COMPLETE FILE

Overview

Customized trip to Venezuela

A unique adventure in an exceptional setting: the Orinoco delta, the world’s second-largest estuary, with 25000 km2 of rivers, mangroves, and virgin forests. This gigantic aquatic labyrinth is home to the Warao, the indigenous “boat people” who live in houses built on stilts. This unique ecosystem is the perfect place for many exotic animal and plant species to thrive. Your private guide will be more than happy to show you the secrets and treasures hidden in this immense delta as you explore its depths aboard a motorized pirogue. On this customized trip to Venezuela, you’ll learn all about the Warao way of life as you visit authentic camps right in the heart of this untamed natural world. Guaranteed change of scenery! There’s more: how about heading to the Canaima region, where you discover the majestic tepuy, these tabletop mountains typical of the Venezuelan landscape that rise from the forest and the savanna. On top of that, this customized trip to Venezuela will take you to Salto Angel, the world’s tallest waterfall. Canyons, caves, and natural pools will charm you with their untamed beauty every step of the way. This rip-roaring adventure in wild Venezuela is a unique opportunity to experience exotic thrills in luxuriant natural settings!

Contact Uniktour’s Venezuela expert today for more information on this customized trip to Venezuela!

Itinerary

Day 1| Departure from Canada – Arrival in Caracas
Our English-speaking guide will meet you at the international airport and hand you your travel documentation. Transfer to your hotel and settle into your room. Dinner at own expense. Overnight at hotel.

Day 2| Caracas - Canaima
Airport transfer. Breakfast at own expense at the airport. Flight from Caracas to Puerto Ordaz (1h). Flight from Puerto Ordaz to Canaima (1h). This beautiful flight will fly you over savanna, forests, and tepuy in Canaima National Park. Transfer to your camp where you settle into your quarters. Lunch. In the afternoon, a short walk through the forest and savanna will take you to Salto Sapo. A cave hidden behind the waterfall allows you to walk the length of the falls between the rock and the powerful wall of water. Wet thrills, guaranteed! From the top of the falls, gaze at the immensity of the savanna and the beauty of the tepuy, these immense tabletop mountains that look like they were sculpted by giants. Return to your camp late in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight.
Note: This excursion can be replaced by a passage behind Salto Hacha waterfalls in the dry season, between December and May.

Day 3| Excursions in Canaima
Enjoy breakfast next to Canaima lagoon. Possible excursions:
Excursion to Salto Angel (from June to January):
Early morning departure. Climb aboard a curiara (motorized pirogue) and cruise up the Rio Carrao and the Rio Churrun, surrounded by the fabulous savanna and jungle of Canaima National Park (approx. 4h). A short walk (approx. 30min) will take you around the Mayupa rapids. In the background stands Auyan Tepuy, the largest tepuy in Canaima National Park. A one-hour hike through the forest will take you to a superb promontory that offers spectacular views of Salto Angel, the world’s highest waterfall at 979m. Weather permitting, you can hike down to the foot of the Salto to enjoy a refreshing dip in the natural pools. Enjoy lunch next to the river before going back down the river to Canaima. Arrive at your camp at the end of the day.

Excursion to Kavak Canyon (extra 30$ /pers.):
Climb aboard a small airplane for a flight to the Indian village of Kavak (45 min), flying past the breathtaking scenery of Canaima National Park and famous Salto Angel, the world’s highest waterfall. Once in Kavak, a short hike through the savanna takes you to the surprising Kavak caves. Get in the water to enter the cave and swim around at the foot of the falls at the other end. A surprising power lives here. Lunch in the Indian village of Kavak and return flight to Canaima in the afternoon.

