Nat and the Venezuela Encompassed tour have reached Los Llanos, a vast tropical grassland stretching across parts of Venezuela and Colombia. During the rainy season (May to October), parts of the Llanos can flood up to one meter, turning the woodlands and grassland into a temporary wetland.
It's easy to see why Los Llanos is known as "the Serengeti of South America". I don't think I have ever been in an area so brimming with life - everywhere you look there is something to see. Huge groups of capybara amble up the banks, caiman plop into the water beside sun bathing turtles and iguanas scuttle across the roads. In a small tree we counted a staggering 15 different types of bird. The array is magnificent, and seeing flocks of scarlet ibis take to the skies in unison is a sight I shall never forget.
Our stay on the cattle ranch has been eventful to say the least. Exploring the grassy plains on foot, then by open 4 wheel drive (which turned out to be a flat bed hulk of a truck with 2 benches, a viewing platform and no clutch - not quite the standard of African safari vehicles but 360 degree views none-the-less!). Finally, we took to the water and explored by boat, which turned out to be the ideal way to get up close and personal with the game. At one point we had eagles swooping down less than a metre from the boat, and 12 caiman surrounding us, literally within touching distance. We managed to keep a reasonable distance from the Orinoco crocodiles - I always feel it pays to have a healthy respect of wildlife if you don't want to become an integral part of the food chain...
Our next stop couldn't have been more different. A drive and a domestic flight found us on the Caribbean coast, and the protected marine sanctuary of Mochima National park. After the humidity of the south, the cool sea breeze, sandy beaches, palm trees and azul waters were most welcome. A couple of days beaching it, hopping around the islands, snorkelling and sampling the rather impressive cocktail menu (all part of the recce job!!) were the perfect way to recharge the batteries and get ready for our next adventure - the Orinoco Delta.
