Villavicencio (Meta) is one of the most important cities in Colombia, not only for its tourist attractions but also for the warmth of its people and its rich cuisine. It is undoubtedly one of the best tourist destinations to travel to.
About land transportation: In Villavicencio (Meta), you can move around the city without much hassle as you will find a plethora of modes of transportation such as taxis, buses, trains, shared taxis, and even motorcycle taxis (3-wheeler motorcycles that run short distances in some parts of the city).
Information About Villavicencio
Department
Altitude
Weather
Meta
467 m.a.s.l
Tropical, humid, and warm
Villavicencio Facts
Anniversary
Best time to visit
Main destinations from Villavicencio
April 6th
December, January, and February
Bogota, Yopal, Paratebueno
About Villavicencio
Villavicencio, capital of the Meta Department, its a colombian municipality from which most of the economic activity of the country begins. It's a mining city, with a lot of farming and ranching as well as inter-regional commerce.During the pre-colombian times, the area was populared by guayupe natives which focused in fishing, trade and farming until the arrival of the spaniards between 1536 and 1537. The oldest records of the foundation of the city are from 1842, although the information isn't entirely accurate since a fire in 1890 destroyed archives with valuable information. What can be said for sure is that the city is named Villavicencio since 1850. During the XXth century the city grew considerably. Several institutions were founded, and new services arrived to satisfy the needs of its citizens.
Dirección: Carrera 1 # 15-02, Terminal de Transportes
Teléfono: 8-6655501
Flota La Macarena es una de las empresas de transporte terrestre más destacadas del país operando desde 1953 en las modalidades de transporte de pasajeros, encomiendas y mercancías. Desde Villavicencio, puedes viajar a Bogotá y San José del Guaviare.
Dirección: Carrera 1 # 15-05, Terminal de Transportes
Teléfono: 4249090
Expreso Bolivariano es una de las empresas más populares del país, pues ofrece un gran repertorio de rutas. Desde Villavicencio, viajar a la capital es muy sencillo, ya que ofrece salidas diarias.
Dirección: Carrera 1 # 15-05, Terminal de Transportes
Teléfono: 3208352626
Morichal ofrece salidas desde Villavicencio a municipios cercanos como Aguazul, Yopal, El Venado, entre otros.
Most Popular Routes from Villavicencio
● Villavicencio a Bogotá: Es una de las rutas más populares del país. Por ello, distintas empresas de transporte ofrecen salidas diarias hacia la capital, como Flota La Macarena, Transportes Arimena, Expreso Bolivariano, entre otros. El tiempo de viaje es de 3 horas y 30 minutos aproximadamente.
● Villavicencio a Yopal: Este viaje de aproximadamente 10 horas es muy popular entre viajeros, pues Yopal es un destino ideal para hacer turismo. Morichal ofrece salidas a distintas horas del día con precios desde 50000 por tiquete.
● Villavicencio a San José del Guaviare: Puedes llegar a San José del Guaviare desde Villavicencio por tierra, en un viaje de 6 horas aproximadamente. El precio de los tiquetes varía entre 60000 y 70000 pesos.
Villavicencio weather
Best time to visit Villavicencio
The best time to travel to Villavicencio is in December, January and February, since there are less precipitations.
Climate in Villavicencio
Villavicencio presents a tropical climate with an average temperature of 78 °F (25.5 °C) and an annual humidity average of 77%. The rainy season goes from April to November and the precipitations are torrential. The other months there is also rains but in a lower level.
The things to do in Villavicencio
Villavicencio has several tourist attractions that you can't miss: the Monument to Cristo Rey, the biopark los Ocarros, the Agro-ecologic Mercure Park, the Park of Malocas, the Acou...stic Shell, the Birds Museum and the city center (with a lot of business and houses of colonial style) and the Joropo House, where you can enjoy the musical folklore of the plainsmen
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Nightlife in Villavicencio
Los Capachos Discoteca
Location: Km 4 Via Acacias, 473 Hours: 8:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday Price: no available information It has been qualified as the best nightclubs of the city, you can enjoy its large rooms with DJs music of diverse music styles to carry on with rumba until early morning the following day.
El Burgues Pub
Location: crossing point of Calle 26 with Carrera 36A Hours: 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Sunday to Wednesday / 4:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Thursday to Saturday Price: no available information A beautiful and meticulous decoration can be admired in the bar, while you enjoy a frozen beer to hold on the heat of the city. They serve appetizers and varied cocktails made of natural fruits, which are the perfect company to spend a night of great amusement.
