Fitness level: Active
Destinations: Caracas, Mérida, Los Llanos, Canaima, Amazonas, Caura River
Duration: 15 days, 14 nights
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Caracas
Meet your tour operators, who will brief you on your trip. Overnight in a hotel near the airport in preparation for your early-morning flight to Mérida. Includes: (D).
Day 2: Caracas – Mérida
Have breakfast with members of Fundación Andígena in Mérida. Check into a charming mountain hotel and relax for the rest of the morning. After lunch, take an excursion to Chorrera Las González Waterfalls (one of Venezuela's 23 natural monuments) set in a beautiful landscape of farmland and pristine forest, and visit Jají, a picturesque village with colonial architecture. On our way back to Mérida, visit a coffee and sugar plantation, and travel along the Chama River Canyon, a fantastic desert ecosystem with cactus plants and eroded valleys. In the evening, stop at the Heladería Coromoto, the ice-cream parlour that even the Guinness Book of Records says has the most flavors in the world! Includes: (B),(L),(D).
Day 3: Mérida – Andes
Take a trip on the Mérida cable car, soaring above spectacular mountain scenery with tropical forested foothills and snowcapped peaks. The cable car, which has five stations, is more than 12 km long, and is almost 5000 m above sea level, is the highest and longest in the world. Have breakfast at the second station, and at every stop take a short walk to see the unique flora and fauna (and birds) of the Cordillera de Mérida.
We’re back in town by midday for lunch at the main market, where you can visit local artisans. After lunch, we start our drive to the high Andes through picturesque villages and countryside. Overnight in a monastery. Includes: (B),(L),(D).
Day 4: Mérida – Andes
Very early in the morning take an excursion to San Isidro Trail. See one of the most beautiful birds in the World and the first of our top ten stars: the Andean cock-of-the Rock in full display. Picnic breakfast and spend the rest of the morning birding around the area. Besides many butterflies some other bird species are: Red-headed Barbet, Yellow-billed Toucanet, Booted Raquet-tailed, Long-tailed Sylph, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Crested and Golden-headed Quetzals, Collared Trogon, Bay-headed, Saffron-headed, Golden, Speckled and Orange-eared Tanagers, Subtropical Cacique, Cliff Flycatcher, Golden-winged Manakin, Inca jay, Red-billed Parrot, Black and chestnut Eagle among several others.
Midday lunch on the road and back to Santo Domingo river to look for the amazing Torrent Duck, another Andean specialty with an extreme adaptation to live in fast flowing mountain rivers. Return to the monastery. Includes: (B),(L),(D).
Day 5: Andes – Los Llanos
Breakfast, check-out and beginning the spectacular trip to descend the Andes Mountains to the lowlands. Breakfast and lunch on the road. Afternoon excursion to San Vicente (a small fishing village on the banks of the Apure River). Boat trip in search of the amazing wildlife of the Llanos region that includes so many Green Iguanas, Hoatzins, Kingfishers, Herons, Birds of prey, and three of the most wanted animal species of South America: Green Anaconda, Pink River Dolphin and the Red-bellied Piranha (three of our top ten starspecies). We continue our boat trip till sunset for a night safari. Cool box with ice and drinks is included. Accommodation in a Hotel in the near town of Bruzual. Includes: (B),(L),(D).
Day 6: Los Llanos
Early excursion-safari (before dawn) to the nearby savannas in search of another intriguing and fantastic creature: the Giant Anteater (one of our star animal species in this trip), continuing our safari with the amazing wildlife along the road that include a good chance to see Giant River Otters, also fabulous numbers of birds specially in the dry season. Check-in before midday at the famous Hato El Cedral, (a huge cowboy ranch with 80,000 hectares completely packed with wildlife) in this place we can see so many Capybaras, Scarlet Ibises, countless Spectacled Caymans and of course the rare and endangered Orinoco Crocodile (three more in our list of top ten animal species). El Cedral is renowned for having a realistic opportunity to see the elusive jaguar. Afternoon safari by boat where we can see great numbers of birds. Back to the Ranch. Includes: (B),(L),(D).
Day 7: Los Llanos
After breakfast, go on a safari in an open truck for the rest of the morning and boat trip in the afternoon with a midday break for lunch at the camp. Some of the birds species to be seen are: Black-bellied and White-faced Whistling Ducks (thousands!), Fulvous Whistling Duck, Muscovy Duck, Brazilian Teal, Orinoco Goose, Jabirú, Maguari and Wood Storks, 7 Ibises including Buff-necked, Glossy and Sharp-tailed, more than 10 herons including Cocoi, the splendid Agami Heron and Capped Heron, more than 20 raptors including Crested Caracara, Savanna Hawk, Black-collared Hawk, Laughing Hawk, White-tailed Hawk, Aplomado Falcon, Great-black Hawk, Osprey and many others, 5 Kingfishers, Flycatchers, Parrots including Scarlet Macaws, and many migratory ones. Back to the Lodge. Includes: (B),(L),(D).
