Itinerary

DAY 1: Caracas-Canaima-Angel Falls River Tour
Upon arrival in Caracas, you will be met by a Natoura representative, given your tickets, and assisted on to the national airport. You will fly from Caracas to Canaima. At the Canaima Airport you will be met at the airport by our representatives and then transferred to Canaima Camp, situated along the banks of the Canaima Lagoon.

Canaima_saltoAngel_1.jpgAfter your welcome lunch, the excursion will begin! We will shove off from the sandy pink beaches of the Canaima Lagoon, to tour this enchanting area. Our excursion will bring us so close to the raging falls that we will feel its refreshing mist. From there, we will depart the canoe, and witness the natural beauty of Salto Sapo (Sapito Falls), which will allow us to live the experience of walking behind a powerful curtain of water, just a few inches away from us. If you wish, you may take a refreshing swim under the waterfalls.

We will take a leisurely 20-minute walk to Puerto Ucaima where we will again shove-off in the dug-out canoes. While travelling up the Carrao River to the Sabana (plain) de Mayupa, we will experience the exciting rapids of Mayupa and witness the natural beauty of this idyllic land.

At Ahonda Island we will arrive at our main camp to a welcome feast and then retire to a relaxing rest in our hammocks, and contemplate the grandness of the Southern Hemisphere’s nighttime sky.
(–, L, D)

DAY 2: Angel Falls River Tour
After an early breakfast we will travel two hours by boat on the Carrao River to our Angel Falls base at Ratoncito Island. From this camp we will head to the base of Angel falls. On this one hour and fifteen minute trek the greenery and diversity of plant life of the lush primary tropical forest will entrance you. At the base of Angel Falls, you will have time to relax on the large rocks warmed by the sun, shoot some pictures of the raging waterfall, and take a dip in the pool of water.

Upon trekking back down to our day camp we will be greeted with a traditional Indian barbecue prepared by our Pemon hosts. An exciting return down the rapids will follow, leaving us to arrive around 5 p.m. to relax, eat, and enjoy our second night in hammocks!
(B, L, D)

DAY 3: Angel Falls River Tour-Parakaupa Lodge
An early departure by boat will take us back to Canaima Camp, and along the journey we will visit the Pozo de La Felicidad and take a refreshing dip in its invigorating waters. Upon arriving at Canaima Lagoon you will be transferred to the Parakaupa Lodge, a superior lodge which sits on the pink sand shores of the lagoon. You will have the afternoon to relax and take in the spectacle of Hacha Falls from your vantage point at the camp. You will have time to stroll the dirt streets of the village and visit the local shops that sell handicrafts. Overnight accommodations are at Parakaupa Lodge.
(B, L, D)

DAY 4: Angel Falls Overflight- Canaima- Santa Elena- Ya-Koo Camp
After breakfast you will enjoy a thrilling flight through Devil’s Canyon for a bird’s eye view of Angel Falls. You will continue on to Santa Elena. We will assist you at the Ya-Koo Camp, where you will be provided with a welcome dinner in this great landscape of crystalline rivers and waterfalls. You’ll find 7 typical houses (cottages), each with two comfortable rooms and private bathroom, hot and cold water. In the main house, there is a dining room, living room, TV corner and reception desk.
(B,–, D)

DAYS 5-8: Gran Sabana Jeep Tour
The mysterious, mist shrouded Tepuis that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to write about the “Lost World” are some of the oldest rock formations on earth. Rising several thousand feet above the surrounding plains of Venezuela’s Gran Sabana are the near-vertical, rose-colored cliffs of these table-top mountains, off which sparkling waterfalls plunge into a dense ring of tropical forest and are a dramatic and inspiring sight. Isolated from each other and towering over the savannah these fascinating mesas are biological wonders, each developing its own unique flora and fauna, which often exist nowhere else in the world. Come join us for a Jeep tour in this fascinating landscape! On this tour we will visit the legendary mining area of El Dorado with its famous camps (where Henry Charriere (more famously-known as “Papillon”) did not spend a pleasant stay), the world of the Pemon Indians, adventurous trails through the jungle and rolling savannah, and the majestical waterfalls Jaspe, Kama, Yuruani, and Meru. You will be transferred to Ciudad Bolívar and stay overnight at Posada Angostura.
Meals: All meals between lunch on the first day to lunch on the final day.

DAY 9: Ciudad Bolívar-Boca de Uracoa-Orinoco Delta
The Orinoco Delta is a huge swampland covered with thick virgin jungle, the home to varied and abundant tropical flora and fauna. An uncountable number of channels cut through it carrying water from the Orinoco River, the largest in Venezuela, to the Atlantic Ocean. As the centuries have passed the Orinoco has formed into one of the largest deltas in the world. This humid jungle paradise also is home to mangrove swamps that boast a rich diversity of bird life.

Amzon_indigena.jpgThe Warao Indian natives inhabit this delta paradise. They live in small communities on the shores of these channels that have remained unchanged for hundreds of years. They occupy themselves by collecting fruit, planting small areas with maize, hunting, fishing, and making baskets, hammocks and handicrafts out of balsa wood.

