Sustainable tourism in Arauca: three must-see experiences to discover the Colombian plains

"It's a law of the plainsman to shake hands with those who arrive," goes a popular saying that you're sure to hear, but above all, feel, when you travel to Arauca. From explanations about milking songs to cacao tourism routes, birdwatching, and pink dolphins, the offer is as diverse as the landscape. With flooded savannas, the plains foothills, and part of the El Cocuy National Natural Park, the department has a variety of thermal zones and climates that make it a magnet for ecotourism.

According to the Arauca Chamber of Commerce, tourism businesses grew by 44 percent between 2023 and 2024. Restaurants, hotels, travel agencies, transportation companies, and startups have joined this collective effort.

This dynamism is reflected in employment and resource circulation figures: during the most recent Llanera Culture Day events, an economic impact of nearly 2 billion pesos was recorded, according to estimates by the Advisory Office of Culture and Tourism.

For years, Arauca was associated almost exclusively with armed conflict and illegal economies in much of the country. Its strategic location in the eastern Colombian-Venezuelan plains—where borders are more of a formality—has not only granted it natural wealth but has also made it a stage of dispute for various armed groups.

However, since the signing of the Peace Agreement, and making a gradual transition toward legal and sustainable production models, the Araucanians have set out to show another side of the territory, a hospitable one. And at the heart of this strategy are three tourist routes: the work songs of the Llano, the cacao route, and birdwatching.

A llanero's day begins at 3:00 a.m. But since the idea is for you to enjoy the experience, they'll be more welcoming: at 5:30 a.m., they offer you a tinto (small cup of coffee) in the caney, a kind of hut without walls and a palm-thatched roof where the equipment is located. From there, you'll set out to milk.

Jeans are essential—not only to avoid discomfort, but also to prevent pain while riding—and a hat. Otherwise, you can wear comfortable clothing. Keep in mind that "being a llanero means doing everything," explains Don Henry García, from the Campo Alegre tourist farm, who works with agencies such as Aviatur Arauca or Arauca Birding, which insure your trip and provide transportation.

"To the dooooooor, after the dark night, the milker awaits you with song and totuuuuuuuuma." These rhymes speed up the cow's movement to the corral. Then, softer ones mark the beginning of milking, the connection with the "beast," and are a sign of respect before and during the work; "they calm the cow and make it produce more milk," says García. After cleaning the udders, he can begin milking by squeezing them with his index finger and thumb.

Adriana del Pilar Soto, Tourism Advisor for the Arauca Governorate, sums it up this way: “It's not just about listening to the singing. The idea is for the visitor to understand the context: the plains ranch, the work on horseback, the moving cattle.”

The songs are divided into four: milking, goatherd, watch, and domestication. They are sung without instruments, at night or at dawn, and each one serves a purpose. An example of a goatherd's song is the lookout song, which helps cattle locate themselves in the dark. According to historian and hiker Luis Alberto Sabogal, it began as a method of control during cattle movements between Arauca and Meta, or even Bogotá.

It's not just about listening to the song. The idea is for the visitor to understand the context: the plains ranch, the work on horseback, the cattle moving.

In fact, the Work Songs of the Plains were recognized in 2017 by UNESCO as a Colombian-Venezuelan tradition and declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. They live on today thanks to the efforts of farmers and artists who have preserved them orally.

After milking, we return to the ranch for breakfast, hallaca, a traditional Venezuelan dish that reflects the department's "frontier" character, "to say the least, because there are no borders on the plains," adds García. This dish, similar to a tamale, combines corn dough with lard, meats, and spices. It will be served with green plantain coins and queso de mano, a fresh cheese from the Araucanian foothills. It's made by kneading several times with a paddle, layered on top of each other; it's similar to queso siete cueros, but moister.

The herding of cattle then follows, accompanied by a louder, more intense caito than the milking procession. Depending on the area, this may include a section where the cowboy gallops through the flooded savannah, an ecosystem recognized in 2018 as a protected area for its water regulation work. "You have to pamper the horse; it's a friend more than a tool," says Henry García.

If you're daring, you might want to try galloping, although this is a performance you should leave to the experts. If you don't connect with the horse, it will even try to knock you off your feet. The more nervous riders might struggle with even the most basic instruction, such as pulling the reins to stop, so staying calm is key; your feelings are transmitted to the horse's. Then you'll be taught how to rope, an art of patience.

Late afternoon, lunch includes grilled meat on a stick. Capybara and cachapas—sweet corn tortillas similar to corn arepas—may also be served. The menu can be complemented with udder, chicken stew, and blood sausage. To top it off, there's ofio de casabe—a dessert made with yucca, coconut, and salt—unusual for palates in the interior of the country. The "Llanero for a Day" package costs around 130,000 pesos.

All of these traditions are celebrated during the National Day of Llanera Culture, an event celebrated every July 25th. While the law of the Republic (1907–2018) seeks to preserve the culture of the departments of the Orinoquia region, its origin dates back to a departmental ordinance in Arauca in 2001.

