Omereque/ Red-fronted Macaw Reserve
- Cochabamba
- Sights
- Sights of the surroundings
Omereque is a district located in the south of Cochabamba department. In its valley important pre-Columbian cultures were prospering. This region was one of the most populated areas and nowadays an important reservoir for archaelogical finds. It is one of the touristy destinations barely know, but of huge potential and value.
Omereque offers fertil valleys where the river Mizque flows through. This river has its origin in the village of the same name and flows through the province of Campero, further on through the valleys of Santa Cruz till it will join the Rio Grande.
Millions of years ago, the habitants of the valleys of Omereque were painting about cliffs at the river Mizque, huge caimans, human beings, and the moon and the sun. These paintings, painted with carmine, dark red and orange ocher and the fat of animals survived as silent witnesses of the first human habitants of this region.
In the southeast of Omereque, the village of San Carlos, you will find the fortress of "Tunas Mok’o", a place with walls of huge dimension and altitude, constructed of stone bordering the entire ridge of a mountain. At the top of this mountain there a remains of buildings and fundaments.
A few kilometers from Perereta, in the San Carlos area of the Omereque municipality, off of the highway between Saipina and Aiquile, on the banks of the Mizque river, the 50 ha. Red-fronted Macaw Reserve features sunny, dry Andean valley habitat. This is where BirdLife International has identified one of the key places for observing the now-rare Red-fronted macaws (Ara rubrogenys), that are endemic to the high-valleys of the Cochabamba Department, and that are threatened with extinction. With support from Asociación Armonía, three local Quechua communities have become guardians of the Critically Endangered Red-fronted Macaw. In a joint project with three local communities, a cabin has been planned and built to satisfy bird-watchers, a very specific tourist segment, but it can also be an interesting alternative for individual travelers or small groups of tourists who are doing the long crossing between Samaipata and Sucre or Cochabamba. The turn-off from the road, that must be taken is very short, no more than six kilometers, and could be an alternative for stopping and resting overnight in a particularly beautiful area, framed by red-toned mountains, a river with crystalline waters, and the typical vegetation of the dry valleys. It is possible to see an astounding eleven types of parrots and several bird species only found within Bolivia along three distinct hiking trails that cover both valley and high outlooks. The scenery of unique desert-like flora, fauna, provides an unforgettable experience. All proceeds from tourism directly benefit conservation efforts and improve the livelihoods of these local communities.
For information about tours to the Omereque region and the Red-fronted Macaw Reserve, please click here.
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