Among Cowboys and Capybaras – Hato El Boral
Hato El Boral, a working cattle ranch in Colombia’s Eastern plains, is a surreal place in the heart of the savannas that has just opened its doors to magic seeking adventurers, nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. The 3000-hectare hacienda is home to exotic bird species, hundreds of capybaras, white-tailed deer, felines, anacondas, caimans, porcupines, anteaters and howlers, which inhabit the extensive savannas, savanna forests, wetlands and lagoons of El Boral.
Lasso roping cowboys, meals prepared over the wood fire, fishing piranhas for supper, stalking anacondas and anteaters, riding across infinite prairies and enjoying a good laugh with the locals – this is what a true Llanos adventure is all about.
By Julia Buschmann
Passing what seems infinite wild savannas mixed with the occasional neatly cleared pasture, we suddenly turn right. Here, around one and a half hours from the province’s capital Yopal, between two little trees, awaits the entrance gate of El Boral, a simple green metal gate with white letters announcing the name of the place. A bumpy five minute drive takes us to a second gate and from here – depending on the season – we will either have to drive across a deep dried out river bed or leave the car behind and board a canoe to paddle across the stream. Either way, Indiana Jones fans will love this part already.
Crossing the river feels a little like falling into the rabbit hole. On the other side we find Wonderland. Grand oil trees are dotting the savanna as far as the eye reaches. The horizon melds with the sky and flocks of birds flutter about as we reach a pink house set right in the middle of all the beauty. Perhaps we see a herd of cattle being round up by hollering cowboys or a small anteater as it makes its way to its favourite sleeping place, a little cave in an oil tree near the house. We probably see piglets suckling on a huge sow, chicken and ducks wandering and chattering about along with flocks of noisy parakeets, toucans, oropendolas and caciques, the latter busy on stocking up on building materials for their woven hanging nests that look a bit like Colombia’s famous “mochilas”, artesanal bags. There always seem to be several things going on at the same time at Hato El Boral.
Just as wonderful is the welcome of the people at El Boral: Reymundo Gualteros, the local guide, Mathilde, the cook, Samir, Mathilde’s teenage grandson who is always eager to join visitors on a day out, Don Julio, the cattle rancher with the piercing blue eyes, Hugo Tovar, son of the owner Doña Marta and the initiator of the tourism project, Milena, Rey’s wife and an amazing cook and neat housekeeper.
When I close my eyes and think of Llaneros, I see all the afore-mentioned people with their smiles and open arms, their generosity and sense of humour, their wittiness and charme. It is people like these that make a stay in los Llanos the ultimate Colombian experience.
Feel the Rhythm: If you thought Colombians were amazing people, the Llaneros may just take it to the next level still. Laughter, just like the birdsong, makes the background melody of Hato El Boral.
Wild cats, deer, anteaters, armadillos, tortoises, capybaras and so many birds
Not less astonishing is the fauna at El Boral. On our first ride out into the savannas and forests we spot a jaguarundi, a small and very shy wild cat, a whopping three giant anteaters in one afternoon (I admit, this is rare – it was our lucky day), an armadillo, a group of howlers, dozens of tortoises and a nest of a couple of jabiru storks, America’s tallest bird. We discover horned screamers with their chicks, Orinoco geese with their offspring, scarlet ibises, black skimmers and various migratory birds, jacamars, puff birds, aracaris (small toucans), crestless curassows and the stunning wire-tailed manakin, one of the great stars of the region’s forests.
Admiring the jabiru’s nest from the saddle: The horses are just as calm as the tranquil lagoons of the hato and carry us reliably even after nightfall (and after a spectacular “African style” sunset!), setting their feet just right. We trust them, have to, for we have lost all sense of orientation in the endless plains below an incredible starlit sky. Our guide, Reymundo, though knows the way.
El Boral’s name and its unusual mascot: the world’s heaviest snake
“Boro” is the local name for the floating aquatic plant of Limnobium laevigatum, which covers entire lagoons and ponds in the Llanos like a lush green carpet of emerald greens, so-called borales. Hato El Boral does justice to its name and houses a vast lagoon of rich biodiversity just next to the main house, covered with – you guessed it – Boro. This is the habitat of the world’s largest rodents, capybaras, of piranhas, spectacled caimans, turtles and electric eels. It is also the home of “Hector”, a five meter long anaconda and the wild mascot of owner Hugo Tovar.
“Hector” is an about 5 meter long female anaconda and one of El Boral’s undisputed highlights
Hector is not a guy, in fact, for anaconda males only grow up to 3 meters and the lady anacondas take the leads on setting records. Anacondas love Borales, the aquatic carpets under which they can lie in ambush. From December to April, when the lagoon dries out, these plant carpets slowly vanish with wild pigs feeding on their nutritious roots. As the Llanos suffer their annual drought, anacondas are more exposed and can be found relatively easy. This is the prime time to meet “Hector” and other anacondas, and seeing two different specimen in a day during dry season is not unusual.
More than just a “safari” vacation –
a place for nature photographers
The infinite prairies, lush lagoons, cowboys, horses and cattle, ornamental oil trees with their orange trunks, the wetlands in rain season and yellow savannas in dry season, all make for the perfect photo series, capturing the essence of los Llanos. Whether you are looking to portrait life on a farm, cattle work or wild horses against clouds of dust, vultures feeding on the corpse of a dead cow or the dark skies of rain season with their spectacular lightenings and reflecting cloud formations in the endless mirrors of the wetlands, los Llanos is both morbid and magical, shocking and enchanting, and offers a never ending repertoire of photo motifs and scenes. Hato El Boral is an invitation to explore and to capture a surreal, wild and rugged world off the beaten path.
Stay here: The Pink Guesthouse in the Prairies
A work in progress and a labour of love, the pink prairie house is beginning to take shape, complete with outdoor bathrooms – think showering under the starlit sky at night and under palm trees during the morning! -, four spacious rooms with en-suite bathrooms, a terrace and flower garden. Solar panels are generating clean energy. There is no phone signal or Wifi – I promise you will find a better connection!When To Go and What To Do
The Llanos are divided into two seasons. Depending on the time of year, one will find an entirely different landscape and experience.
January-April: The height of dry season with swirls of dust, yellow “Africa style” savannas and spectacular sunsets and sunrises, dried out lagoons and river beds – great for wildlife and bird-watching. It is the hottest time of year with hardly any mosquitos. Perfect to explore the savannas by jeep, too.
May-August: Rain season, with regular refreshing monsoon showers, spectacular thunderstorms above the prairies, beautiful mirror reflections in the lush wetlands and great horse riding experiences across those. Temperatures are moderate and pleasant.
September-December: The beautiful transition months from rain season to dry season feature fire flies at night, lush sceneries, green savannas, sunny days and beautiful skies.
Things to Do:
- Jeep safaris during the dry months
- Horse riding
- Watch the cowboys work the cattle or round up some cattle yourself
- Birdwatching and nature photography
- Walks and hikes on forest trails and along the lagoons – great to stalk wildlife
- Visit other hatos nearby, if you have a few days
- Boat tours during the wet months
- Visit San Luis de Palenque, the nearest village, about 40 minutes drive away
- Relax in the “campechana”, a typical leather hammock, and observe the farm life