Are Los Llanos worth a visit? Travellers that will love Los Llanos
Should you visit Los Llanos? My answer is going to be very biased: Yes, of course!
Let’s take a look for whom a visit to Los Llanos is worth it. Over the last months we have received several visitor reviews (thank you so much!), so now I take the turn to “review” visitors: Who comes here and why? Here are the top five visitors that naturally love Los Llanos.
1. The Outdoorsy
With practically endless rugged prairies to one side and the lush piedemonte llanero (Andean foothills) to the other, Los Llanos attract nature lovers, mountain bikers, cyclists, trekkers, hikers, horse riders, climbers, anglers and those looking to enjoy natural pools, waterfalls and rivers. There are almost no limits to the outdoor activities that can be enjoyed in Los Llanos (let’s say apart from surfing) and nature is abundant from hillsides to palm forests and from mountain ranges to savannas, all teeming with wildlife.
2. Cowboys and cowgirls (or those who want to be)
This is Colombia’s cowboy country: Cattle, dusty holding areas, branding, lassos, horses, prairies, horse and cattle auctions, leather goods, delicious beef, taming young horses, acoustic music (i.e. cuatro (small guitar) and bandola), freedom, sunsets and big skies… Los Llanos is the place to be for those in favour of riding and ranches, cowboy romance and country life. Pair the spectacular and vast sceneries with animals such as caimans, anacondas, various hawks, vultures, armadillos and anteaters, and you’ll get the right picture.
3. Birdwatchers
If easily spotting large quantities of hoatzins (the oldest birdline in the world!), caracaras, kites, puffbirds, motmots, hawks, jacamars, oropendolas, eagles, parrots, parakeets, aras, herons, egrets, ibises, lapwings, toucans, owls, woodpeckers, vultures, ducks, jabirus and horned screamers gets you excited, then Los Llanos are the place to go. If this doesn’t get you excited, come anyway. Hundreds of snowy egrets in one tree during sunset or groups of aras flying above your head during sunrise or those marker color like scarlet ibises by the river bank or a group of toucans snacking on the palm seeds just a few meters from your balcony, WILL get you excited. There are almost 600 species of birds in the department of Casanare alone.
4. The off the beaten pathers & adventurers
Campesinos on their mules in historic villages, barefoot cowboys with ponchos slung around their neck, taming horses, calling the cattle, cows crossing the roads, dusty ranches and open savannas, the Llanos are the real deal: authentic rural Colombia meets cowboy culture meets great hiking and mountain biking treks. No slow in line horse riding but swamps and river crossings and galloping across the plains are the order of the day here. International tourism hasn’t quite discovered the Llanos yet, which is why this place is worth a visit if you are looking for somewhere off the ‘gringo trail’. There are no backpackers’ hostels, no hotspots and no English written menus. It’s the real deal. If this sounds like the adventure you are looking for, you’ve found your destination: a place of wild beauty and rugged scenery, of untouched nature and endless adventures awaiting. So shoulder your hammock and saddle your horse for a few days in the wild!
5. The wildlife and landscape photographers
From lush Andean foothills to vast and wild prairies, from lofty colonial villages to extensive haciendas, Eastern Colombia boasts with scenery, an impressive amount of wildlife – especially birds – and fascinating Llano culture including music, legends and vaqueros. Whether it’s wildlife, scenery or even portraits you like to document while travelling, Los Llanos offer plenty of unique and authentic sights and motifs. Be inspired by our gallery.
Are the Llanos the place for you? We specialize in tailoring the perfect experience including comfortable accommodation either in our beautiful eco lodge or in a good hotel in Yopal, activities from riding to wildlife watching and from hiking to cycling and food – even vegetarian (in an otherwise by meat dominated region)! Who are we? We are a mix of all the above five types that have turned their Llano passion into one to pass on to others.