Venezuela adventure holiday

Running small group holidays to the developing world can have a significant positive impact on local economies, especially in a country like Venezuela that is often overlooked by visitors to South America. Six days of this trip is dedicated to trekking to the top of Mount Roraima where you are accompanied by a large team of locally employed porters, all of whom employed in accordance with regulations set by the International Porter Protection Group (IPPG). Mount Roraima has a unique ecosystem that has developed because of its isolated surroundings. Therefore, when trekking in this area, we adhere to strict codes and guidelines that ensure we do not damage the endemic flora or disturb the fauna.

When trekking you camp, but on other nights you stay in a number of interesting hotels, all of which give valuable employment to local people in the area. For example the Campamento Yakoo, near to Santa Elena on the border with Brazil, is a fabulously eco-friendly and rustic lodge consisting of seven cabins that are built in an indigenous style and designed to have a minimum impact on the environment. Travelling with a small group also means that the impact on the local environment and communities will be minimised. Exploring remote jungles, revelling in the ‘Lost World’ wilderness and paying homage to the world’s highest waterfall, Angel Falls, impart to travellers an awareness of these valuable natural splendours and the importance of them being preserved and protected, so that they can be enjoyed and appreciated by future generations.

To support a program in Venezuela, this operator is training their local staff on a variety of issues, from environmental awareness to First Aid. This not only assists in the conduct of a tour but also provides them with important life skills. By employing porters born and bred in the region, they are supporting the local economy. Through offering employment and steady revenue, tourism can ultimately make a real positive difference to local communities.