Flying to the La Aurora Natural Reserve in a Cessna

Legendary Hato La Aurora, Colombia's biggest privately owned natural reserve, as viewed from the air

There is something very special about being perched in a four or six seater propeller aircraft and flying over the vast savannas of South America's Llanos Orientales to reach a remote natural reserve of pristine wilderness and wildlife: the legendary Hato La Aurora. This journey is a text book example of a bush adventure and provides a unique perspective of one of Colombia's wildest places. Not to mention the sensation of flying in a small Cessna: the rattling, the engine roaring, the wind in your hair, the tingling sensation when it tilts, the faint smell of kerosene!

It is 9 am as our pilot sets foot on the landing strip. The sun is already high up as the robust man in khaki overall, heavy boots and aviator sunglasses approaches us and the little aircraft. He acts as cool as he looks, as he gives a few safety instructions, hands each of us a pair of earplugs and casually closes the aircraft's door as if it was a regular vehicle. He lifts a few switches to start the propeller aircraft and off we go into position for take-off. 

​A few minutes later El Yopal or "Yopalito", as the locals affectionately call the small capital city of one of Colombia's prairie states, is shrinking below us; an accumulation of white buildings, parks, palm-fringed streets and football fields lining torrential Rio Cravo Sur to the city's north. 

​The river emerges from the Eastern Andes's highlands, flanks the city to one side and branches out into the infinite plains as nutritious lifelines, eventually joining Rio Meta for a trip to the grand Orinoco. The little aircraft's propeller spins eagerly as we fly above wild pastures dotted with fox-tailed palm trees and streaked with gallery forests and rivers. The scenery looks like straight out of a bush adventure.

And just as we think we are really far out in the Llanos, not having seen any roads, any houses, any villages or any treks for miles and miles, we spot tiny farm houses. Sometimes a mere dot in the vast prairies, sometimes next to river streams or lagoons on which we spot equally desolate dugout canoes, subtle traces of human life, of a recluse lifestyle in one of South America's great wilderness areas. 

After about 50 mins we begin to descend. How the pilot knows that we are there, we have not the faintest idea. Below us stretch endless savannas, bushland, pastures, forests and only as we descend a little more we see the farm house of Hato La Aurora appearing in sight. A desolate house in the middle of the prairies. We turn a few laps and tilt to get a better view. A jeep on the ground is driving across the landing strip (a mowed strip of pasture, no more that is) to chase away any cattle, horses and capybaras that are grazing here. Then we are ready for landing - a surprisingly smooth affair.

The Land Rover awaits us to take us to the farmhouse. Fresh lemonade, piping hot tinto and sweet pieces of pineapple are served to the exhilarated passengers of this Cessna flight. We settle into the hammocks and onto the rustic wood benches and marvel at hummingbirds, oropendolas, caciques and woodpeckers swarming the flower garden. We will spend the next few days in this paradise looking for traces of jaguars, for anacondas, wild boars, jabirus, anteaters, howlers, Orinoco geese, hoatzins, piranhas, catfish and many more; diving right into the unique world of the Llanos, their culture and customs.   >>Safari La Aurora

Enquiries: info@aventurecotours.com                             Photos: Julia Buschmann / Aventur Eco Tours