maracas and a small guitar called the cuatro. The harp, otherwise more associated with Celtic countries, is a vital part in Colombian and Venezuelan Música Llanera. It was introduced by Spanish missionaries who first settled in the wild Llanos.


10. Jaguars
…and anacondas and deer and capybaras and alligators and puma and ocelot and anteaters and armadillos and many more can been spotted. Casanare is extremely rich in fauna, especially birds.
Spotting felines, however, has become difficult because of illegal hunting, animal trafficking and common threats such as climate change (droughts) and an overall fragile ecosystem due to farming and pesticides. The nature reserve Hato La Aurora, among others, has set up camera traps and visitors repeatedly report on having seen pumas and jaguars in the reserve (5-6 hours northeast of Yopal). Contact us if you'd like to visit.

Casanare is just slowly unlashing its potential as a destination for outdoor enthusiasts, wildlife fans, birders and those in need of a tranquil break off the beaten tourist path in Colombia. Away from the masses, Casanare is great for individuals looking to see an unseen Colombia, to reconnect with nature, to ride across the prairies or dive into crystal clear rivers and waterfalls.
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Have you been to Casanare? Which things did you expect, which did surprise you?