Luxor Bar
Location: Cruce de Carrera 39 con Calle 19 Hours: No available information Price: No available information Get the most out of the music of Luxor Bar, contemporary and with several invited artists or DJs from all over the world to have a unique rumba. The offer of the place includes various drinks, delicious appetizers and a pleasant environment.
Mateo Pub
Location: Cruce de Carrera 30A con Diagonal 43 Hours: 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m. Monday to Thursday / 5:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday Price: No available information It's the ideal place for the people who love rock music. Mateo Pub was founded in 1988, the 8/8 (August the 8th) by 8 friends. The bar has all you need to spend the evening with drinks and friends listening to Guns and Roses, Soda Stereo or AC DC; and other rock groups.
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Where to eat in Villavicencio?
La Cofradía Restaurante
Location: Cofradía Mediterránea Calle 15 N. 37i - 10 andCofradía Colonial Calle 33 A Nº 36-98 Barzal
Ranchito Gourmet
Location: Crossing point of Carrera 43b with Calle 27 - El Buque
Asadero La Topochera
Location: Calle 1 # 36A 85
Restaurante Neruda
Location: Calle 46 # 29 - 34
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The tourist places to see in Villavicencio are:
Catedral Nuestra Señora del Carmen
Location: between the Calles 39 and 32, close to the Plaza Los Libertadores Hours: no available information Rate: free entrance This awesome cathedral is located in the downtown of the city. It was planned in 1845 and 3 years later there was a rudimentary construction that was blessed in that moment. The construction that you can admire nowadays was rebuilt in 1894, since the previous was destroyed in the fire of 1890. The inside is quite beautiful and preserved.
Parroquia del Divino Niño
Location: Cruce de Carrera 29 con Calle 37 Hours: no available information Rate: free entrance It's a beautiful parish with large windows of triangular shape with round faces that have a unique style. There is also the image of the Virgin Mary who welcomes the visitor with open arms up of the construction as a divine signal of opening.
Parque de los Fundadores
Location: on the road that goes from Bogota to Villavicencio, in the crossing point with Carretera 40 Hours: all day Rate: free entrance It's the largest park of the city that allows to be in harmony with the nature thanks to the well-maintained gardens. There are several areas called estaciones where you can do a trekking and a central square with the sculpture Los Fundadores of the artist Rodrigo Arenas.
Casa de la Cultura Jorge Eliecer Gaitan
Location: Crossing point between Calle 40 and Carrera 33 Hours: no available information Rate: free entrance Two words to define this place: plain's culture. It was created in 1971 when the government decided to finance a house of culture with the name of Jorge Eliecer Gaitan. However there was no one so the person in charge of it decided to put that name. The house is little, but provides cultural and artistic activities quite appreciated and of quality.
Campo Ecológico Gramalote
Location: On the way to Restrepo, 700m. passing the toll of Puente Amarillo Hours: no available information Rate: Package tours per hours are proposed It's a wonder of nature that allows to contemplate the splendid landscapes that surround the city. You can go across on horseback first through plain lands to carry on through mount bushes while you are surrounded by the sounds of nature that come from monkeys, birds and several species that live in the area.
Bioparque Los Ocarros
Location: Vía Rastrepo km. 3 - In front of the cemetery Cementerio Jardines del Llano Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday to Friday / 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Price: Children from 3 to 11 years old (10000 COP), People of 12 years old and up (13000 COP), Guide included until 25 people (20000 COP). It's a special place that allows to view all the beauty of flora and fauna of the Orinoquia.You can contemplate more that 30 exhibitions in the park that include visits to the artificial islands of the aquarium and the snake's house. You can do trekking across the natural roads, visit the restaurant and enjoy the folcklore shows in the weekends.
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The things to do in Villavicencio
Sail on a water bike
Location: Bioparque los Ocarros You can plow through the lakes inside of the park contemplating the beautiful surroundings of nature, while you are in company of a friend, a travel friend or your partner. Besides going across a beautiful place, you exercise the legs and you have a different view close to the water and in an environment where you will listen the whisperings of the nature.
Rafting por el río Guayuriba
Location: On the road of the old bridge Villavicencio, direction to Acacias Hours: no available information Rate: 70000 COP per person Tire boat, life vest, helmet, oars, and all you need to sail through the Guayuriba river. Admire the landscape while you go across the rapids type I and II, always accompanied by a special instructor to make safer your trip. If you go across the river Ariari you will have rapids of type III.
Rappel
Location: Guayuriba river Hours: no available information Rate: free entrance Descend the sheer slope that the instructor has for you listening to the heavy sound of the nature that surrounds you. People always told you not to look down there while you descend; you can test this popular saying, while feeling tha the floor is slippery due to the water that goes under your feet.
