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Los
Llanos - Ecotourism (4 day excursion) |
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The region of Los Llanos (the plains) is characterized
by a flat savanna covered by grass and gallery forests along
the rivers. It covered nearly a third of the Venezuelan territory,
the entire central area from the Andes down to the Orinoco River.
The plains of Los Llanos are barley populated by humans, but
animal life is abundant. The huge savanna changes its scenery
from the dry season (December to May) to the flooding of the
rainy season (June to November). The main attraction of Los
Llanos is its wildlife, it offers great opportunities for wildlife
and bird watching. Because of the open landscape the animals
are relatively easy to watch. Wildlife is abundant in both rainy
and dry seasons. The main difference is that in the dry season
most animals are concentrated near the scarce sources of water,
which makes them easy to spot. |
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Our
Los Llanos tour offers you a travel experience off the beaten
track. We start the jeep safari in Merida and we travel
up the valley and over the mountains to Barinas, a city
on the northwestern edge of Los Llanos right at the end
of the Andes. The mountain scenery of the Andes is not to
be missed. In Barinas, where the flat lands begin we start
our drive through the savanna. Here you will get the first
impact of Los Llanos with the chance to see the first animals
and birds. After a day of traveling we arrive at our eco-tourist
camp right in the middle of Los Llanos, where we will spend
the three nights of the tour sleeping in hammocks. (Campamento
turistico Los Mangos). At the camp we will spend our time
together with a local “llanero” family that
runs its farm together with his camp. The “llanero's”
(Venezuelan Cowboy's) main activity is the cattle raising.
Their typical music is the famous “joropo”,
which you will probably have the opportunity to enjoy during
your evenings in the camp. Here in Los Llanos we have two
full days to enjoy what the region offers. We will be staying
in one of the best places for wildlife and bird watching.
You will have a good chance to see capybara (locally named
chigüire), the largest rodent in the world, spectacled
caimans (“babas”), anteaters, the legendary
anaconda, boa constrictors, piranhas, freshwater dolphins
(“toninas”), monkeys, iguanas, turtles and more.
Los Llanos is also a bird heaven, with more then 350 different
species including egrets, seven different species of ibises,
Jaribus, numerous Scarlet Macaws, fisher kings, hoatzin
(a prehistoric-looking bird), between many others. The different
activities this trip involves are canoeing down the river
through gallery forest, safari and horseback riding throughout
the endless savanna to observe the wildlife. You will also
fish for piranhas which you may choose to have for dinner.
The typical Los Llanos day will end with a spectacular sunset.
The forth and last day of the tour we will come
back to Merida.
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