Up in the high reaches of the southern chain of the Venezuelan Andes lies the village of San Jose. Home to a scant thirty souls and virtually inaccessible to the public, San Jose is a land forgotten by time. People still cook over wood fires, grind cornmeal with stones, and use mules to pull their plows. We base ourselves in an idyllic mountain chalet and dine on trout pulled from the estate’s cool, manicured ponds.
We hike, mountain bike, and ride horses through a variety of ecosystems. Our tour passes through everything from cloud forests and waterfalls to the windswept páramo. Additionally, we pass through sun-parched deserts to see a curious salt lake, said to have been filled with the tears of widows left behind in the conquistadors’ wake. We will also visit sugarcane and coffee plantations. The centuries-old plantations continue to operate in the colonial style, milling their cane and coffee with a grinder powered by beasts of burden. One may choose to finish the adventure with an optional paragliding flight and take the falcons’ route back to the valley floor, all the while basking in the vista of an ancient landscape.
Optional Excursion: The above trip can be modified into an exclusive “Pueblos Del Sur” (Villages of the South) tour, in which a 4WD jeep is the exclusive means of transportation. The trip’s itinerary would integrate additional colonial villages and mesmerizing landscapes, so that one would experience the true culture and landscape of the Southern region of Mérida State-at a relaxed pace. Additionally, exclusive birding tours can be arranged in this region. At the moment this is by far the most popular trip we’re running, and it has received nothing but rave reviews. Here’s our deservedly enthusiastic description!
Your Itinerary:
Day 1: Merida - Jaji - Coffee Museum - San Jose.
We will pick you up at the airport. After we’ve packed up the jeep, we will embark upon a tour boasting exposure to a large variety of ecosystems, beginning at lush, green cloud forest vegetation, where we’ll visit a waterfall. Next, we will visit the picturesque Andean Village of Jaji, descend by mountain bike into a xerophitic ecosystem, visit a small sugar cane mill, observe the production of “mo” for chewing tobacco, and travel to a salt lake-the only one of its kind in Venezuela.
Next, we’ll see verdant coffee country, by visiting the coffee museum and present day coffee farms. Afterwards, we will take a winding switchback road with a breathtaking view, ascending from 460 m to 2,290 m. Finally, we will arrive at a remote Andean village called San Jose, that’s been lost in time and is “where no one else goes”. We spend the night at an idyllic Andean chalet with trout ponds. This lodge, run by the notoriously talented cook and conversationalist Martin, is of superb quality in food and accommodation.(1 hour Hiking, 1.5 mountain biking, 4 by Jeep). (L), (D)
Day 2: San Jose - Tostos - Paragliding.
We will eat a tasty breakfast with Martin and then descend into the beautiful valley of Tostos either on horse or by foot with mule support (one of the most enjoyable ways to walk in the Andes), enjoying the surroundings of eucalyptus trees and beautiful rivers. Here we will have direct contact with the villagers. Around us, farmers plow with oxen while villagers grind their corn by hand in order to make the typical “arepa” over a wood-fed fire.
Our excursion will bring us back to San Jose for lunch and a brief rest. If you didn’t find horseback riding exciting enough, we’ll do some exhilarating mountain biking downhill, and will arrive at the launch site for your optional paragliding flight. The view of the valley simply doesn’t get any better than this. After a full day, we will return to Mérida. (4 hours by horse back/5 hours by foot, 1.5 biking, 30-45 min paragliding, 2 hours by Jeep).
(B), (L)
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Transfer from and to airport;
- Tour transportation with 4WD;
- Bilingual guide;
- All meals and soft drinks during the trip;
- First aid;
- Permits for National Park;
- Radio communication;
- Mountain biking;
- Horseback/mule riding;
- Ticket for cable car (San Jose Tour II);
- Overnight(s) at Chalet/Posada during the tour.
Price does not include:
- Domestic flights (we can arrange them);
- Lodging in Mérida (we can arrange this);
- Optional tandem paragliding (we can arrange this);
- Items of a personal nature;
- Meals, tours, or other services not listed on the itinerary, or alcoholic, beverages;
- Tips to local staff, nor any expenses incurred in preparing for the trip such as but not limited to non-refundable airline tickets or insurance or additional expenses encountered as a result of flight delays, cancellations, or missed connections.
Also see tour packages in:
South America
Venezuela
Hiking & Trekking
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