La Macarena (Meta, Colombia)

26 September 2018 – 27 September 2018

Juanita Olano Marín and Angélica Magaly Sogamoso

Participants: Natalia Jiménez, Diego Felipe Gómez, Paola López

The Serranía de La Macarena is a national park in the Meta department in southern Colombia, a mountainous region separated from the main Andean chain, surrounded by vast Llanos plains and Amazon forests. The region has seen a massive increase in the number of tourists in the last few years, mainly due to the improvement of the local security and because it holds the so-called “most beautiful river in the world” or “river of 7 colors”, Caño Cristales. The geographical location of the Serranía de La Macarena, a confluent point of Andean, Llanos and Amazon ecosystems, makes it one of the most biodiverse regions in Colombia; however, it remains largely unexplored and, unfortunately, it is severely affected by deforestation, the practice of slash-and-burn farming, cattle raising, and other illegal activities.

As part of a consultancy for a tourism project in the region, we visited some sites with potential interest for birdwatching, mostly around La Macarena town. The visits were quite short and the recorded observations were not exhaustive, but they gave us a good taste of the impressive diversity of the region and the potential for developing alternative nature and birdwatching activities as a complement to the main tourist offer. Although we visited Caño Cristales, the main attraction in the region, we could not do much birding there. The strict visiting hours outside the peak bird activity times and the tight schedule of the tours do not give much opportunity to look for birds. Fortunately, in addition to the astonishing river of 7 colors, La Macarena has lots more to offer and it is a region definitely worth exploring!

Visited Sites

General Travelling Information

The easiest way to reach La Macarena is by plain. The tiny airport is served by Satena and other charter flights from Bogotá, Villavicencio, Medellín and Cali. The flight schedule is seasonal and changes often, so it is important to check it in advance. The main tourist season is between June and November, when the river of 7 colors can be appreciated in its full splendor (depending on the wheather and sun conditions). Outside the main season, Caño Cristales is closed for visitors, but it is still possible to visit La Macarena and enjoy other attractions with much less tourists around.

If you want to go to Caño Cristales, contact one of the local tourist companies to organize your visit; it is best to arrange this in advance, as Caño Cristales has strict policies on the number of visitors allowed per day. The best and safest way for moving around La Macarena is with a local guide, as you usually have to inform or ask the local authorities for permission to visit places outside the main tourist loops. Be aware that security is still an issue outside the main tourist attractions.

Although there are no formal birdwatching guides or tours in La Macarena, there is an active group of locals (tourist guides, school kids) learning the birds of the region and exploring places of interest; very few speak english. Angélica Magaly Sogamoso is a great local guide who also knows many of the birds of the region. At the office of the Jardín Botánico de La Macarena, Alejandra Medaglia can give you very interesting information about history, culture, nature, and tourism activities in the region.

La Macarena town has very good tourist infrastructure and services and is the easiest place to organize your visit in the region.

Recommended Literature

Birdwatching in Colombia. Beckers and Florez. 2013. ISBN: 978-9-0902-7785-1. Although already outdated, this is an excellent reference for birding in the country. A new edition is planned.

Acknowledgements

Very special thanks to the staff of Swisscontact Colombia and the partners of the Colombia+Competitiva Project in La Macarena for the organization of the visits and the great time together!

Río Morrocoy Puente 3

This quiet secondary forest next to the river, very close to La Macarena Town, is nice for a couple of hours of birdwatching.

How to get there

From La Macarena town you can walk to Puente 3 or hire a "moto-ratón" (the colombian name for a tuk-tuk) who can take you there and pick you up later.

Facilities & accommodation

There are no tourist facilities. Bring your own water and snacks.

Local guides

Ask a local tourist company for a (birdwatching) guide to accompany you and inform the security posts on the way.

Río Guayabero

This boat tour, starting first hour in the morning from the main harbor in La Macarena town along the río Guayabero, is great to see the sunrise and many aquatic birds from another perspective. If you are lucky, you will also see river dolphins!

How to get there

The tour companies in La Macarena do not actively offer this tour, but they can arrange it; just ask for it.

Local guides

Ask a local tour company for a birdwatching guide or a boat driver who knows the birds and drives slowly.

Other wildlife observed

Pink dolphins!

Species List

Order: systematic | alphabetic | highlights first
Published: 22 March 2019
Last updated: 22 March 2019
La Macarena (Meta, Colombia) - Orniverse