Venezuela
is a South American destination blessed with a versatile
array of places that are suitable for that dreamt family
travel. The longest coast
in the Caribbean sea and an assortment of islands,
scenic rivers, dense jungles, bio diverse rain and cloud
forests, deserts, Andean
snow-capped peaks and vast plains
teeming with wildlife
all combine to form the “land of grace”, as Christopher
Columbus called it when he sighted the country’s eastern
shores in 1498.
Venezuela’s
Lost
World is a not to be missed place. Angel
Falls, the world’s highest waterfall, plummets from
the country’s biggest tabletop plateau, the Auyantepuy.
These sandstone flattop mesas, the Tepuys, are a distinctive
feature of Venezuela and unique birds,
plants
and animals
dwell their also exceptional ecosystems. An overflight
of these matchless landscapes, or better yet, a river
trip from Canaima
or Kavak
is guaranteed to be a great adventure for all ages and
an excellent introduction to the Gran Sabana, an UNESCO’s
World Heritage Site that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s
famous novel. Stay at the beautifully located and family-run
Jungle
Rudy’s Camp Ucaima for good accommodations and attentions.
For the best possible jungle vacation, families head to
the Venezuelan Amazon.
Jungle lodges with native guides introduce great wildlife
experiences, including almost 700 species of birds
and the country’s most untouched Indian groups.
Venezuela
has 1,750 miles of Caribbean coastline
and some really spectacular palm-packed beaches
with lush vegetation, like the ones in Sucre,
Choroni
and Morrocoy,
where warm and shallow waters make for an ideal children
playground. Add the country’s 72 islands
and the fact that all of this is totally out of the hurricane
belt to have a sun worshipping paradise. Margarita,
Venezuela’s largest and most known island offers a wealth
of activities to please every family member, no matter
the age or the fit. Water sports including outstanding
windsurfing,
beach activities and good swimming just to name a few
are all at hand here and the beach resorts usually focus
on families with children by offering varied activities,
special swimming pools, childcare and babysitting services.
Children are venerated in Venezuela so don’t be afraid
to have them be a part of the family group. Located north
of Caracas,
Los
Roques Archipelago National Park has scores of tiny
keys and islets with incredible, unexplored bluish an
greenish waters and white sand beaches
perfect for swimming, scuba
diving and bonefishing.
Cruise
its waters with one of our all-inclusive crewed sailboats
or catamarans (perfect for a family reunion) or stay at
one of the small but luxurious and personal guesthouses
like Macanao
and Mediterraneo.
The
Venezuelan Andes
and the city of Merida have a lot to offer to families,
including walks,
mule and horseback
rides through one of Venezuela’s most beautiful scenery,
the country’s highest peaks (some snow-capped) and the
highest and longest cable car system in the world. Especially
fun for children will be the traditional sticky sweet
fruits known as “brightens” and the world’s widest and
strangest selection of flavors in the Coromoto Ice Cream
Parlor, a Guinness record. Stay at restored coffee plantations
like Hacienda
El Carmen or the very interesting Hotel
Los Frailes (modeled after a 16th century Spanish
monastery) and take part in tons of sport activities like
climbing,
mountain
biking, trout fishing,
paragliding
and birdwatching.
The
grasslands or flatlands of Venezuela, locally known as
the Llanos
(the plains) are home to the world’s largest rodent, the
capybara, and the furious and terrible piranha but also
to a whole natural world of birds
(more than 300 hundred species), reptiles, mammals, fish
and insects. Embark on a wildlife
truck or boat safari to observe such a wonderful assortment
when staying at one of our selected ecotourism hatos,
cattle ranches that are also home to the hearty and hardworking
llaneros, the local cowboys. Hato
El Cedral is a very good example.
Contact
us to include tours for
families in a customized itinerary of travel to Venezuela.
