Venezuela boasts over 2,000 miles of beautiful Caribbean coastline. Located just three hours from Caracas, colonial Choroni offers a quieter experience far removed from the mainstream resorts of Margarita Island. Choroni’s proximity to the Henri Pittier National Park also gives visitors the chance to experience Venezuela’s natural wonders.
Your Itinerary
Day 1:
Welcome to Venezuela! Upon arrival at Caracas’ Simon Bolivar International Airport, claim luggage and clear Immigrations and Customs. Currency exchange is available in the airport lobby. You will be then be met and assisted by our local representatives and transferred to your hotel. Dinner is on your own this evening.
Overnight accommodations at Hotel Caracas Hilton include continental breakfast served in the Tower Lounge. The Hilton is located at the city’s center and is within minutes of the city’s cultural and commercial districts. The Hilton offers tennis courts, a swimming pool, and a health club with gym, sauna, and massage. Dining options include three restaurants, lobby lounge, sushi bar and a gourmet bar.
Venezuela ("Little Venice" in Spanish) was inhabited mostly by Carib and Arawak Indians before the Spaniards landed here in 1498 on Columbus’ third voyage. The first permanent settlement was established at Cumana in 1520. The country was relatively poor and predominantly agrarian until 1914 when oil was discovered near Maracaibo. Caracas (elevation 3,105 ft) was founded in 1567 and has become the fastest growing capital in Latin America since World War II.
Day 2:
Hotel pick up and transfer to Caracas’ national airport. Pay domestic airport tax (around $1 US) and check in for your flight.
Depart on a three hour overland transfer from Barinas to Hato El Cedral. Most of Los Llanos is divided into large ranches known as hatos. Many of them are dedicated to cattle ranching, but some have recently turned to ecotourism and have built lodges called campamentos. Some hatos, such as Hato Cedral, have taken a serious approach to environmental issues, introducing the full protection of wildlife within their ranches, installing research stations and contributing to ecological funds.
On arrival at Hato El Cedral, you’ll be assigned to your air-conditioned guest bungalow. After a brief orientation, you’ll head out to observe the abundant wildlife on this 106,000 acre working ranch.
The sanctuary contains within its boundaries rivers, lakes, swamps, forests and savannahs. Cedral offers a great abundance of wildlife and capybara can be observed close to the lodge itself. During the next few days, you will embark on a variety of excursions in the early morning and late afternoon. Your guide will point out the habitats of many bird, reptile and mammal species. This is one of the most noted wildlife areas in the llanos. You may also see rugged Venezuelan cowboys, the llaneros, hard at work as they skillfully move great herds of cattle across the ranch.
The grasslands offer a great opportunity to observe Venezuela's vast array of neo-tropical animals such as deer, anteaters, iguanas, capybaras, howler monkeys, fox, anacondas, caimans, ocelot and maybe the elusive jaguar. The Llanos are also a bird watcher's paradise, with more than 300 species identified. Highlights include hoatzins, pied lapwings, king vultures, storks and ibis. And equally stunning is the flora, gallery forests are alive with orchids and dozens of flowering trees, including jasmines, acacias and araguaney (Venezuela's national tree.) It is no wonder that the Llanos has been called the "Serengeti of South America." During the midday heat, you can read or cool off in the lodge’s swimming pool. 3 nights.
(L) (D)
Day 3:
Days spent exploring the area on guided excursions or relaxing on your own.
(B) (L) (D)
Day 4:
Days spent exploring the area on guided excursions or relaxing on your own. (B,L,D)
(B) (L) (D)
Day 5:
Today you will be transferred two hours overland from Barinas to Los Frailes in the paramo region of the Andes. As you ascend from lowlands into the Andes mountains, you’ll pass through a series of dramatic ecological changes. First through dense misty cloudforest - home to myriad orchids, bromeliads and exotic birds, such as the Andean Cock of the Rock. Finally you’ll emerge in the paramo. Tonight you’ll sleep at Hotel Los Frailes, world class mountain inn built on the site of a 17th century Franciscan monastery.
The Andean region is a picturesque land of fertile soil, rich in traditional culture. Our Andes adventure lets you truly experience the tranquility and beauty of this wonderful area and its inhabitants. There will be ample time for you to mix with the locals and barter for handicrafts in provincial markets.
(B) (L) (D)
Day 6:
Today you’ll visit Laguna Mucubají, one of the largest of over 200 glacier lakes in the state of Mérida. Your adventure continues with the opportunity to trek or horseback ride to Laguna Negra, observing the incredible variety of mountain flowers and possibly seeing the world’s only high altitude hummingbird, the bearded helmetcrest. Here you will be introduced to the diversity and adaptive features of the Andean vegetation and the singularities of this tropical high-mountain climate. An outstanding feature of the paramo is a group of plant species called Espeletiinae, South American flannel flowers or, as known locally, frailejones.
Visit Eagle Pass, the highest paved road in Venezuela at 4,047 meters and a biological research station to see the Andean Condor, one of the world’s largest birds with a wingspan of more than 3 meters.
You will also explore small Andean villages. Discover the tiny town of Mucuchies, which was founded in 1596 by the Spanish on the site of the pre-Hispanic Chama Indian tribe. Opportunity for light trekking and horseback riding to glacier lakes. You can purchase all kinds of local Andean arts & crafts at the roadside stalls while here.
Your journey continues on to Jají, a reconstructed colonial village and then on to Hacienda El Carmen, a 150-year-old working coffee plantation where you learn about the history and processing of coffee. Overnight at the comfortable accommodations at Hacienda El Carmen.
(B) (L) (D)
Day 7:
Start your day with an optional ride on the world’s longest and highest aerial cable car. From bottom to top, the ride takes about one hour, and is especially remarkable for the changes in scenery and vegetation along the way. From Mérida, the cable car sweeps across the valley, planted with sugar cane and coffee; soon you are rising above the steep forested hills and cascading rivers. From the summit, you see a wonderful panorama of snowcapped mountains, as well as glaciers and lakes full of Andean trout. Enjoy a short city tour of Mérida, the capital of the Venezuelan Andes. Includes visit to Plaza Bolivar, the historic cathedral and museums.
You’ll also visit Lagunillas, famous for its inland salt-water lake the founding place of Mérida in 1558. Your day finishes at an overlook of the Chama River valley where paragliders soar 1,000 meters above the canyon. Overnight once again at Hacienda El Carmen.
Day 8:
Pick up and transfer to the Mérida airport for your return flight to Caracas.
Airport reception, assistance and transfer to the international airport for your departure. Pay Venezuela departure tax.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Also see tour packages in:
South America
Venezuela
Ecotourism
Wildlife Viewing
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