This day, says Sabogal, who promoted the ordinance, pays tribute to the contribution of the Llano lancers in the Battle of Pantano de Vargas, and is celebrated with music, horseback riding, and food. Last year, hundreds of horses took to the streets and paraded down the main road of the department's capital. The event brought together more than 1,600 horses, including working and pacing horses, who paraded before the public.

The second notable route is the cacao tour, offered in Arauquita, Tame, and Saravena. This program allows you to tour producing farms, learn about the different varieties of cacao pods, and participate in workshops on harvesting, fermentation, and roasting, all the way to obtaining a chocolate bar.

The process begins by harvesting and opening the pods to extract the beans, which are covered with a sweet, white pulp. These then undergo fermentation, which can last between four and six days. “We dry the cacao beans on drying racks made of wild cane, a tradition that dates back more than 300 years. It's not the fastest or most widely used method, but it gives them quality,” says Elizabeth Agudelo, producer and founder of Aroma a Cacao, an award-winning product in the department.

The next step is roasting, where the dried beans are subjected to controlled heat to enhance their aromas and flavors. From there, they are ground into a thick paste: cocoa mass. This can be sweetened or consumed as is.

The cacao varieties grown in that area are Arauquita, Carabina 13, and Tame 2. "We separate these genetics and process each one separately, including roasting and hulling; that's what distinguishes us," says Agudelo. In other parts of the country, such as Santander, the norm is to combine different genetics, but not in Arauca.

"What we do have are cocoas associated with borojó or arazá," the producer adds. "One of the characteristics of local cocoa is that it has more beans per cob, which gives it greater productivity and better conditions for export. Our varieties have been brought to Antioquia and Guaviare," explains the tourism advisor.

The Villa Gaby farm is the laboratory for Aroma a Cacao, located 5 kilometers from the town of El Troncal. There are approximately 9,800 plants on 14 hectares, producing almost 13 tons annually, which are sold to Cacao Hunter, whose final consumers are usually in Japan. The experience of the production process includes lunch and breakfast and costs 180,000 pesos per person.

The cacao route is also a testament to the department's economic transformation. According to community leaders, following the signing of the Peace Agreement and the voluntary substitution of crops, there was an "agricultural boom" driven by cacao, plantains, rice, and livestock.

This is confirmed by data from the latest report from the UN's Integrated System for Monitoring Illicit Crops (Simci), which indicates that there have been no new crops planted since 2020. "People decided to invest in the land, in cocoa, in cheese, in passion fruit. That changed the lives of many families," says a local producer.

Going out during peak birding hours is the first step toward birdwatching. But this time there's no noise—quite the opposite: absolute silence. Before 5 a.m. or after 5 p.m., the Arauca River and its surrounding areas are a stage where dozens of species forage, explains John Álvares of Arauca Birding.

Stillness and concentration are essential if you want to spot species; if this is difficult for you, you can still see the Arauco (Anhima cornuta), which lives in the water and has a wingspan of up to two meters. Perhaps more difficult to spot is the kingfisher, about 20 cm long, resembling a flash of red and blue lightning that enters the water for seconds, hunts, and then leaves.

Try not to move; your sudden changes can scare them. Also, avoid almost automatic gestures, such as fanning your face with your hand, even if the heat—about 28°C with 90 percent humidity—invites you to do so. These two are part of the experience for dummies.

The curassows (such as the Pavón porú or the Pauxi pauxi, which is found in Tame), Álvarez points out, are the cornerstone of the route, often requested by foreigners. “We are visited by international tourists who stay up to ten days exploring the area. They come in small groups, seek out unique species, and often only find them here,” explains Soto. Other ideal spots for sightings include Las Delicias, in Saravena; the northern Cravo River basin, where the Canadian ducks flock and which is the habitat of the Orinoco geese (Orossochen jubatus); and the Los Libertadores Ecopark, in Tame.

Thanks to its location in the Orinoco basin, the department is home to endemic and migratory species. Up to 40 percent of the country's total bird species are concentrated in Arauca, or more than 500.

Added to this is the possibility of seeing pink dolphins—known as toninas—in the Arauca River. A dozen individuals can accompany you on your journey for several minutes, and they often greet you by jumping slightly. You're in for a treat if you don't catch a glimpse of them.

Arauca raises its hand to offer its hospitality, its songs, its cacao, and its peasant wisdom. As Pedro Franco, a plainsman by vocation, said: "We want them to know who we are: hardworking, humble, and caring people."

To reach Arauca, there are options by air and land. Satena and Avianca are the main airlines serving the department's capital, offering daily flights from Bogotá, with a journey time of approximately one hour. Additionally, the Tame and Saravena airports connect with other points in the department.

By land, from Bogotá, you can take the route to Villavicencio, passing through Yopal and then Tame. This option will allow you to see the transition between the mountains and the savannah; however, it's best to go out during the day and with someone familiar with the area.

Paula Valentina Rodríguez Mora