Colombia's eastern plains. Capybaras, jaguars, cowboy culture, and a wildlife safari most travelers never find.
Llanos Orientales: Colombia’s Wildlife Safari You Didn’t Know Existed
Colombia’s Other Wild Side
Most people come to Colombia for the coast, the coffee, or the cities. The Llanos Orientales are none of those things. This is Colombia’s vast eastern plain: an endless stretch of savanna, wetlands, and rivers that covers nearly a third of the country and feels like a different continent entirely. Cowboys on horseback herd cattle across flooded grasslands. Capybaras move in groups of a hundred. Caimans sun themselves on riverbanks. And somewhere in the gallery forests along the Ariporo or Cravo Sur rivers, the jaguar watches everything and lets almost no one see it.
The Llanos span four departments: Meta, Casanare, Arauca, and Vichada. The safari experiences are concentrated in Casanare, with Yopal as the gateway city. A one-hour flight from Bogota gets you there. From Yopal, two to three hours by road take you into the hatos, the traditional cattle ranches that double as wildlife reserves and eco-lodges. This is where the experience happens.
If you’ve ever wanted to do a wildlife safari without leaving the Americas, this is it. And unlike the Serengeti, you might have the entire landscape to yourself.
When to Visit
This matters more here than anywhere else in Colombia. The Llanos have two dramatically different seasons.
The dry season (December to March) is prime time for wildlife. Water recedes, animals concentrate around remaining rivers and ponds, and the landscape opens up for visibility. This is when you have the best chance of spotting anacondas along riverbanks, giant anteaters crossing the savanna, and, if you’re exceptionally lucky, a jaguar. January to March is peak season. Many of the most remote hatos are only accessible during these months because the roads flood the rest of the year.
The wet season (May to October) transforms the plains into something that looks like an inland sea. Huge sections flood, migratory birds arrive in massive numbers, and the landscape turns impossibly green. It’s beautiful, but wildlife is more dispersed and some hatos close entirely. The transition months (April and November) offer a mix of both.
Where to Stay: The Hatos
You don’t stay in a hotel in the Llanos. You stay in a hato. These are working cattle ranches that have opened their doors to visitors, offering simple but comfortable rooms surrounded by wildlife in every direction. The concept is similar to an African safari lodge, but the culture is Colombian llanero, which means harp music after dinner, meat roasted over open fire, and mornings that start on horseback.
Hato La Aurora. The most famous. About five hours from Yopal, 20,000 hectares of plains and forest. This is the best-known site for jaguar sightings in Colombia, thanks to over 15 years of partnership with the conservation organization Panthera. Sightings aren’t guaranteed, but they’ve become more frequent as the population has grown. The lodge is simple, the experience is extraordinary.
El Encanto de Guanapalo. A family-run reserve covering nearly 9,000 hectares with three different hatos (Mata de Palma, Altamira, Montana). Over 270 registered bird species. Safaris by horseback, 4×4, or tractor. Closer to Yopal, which makes it more accessible for shorter visits or day trips.
Hato San Pablo. On the banks of the Cravo Sur River. Focuses on the traditional cowboy experience alongside wildlife observation. A good option if you want livestock culture as much as you want animal sightings.
For our travelers, we arrange stays at specific hatos based on what you want to prioritize: jaguar tracking, birdwatching, cultural immersion, or a balance of all three. Agency transport handles the logistics from Bogota to the hato and back, which is essential because getting around the Llanos independently is complicated and expensive.
The Wildlife
What you’ll definitely see: capybaras (chiguiros). They’re everywhere. The largest rodent on Earth, moving in herds across the plains. Distances in the Llanos are sometimes measured in chiguiros instead of meters, which tells you everything about how common they are. You’ll also see white-tailed deer, caimans basking on every riverbank, and birds in numbers that are hard to process: scarlet ibis, jabiru storks, herons, kingfishers, and over 400 species documented in the region.
