INSPECTION TRIP BOYACÀ AND LOS LLANOS

In December 12 Neptunos set off to explore the highs and lows of Colombia. In a minibus and in a good mood, we travel north of Bogota to the Boyacá department. Our first destination is the small colonial city of Mongui (one of the 17 national cultural heritage cities of Colombia). Mongui is situated at 2.900 m and is not only a starting point for hikes into the paramo landscapes, the small town is world famous for the production of balls - even some footballs for the world championships were produced here - a small museum contains a collection of various world championship footballs. After a walk through the sleepy colonial town we are inspired by the kids of the village, buy a football in one of the factories and play around on the plaza. In the evening the village shines in colourful blinking Christmas lights and the people protect themselves from the cold with their traditional Ruanas (= Ponchos).

The next day we start into the páramo of Ocetá and our guide explains us about the muisca culture on several acclimatization stops while we slowly work our way up over the tree line to 3.800 m. The air gets thin but everybody keeps up well. The landscapes and views are impressive, we see the first frailejones (a genus of perennial subshrubs) and learn that 80% of Colombia's water comes from the Colombian páramos (high-Andean moorlands) and that the páramos filter more CO2 than the Amazon rainforest - we are impressed.

At the end of the hike we enter a real frailejones forest with plants up to 3 meters high, which - considering that these plants grow 1 cm per year – is an amazing achievement.

Tired, we get on our bus which takes us from the heights of the páramo to the Colombian lowlands, the Llanos. During the 6-hour drive, with barely any stops (we want to arrive) jokes, sleep and cookies help us to easily tolerate traffic jams, curves and appetite. "It can´t be long anymore" somebody in the bus says, as we see people outside wearing shorts and flip flops and relaxing in hammocks on the porches of their houses (sometimes clichés prove true).

Finally, we drive through Yopal, the capital of the department Casanare, situated at the foot of the mountains and entrance gate to the Llanos. This night we spend in the hotel Casa Cumbres, located in the hills surrounding Yopal. Pleasant warmth strikes us, and it isn´t long before the first ones hop into the pool. The 6 rooms are spacious and furnished nicely and we are so ready to go to bed right after dinner, but a surprise awaits us - a Parando Llanero (typical celebration). Musicians and dancers with their typical instruments introduce us to the songs of the Llaneros (= cowboys of this region) and their dances like the Joropo. Soon we dance barefoot or in flip-flops Joropo – so much about sleeping.

The next morning, the howling of the howler monkeys from the surrounding forests and the screech of the domestic parrots in the trees of the small hotel, which is surrounded by nature, wake us up. In the bushes around the pool we discover little monkeys. Time to really embark on our journey into the vastness of the Llanos.

The first thing we notice is the scenic contrast to other regions of Colombia - the savannah extends flat, lush green hundreds of kilometres to the east. Our first activity today takes place in Finca la Independencia, where a few of us relax in the hammocks on the large shady terrace while the others try their luck at riding. However, before getting on the horses, we have to catch them with lassos, and surprisingly, with the help of the guides, we actually succeed. We ride through the wide grounds of the finca and as we ride through a river and the horses wade through a lagoon with water up to their stomachs, we understand why the Llaneros made us put on rubber boots. "Here in the lagoon, there are anacondas and caimans" says the guide and we quickly drive the horses back to the shore.

Then we part ways - jeeps wait for us in Yopal to take half of the group to Hato la Aurora and the other half to Corocora Camp for the next 2 days.

GROUP 1: COROCORA CAMP

The drive from Yopal to Corocora Camp takes 2 hours, first on main roads past small villages and a little later on to the Hato's property Mata de Palma, Altamira and Montana, where you can stay overnight. Our accommodation, the Corocora Camp, is also located on this enormous land.

"Look, a caiman, a turtle, a capybara..." The safari starts already on the drive past the Hatos to our camp. Apart from caimans, turtles and capibaras we see a lot of big birds, which is why our drive takes a bit longer and we arrive a little late at the camp. However, the staff greets us with a refreshing drink and we almost feel like in Africa - the tents are located in the middle of the savannah, adjoining a watercourse and a small forest (at the spots, where the water accumulates and stays even during dry season, are small forests, the Bosques de Galería), on the other side the view reaches to the horizon.

We first settle down in the common tent with a sofa, a seating area and a big dining table and watch the Capibara's grazing (they don't seem to do anything else all day long). Alejandro, originally from Bogotá, is constantly trying to make our stay as pleasant as possible. He gives us tips on how best to protect ourselves against mosquitoes, grass fleas and ticks (not dangerous in Colombia) which is the reason why during the next few days we put our socks over our light long trekking pants.

In the afternoon on our safari we get to know Seco, a picture-perfect Colombian cowboy: Barefoot, because neither insects nor undergrowth seem to bother him, blue jeans, a shirt and a cool cowboy hat. Next to him we feel like the spoiled city dwellers we actually are.

Seco is also kind of a living legend in the area, at the latest since he won the first place for the best cowboy in a regionally broadcast TV show. He can do everything that matters here: catching wild animals, riding through rivers, herding cows, etc., and he also has some rather meaningless talents such as bull riding - the safari with him is just great!

At the campfire in the evening we have a beer and get to know the other guests, a young couple from Bogotá, he is a cook, she is a photographer. The camp is a suitable place for both of their professions as, over the next few days, they will take turns photographing animals and evaluating the first class food. Enough for today, we are tired and return to our tents around 21:00. They are very well furnished and don´t lack anything. A spacious bathroom with shower (warm water included), drinking water and mosquito nets over the bed. Good night!

