Los Llanos, or the wet ecosystem is a vast area of seasonal flooded plains in Colombia and Venezuela. It’s characterized by its extensive savannas and unique fauna. There’s also a cowboy-like cultural element that can be felt through local folklore, as well as cattle raising. Los Llanos was an experience I will never forget. I visited it for four days on my last trip to Venezuela.
Why travel to Los Llanos in Venezuela
Los Llanos is one of the most beautiful natural areas in Venezuela. I was pleasantly surprised by its beauty. Imagine walking across the wild, wet plains – alone, with a simple stick and a local guide, crossing paths with 4 and 5-meter anacondas, while literally jumping over crocodiles.
The Venezuelans from these lands – the llaneros – grew up among this fauna, they’ve been walking over the marshes since they were tiny kids, and that’s why they can offer such raw and authentic safaris, something unheard of in any other country offering experiences of this kind. If this safari was offered in a country with mass tourism like Tanzania or Kenya I’m sure it wouldn’t have the same effect. But the magic of backpacking Venezuela is that there are no rules, which allows for plenty of flexibility to the most adventurous adventurers. Los Llanos also boasts with thousands of different types of crocodiles, a massive population of capibaras – locally known as chigüires – and hundreds of bird species.
Piranha fishing is also a big thing in Los Llanos and, if you are lucky, you might also spot one of the weirdest animals in the world: a giant anteater – I was fortunate to see one pretty close up but only for 3 seconds. Venezuela is one of the most beautiful places to visit.
How to plan a visit to Los Llanos
Los Llanos can be compared to a safari in Kenya. You’ll need to choose the right accommodation, and spend your day looking for wildlife.
The best way to experience Los Llanos would be to stay at one of the many hatos that are found throughout the region.
What is the hato?
It’s a farm or ranch that extends over thousands of acres and is home to the animals Los Llanos has become famous for. Most hatos have been used exclusively for cattle breeding, but some of them offer accommodation and tours on their land.
You will notice many farmhouses on the road in Los Llanos. However, they are not all hatos. Hatos are usually large ranches covering a certain amount of hectares. They belong to the richest local families. Fincas are the names of smaller farmhouses.
Find the best hato accommodation in Los Llanos
I stayed at two different hatos in Los Llanos. They each offered a different experience. The one you choose will depend on your goals.
Hato Cristero, a family owned hato, has been run by one family for nine generations. Humberto was the man who founded it in 1888. Humberto’s name has been inherited each time by the first child of that family. You will be interacting all the time with the family. During my visit, I met the grandfather, father, daughters, sons, uncles… The whole family lives there.
Some members of their staff have worked there for decades. Both the gardener and cook, for example, have worked and lived in Hato Cristero at least 30 years. Hato Cristero offers a unique opportunity to experience the culture of the region. Hato Cristero has a few downsides, including the fact that there isn’t much fauna. There are capibaras there, as well as crocodiles and anacondas. But that’s a small fraction of the wildlife other hatos have to offer. I saw anacondas in Hato Cristero but not in Hato Cristero.
Keep in mind, however, that Hato Cristero’s prices are expensive. They start at about 150 USD per night and include all meals, tours to the hato as well as 5-star accommodation.
El Cedral is the perfect place to go if you’re just looking for some wildlife. Hato El Cedral has the largest hatos in Los Llanos. It was opened to public in 1987, although it has served as a Hato since the 19th Century. This hato has thousands of capybaras as well as caymans. You’ll get bored of crocodiles because there are so many. I saw over 30 crocodiles at one time, and we also bumped into a lot of anacondas. This hato has one disadvantage, and that is the fact that it’s not family-owned. It is actually owned by Venezuela’s government.
Why is it owned and controlled by the government?
Well, Hato El Cedral was just one of the many victims of former President Chávez and his policy of expropriating over 5 million hectares across the country. So, today, all employees at Hato Cedral are government employees. Do not misunderstand me, though. The staff at Hato El Cedral is very friendly.
Prices start at 70 USD per day. The price includes all meals, tours, and accommodation, just like at El Cristero. This hato provides a similar experience as Hato Cedral. However, it is significantly smaller and costlier. The tours are the same, but the rooms are nicer and I presume the food is better. I’ve never been to that place, but a traveler has recommended it.
How to get to Los Llanos?
