LLANOS ADVENTURE
4 days/3 nights
Price good through November 14:
2 Passengers: $605 per person
Price good beginning November 15:
2 Passengers: $710 per person
1 Passenger Price: $882
Additional Night: $210
HATO EL CEDRAL
First Day:
Transfer to the airport in Caracas and check in for your
flight to San Fernando de Apure. (One hour flight). Upon
arrival in San Fernando you’ll be met and set off
on a three hour overland transfer across the llanos to
Hato El Cedral.
Most of Los Llanos is divided into large
ranches known as hatos. Many of them are dedicated to
cattle ranching, but some have recently turned to ecotourism
and have built lodges called campamentos. Some hatos,
such as Hato Cedral, have taken a serious approach to
environmental issues, introducing the full protection
of wildlife within their ranches, installing research
stations and contributing to ecological funds.
On arrival at Hato El Cedral, you'll be
assigned to your air-conditioned guest bungalow. After
a brief orientation, you'll head out to observe the abundant
wildlife on this 106,000 acre working ranch.
The sanctuary contains within its boundaries
rivers, lakes, swamps, forests and savannahs. Cedral offers
a great abundance of wildlife and capybara can be observed
close to the lodge itself. During the next few days, you
will embark on a variety of excursions in the early morning
and late afternoon. Your guide will point out the habitats
of many bird, reptile and mammal species. This is one
of the most noted wildlife areas in the llanos. You may
also see rugged Venezuelan cowboys, the llaneros, hard
at work as they skillfully move great herds of cattle
across the ranch.
The grasslands offer a great opportunity
to observe Venezuela's vast array of neo-tropical animals
such as deer, anteaters, iguanas, capybaras, howler monkeys,
fox, anacondas, caimans, ocelot and maybe the elusive
jaguar. The Llanos are also a bird watcher's paradise,
with more than 300 species identified. Highlights include
hoatzins, pied lapwings, king vultures, storks and ibis.
And equally stunning is the flora, gallery forests are
alive with orchids and dozens of flowering trees, including
jasmines, acacias and araguaney [Venezuela's national
tree]. It is no wonder that the Llanos has been called
the "Serengeti of South America." During the
midday heat, you can read or cool off in the lodge's swimming
pool. See pictures of Hato El Cedral with our photo gallery.
Final Day:
On your final day here you’ll return to San Fernando
for your flight, or continue on to Barinas for an extension
trip in the Andes.
Contact
us to include Hato El Cedral_in
a customized itinerary of travel to the Llanos
of
Venezuela.
