Discover Colombian cowboy culture
Get to know the lifestyle of the cowboys of Los Llanos – the llaneros – their skills working with livestock, their joropo music and dance.
Llaneros are the traditional herdsmen, or cowboys, who roam the plains of Los Llanos, the savannahs and wetlands extending from eastern Colombia over the border into Venezuela. This is a sparsely populated area of huge ranches –originally set up by Jesuit colonists – devoted to cattle rearing. Just a little over a million people live here in both countries combined. Owing to the remoteness and isolation of this area, and various political upheavals which only served further to distance Los Llanos from development in the rest of the country, the distinctive culture of the llaneros has been preserved.
On a stay at one of the hatos which nowadays welcome visitors you can observe the llanero lifestyle in action – watch these proud cowboys tame horses, round up zebu cattle, and relax to the strains of their own creole musical style, joropo – played on a harp or guitar. The music frequently accompanies associated joropo dance, a variation on the waltz.
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Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
Rosie embarked on a year-long backpacking trip across Latin America. She is excited to share her knowledge and experiences with others.
Finn discovered his passion for travel on an extensive 18-month trip to Latin America, experiencing the vibrant Carnaval in Rio, the end-of-the-world city of Ushuaia, trekking the Andes and volunteering on the Galápagos Islands.
Maggie visited Latin America on her first backpacking trip when she was 19. Since then, she has taken every opportunity to travel, and has managed to explore a lot of the region in subsequent trips.
Gary discovered what he had been missing with his first foray into the wilds of Latin America. In his role as Product Manager, he combines this personal obsession with years of industry experience to help ensure that travellers will fall for the region every bit as much as he has.
