Venezuela offers all the highlights of the subcontinent: tropical marshlands in the Orinoco Delta, the Llanos - the vast savannahs, home to numerous cattle farms, rainforests and the Andes.

Up to 4765 m you can take a cable car up to the Pico Bolivar near Mérida, discover the primitive peoples of Orinoco by canoe and visit the Canaima National Park as the absolute highlight of any Venezuela trip. Here the Salto Angel, with 979 m the highest free-falling waterfall on earth, plunges from the Auyan Tepui, the most famous table mountain of the region, into the depth.

Contrast program: Snorkeling and diving on the Los Roques islands in the Caribbean Sea or Sandbuggy drive in the national park Medanos de Coro with up to 40 m high sand dunes. Friends of flora and fauna will find their highlights in the Henri Pittier National Park, which boasts a wealth of species.

 

TRAVEL TIPS

Culture:

Caracas Centro and Coro (both UNESCO World Heritage Sites), Cumaná , Ciudad Bolivar, Merida

Nature:

Canaima National Park in Gran Sabana (UNESCO World Heritage), Orinoco Delta, Los Llanos and Los Roques

Sports:

Trekking, Mountaineering, Diving, Rafting

Festivals:

Devil dancer in San Francisco de Are to Corpus Christi

Reading:

Conan Doyle "Lost World".

Tip:

Orinoco boat tour through the labyrinth of 300 small islands of the river. Playing children on the banks, women washing clothes and fishermen are the main characters. A fascinating experience are the Maquiritare and Piaroa living here, which have retained their old customs and traditions as far as possible.

DATES AND FACTS

Country and people:

On a land area of 916 thousand square kilometres live 31 million inhabitants, approx. 78 % mixed population, approx. 17 % European, approx. 4 % African, 1.5 % Indian descent. Capital is Caracas with 5.5 million inhabitants, the 5,007 m high Pico Bolívar is the highest mountain of the country.

Politics and history:

Venezuela has been a presidential democracy since 1961. Columbus sailed 1498 to the Isla de Margarita, in 1821 Simón Bolívar from Caracas fought for independence from the viceroyalty Nueva Granada.

Economy:

Oil, tourism.

Entry:

Passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the duration of the stay for stays of up to 60 days.

Vaccination:

None required.

Climate and travel time:

The Caribbean coast is tropical hot all year round (about 28 °C, in Caracas about 25 °C), warmer in the rainy season (torrential rains) from May to October. In the Andes large temperature fluctuations (during the day 20 - 30 °C, at night temperatures around 0 °C).

Local time

CET - 5 hours, CEST - 6 hours