Day 8: Los Llanos
After breakfast, spend the full day on the ranch looking for Red-capped Cardinal, Troupial (Venezuela's national bird), Yellow-crowned Parrot, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Black-crested Antshrike, Great Kiskadee, Vermillion Flycatcher, Lineated, Crimson Crested, Spot-breasted and Red-crowned Woodpeckers, Yellow-knobbed Curassow, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Russet-throated Puffbird, Glittering-throated Hummingbird, Burrowing Owl, Band-tailed, Pauraque and Nacunda Nighthawks, Brown-throated Parakeet, Yellow-crowned Parrot, Pale-vented Pigeon, Scaled Dove, Large-billed and Yellow-billed terns, Black Skimmer, Sunbittern, Wattled Jacana, Grey-necked Woodrail, Pied Plover and Southern lapwing, Horned Screamer and much more. Includes: (B),(L),(D).
Day 9: Los Llanos – Orinoco
Early check-out and beginning our tour to the Amazonian territory at the South of the country. Today we have a long day by car approx. 8 hrs. with breakfast and lunch on the road. Spectacular scenery that includes the fascinating transition of two different ecosystems: the Llanos and the Orinoco rainforest at the entrance of the Amazon State. Accommodation in a Lodge on the banks of the mighty Orinoco River. Swimming at the river is recommended (do not miss the sunset!). Includes: (B),(L),(D).
Day 10: Orinoco
Breakfast and morning walk for birding, look for: Violaceus Euphonia, Moriche Oriole, Olive Oropendola, Turquoise Tanager, Guianan Cock-of-the-rock, White-browed Purpletuft, Yellow-crested Manakin, Great Antshrike, Red-necked Woodpecker, Channel-billed and White-throated Toucans, Ivory-billed, Black-necked and Green Aracaries, Black-tailed Trogon among Parrots, Raptors, Flycatchers and several others. Lunch at the Camp. Boat trip in the Orinoco River in the afternoon. Other wildlife: Red-howler, Capuchin, and Spider Monkeys. Return to the Camp. Includes: (B),(L),(D).
Day 11: Orinoco – Caura River
Early check-out and beginning our tour to the east of the country in search of Caura River (the second biggest in the country). Breakfast on the way. Accommodation at 2:00 p.m. in a Lodge in the lower Caura River. Check-in and lunch / Extraordinary landscape on the way with spectacular rock formations that belongs to the Guianan Shield (the oldest portions of land on Earth). Relax the rest of the evening or birding walk at the surroundings. Includes: (B),(L),(D).
Day 12: Rio Caura – Canaima National Park
Check-out and early transfer to Ciudad Bolívar Airport (2 hrs approx.). Breakfast on the way. Check-in at the airport to take the flight to Canaima National Park. Midday briefing and lunch at the famous Canaima Lagoon with the magnificent Hacha Falls in front. Afternoon excursion to El Sapo Falls and continuing our tour by boat along Carrao River to stay overnight near the famous Auyantepuy Mount. Accommodation in hammocks with mosquito nets in a jungle camp. Barbecue dinner. Includes: (B),(L),(D).
Day 13: Canaima National Park
Breakfast at the camp and continuing our trip by boat through Carrao River and Churún River bordering the East wall of the fantastic Auyantepuy Mount till the Devil's Canyon. Before midday we will see the incredible Angel Falls (the World's tallest waterfalls, with almost one kilometer tall!) discovered by the American pilot Jimmy Angel and named after him in the first half of the 19th century. Absolutely one of the World's most spectacular landscapes. Lunch and one hour walk to the base of the falls to the view point. Return to the camp. Includes: (B),(L),(D).
Day 14: Canaima National Park – Ciudad Bolivar
Breakfast and tour back to Canaima base camp. Midday flight to Ciudad Bolivar. Lunch in the City. Accommodation in a Hotel. 3:00 p.m. visit to the downtown for shopping, laundry, banking, internet or others. Back to the hotel. Includes: (B),(L),(D).
Day 15: Ciudad Bolivar – Caracas
Breakfast at the Hotel. Morning relax at the Hotel swimming-pool. Check out before midday and transfer to the airport for the Ciudad Bolivar-Caracas flight. Transfer to the International Airport and check-in for the evening International Flight back home. Lunch at the Airport. Includes: (B),(L).
Total meals:
- B= 14,
- L= 14,
- D= 14.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Welcome drink
- Airport transfer and assistance
- All domestic transportation as indicated (flights and private vehicles with professional drivers)
- Accommodation in first-class posadas
- Professional, bilingual naturalist tour guides
- All meals
- Drinks (soft drinks, mineral water and local beer)
- Daily guided excursions
- Permits and national park fees
- Piranha fishing (optional)
- Boat trips
- Night trips
- Horseback riding in the Andes (optional)
- T-shirt
- Hotel taxes.
Price Excludes:
- Charges for optional excursions
- Personal expenses
- Tips for local staff
- Airport taxes
- National park fees
- Alcoholic drinks (except beer).
- CD with pictures of the trip (available for approximately US$15)
Best season for this program: All year round. Note, however, that the wet season is very different from the dry season in Los Llanos; the dry season is best for wildlife watching.
Also see tour packages in:
South America
Venezuela
Nature & Wildlife
Wildlife Viewing
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