Activities in Venezuela

Hiking and trekking

Venezuela has 42 national parks and around 20 nature reserves (monumentos naturales) which, together, cover some 15 per cent of the total land mass. All types of walks, ranging from signposted trails to mountain climbing and jungle paths, are possible.

Visitors should note that a permit, issued by central or regional Inparques offices, is required to visit the parks. The well-developed tourist facilities at the Parque Nacional El Avila include around 200km (125 miles) of fairly easy, signposted trails, as well as numerous camping grounds. Most serious trekkers head up to the Venezuelan Andes, stretching some 400km (250 miles) from Tachira on the Colombian border north-eastwards, and offering everything from snow-capped peaks to lush rainforests.

The most popular area for mountain trekking and rock climbing is the Sierra Nevada de Merida, where several of the country’s highest peaks (such as the Pico Bolivar or the Pico Humboldt) and the magnificent Parque Nacional Sierra Nevada are located. Experienced guides (who are strongly recommended for mountaineering) and equipment can be hired in Merida, the regional tourist hub. Other popular trekking destinations in the area include Los Nevados (reached via an easy trek along a beautiful mountain track); Pico El Aguila (accessible from Valera, which can be reached on a bus ride from Merida along Venezuela’s highest road); and the Sierra de la Culata (particularly known for its desert-like landscapes).

The Merida region is also noted for its cable car (teleferico), the world’s longest and highest, which runs for 12.6km (7.9 miles) from Merida to the top of Pico Espejo (4765m/15,629ft), and provides easy access to starting points for mountain treks.

Another popular trekking destination is Guyana, in the southeast, a region dotted with Venezuela’s characteristic tepuis (flat-topped mountains with vertical flanks) and home to the country’s most famous natural attraction - Angel Falls (called Salto Angel in Spanish), the world’s highest waterfall (with an uninterrupted drop of 979m/3212ft, which is about 16 times the height of Niagara Falls).