On Colombian safari: Hato La Aurora, Casanare
A wildlife safari in Colombia’s lowlands
At another spot we saw an anaconda about 5 meters long. He was easy for guide Giovanny to spot because the water was low. The animal lay curled quietly in a corner…I didn’t think I would ever be able to spot an anaconda so close!
On safari
At 8:30 a.m. after breakfast, the safari began. I didn’t really know what to expect from a “Colombian safari,” but was looking forward to it immensely. We set off with a small group: Dutch couple Anneke and Ted with their translator Gabriela, guide Giovanny and me. Across the river, the jeep was already waiting.
Anteater
Pretty soon, we stopped at a tree. I looked in the branches to see if I could see any birds, but it turned out I had to look in the tree itself, in which a tamandua (tree anteater) was sleeping. Silently, we stood observing the little beast. It was such a cute sight, we could see its eyes and long snout very well. By the looks of it, the creature was used to people coming to observe it, because it opened its eyes briefly and then went on sleeping.
Oasis
After this we drove across the savannah landscape to a lagoon, to observe birds and take a walk. This was a dream spot that was like an oasis in the corky landscape. Pretty soon we saw three caimans at very close range and an awful lot of birds. Among these, the red ibis caught my eye the most.
Safari in Africa?
We walked toward a smaller lagoon, with lots of capybaras. With all those animals at the waterhole, it really looked like a safari in Africa now! Along the way we saw 3 little owls, which had made a hole under the ground. Too cute! We also saw birds of prey, who “watched over” the lagoon, wild horses and cows. Because of the countless birds, it was a twittering match!
Anaconda
At another spot we saw an anaconda about 5 meters long. He was easy for guide Giovanny to spot because the water was low. The animal lay curled quietly in a corner…I didn’t think I would ever be able to spot an anaconda so close!
Siesta at Hato la Aurora
To escape the heat between 12 and 3, we spent that time at the main house of Hato la Aurora. We were welcomed to the ranch with a (miniscule) cup of coffee.
There were many little birds and also 2 macaws, so there was plenty to see. Furthermore, we could wander around and see the tools of the Colombian cowboys. Due to a funeral in Yopal, only two people were working. The rest of the work was down, so it was very quiet at the ranch.
In search of jaguars
After lunch and a wonderful siesta in the hammock, we continued the safari. Our mission: to look for jaguars! The day before, Giovanny had seen a mother with baby and of course we were hoping to spot them too! During a stop for a walk in the forest, guide Giovanny spotted jaguar tracks. The tracks were not fresh, but Giovanny decided that we were going to have a look in the forest anyway.
Giant anteater
We had to be dead quiet so as not to startle the animals. At one point, we heard leaves cracking…. I felt that everyone was excited and listening intently to the sounds in the forest. At one point, we saw a giant anteater running through the forest! These are nocturnal animals, so we were lucky to see this special animal!
Countless birds
After this we went to another lagoon, again with countless species of birds. We nested here to spot the birds and wait to see if the jaguars did show themselves for a while. We were not as lucky as the safari goers the previous day, as we did not spot the jaguars. It didn’t matter much to us because the safari was more than successful anyway. We enjoyed the sound of all the birds and the tranquility for a while longer. With the sun setting, the view was absolutely stunning. In the dark we drove back to the river, for the crossing to the lodge. Here the crew was already waiting for us again with a tray with glasses of lemonade. 😊
Check out our travel guide Casanare – the Colombian safari- for more info. Need a hotel in Yopal before or after your safari? Then check here the options.