Colombia – Yopal and then 5 hours West to JuanSolita estare in the plains

Colombia- JuanSolito Estancia in the north eastern plains towards Venezuela.

When the crocodile attacked the local woman who joined us exploring the wildlife, we were reminded, this is indeed wildlife. She got out of the way fast enough, and is unharmed. We were at a small lake with the crocodile 🐊 and lots of turtles 🐢. It did not eat the turtles who knew and swam around it and right in front of its mouth. She was feeding the turtles at the side of the lake when the crocodile rushed up from the water with its mouth wide open.
We all stared so much that we all forgot to look behind us in the bushes.

To get here we flew from Bogotá East to Yopal, then drove 3 hours on paved road, then drove 2 hours on gravel roads with colombian massage, and then rode, hiked, sailed and drove for hours into the wast land area of this estancia that covered the homes of parts of the extended family and so much wildlife.

Horseback riding was such a great way to take in this area. Both as it’s huge; as there are jaguars; and as it’s the rainy season and they mean this seriously. We rode through waterholes more than a meter deep with caimans in them. So I really appreciated the horses.

There were different kinds of caimans and crocodiles. Of those we met, the caiman was peaceful and the crocodile literally attacked.

Its was Ellas first time horseback riding. She was so cool, that both Laerke and AI only realized afterwards.

The capibaras were so sweet. I had missed them in Pantanal in Brazil 18 years ago and had dreamt of experiencing a bigger group of them in the wild since that first 8 months long trip around the world. Here there are all I could wish for.

We did a night hike for the nuctornal animals. Met capibaras, oppssums climbing the trees, and I particularly got fascinated by the cicade that was changing it’s skin, literally by moving out of its own back while sitting vertical on the site on a tree. That and the spider that caught not just one, but two dragon flys.

We drove in the biggest tractor 🚜 with a significant wagon behind it of the likes I’ve never seen. Huge and able to get around the deep mud of the terrain this wet season.

Once crossing the deep water, one of of two piles of bananas were flooded of the wagon into the water. After looking for it in the water and getting back up, a caiman appeared…

We hiked at night to meet nocturnal animals. Opossums climbing the bambus tops. Capibara. A cicada that changed its skin by literally coming out of its own back. A spider 🕷️ who caught two dragon flys while we watched and covered them as lunch boxes one by one. The second likely as we shed light on the web 🕸️

We drove a huge tractor 🚜 with a special wagon behind that could handle the muddy territory. We got totally muddy and had a fun time getting around this amazing nature.
Big gear – I loved it 🤩🤣
When we passed water deeper than 1 m our bananas were flooded of the wagon and after searching the water in wain, a caiman appeared.

We enjoyed pink ibis, owls 🦉 living in a hole in the ground, yellow headed hacks. Herons. Any other song birds imaginable.

White cattle that would be holy in India, and here they are steak 🥩
The cattle and the local cowboys and their dogs to heard them.

We went between estancias of the extended family. Our man had three sons and two daughters. The sons were educated as mechanical engineer, biologists and business administration, the daughters as architect and artist. Very useful for continuing the family business and tradition together. The cousin lived at the estancia we went to during a ride and it had the most amazing garden created by the matriarch, who passed away at 94 a few years ago.
We literally experienced a legions and some lizards in the bushes, and a plant that Larke now have washed the hair in the honey of – honey ginger … impressive effect.

We still have mosquito 🦟 bites all over, but are truly happy.