Best of Venezuela

Afternoon arrival in Caracas. You'll be welcomed at the airport. In the evening you'll be invited to a briefing with your guide who will accompany you throughout the tour (transfers will be carried out individually in case guests arrive with different international airlines).

Early transfer to airport and flight to Barinas. After your arrival in Barinas, in the afternoon you'll take your first excursion, an impressive photo safari during which you will be able to observe the variety of South American fauna, including capybaras, aardvarks, monkeys, deer, iguanas, alligators, caimans, turtles, snakes (with a little luck even the big anaconda) and over 300 different birds species.

After breakfast, you will go on another tour in the safari vehicle to explore different areas of the Hato. You will return to the ranch for lunch. In the afternoon, you will take a boat trip on the Río Matiyure to observe caimans, river dolphins and a wide variety of birds. Piranha fishing is also quite exciting.

In the morning you will go on another safari tour with special 4x4 vehicles in order to explore a different area of the Hato. In the rainy season you'll have the chance to take a boat trip to observe caimans, river dolphins and a wide variety of birds. Piranha fishing is also quite exciting. After lunch you will be transferred to San Fernando de Apure.

After breakfast you will drive towards Puerto Ayacucho.The journey will take approximately 6 hours and will lead you through the savannah. You will cross small rivers and finally the mighty Rio Orinoco. Soon you'll arrive in Puerto Ayacucho where you will visit the Indian market and use some of your time to stroll around if you want. 

Today you are driving to the fishmarket where you can observe the Indians daily routine. Afterwards you will be visiting the interesting ethnological museum in Puerto Ayacucho, which will give you a great overview of all the different Indian tribes, about their lifestyles and history (its opening is irregular, not always guaranteed). The indian market is right next to the museum and you'll have some time to stroll around. Also visit the Plaza Bolivar and the cathedral. At lunchtime you will enjoy a typical meal. In the afternoon, when it is not that hot any more, we will drive to the “Piedra de la Tortuga”, two big granite laccolites which have the form of a turtle. We will walk along the bottom of this rock and reach a big, open cave which was once an Indian burial place where you can still see some rock paintings. Afterwards we will climb up the “back of the turtle” – the ascent takes about 30 minutes and is relatively steep but it is worth it – we can enjoy a wonderful sight over the savannah. Those who do not want to ascent the rock can walk back to the house of the park guardians and wait there in the shadow for the rest of the group.

After breakfast you will set off towards the Caura region. The landscape is similar to an undulating savannah. Huge, black granite laccolites will show, which are foothills of the former Guiana Shield. After about 8 hours driving you'll leave the main road and turn into a narrow, red dirt road, which will take you through the jungle to Las Trincheras. 

After breakfast you will go on a boat tour upriver into untouched jungle areas. After passing by some small rapids we will reach the starting point of our short hike. You will hike uphill through the jungle, observing a large variety of plants, such as orchids, bromeliads and vanilla plants. Finally, you will arrive at a big rock which lies in a clearing in the middle of the jungle. From there you'll have a fantastic view of the dark-green, unspoiled jungle and you will hear the sounds which come from somewhere out of the jungle. In the afternoon you will make a short visit to one of the Indian villages. If we are lucky the women have just harvested manioc and we can see the production of casabe, the typical Indian manioc bread. 

After breakfast you will return to the main street and follow the road to Ciudad Bolivar, after an approximately 3.5 hour drive. In the afternoon you will have time to discover more of this contemplative city at the Orinoco River with a very well maintained colonial city center.

You'll be transferred to the airport and catch your flight at around 8 am in small Cessnas to Canaima (10 Kg of luggage are permitted, no suitcases. The rest of the luggage can be stored in your hotel). The Canaima National Park is one of the biggest of the world. This region is indeed impressive and of unique beauty. The park is part of the Guyana Shield, the oldest geological formation of the earth. The landscape is extremely varied, one encounters impenetrable jungle, rolling savannah, black water rivers and beautiful waterfalls. In the distance the tepuis, each an ecological island with very special properties can be seen. The most famous is the Auyán Tepui. The highest waterfall in the world drops from its summit, the Angel Fall. The flora is unique, full of rare orchids and bromeliads. In the afternoon you visit the Salto Sapo. You will begin this tour with a short boat ride across the Canaima Lagoon and reach after a short hike through savannah and jungle, the waterfall. You will have the unique opportunity to cross the waterfall behind the water curtain. Literally, a breathtaking experience, especially during the rainy season. Afterwards you still have plenty of time to take a refreshing bath.

The morning is free. You can arrange for an optional flight over the Angel Falls (weather permitting), the highest waterfall in the world, or just relax in the Canaima Lagoon or buy crafts in one of the gift shops. Around noon flight back to Ciudad Bolivar. 

After breakfast, you'll be transferred to Boca de Uracoa (about 3.5 hours), a small town in North Delta. From here you can take a boat down the river. On the way to your lodge, you'll see the typical vegetation of the delta. You will pass individual Indian settlements and after lunch, you will start your first trip. You'll take the boat to a small tributary and from there take a stroll through the impressive vegetation of the delta. Your guide will show you the plants and you'll get to know the many uses of the moriche palm. With luck, you can try the typical palm heart.

When visiting a Warao family you will get a little insight into their current living environment. The Warao Indians are still living partly in stilt houses on the banks of the arms of the river delta. Afterwards, we will head back by boat to Boca de Uracoa and from there via Maturin to Caripe, famous for the nearby Guacharo cave that once was explored by Humboldt. You can reach the cave at dusk and watch how the Guacharo birds (fat birds) swarm with loud shrieks and begin their nightly flight.

This morning you will be exploring the Guacharo cave. In the first part you will see huge stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Always accompanied by the cries of the fat birds we will get to the “Room of Peace”. Abruptly the shouting and cries of the birds will stop and the stalactite world change. The stalactites are solidified as limestone and sparkle in thousands of colors in the lantern light. In the depth you will hear a rushing river. You will take a little tour and then return to the hotel where you can freshen up. On the way to the coast you will be visiting a coffee hacienda. Depending on the season the coffee production process can be observed: one time the harvest, another time the processing to finished coffe.  Afterwards you still will drive about 1.5 hours to Lecheria / Puerto La Cruz, a coastal town on the edge of the National Park Mochima. On the way there you will enjoy breathtaking views of the national park.

In the morning flight to Caracas. End of services.