· City tour through the Venezuelan capital Caracas

· Visit the Colonial town of Mérida in the Andes

· Animal safari in the lowlands of Los Llanos

· Flight in a bush plane over the world’s highest waterfall – the Salto Angel

· Stay in jungle camps

· Exploration of the Kavac Canyon and Bathing under giant waterfalls

· Relaxation at the beaches of Playa de Uva

 

 

Day 1 – Arrival at Caracas
Welcome to the bustling capital of Venezuela! After your arrival at the airport, you are taken to your Hotel Ole Caribe *** by your English speaking tour guide. Here you may recover from the long flight. (-/-/-)

 

Day 2 – City Tour Caracas & Transfer to San Felipe & Barquisimeto
After breakfast, you start your city tour through Caracas. Besides the Plaza Bolivar, the Cathedral, and the National Congress, you also visit the Birth House of Simon Bolivar. Afterwards you head on to San Felipe where you visit the botanical garden “La Misión”. Then you continue driving to Barquisimeto. Here you spend the night in the Posada La Segoviana ***. (B/-/-)

 

Day 3 – Transfer to Timotes
Today you head to Timotes. On your way you will make several stops and you can take pictures of the beautiful countryside. Furthermore you visit a zoo on your way to Timotes. Once you arrive at your final destination you spend the night at the Hotel La Trucha ***. (B/-/-)

 

Day 4 –Transfer to Mérida
This morning you continue your journey to Mérida.  On this trip you stop at a Condor station. You will be impressed by these beautiful birds. In Mérida you stay at the Posada Casa Sol ***. (B/-/-)

 

Day 5 – City Tour Mérida
After breakfast, you start your city tour through Mérida. Mérida is known as the most beautiful city of the Andes and also called „The roof of Venezuela“. The city was founded in 1558 and lies on a flat terrace and stretches between two rivers. The university, which is the second oldest of the country, gives the city its cultural and artistic flair. Your first stop is the Chorros de Milla Park. Due to its great waterfalls and the variety of flora and fauna it is one of the most popular parks of the city. The colonial center is located in the north of the city. You visit the picturesque Plaza Bolívar, the cathedral, government buildings and facilities of the university. Discover the famous and colorful market halls of Mérida while strolling around. Your next destination is one of the delicious highlights of your journey: the ice cream parlor Coromoto offers more than 1,000 different flavors and made it into the Guinness Book of Records. The flavors range from shrimp cocktail to the legendary rum & raisins. The afternoon you can spend on your own. For example, you can go canyoning or paragliding or you can visit the Andean town Jají. Tonight you stay again at the Posada Casa Sol ***. (B/-/-)

Please note that the world´s highest and longest cable car to Pico Espejo (4.765 m) in Mérida is closed until 2012 as it is being renovated.

 

Day 6 – Laguna Mucubaji & Negra – Santo Domingo
On the road to Santo Domingo, you find the ancient glacier Laguna Mucubaji with its amazing scenery. Here you start a hike to Laguna Negra (approx. 1.5h) with your English speaking tour guide. The Hotel Los Frailes *** in Santo Domingo will be your accommodation for tonight. (B/-/-)

 

Day 7 – Los Llanos – Hato el Cedral
In the morning you start your trip with your English speaking tour guide to the Camp Hato El Cedral *** in Los Llanos, a lush of natural paradise (travel time: approx. 7 hrs). The lowlands of Los Llanos are spread over more than one third of Venezuela, from the western Andes to the mesa regions in the south east. After a quick lunch in the camp, you go on your first jeep excursion to observe the huge variety of animals in their natural habitat, including turtles, caimans, lizards and snakes as well as monkeys, jaguars, deer, armadillos and capybaras. In the rivers of Los Llanos you get the chance to see electric eels and the notorious piranhas. Especially birdwatchers will enjoy themselves observing ducks, spoonbills, ibises, hoatzins, falcons, vultures, egrets and jabirus (the world´s biggest stork). To preserve alligators and capybaras from extinction, the Hato el Cedral farm has specialized on breeding these animals, which are still hunted by locals. After the excursion you have dinner in camp Hato El Cedral *** where you also spend the following nights. (B/L/D)

 

Day 8 – Los Llanos
Today you get to know the unique fauna of Los Llanos during two half day tours with your English speaking tour guide. You discover Rio Matiyure by boat and get the chance to fish for piranhas. You also delve into the exciting depths of the lowlands by jeep. During the day you can spot capybaras, babas, caimans, iguanas, turtles, monkeys, anacondas, anteaters, yangtze dolphins and a great diversity of more than 300 types of birds. Tonight you spend in the same camp as the night before. (B/L/D)

 

Day 9 – Los Llanos
On your last day at Los Llanos you will again enjoy the beautiful and unique flora and fauna. By boat and by jeep you go on different excursions to observe this natural paradise. Tonight will be your last night in the camp Hato El Cedral *** (B/L/D).

