Hato El Cedral
is located in the low plains of Apure State in Venezuela,
near the town of Mantecal, in the country's vast interior
grasslands known as the Llanos.
Its 130,963 acres are both a working ranch with more than
20,000 heads of cattle and an important tourist center
for the growing interest in ecological and adventure tourism.
This camp provides its visitors with one of the most outstanding
displays of animal
and bird
life in the western hemisphere as it has been confirmed
by the National Geographic Magazine, the New York Zoological
Society and productions by the BBC and Discovery Channel.
Hato
El Cedral is considered an ecological reserve, and hundreds
of species of wild animals run free. The wildlife here
are unaware of the danger associated with man's presence,
because hunting has been banned for many years. Hato El
Cedral is the only ranch where animals are friendly and
abundant, which distinguishes it as the best on the Venezuelan
plains!
Hato El Cedral provides
comfortable air conditioned cabanas with large private
bathrooms. An attractive dining room serves creole and
international food. The landscaped grounds are an oasis
in the savannah, with giant cedro (cedar) trees full of
flycatchers, finches, orioles and tanagers. The staff
is friendly and in addition to traditional Llanero concerts
with harp, cuatro and maracas, you will also enjoy wildlife
videos and scientific
presentations or just simple relaxing as part of your
night entertainment.
Hato
El Cedral Sanctuary contains within its boundaries rivers,
lakes,
swamps, forests and savannahs. During your stay you may
embark on a variety of excursions by truck and boat,
in which your guide will point out the habitats of many
birds (340 species have been reported), reptile and mammals
species like the biggest snake in the world, the Anaconda.
You may also see rugged Venezuelan cowboys, the Llaneros,
hard at work as they skillfully move great herds of cattle
across the ranch.
During
the dry season (December - April), wildlife concentrates
in the shallow ponds and streams of Hato El Cedral in
such enormous numbers that the scene is reminiscent of
primitive America. You will see thousands of birds, as
well as mammals such as herons, egrets, storks, capybara
(the world's largest rodent), red howler monkey, giant
anteater, ocelot and the elusive puma.
Contact
us to include Hato El Cedral
in the Llanos
in a customized itinerary of travel to Venezuela.