Los Llanos is a pretty big area that spreads across 5 Venezuelan states, including Apure, Barinas, Portuguesa, Cojedes and Guárico. Apure and Barinas, however, are the heartland of cultura llanera. This is where you will find the most concentration of fauna.
Hato Garza, El Cedral, and Hato Cristero can be found in Barinas. Barinas City, the capital and main transport hub of Barinas State, is also the same as San Fernando de Apure. Both cities are 430km apart.
How to get to Barinas?
Barinas is one of the main gateways for travel to Los Llanos, especially as it’s not far from Mérida and has an airport with connections to Caracas.
How to get to Barinas from Mérida: Visiting Los Llanos before or after backpacking in Mérida is really easy. Buses are available regularly between the two cities. The journey takes around 5 hours on a winding, twisty road. Here’s the bus station in Mérida, and here’s the bus station in Barinas.
How to reach Barinas by bus from Caracas: There are several buses a day, but keep in mind that the journey may take up to 10 hours. Two bus stations in Caracas have buses that depart for Barinas. La Bandera, the main bus stop in this direction is used by Venezuelans of the working class. If you want the experience of traveling like the locals, take a bus from here. There’s also a small terminal in the wealthy district Chacao with fancy buses that depart to Barinas. Some tourists prefer to catch it here, as it is supposed to be safer. It’s called Aeroexpressos Ejecutivos.
There are several flights per week that connect Caracas and Barinas. Conviasa offers flights, or you can go to the Caracas domestic terminal. In Venezuela, you can’t book flights online. You must go to the office located at the airport.
How to reach Hato Cristero, Barinas City
Hato Cristero lies 30km away from Barinas. There is no public transportation, so you will need to hire taxis. Hato Cristero provides a transfer, but the cost will always be higher than hiring a random cab.
How to get to Hato Cedral by Barinas City
Hato Cedral lies in Apure State, but is easily accessible from Barinas via a 200km ride. Once you are in Barinas, take one of the buses that will take you to Mantecal. You can then hire a taxi from Mantecal to Hato Cedral.
A river separates Barinas state from Apure state, and due the rain or road conditions, buses are sometimes unable to cross. You won’t be able to find a direct bus from Barinas to Mantecal. In this case, you will have to travel to Ciudad de Nutrias to cross the bridge (or take a moto taxi), and then find a way to Mantecal. From Barinas you can also get local shared taxis. In Venezuela, these are called carritos por plaza.
How to get from Apure
If you are traveling to Los Llanos, but only want to visit Hato Cedral I recommend taking the Apure state route instead. The road and scenery is more interesting. How to get to San Fernando de Apure by bus from Caracas. Buses depart Terminal La Bandera as mentioned in the Barinas Section.
Best time to visit Los Llanos
Los Llanos can be visited all year round, with each season presenting a different experience.
Traveling to Los Llanos in the rainy season from May to November
During the wet seasons, the vast plains that make up Los Llanos are beautifully green and flooded. This is a great time for bird watching and piranha fishing. You can also take boat trips through the marshes. However, if you’re interested in anacondas – for me, that was the highlight – the chances of spotting them at this time are slim.
Visit Los Llanos in the dry season, from December to April
When the rain stops, the Venezuelan marshes begin to dry, revealing a variety of wildlife that was previously hidden in the water and behind tall bushes. This is a great time to spot anacondas, giants anteaters and walk through Los Llanos. The downside is it can be very hot and dry and not as beautiful as the wet seasons.
How many days are required to visit Los Llanos?
If you are only going to El Cedral (which is what most tourists do), here’s what I would do:
- Day 1: Head to El Cedral early in the morning from Caracas.
- Day 2: El Cedral for the entire day
- Day 3: Morning excursion and departure after the lunch break
Alternatively, if you wanted to combine Cristero & Cedral, this is what I did:
- Day 1: Caracas to Cristero early in the morning. Evening tour of Cristero.
- Day 2: Morning excursion in Cristero After lunch, we depart to El Cedral.
- Day 3: El Cedral for the entire day
- Day 4: Morning tour, departure after lunch.
How much is it to visit Los Llanos?
Los Llanos accommodation is similar to Canaima in that it usually includes everything. Calculating your budget should be easy.
Local transportation from Caracas will cost you approximately 50 USD to Hato Cristero and El Cedral. Hato El Cedral will cost you 70 USD for a single night. Hato Cristero will cost you 150 USD. These prices include all meals and tours. Remember that, as in most of Venezuela’s cities, prices are always per person.