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Typical dishes in Villavicencio
Mamona a la llanera
It's a delicious dish that has several slices of young veal, which are served with green fried banana, potato, manioc and some people serve it with guacamoles sauce. A refreshing pineapple juice is perfect to drink with this food.
Sancocho de gallina criolla
This delicious soup has several tubers and legumes and has hen meat, whose flavor is highlighted if it's a creole hen. Beans, peas, broad beans that accompany the plate.
Cachama asada
A fish that lives in the rivers of the plains. The cachama fish is marinated with lemon juice, chilli pepper, salt and cumin and roasted until it's gold-colored. When you serve it, the dish comes with slices of fried banana, tomato salad, onions, lemon and rice.
Hayacas
This side dish has a rectangular shape and it's made of pork, cow and chicken, marinated with coriander and onion and with dough that wrap it.
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Accomodations in Villavicencio
Enjoy Colombia Joy & Travel
Location: Calle 22 # 37L-34 Teusacá, 223735 55 000 COP A traditional place where you can spend the night. There you can find all the necessary for a traveler that has no problems with sharing amenities as the room, the bathroom and the kitchen. There is a restaurant and free wifi.
Mochileros Hostel Villavicencio
Location: Calle 18 No 39-09 Rate: 40 000 COP It's located at just 0,6 mi (1 km) from the Plaza Los Fundadores. The cheapest rooms have a shared bathroom, the kitchen is also shared and some have TV; the wifi is free and the nearest mall is placed at just 32,8 feet of distance (10 meters).
Important dates in Villavicencio
Festival Llanero de Villavicencio
December
It's a celebration where there are diverse rodeo activities and craft of the cowboy. It includes a festival with story tellers, a gastronomic festival, cavalcades that cheer up the Peruvian and international visitors and make garish shows.
Torneo Internacional del Joropo
June-July
This tourney has more than 60 years of history, it's a cultural plain sample where more than 500 000 people are joined to participate of cavalcades, equaestrian spectacle and as the greatest event the Reinado Internacional de Joropo, a beauty competition where the queen who manages all the celebrations is chosen.
Encuentro Mundial de Coleo
October
Coleo as a sport was born from one of the most common activities of the previous cowboys. Usually the streets were closed to do those spectacles during the patron saint dates in the towns of Orinoquia in the 50s. The sport consists of knocking down a beast while the horseman is riding a horse and holding the tail of the animal.
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FAQs
What is an M-Ticket?
An M-Ticket is the virtual replacement of your bus ticket printout. An M-Ticket is an SMS that’s sent to your registered mobile number the moment you have successfully booked a bus ticket on the official website of redBus. The M-Ticket will basically contain details of your bus ticket such as timing, pick-up and drop-off points, vehicle registration number, PNR, and TIN numbers as well. The M-Ticket procedure has been an eco-friendly initiative employed by redBus to help reduce the amount of paper being used.
Do I need to make an account on the redBus website to book a bus?
No, you do not need to make an account with redBus to book a ticket. But, it is advisable to make an account to help speed up the booking process the next time you need to book a bus ticket. redBus offers a number of discounts and offers as well and you can easily avail these offers if you are registered with redBus.
How do I book my bus ticket at Villavicencio (Meta)?
You can either visit the bus operator counter of your choice or you can visit the official website of redBus. The user-friendly and interactive website offers a step-by-step process of booking a bus ticket in a matter of minutes. The site offers a lot of useful information such as bus timings, fares, pick-up and drop-off points, and much more.
Is it safe to use my debit or credit card to book a ticket on the redBus website?
redBus has invested a lot to ensure that their customers are protected at all times and not just during their journey. redBus hosts a secure platform where transactions can be made safely. With over 180 million satisfied users, history should tell you exactly how secure it is to make a payment through the redBus website or app.
Is there any unique cultural tradition in Villavicencio?
Yes, Villavicencio is known for its rich llanera culture. A notable tradition is Joropo, a typical dance of the region that combines music, dance, and poetry. During festivals and celebrations, you can witness joropo performances and enjoy live music and the skills of the dancers. Additionally, llanera cuisine, with dishes such as sancocho de gallina and mute, is also an important part of Villavicencio's cultural tradition.
What is the best way to explore the Eastern Plains from Villavicencio?
If you want to explore the Eastern Plains from Villavicencio, a recommended option is to join an organized excursion or tour. These tours will allow you to visit cattle ranches, take boat rides on the rivers of the region, observe the native flora and fauna, and enjoy activities such as horseback riding and bird watching. You can also hire local guides for a more authentic and personalized experience.
