"Villavicencio: the undiscovered pearl of Colombia" Villavicencio by Forze

Colombia is getting more and more popular by foreign tourists, since the danger of the guerilla and paramilitaries has decreased a lot. And yet Villavicencio is still rather undiscovered. A shame for sure!
Before the road from Bogotá to Villavicencio took about 10 hours, but due to a brand new tunnel it only takes 2 hours to get there by now. The road to Villavicencio can be quite adventurous however. At the beginning of national holidays ('puentes') the lane towards Bogotá is closed and cars, busses and trucks race downhill to reach their destiny just under two hours. Just hoping (and probably praying) at every corner that no single individual has forgotten that it is one-way traffic that day! At the end of the puentes the lane towards Villavicencio is closed so everyone can go uphill again 3 or 4 cars wide. Just pay attention to the trucks and busses because they will not pay attention to you!
The Llanos is the green heart of Colombia. A nice warm climate with a very fertile ground makes it excellent for all Colombian cattle to graze here at these grounds. Probably all steaks you eat in Colombia come from the bulls and from los Llanos.
Los Llanos, and Villavicencio in particular, has a very nice ambience. It feels like cowboy country and many activities involve bulls and horses: horseback riding, rodeo, catching bulls, working the fields. Also there are other activities like rafting, parapente and ecological walks. There are several natural parks where you can enjoy the untamed nature.
But what all ‘Bogotanos’, and other tourists, will remember from their vacation in los Llanos is the meat. Food here is all about meat and it is very good indeed. The Mamona or Ternera a la llanera is excellent meet grilled at a fire place.