VILLAVICENCIOTOURIST CENTER

is a city of Colombia, capital of the department of Meta and is the center commercial of meta, its climate is witch

tempera

ture of twenty-seven The wild eastern plains are home to the Colombian cowboy’s cattle ranches. Tropical green

plains stretched out for as far as the eye can see, snaking rivers that rise in the dramatic climate, beautiful sunsets

over savannas and bursting with wildlife, Los Llanos offers a large array of things to see and do.

Whether it be enjoying the beautiful natural parks, watching a typical Colombian rodeo, heading out to the wild plains

to watch blazing sunsets, encountering incredible wildlife or heading down the river in a white water trip and embarking

on some excellent rock climbing, Los Llanos will give you fantastic outdoor and cultural experiences.

COME VILLAVICENCIO

Meet the real Colombian cowboys

The llano people are a long line of fiercely strong horsemen, who for decades

have roamed the wild and lush savannas, moving their cattle to higher grounds

when the rivers start to flood in the wetter months and back down during the drier

periods.

As soon as you are in Villavicencio this Colombian-cowboy culture is evident, with

people dressed in ponchos and cowboy hats and boots.

A fantastic way to know more about the Llano culture is through their park Las

Malocas,

set up for teaching and showing visitors their history, traditions and culture.

There are two major parts of the Llano culture; one is through their own

version of a Rodeo called El Coleo, where horsemen chase cattle down a

dusty runway trying to pull them down with a specific technique.

The other is the culture of the Joropo, an expression of traditional dance and

music. The dance consists of the women twirling their large colorful skirts to

the beats of the men’s stamping feet and to the music of maracas, four string

guitars, a harp and a bandola (an instrument similar to the mandolin).

Concha Acústica Arnulfo Briceño

It is considered tourist viewpoint, from there people can have spectacular views to the city.

I was created in order to have musical, folkloric and cultural events for Colombian and

foreign people.

Botanic Garden of Villavicencio

It is located 2 Km. away from the capital, by road to Azotea neighborhood, covers 40

hectares of native forest.

It was created in 1983; it promotes the preservation and spreading of vegetation,

researches, environmental and ecological education; so that it is the perfect to further the

knowledge about Villavicencio vegetation.

Monument to Cristo Rey

The monument to Cristo Rey, was inaugurated in

1954, it is located in the high zone on Redentor hill,

situated in Llano avenue. It is the perfect place to

enjoy spectacular views to the city.

Parque de la Vida (park)

It is one of the best attractions for recreation and

sport in the llano, has conference halls for having

cultural exhibitions, restaurant, swimming pool and

green areas. It is located on the Circunvalar avenue.

Parque de los Libertadores

The Libertadores park is considered one of the

best one in the capital; there, the busts of Simon

Bolivar and Francisco de Paula Santander are

located.

Las Malokas Park

Las Malokas shows the culture of llanos, taking part in the Colombian history, in an

environment surrounded by exotic flora and varied samples of bovine, equine and other

animals.

Inside the thematic park, there are exhibitions about the worse life world, it is the

perfect place to learn about them, its habitat, characteristics, the stables, the llano work,

the cultivation area of manioc banana and tapocho.

It has the best stables in the region where many breeds live. In the “manga de coleo”

the llanero work is dramatized , how they mount horses, milk cows, lasso calves and the

horse racing.

Outside the manga de coleo, people can taste the cutlet, the mamona, the hayacas and

the cachapas typical food of llanos.

Opening days:

Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00hrs

Ticket price per person: 

5.000Pesos

 Hacha Park

It was built in 1977 in honor to Jose Eustaquio

Rivera, poet and novelist who wrote “The  Vorágine”

whose book is about legends of llanos of Amazon

jungle and the Orinoco. The axe represents the farm

laborer effort.

Ocarros Bio Park

Los Ocarros Bio Park, a natural reserve, is a place

dedicated to natural richness of the region. There,

people will appreciate many animals and the diverse

fauna. It has big green areas, paths, serpentarium

and aquarium.

Activities in Villavicencio

Ecoturism: The ecological diversity, the fauna, the flora in reserve and the

endemic species are so wonderfull. The landscapes are worthy of admiration

because of the wild life.

Motorboat trips: People will enjoy the motorboat trips by Manacacias, Yucao

and Meta which is the main one and crosses diagonally from the centre of

Colombia to the northwest.

Fishing: There are many clubs that organize excursions, tournaments in Meta,

Manacacias, Yucao rivers and other ones.

Hiking: For people who loves adventure, this is the perfect place to do long

walks by paths watching wonderful landscapes, waterfalls and natural wells.

Birdwatching: The different types of birds decorate the colorful landscapes, there

are endemic species, migratory and aquatic birds in the morichal of llano.

Agrotourism: There are appropriated places for agrotourism, thanks to its

infrastructure, the ranches, the natural reserves and all referent to llano culture.

The visitor can rest in agro-tourist ranches that has rural environment where people

can appreciate the daily work as cattle farming, agriculture, fish farming; also taste

the typical food, enjoy listening the llanera music or practicing horseback riding.

Cultural events

- Festival of Colombian song

- International Joropo´s festival

-  World  Coleo Tournament