 

Day 10 – Los Llanos – Ciudad Bolivar
From Hato El Cedral you go to Barinas and fly via Caracas to Ciudad Bolivar. Of course, you are always accompanied by your English speaking tour guide. You spend the night in the Posada Casa Grande *** in Ciudad Bolivar. (B/-/-)

 

Day 11 – Flight over the "Angel Fall (Salto Angel)" – Cerro Túmun - Canaima National Park
Early in the morning, you head to the airport. Your flight in a bush plane lasts some 90 minutes, crossing the Gran Sabana, raging torrents and colorful Indian villages until finally the first table mountain appears on the horizon. Tension mounts! Your pilot checks the weather, hoping you will be lucky today. Then the plane leaves the clouds and all of a sudden you can see it, just below you: Salto Angel, the highest waterfall on earth! You take a quick shot with your camera and dive again into the clouds. Landing on the small sandy runway of the mission station of Kamarata is one of the most exciting moments of today! Afterwards you head to Cerro Tumún which is a mountain right in front of the Auyan Tepui. Once you walk up there, you enjoy a wonderful panoramic view.  On your way you also visit some mines of gold and diamonds. Tonight you spend in hammocks in the Camp Tumún. (B/BL/D)

 

Day 12 - Kamarata - Canaima National Park
After breakfast you go on an excursion digging for gold and diamonds. Furthermore, you go on a short walk to a view point to enjoy this amazing scenery. This night you spend again in hammocks in the Camp Tumún. (B/BL/D)

 

Day 13 – Transfer to Kavac - Canaima National Park
You start the day with a walk down to Kamarata. Here your jeep already awaits you to bring you to Kavac which is a picturesque Indian village on the foot of the Auyan Tepui. On your way you visit the Kavac Cave. In the afternoon you can enjoy a refreshing bath at the waterfall in the cave. Furthermore, you go on a little excursion to the Kavac Canyon. Tonight you spend again in hammocks in a camp in Kavac. (B/BL/D)

 

Day 14 - Canaima National Park
Today you continue your journey to Canaima from Kavac by cessna. Canaima is only reachable by plane or dugout. The Indian village has some 1,200 inhabitants, which makes it the largest village in the 30,000 km² national park. In 1994, UNESCO declared it a World Natural Heritage Site as one of the largest national parks in the world. Tonight you stay at the Camp Morichal. (B/L/D)

 

Day 15 - Canaima National Park – Sapo Fall
After breakfast you start a half day excursion to the beautiful Sapo Fall. Here you can take a bath or just relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery. In the afternoon you have some time to spend on your own. The night you spend again in the same camp as the night before. (B/L/D)

 

Day 16 – Canaima – Flight to Ciudad Bolivar
In the morning you have some free time e.g. for shopping or relaxing at the lagoon. At around 14:00pm you start your trip back to the landing strip and fly back to Ciudad Bolivar. Here you return to the Posada Casa Grande ***, where you will spend the night. (B/-/-)

 

Day 17 – Playa de Uva
Have a great start into your relaxing beach part of your vacation! From Ciudad Bolivar you go to Playa de Uva on the Península de Paría. Enjoy your welcome cocktail on the beach and make yourself comfortable in Posada Playa de Uva ***, before having dinner in the Posada. (B/-/D)

 

Day 18 & 19 - Playa de Uva
Spend the last days of your vacation on the beautiful beach of Playa de Uva. This marvelous Caribbean beach will impress you with its crystal clear turquoise water, but is also surrounded by lush mountain forests. It is a perfect place to relax in hammocks or canvas chairs where you can enjoy the Caribbean flair. Explore the surrounding cocoa plantation, a buffalo farm or go on a boat trip to romantic waterfalls and fishing villages. (B/L/-)

 

Day 20 – Flight Cumana - Caracas
The time has come to say goodbye to this unique pearl of Venezuela. You are taken to the airport of Cumana (approx. 4 hours) and fly back to Caracas. Your English speaking tour guide assists you with the check-in at Caracas airport. (B/-/-)

 

 

Services Included

· English-speaking guide from / to Caracas
· All flights, rides, transfers, excursions, walks as stated in tour description
· Accommodation in 3***-hotels in Caracas, Barquisimeto, Timotes, Mérida, Los Llanos, Ciudad Bolivar and Playa de Uva, 5 nights in simple jungle lodges
· Meals as stated in tour description
· 10kg of free luggage on bush plane flight

 

Not Included

· Tips, personal expenses
· Meals and drinks not listed
· Entrance fees, domestic and international airport and exit taxes, national park fees

 

 

Please note

• Participants must have a valid international health insurance.
• We reserve the right to change the tour program due to force majeure, weather or organizational reasons.