12
days and 11 nights to the heart of the Venezuelan Amazon
For
an introduction to the Humboldt Route and two additional
itineraries please click here
Day
0 Arrival to Puerto Ayacucho
Upon
arrival to the capital of the Venezuelan Amazon, participants
will be met and transferred to the selected hotel. This
previous day to the beginning of the navigation is a complimentary
service in which participants will receive transportation
and guidance while our representatives ultimate the final
details and permits for navigating to the high Orinoco.
Participants may join a city
tour to the ethnological museum, the market and the
Atures Rapids lookout or take care of the last preparative
for the expedition. Meals and lodging for today are not
included.
Day
1 Puerto Ayacucho – San Pedro
Transfer
overland to Samariapo. Boat load and final preparations.
Start of the navigation in the Orinoco River, stopping
briefly in Isla Raton and visiting indigenous communities
en route. At the end of the afternoon, camp in the Piaroa
indigenous community of San Pedro.
Day
2 San Pedro – San Fernando de Atabapo
Pass
by the Castillito Natural Monument, a stone in the middle
of the Orinoco that is ideal for pictures
and nature
viewing, mentioned by Alexander von Humboldt in his
travel log, until reaching San Fernando de Atabapo, where
the rivers Orinoco, Guaviare and Atabapo convene. Visit
the town and swim in the “black waters” of the Atabapo.
Overnight in camp.
Day
3 San Fernando de Atabapo – Carida
Visit
new indigenous communities. Pass by the Santa Barbara
delta, in the confluence of the Ventuari River with the
Orinoco, and where more than 300 islands and countless
channels in the middle of the jungle are created. Camp
in the indigenous community of Guachapana, in front of
the Yapacana National Park.
Day
4 Guachapana – San Antonio del Orinoco
From
this point, the river edges start to narrow and the native
communities are more far in between. The solitude begins
to be really felt in this barely tripped territory. Pass
by the Yapacana Tepuy, rising up to 4,081 feet in the
middle of the jungle. Camp near San Antonio del Orinoco
by the river edge.
Day
5 San Antonio del Orinoco – Bella Vista
Pass
by a totally unpopulated zone of the jungle until reaching
Cariche Hill and the namesake Curripaco indigenous community.
Camp in Bella Vista, a Piaroa indigenous community.
Day
6 Bella Vista
Visit
the surroundings of Cerro Pelado. Enjoy the beautiful
view of hundreds of acres of untouched jungle and tour
Caño Bocon for its incredible water fauna. The excursions
today will depend on the river conditions.
Day
7 Bella Vista – Tama Tama
Pass
by the confluence of the river Cunucunuma and reach the
Yanomami indigenous community of El Cejal. Visit the community
and have the chance to buy typical handicrafts and, eventually,
usual objects such as arches, arrows and traditional paddles.
Camp in the Piaroa indigenous community of Tama Tama.
Day
8 Tama Tama
Tour
the Tama Tama stream in typical embarkations (with or
without engines), a spectacular and thin watercourse in
the middle of the thick jungle. Camp.
Day
9 Tama Tama – Capibara
Start
navigating the Casiquiare, the arm that allows a portion
of the Orinoco waters to begin their lengthy journey to
the Amazon River in Brazil. There are inhabitants in this
portion of the river and wildlife-viewing
opportunities abound, especially macaws, river otters
and fresh water dolphins. During the dry season (December
– April) there are also chances to see petroglyphs
in several spots. Camp in the abandoned community of Capibara.
Day
10 Capibara – El Porvenir
Pass
Pamoni and Pasiva rivers, world famous for the outstanding
peacock bass fishing.
Reach the confluence of the Casiquiare with the Siapa
River in the afternoon. Visit the Yanomami communities
of Raudal Cabarua and Coromoto and have the chance to
witness preserved parts of their culture such as face
and body paintings and handicrafts in the making. Camp
in the Yeral indigenous community of El Porvenir.
Day
11 El Porvenir – San Carlos de Rio Negro
Pass
by the confluence of the Pasimoni River with the Casiquiare,
where the legendary Kurimakare Stone is located. Visit
the community of Chapazon to learn about the elaboration
of adobe kitchens and if lucky enough, get a famous cerbatana,
the hollow twig Indians use to launch poisonous arrows
when hunting. Reach the confluence of the Casiquiare with
the Guainia River in the afternoon, where the Rio Negro
is born. Overnight in the Humboldt Camp by the river edges
close to San Carlos de Rio Negro.
Day
12 San Carlos de Rio Negro – Puerto Ayacucho
Get
ready to take a small plane back to Puerto Ayacucho. Upon
arrival, transfer overland to your hotel.
Contact
us to include the Humboldt
Route Expedition in the Venezuelan Amazon
in a customized itinerary of travel to Venezuela.