Long excursion (2D-1N) to Salto Angel (possible from June to January):
Climb aboard a curiara (motorized pirogue) and cruise up the Rio Carrao and the Rio Churrun, surrounded by the fabulous savanna and jungle of Canaima National Park (approx. 4h). A short walk (approx. 30min) will take you around the Mayupa rapids. In the background stands Auyan Tepuy, the largest tepuy in Canaima National Park. Arrive at Raton Island and climb through the forest to Laime belvedere (approx. 1h), an enormous boulder from which you get great views of Salto Angel, the world’s highest waterfall, at 979m. Weather permitting, a short hike will take you to a natural pool for a refreshing dip at the foot of Salto Angel. Head back down to Raton Island to cross the river and reach your campsite. Settle into this rustic campsite for the night. Dinner and overnight at the campsite (sleeping in a hammock equipped with a mosquito net).

Day 4| Canaima – Ciudad Bolivar
Breakfast at the campsite. Free morning for you to enjoy the lagoon and Canaima village. Head back down the river if you slept facing Salto Angel. Dinner at own expense in Canaima. Flight from Canaima to Ciudad Bolivar (1h). Transfer to Posada Angostura where you settle in for the night. Dinner and overnight in the posada.

Day 5| Orinoco Delta
Breakfast. Transfer to the Orinoco delta (3h) on the shores of the Orinoco. Climb aboard a motorized pirogue for a cruise on this majestic river. Its secrets will gradually reveal themselves as you progress further down one of its arms. Arrive at the campsite on the shores of the river around midday. Settle in and enjoy some lunch. In the afternoon, a motorized pirogue will take you snaking around the channels of the delta, whose shores are covered in mangroves and moriche palms. Your guide will be happy to explain the many uses of these trees for the area’s indigenous peoples. Explore some Warao communities and learn about their crafts. Enjoy a lovely sunset over the forest from the pirogue before returning to the campsite. Splendid nature show… Dinner and overnight at the campsite.

Day 6| Orinoco Delta
Breakfast, followed by an excursion into the jungle. Accompanied by your guide, you’ll discover the fantastic natural laboratory that is this tropical forest, learning about some of the native plants and their many uses for the area’s indigenous peoples. Lunch. A motorized pirogue will take you to one of the arms of the river where Piranhas abound, so your guide can teach you how to fish these. Return to the campsite at the end of the day. Dinner and overnight at the campsite.

Day 7| Orinoco Delta – Playa Colorada
Breakfast. Motorized pirogue transfer to the pier. Vehicle transfer (with a/c) to Playa Colorada (4-5h). Lunch at own expense on the road. Arrival in Carmencita posada, close to Playa Colorada, sometime in the afternoon. Settle in. Dinner and overnight at the posada.

Days 8 and 9| Playa Colorada
Breakfast at the posada. Day of leisure where you are free to relax at the posada or enjoy the nearby beach (10 minute walk) at Playa Colorada. Lunch at own expense. Dinner and overnight at the posada.

It is possible to organize and excursion into Mochima National Park (optional):
A day spent on the beach on Arapo Island (optional; available on location):
Board a penero (a local motorized fishing boat) towards Arapo Island. Get settled on the beach with a parasol, long chair, and a cooler filled with cold drinks for the day. Lunch on the beach. Return to the posada late in the afternoon.

Sample full-day excursion into Mochima National Park (optional; available on location)
Morning departure for the fishing village of Mochima, where you head off for a lovely day of navigating in Mochima National Park. Explore the park’s islands and peninsulas and observe the wide variety of marine birds nesting on the cliffs. Dolphins might come over to keep you company, playfully following your boat around. Lunch on the beach. Return to the posada in the afternoon. Overnight at the posada.

Day 10| Playa Colorada - Caracas - Return
Breakfast. Vehicle transfer (with a/c) to Barcelona. Flight from Barcelona to Caracas. Lunch at own expense. International return flight (not included).

Budget

**Rates published on this website are for information purposes only and are not legally binding (since departure dates are not given). Prices on this website are known to fluctuate frequently in relation to changes in currencies and hotel pricing. In order to obtain a definite quote, please click here.

Other fees

Lodging

Alternative itinerary: you can opt to end this program in Los Roques. From Day 1 to Day 6 you follow the above itinerary, and then replace Day 7 above with the following:

Day 7| Orinoco Delta – Maturin – Los Roques
Breakfast. Transfer aboard a motorized pirogue to the pier. Vehicle transfer (with a/c) to Maturin. Flight from Maturin to Caracas. Flight from Caracas to Los Roques. Walk for five minutes on the sandy streets of the fishing village of Gran Roque and settle into your posada. Dinner and overnight in the posada.

Days 8 and 9| Los Roques
Breakfast. Hop aboard a lancha (a local motorized fishing boat) and cruise to the neighboring islands for a day spent on the beach, with a parasol, long chair, and a cooler filled with cold drinks for the day and a picnic. Return to the posada late in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight at the posada.

Day 10| Los Roques - Caracas
Breakfast. In the morning take a flight from Los Roques to Caracas. You must then organize your transfer to the international terminal. Lunch at own expense at the airport. International return flight.

Overview

Venezuela is a country of South America sharing borders with Guyana to the east, Colombia to the west, Brazil to the south and the Caribbean Sea on its coastline. The explorer Amerigo Vespucci, encountering indigenous people settled in stilt houses had a reminiscence of the Italian city of Venice, and therefore, named the place -Venezola-. The territory of Venezuela is of 916,000 sq km, and its population was of 28 million in 2009. The capital, Caracas, is the largest city with 2 million people.

Geography

Venezuela has a variety of landscapes. The furthest northeastern slopes of the Andes - where Pico Bolívar, highest point of the country, rises at 4,979 m - bite into the northwest and line along the pristine Caribbean coast, a highly touristy area where the most beautiful beaches are located, as well as on the off shore Islands dependencies : Los Roques, La Tortuga Island, Isla Margarita and La Orchila are hot spots for visitors and city dwellers escaping their homes for the week-end. The llanos, low plains, used for agriculture as well as cattle breeding, spread over from the Colombian border to the Orinoco Delta in the east.

Culture

The three-century long Spanish hegemony that ended up around 1823 thanks to national hero Simon Bolivar left a vast legacy; language, significant artistic heritage that can be found in the major cities of the country, and obviously the catholic religion, very present in daily life.
The Amazonian regions, efficiently protected with the creation of natural parks, still are a natural untroubled paradise for the indigenous people who are totally devoted to nature and animist worships. The cultural life in Venezuela can be symbolized by its deep traditions and the calendar of celebrations running year-round. Among the events that can't be ignored, the Carnival is a national major celebration taking place over a week before Lent. Also, the Corpus Christi (early June) on the seashore and at the south of Caracas is unmistakably one of the most colourful days of the year; golden-plated costume parades, horned, grinning masks and devil dance (the emblematic Diablos Danzante). In Merida, in the Andine region, the Fiesta del Sol before Ash Wednesday brings out a tremendous energy in the streets with concerts, folk showcases, and bull fights. Finally, the tourist amenities that have developed over the 1970's during the oil economic boost emphasized the beautiful beaches and provide a variety of hikings and excursions to encounter the wildlife.

Climate

Though Venezuela is entirely located in the tropics, its climate varies from humid plains, where average annual temperatures range as high as 28 °C, to highlands and mountainous regions with an average temperature of 8 °C. Most of the rain falls between June and October (so-called winter); and the dry season takes over from December to April.
The country undergoes distinct horizontal temperature areas based firstly on elevation, having tropical, dry, temperate-like and cold climates. In the tropical zone, temperatures are hot, with yearly averages of 27°C. The temperate zone ranges averages from 12°C to 25°C depending on the season; and the largest Venezuela's cities, including Caracas, lie in this region. Colder conditions with temperatures around 10°C are found especially in the western Venezuelan Andes. Depending on what kind of trip you plan to Venezuela, the dry season can sound like a better option to enjoy the white sand beaches or a hiking in the Andes, however the rain season is the perfect time to look up to the well-known impressive waterfalls in Canaima, like Salto Angel.