The Orinoquía is the "Wild East" of Colombia. Endless plains — Los Llanos — are dotted with livestock, cowboys on horseback pioneering the landscape, and the roadless landscapes go uninterrupted save by some of Colombia's great meandering rivers. Beyond the region's hub Villavicencio, with its pretty farm hacienda weekend rentals and cow roasts, rare is even the domestic tourist who experiences this vast, unspoiled region.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
The most amazing sight in El Meta, and really one of the most amazing sights in all South America, is Caño Cristales, a.k.a. the River of seven colors, a.k.a the most beautiful river in the world. In the period of the year between the rainy and dry seasons, the algae of this always beautiful river turn bright red, leading to an explosion of colors. The hikes in take you right up the river, which you will cross many times. It's way off the beaten path, and most travelers remain pretty wary of traveling in the FARC-heavy region around La Macarena, but it's probably safe to visit just this one place, flying into La Macarena and finding a guide there, or setting up a tour from Bogotá.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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