After years of trying to get into the Macarena region of Colombia this December it was finally possible. The Sierra de La Macarena is a unique formation that  was once part of the Guyana Shield, but lies close to the eastern foothills of the Andes not far from Villavicencio in the Meta Province of Colombia. This unique geographic position means that it is home to a large number of endemic species of plants and animals.

Unfortunately the region is also one of the major fronts of Colombia’s battle against guerilla groups. In 2009 the towns of San Juan de Arama and Macarena have been secured by government troops and I was among the first people to visit some of the spectacular sites of the region. Continue Reading »