An alarm clock was not necessary, from the walkie talkie (in every tent there is one to communicate with the other tents, or to bother Alejandro with special wishes) sounds a warm "Buenos Días, el desayuno estará listo en 1 hora". Today we learn how to drive cattle herds on horses through the savannah and how to lasso cows - well, we ride and Seco's traditional singing creates a great atmosphere. Lassoing is definitely none of our strengths, but the activity was great!

During our afternoon safari we pester Seco with our questions and learn among other things that turtles do not have a mouth but a beak and how to distinguish males from females, how the capibaras protect themselves from the caimans, where you can find anacondas (you can see them especially in the dry season) and why the ecosystem of the tropical wet savannah is equally sensitive and worth protecting.

The last evening is perfect to reflect: We loved the tours a lot! As accommodation we would have probably chosen one of the simpler options (Hato Mate de Palma or others), but if you seek live the unique natural experience of the region with a high level of comfort, Corocora Camp is a very good option.

GROUP 2 HATO LA AURORA 
Our drive takes only one hour on an tarmac road, then we continue for about 4 hours on dirt roads and pass through endless streches, wetlands, horses and of course many cows. The journey takes a bit longer because we rescue a turtle which walks leisurely across the road and take pictures of different birds. We ask our driver what is the difference between the Venezuelan and Colombian Llanos: "none, the Llanos are the Llanos, with their own landscape and culture, there are no national borders".
At the end we turn into an even narrower dirt road - we wonder how a car can drive here, but it works thanks to the 4 wheel drive - the wonderful sunset distracts us. We help the driver to open the various gates, but after we discover a caiman near one of them in the darkness, we leave this task to him.
Finally we arrive at Juan Solito Ecolodge, the hotel of Hato La Aurora. It is rustic, authentic, the rooms are big, simple but clean - the cold water of the showers is a welcome refreshment in the heat. Where is the restaurant? "There in front where you can see the light" - about 200 m away we discover the light. Might there be snakes or something else lurking for us in the darkness? No fear, bravely we grab our lanterns and walk to the restaurant, a large open room covered with palm roof and long rustic wooden tables and benches. Is there a menu? No, instead bowls and plates with various hearty Llano delicacies are served for us: meat, rice, plantains, soup, fish, beans, salad etc. - impossible to eat all of this. The staff is from the area, everyone is super friendly and attentive. We talk about what we want to do tomorrow, there are many activities available: horse riding, jeep safari, boat tour - depending on the customer's wishes.
At sunrise before breakfast our local guide invites us for a walk along the river, we see birds and hear howler monkeys, a deer follows us wherever we go, the guide tells us that it appeared one day and has been near the hotel ever since. Appetite drives us back where another rich typical Llanero breakfast with soup, egg and arepas is waiting for us. One of the staff members grabs a harp and plays typical serenades of the region to accompany us - a great breakfast atmosphere.
Full of energy, we set off on a jeep safari. On the other side of the river, the vast region of the Hato La Aurora Nature Reserve awaits us.  Around us we see owls sitting on the ground, "Guereres" (a bird that walks on the ground) crossing the path and again and again herons. We learn that this area is flooded by water in the rainy season and that you can only pass through by tractor. It is better to be here now in the transitional and dry season as the animals gather at the remaining water points.
We arrive at one of these natural lagoons and see capibaras, red and white ibis, in the water caimans and small babas are lurking. All of a sudden something swims up to us - another caiman - no a "baby orinoco crocodile" - good that it is not the full-grown 7 meter version, but the 2 meter baby is also quite impressive. On the way to the main house of Hatos we see drovers on their horses driving cows in the wide plain in front of them. In the main house we refill our batteries with another hearty Llanos meal and have a siesta in the hammocks. Afterwards we head out in the jeep to search for a jaguar... a jaguar? Yes, here in the area of Hato la Aurora there are currently 42 specimens registered - a project run by the owner who wants to protect these animals, for about 2 years now they have been seen by tourists again and again.
We eagerly look around and with a tingling sensation in our stomachs we expect to see a jaguar jumping out from behind every bush - unfortunately we have no luck today, but instead we find 3-day-old footprints of this fascinating animal on the riverbank.
Dawn breaks, at a lagoon close to the main house we see red and white ibises filling the trees that serve as their sleeping place, capibaras grazing on the river bank and the full moon rising over the lagoon - a beautiful almost cheesy atmosphere.
In the dark we return to the hotel and the guides exchange gossip from this corner of the Llanos with us - "what is told in the Llanos stays in the Llanos" ;). The culmination of this day is still to come - Nelson, the owner of the Hatos, gives a small demonstration of typical songs with the local guides, accompanied by harp music - the songs of this region are about love, jealousy and the everyday life of the Llaneros. In a sung role play, our youngest, Luisa , has to join the dance and does very well at the following Joropo dance, too.

The next morning we go for a horseback ride, searching for anacondas - our guide wades courageously barefoot through the muddy water where this giant snake but also other animals could be waiting. In the end we find a 1 meter baby anaconda but we don't mind, we will definitely come back again. With all these impressions, we take the long way back to Yopal where we meet the rest of the group in the Hotel Lisseth.

The next day it´s time to say good bye and return to the heights of the Boyaca department. This time, we take another route, which leads us on a somewhat adventurous little road to the mountain village of Tenza. The next day we walk through this idyllic, small, colonial village, whose surroundings are perfect for mountain biking and hiking. We visit the colourful, busy market and walk to the viewpoint of the village. Afterwards we return to Bogota for good.

Conclusion of the trip: we got to know great, touristically (still) unknown areas and had wonderful experiences there, which we hopefully will soon be able to share with our clients. The Llanos with their very own culture, definitely are amongst the regions that the clients should visit during their stay in Colombia.