All excursions will be around the base camp (Orinoco Delta Lodge). This will include taking a jungle walk with experienced guides to venture into this mysterious world of the Warao Indians. On the walk, you can touch and smell what you usually see only on television, the tropical rainforest. We will take a boat trip to observe the fauna and flora of the area-a quiet canoe ride in a small river, fishing for piranhas, enjoying a spectacular sunset with cocktails, and including a night trip in a canoe with spotlights to blend into the delta darkness.
(B, L, D)

DAY 10: Tucupita-Maturin-Mérida
You will be transfer to the Maturin airport for your flight to Mérida via Caracas. Upon arrival to the Mérida airport, a representative will meet you and transfer you to the Natoura office. You will have the afternoon free to stroll the mountain city streets and settle in to Mérida. You will stay overnight at the charming new Posada Casa Sol. The colonial Posada Casa Sol, located in the heart of downtown Mérida, boasts 17 double rooms with private baths and sun-lit patios with open air terraces.
(B,–,–)

DAY 11: Teleférico
You will have the day free to explore at your own pace. A suggestion is to take the world’s longest and highest cable car, the Teleférico, to the top of Pico Espejo at 4,700 m. You will stay overnight again at the lovely Posada Casa Sol.
(B,–,–)

DAY 12: San José
Up in the high reaches of the southern chain of the Venezuelan Andes lies the pueblo 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 on horses through a variety of ecosystems, from cloud forests and waterfalls to the windswept páramo, including sun-parched deserts, where a curious salt lake is said to have been filled with the tears of widows left behind in the conquistadors’ wake. We will also visit both a sugarcane and coffee plantation. The centuries-old plantations continue to operate in the colonial style, milling their cane and coffee with a grinder powered by beasts of burden. You 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.

Andes_detalle_cafe.jpg “The coffee plantation is gorgeous, right out of “Like Water for Chocolate”. The chalet is located in a valley of paradise and you really can’t imagine how beautiful it is and how nice the family is during your stay. You can never forget Martin’s smile and his food is the best in Venezuela . . . I can’t recommend this company or particular tour enough. You are in very good, capable hands.”

Next, we’ll see verdant coffee country, visiting the coffee museum and present day coffee farms. Afterwards, we 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 that’s been “lost in time,” called San Jose-“where no one else goes.” We will spend the night at an idyllic Andean chalet with trout ponds. The Posada Mochaba, 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)
(B, L, D)

DAY 13: San José
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. There we will have direct contact with the villagers. Around us, farmers will plow with oxen while villagers will grind their corn by hand in order to make the typical “arepa” over a wood-fed fire.

Our excursion brings us back to San Jose for lunch and a brief rest. If you do not find horseback riding exciting enough, we will do some exhilarating mountain biking downhill, arriving at the launch site for your optional tandem-paragliding flight. The view of the valley simply doesn’t get any better than this. After a full day, we will return and drop you at hotel Posada Casa Sol in Mérida.

(3 hours by horse back/5 hours by foot, 1.5 biking, 30-45 min optional paragliding, 2 hours by Jeep)
(B,L,–)

DAY 14: Páramo Tour-Hotel Los Frailes
The word “páramo” translates to “moor” in English and refers to the tropical sub-alpine ecosystems found in the highlands of Central and South America. This region is largely defined by its altitude, generally ranging from 3,200 m up to 4,300 m—above this, the almost barren, scree-coverd land is called desert páramo. Its beauty lies in its sparseness, its open, windswept terrain, and in its contemplative silence. The hard life of summer-by-day and winter-by-night requires special adaptation. The valley walls are covered with velvety-tufted frailejon plant that, if left undisturbed for eighty to ninety years, reaches heights of 9 ft. On this excursion, you’ll walk through the cobblestone streets of whitewashed, clay-brick villages and hike up to a clear glacial lake that reflects the landscape like a mirror. You will visit a biological research station where parks officials manage an Andean Condor re-introduction program. You will also journey to Los Frailes, a quaint colonial mission of the 17th century, and to Pico Aguila (4,125 m), the highest point in Venezuela reachable by car. You will stay overnight at the colonial Hotel Los Frailes.
(B, L,–)

DAY 15: Páramo-Hato
We will get up early for a full-morning bird watching experience. We will include a visit to San Isidro for the Andean “Cock-of-the-Rock” viewing area. We will transfer to your Hato at mid-day, approximately 6 hours away by car. We will arrive in the late afternoon, just in time for a welcome dinner. We will stay overnight at the Hato.
(B, L, D)

DAY 16: Hato expeditions
These fabulous camps are located in the vast interior grasslands of Venezuela, known as the “Llanos.

You will enjoy two excursions per day with a local tracker to see a variety of animals and plants native to the area. For more information see Hato Descriptions.
(B, L, D)

DAY 17: Hato-Barinas-Roques
After breakfast, you will have private transfer overland (3 hours by jeep) to the Barinas airport for your flight to Caracas and then on to Los Roques in a small Cessna plane overlooking the crystalline blue waters of the Caribbean.

Upon arrival to the Gran Roque airport, a representative will meet you and escort you to the Posada Cayo Luna. The Posada Cayo Luna is a typical guest house with double rooms and private bathroom.

You will have the opportunity to organize your daily excursions directly on the island with the local operators.
(B, –,–)

DAY 18- 20: Los Roques-Caracas
You will have several days to take advantage of the various excursions offered in the islands of Los Roques. Excursions may include (but are not limited to) snorkeling, scuba diving, bonefishing, yacht charters, etc. On your final day, you will have time for one more excursion before your afternoon flight to Caracas departs. End of Services.

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