Travel

The enchantment of the Colombian Eastern Plains

Program Description

DAY 1: BOGOTÁ – PARATEBUENO (CUNDINAMARCA)

In the morning we will depart from Bogotá to Villavicencio, and the continuing to Paratebueno. In the afternoon, we will take a hike in car through the Humea River forests. This is a very important area because it connects the cordillera with the gallery forests (a forest along a river or stream) typically found in the plains. In this region (805 meters above sea level (2,640 feet), we will be able to find birds from the gallery forests and the mountain range.

DAY 2: PARATEBUENO – CABUYARO (META) – YOPAL (CASANARE)

In the morning we will head to Yopal passing by Cabuyaro. Upon arrival we will set up a camp on the shore of the Tinije Lagoon. This lagoon has a great diversity of wading birds from the Ardeidae, Picidae (kingfishers), and Accipitridae (fish eagle) families.

DAY 3: TINIJE LAGOON – OROCUÉ (CASANARE)

Today, we will travel to Orocue where will visit the Tinaje lagoon and the Wisirare Park.

DAY 4: OROCUÉ

On our forth day in the region, we will spend the day spying birds at the gallery forests, areas near the Cravo Sur river and surrounding tributaries.
Orocue, a port on the Meta river, is a region with several indigenous reserves located 250 km from the department’s capital, Yopal. This region is drained by the Meta, Cravo Sur, Guanápalo, Duya and Upía rivers and by many creeks. The Orocue region has an average mean temperature of 28°C (82.4°F) and an average altitude of 130 meters (426 ft) above sea level.

DAY 5: OROCUÉ – PUERTO GAITÁN (META)

We will travel from Orocue to Puerto Gaitan and will cross the Meta River by ferry. We will spend the night in Puerto Gaitan. Through this town runs the Manacacias river, one of the tributaries of the Meta River.

DAY 6: PUERTO GAITÁN – PUERTO LÓPEZ (META)

In our sixth day we will travel by car from Puerto Gaitan to Puerto Lopez where we will spend the night. In the afternoon we will walk through the gallery forest.

DAY 7: ALTO DE MENEGUA (META)

Today we will take a short ride from Puerto Lopez to the Alto de Menegua. This location is famous for both the most spectacular sunrises and for being the geographic center of Colombia. We will kayak on the Menegua lagoon. We will spend the afternoon packing our equipment and resting.

DAY 8: PUERTO LÓPEZ – SAN MARTÍN (META)

Today, we will continue our trip to the Rey Zamuro natural reserve. This 1,552 ha reserve is found at 402 meters above sea level (1,320 ft) close to the town of San Martin. The reserve is named after a colorful scavenger bird the Rey Zamuro or American King Vulture (Sarcoramphus papa). King vultures generally live in undisturbed forest in the lowland tropics. The King Vulture is native to tropical lowland forests; its range extends from southern Mexico to southern Argentina, and it can be found at heights up to up to 1200 m. They have been found in savannas and grasslands also, but usually only when there are forests nearby.

DAY 9: REY ZAMURO NATURAL RESERVE (META)

Today we will spy the birds and mammals of this reserve.

DAY 10: REY ZAMURO NATURAL RESERVE (META)

In the morning we will continue with our bird watching experience and in the afternoon we will enjoy a horseback riding.

DAY 11: REY ZAMURO NATURAL RESERVE - BOGOTÁ

In our last day, we will travel back to Villavicencio and then to Bogota.