What you’ll likely see with a good guide: giant anteaters crossing the open savanna (easier to spot in dry season), howler monkeys in the gallery forests, giant otters in the rivers, and anacondas along waterways. These are genuine wildlife encounters in their natural habitat, not zoo conditions.
What you might see if luck is with you: the jaguar. The biggest cat in the Americas, and the apex predator of the Llanos. Sightings are rare but increasing, especially at Hato La Aurora and the more remote southern reserves. Pumas are slightly more common but still elusive. If a jaguar sighting is your priority, come in January or February, stay at La Aurora, and give yourself at least three full days.
Llanero Culture: More Than a Safari
The wildlife would be reason enough to come. But the Llanos offer something else that’s equally compelling: a living cowboy culture that’s unlike anything else in Colombia.
The llaneros have worked these plains for centuries. Their daily life revolves around cattle, horses, and a relationship with the land that hasn’t been industrialized. The ranching here is traditional: cows graze freely on natural pasture, fed only grass and salt. When a rancher loses cattle to a jaguar or puma, they rarely retaliate against the predator. That coexistence between livestock and wildlife is part of what makes this region exceptional for conservation.
Joropo is the music and dance of the Llanos. Performed with arpa llanera (harp), cuatro (small guitar), and maracas, it’s Colombia’s national folk tradition. The singing started as a way for cowboys to combat loneliness on long rides across empty plains, composing songs about cattle, rivers, women, and the work of the llano. At a hato, you might hear a family perform joropo after dinner, or attend a parranda (gathering) where the music continues until dawn. It’s not a show for tourists. It’s how these families have spent their evenings for generations.
The food is direct. Mamona (slow-roasted beef over open fire) is the signature dish, prepared for celebrations and special occasions. Cachama (fried freshwater fish), tungos (sweet rice parcels wrapped in leaves), and gofios (roasted corn cakes) round out a cuisine built around what the land provides.
Getting There
Fly from Bogota to Yopal (about one hour, several daily flights). From Yopal, ground transfer to your hato takes two to five hours depending on how deep into the plains you’re going. Some of the more remote reserves are only accessible during the dry season.
Agency transport is essential for the Llanos. There’s limited public transportation once you leave Yopal, and the roads range from unpaved to nonexistent depending on the season. Trying to organize this independently is possible but expensive and logistically complicated. A properly arranged trip handles the flights, ground transfers, hato reservations, guides, and meals as a package.
Practical Tips
Wear light, neutral-colored clothing. Bright colors scare wildlife. Bring a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, and binoculars. The sun on the plains is relentless, and the best wildlife sightings happen at dawn and dusk, so plan for early mornings. Boots are useful for wet terrain and horseback riding.
Connectivity is limited. Some hatos have WiFi, most don’t. Embrace it. The Llanos are one of the few places where disconnecting isn’t a lifestyle choice but a physical reality. The sunsets alone are worth the trade.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days do you need in the Llanos?
Three to four nights at a hato is ideal. One night is too short to appreciate the rhythm of the place. Day trips from Yopal are possible but miss the best wildlife hours (dawn and dusk) and the cultural experience of sleeping on the plains.
Will I see a jaguar?
Possible but not guaranteed. Hato La Aurora has the best track record. Come during January to March, stay at least three nights, and go with experienced guides. Even without a jaguar sighting, the wildlife diversity is extraordinary.
Is the Llanos safe?
The tourist hatos and reserves in Casanare are safe. The region has a complex history with paramilitarism, but the areas set up for tourism operate normally and receive national and international visitors year-round.
What’s the best time to visit?
December to March for wildlife. January and February are peak. The wet season (May-October) is beautiful but less accessible and wildlife is more dispersed.
How do I get there?
Fly Bogota to Yopal (1 hour). Ground transfer to hato (2-5 hours). Agency transport handles all logistics and is strongly recommended.
