Reserva Natural Bojonawi in Puerto Carreño: A Wild Orinoco Reserve

A Reserve Named for the Water Dog

Reserva Natural Bojonawi is far more than a place to stay; it is a living stretch of the Orinoco floodplain in Colombia, dedicated to the wildlife that defines this corner of Vichada. The name itself carries the story. In the Sikuani language, "bojonawi" means "water dog," a poetic way of describing the giant otter, a sleek animal that can grow beyond 2 meters in length and has been recorded swimming at more than 30 km/h. The reserve borrows that name as a quiet tribute to one of the most charismatic creatures of the river.

Where the Reserve Begins

The property sits in Puerto Carreño, capital of the department of Vichada, in eastern Colombia. More specifically, the reserve is positioned between 06° 07′ and 06° 04′ north latitude and 67° 29′ and 67° 32′ west longitude, about 15 kilometers southwest of Puerto Carreño. That placement matters: it places the reserve within the seasonal pulse of theOrinoco, far enough from town to feel like wilderness, close enough to reach in a single outing.

Part of a Larger Conservation Network

Bojonawi is not an island of nature floating alone. It belongs to the network of reserves that form the Orinoco node, and it is also included within the Reserva de la Biosfera El Tuparro, a designation that links local habitat protection to broader regional planning. That membership gives the site a layered identity: a private reserve, a node in a connected network, and a contributor to a recognized biosphere. Researchers working here have studied the morphometry and weight of aquatic turtles and crocodilians during the high-water season, and the records are tied to the Infraestructura Institucional de Datos of the Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt.

Wildlife Recorded on Site

The reserve's waters and wetlands shelter a remarkable cast of reptiles. Field records note five species of turtles, four belonging to the family Podocnemidae and one Chelus orinosensis from the family Chelidae, alongside two crocodilian species from the family Alligatoridae, Caiman crocodilus and Paleosuchus palpebrosus. For visitors who think of the Orinoco as primarily a birding or dolphin-watching destination, that reptile roster reframes the experience: this is a place where caimans glide past the riverbank and ancient-looking turtles surface in oxbow lakes.

Practical Considerations

The reserve is a working natural area, not a conventional urban hotel, and a few practical details are worth knowing before planning a visit. Some online entries show member-submitted ratings under headings such as value for money, service, and originality, framed as the subjective opinions of members rather than the opinion of the host platform; these views can change over time, and mutable details such as access conditions may shift with the seasons. The address is recorded as Reserva Natural Bojonawi, Puerto Carreño, Vichada, Colombia, which can be combined with the mapped coordinates to plan the journey south of town.