Venezuela trekking & river expedition
| country: | Venezuela |
| trip type: | Moderate trekking holidays |
| departures: | This trip is available on any dates, year round, although the dry season runs October to May. Travelling in the wet season means seeing Angel Falls at its best though so is worth considering |
| price: | From £1875 (13 days) including domestic flights only, as per itinerary |
| more info: | Price based on 2-4 persons travelling and sharing a twin/double room. Includes accommodation and meals as per itinerary, transportation, National Park fees, tents, porters and experienced local guides. We can arrange flights from the UK. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This itinerary is designed for couples or groups of friends to experience the magic of Venezuela on a trekking and adventure holiday. Often overlooked for its South American neighbours, Venezuela is an immensely diverse country and an adventure holiday will reward the visitor with amazing landscapes, fascinating culture and overwhelming hospitality.
This trip begins in the capital Caracas before flying south to Puerto Ordaz and the gateway to the Gran Sabana. The flat-topped mountains of the Tepuis really are another world and unlike any landscape you will have experienced before. Our recommended trek is to the highest of the Tepuis, Roraima, which stands at 2800m. As you ascend and explore this extraordinary mountain it is easy to imagine the efforts of the first explorers of the 1920s, who were the first visitors to witness this remarkable place.
At the end of the trekking, the expedition continues by river to Angel Falls. Camp overnight in the jungle and trek to the base of the Angel Falls, spending time taking in the dramatic scene before travelling back to Caracas for the flight home (or a Caribbean extension!).
This trip is based on a group size of at least 2 people booking together.
This trip begins in the capital Caracas before flying south to Puerto Ordaz and the gateway to the Gran Sabana. The flat-topped mountains of the Tepuis really are another world and unlike any landscape you will have experienced before. Our recommended trek is to the highest of the Tepuis, Roraima, which stands at 2800m. As you ascend and explore this extraordinary mountain it is easy to imagine the efforts of the first explorers of the 1920s, who were the first visitors to witness this remarkable place.
At the end of the trekking, the expedition continues by river to Angel Falls. Camp overnight in the jungle and trek to the base of the Angel Falls, spending time taking in the dramatic scene before travelling back to Caracas for the flight home (or a Caribbean extension!).
This trip is based on a group size of at least 2 people booking together.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Puerto Ordaz. Fly to Caracas via Madrid. Onward flight to Puerto Ordaz. |
| Day 2: | Santa Elena. Journey by road to Santa Elena via El Dorado. |
| Day 3: | Rio Tek. Start of trek to Roraima from Paraitepui to Rio Tek. |
| Day 4: | Savannah. Across the savannah to Roraima base camp. |
| Day 5: | Roraima summit. Climb to the summit of Roraima. On the summit plateau it's a different world with incredible insects, plants, rock formations and spectacular views across the Gran Sabana. |
| Day 6: | Explore. A full day to explore the vast summit plateau, the mysterious rock formations, the vertical rock walls and endemic plant life that can only be found on the Tepuis. |
| Day 7: | Descend. Descend from the mountain of Roraima and back to the Rio Tek campsite. |
| Day 8: | Paratepui. The final day of trekking back to Paratepui. Return to Santa Elena with barbecue lunch en route. |
| Day 9: | Canaima National Park. Flight from Santa Elena to Canaima National Park and start of river expedition to Angel Falls. Overnight camping in hammocks |
| Day 10: | Angel Falls. Journeying upriver to Churún to Island Ratoncito. Here you leave the canoes and trek to the base of Angel Falls, before returning to Arenal. |
| Day 11: | Cainama Lagoon. Return down the Churún and Carrao passing the beautiful waterfall El Sapo. Overnight in a lodge on the shores of Cainama Lagoon. |
| Day 12: | Caracas. Journey north by plane to Caracas via Puerto Ordaz. Overnight in Caracas. |
| Day 13: | Trip ends. Return home or extend your stay in Venezuela with a trip to the Peninsula Paria or the islands of Los Roques. |
highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2009 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Daily Telegraph, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society. Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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The environment: This trip to Venezuela is based upon a small group size which minimises the environmental footprint. This is especially relevant to the very sensitive Tepui mountains. Our trip avoids Venezuela’s tourism hot-spots and explores undiscovered and truly off the beaten track locations. Throughout the trekking and river expedition, we follow a robust policy of “leave no trace” which is relevant to wild camping, flora and fauna, waste disposal, visual and noise intrusion and other land users. We also present briefings to clients on environmental awareness, responsibilities and practice with particular emphasis on highlighting local environmental issues and threats that exist in Amazonia. We provide the opportunity to offset carbon emissions arising from international air travel to Venezuela.
 The local community: Our itinerary is designed to ensure authentic interaction with the local population, customs and culture. This trip provides opportunities to learn and understand more about Amazonian culture and customs through the use of qualified and experienced guides from the local community. We inform clients of socio-cultural considerations and appropriate behaviour, particularly with regard to sensitive areas such as the Tepui mountains. The local economy: We engage local business (tour operators, hotels, restaurants, guides and other ventures) throughout this entire trip and ensure that its economic benefits are shared in an equitable way. By visiting areas where tourism is less established such as the Ayuantepui region and the Paria Peninsula, this trip is contributing to the even distribution of income and economic growth throughout the country. During the trekking itinerary we work closely with the local Pemon community of the Amazon. We use guides, porters and other staff drawn from local villages and other business within the same community. This provides valuable support to the local economy. On the Caribbean coast we stay at a fair-trade Chocolate Hacienda that directly benefits the tourism and manufacturing sectors of the local economy. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |