Villavicencio

The road from Bogota drops around two thousand metres in a couple of hours through cloud forest and comes out on the plain - Villavicencio sits at the foot of that descent, at around five hundred metres, where the eastern cordillera ends and the Llanos run flat to the Orinoco. It is the capital of cattle country and of llanero culture: the joropo, danced fast with heels striking the floor, played on harp, cuatro and maracas; the coleo, in which riders bring down a running steer by its tail, held in a manga rather than a ring; and mamona, beef cooked upright on stakes around a fire for hours. The Torneo Internacional del Joropo is held here each summer. The city itself is hot, busy and commercial.

The main sights

• Where the Andes stop - the plain beginning at the foot of the descent.
• Joropo on harp, cuatro and maracas - danced with striking heels.
• Coleo and mamona - the cattle culture's sport and its cooking.
• An international joropo tournament - held annually.

When to go

December to March, the dry season on the plains. A full day.

What to expect

It is hot and humid. The city is commercial rather than picturesque - the culture is in events and the surrounding ranches. The road from Bogota has heavy traffic and landslide closures. Coleo involves handling of cattle that some visitors will object to.

Nearby

The Llanos run east; Bogota is up the mountain west.