8 days / 7 nights
From $1,827 per person double
occupancy in 2008
Includes domestic airfare
in Venezuela, accommodations, tours, transportation, taxes
and service charges where applicable, and meals as specified.
Day 1: Caracas
Welcome to Venezuela! Airport reception and transfer to
your hotel. Overnight in the Hotel
Ole Caribe along the Caribbean coast.
Day 2: Caracas
– Merida
Fly to the Andean capital of Merida,
a historic colonial town. The Andean region is a picturesque
land of fertile soil, rich in traditional culture. This
exciting adventure lets you truly experience the tranquillity
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. You'll
be met at the airport by your guide and enjoy a short
city tour of Mérida, the capital of the Venezuelan
Andes. Includes visit to Plaza Bolivar, the historic cathedral
and museums.
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.
You’ll also visit Lagunillas, famous for its inland
salt-water lake and the founding place of Mérida
in 1558. Your day finishes at an overlook of the Chama
River valley where paragliders soar 1000 meters above
the canyon. (Optional tandem paragliding is available-weather
dependent). Located in the city of La Mesa de los Indios
in the state of Mérida, Papa Miguel's Inn offers
the comforts of modernity in a traditional Andean setting.
The original building dates back to 1750 but has been
renovated to provide modern comforts. The town around
the inn is noted for the high number of children, as well
as adults, who play musical instruments, as they believe
that they have been given a special don (gift) to play
music. Overnight at the comfortable accommodations of
Papa Miguel.
(B,L,D)
Day 3: Merida
Start you day with an optional ride on the world's longest
and highest aerial cable car ($15 per person - not included
in package price. Does not operate on Mondays and Tuesdays).
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 and 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.
In the afternoon, explore small Andean
villages and the high mountain plateaus or parámos.
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
stall while here. Overnight once again at Papa Miguel.
(B,L,D)
Day 4: Andes
Travel to Laguna Mucubají, one of the largest of
over 200 glacier lakes in the state of Mérida.
Trek or horseback ride to Laguna Negra and discover the
tiny town of Mucuchies, which was founded in 1596 by the
Spanish on the site of the pre-Hispanic Chama Indian tribe.
Tonight you'll sleep at Los
Balcones de la Musui, a world-class mountain lodge
with a spectacular view of the Sierra Nevada mountain
range and nearby hot springs. (B,L,D)
Day 5: Andes -
El Cedral
Today you will descend through the dense Santo Domingo
Cloudforest into the flat Llanos
grasslands. Arrive at Hato
El Cedral, a 160,000-acre working ranch and wildlife
sanctuary. The campamento takes a serious approach to
environmental issues, introducing the full protection
of wildlife within their ranches, installing research
stations and contributing to ecological funds.
The Llanos
is a bird watcher's paradise, with more than 300 species
identified. Highlights include hoatzins, pied lapwings,
king vultures, storks and ibis. See rugged Venezuelan
cowboys, the llaneros, hard at work as they skillfully
move great herds of cattle across the ranch. All meals
included. (B,L,D)
Day 6: El Cedral
Embark on a variety of excursions in the early morning
and late afternoon in the "Serengeti of South America."
All meals included. (B,L,D)
Day 7: El Cedral – Barinas
- Caracas
In the late morning, transfer to Barinas for your flight
to Caracas. Airport reception and transfer to your hotel.Overnight
at the Hotel Ole Caribe. (B)
Day 8: Int’l Departure
Hotel pickup and transfer to the airport for your flight
home.
Contact
us to include Scenic Andes
Adventure in a customized itinerary of travel to Venezuela.
