Venezuela

Capital: Caracas
Area: 912 000 km²
Population: 21 millions
Currency: Bolivar
Language: Spanish
Time zone:
Religion: Christianity
Government: Federal Republic
Main cities: Valencia, Maracay

The name of the country can be translated as "Little Venice". Venezuela attracts tourists with luxurious resorts located along the Caribbean shoreline. Warm sea, palms, tropical climate and convenient access to the capitol -Caracas (with a population over 5 mln of people) can be recognized as true trademarks of country's leisure industry. While visiting Venezuela you also have to stop in one of the national parks (especially Canaima) or sightsee famous waterfall Salto del Angel and picturesque Venezuelan Andes. A legend has it that the mountainside was once used by a princess who hunted eagles. Venezuela is home to South America's biggest lake - Maracaibo and world's third longest river - Orinoco.

Scheduled program

Caracas - Merida mountain rail - Pico Espejo (4765 AMSL) - Canaima National Park - Waterfall Salto del Angel - Morocoy National Park- Orinoco delta.

We fly to Caracas. This metropolis, located just 25 km from the Caribbean Sea, is Venezuela`s cultural and industrial center. We sightsee the capitol and then set off on a journey to Merida - into the heart of Venezuelan Andes. We get an opportunity to ride world's longest mountain railway (12,5 km). It consists of 5 stations - Barinitas (1577 m AMSL), La Monta?a (2442 m AMSL), La Aguada (3453 m AMSL), Loma Redonda (4045 m AMSL) and Pico Espejo Espejo (4765 m AMSL). From the gondola we can marvel at Pico Bolivar (5007 m AMSL) - the highest summit of Cordillera de Merida range, located in Sierra Nevada national park. In this place Andes maintained their classical postglacial structure. After our mountain experience, we leave for the Salto del Angel waterfall. It is worlds highest waterfall located in Canaima National Park, on river Caroni`s unnamed tributary. Its waters cascades down Auyan Tepui plateau from the height of 979 meters (during the rainy season). Its height was measured by the National Geographic SocietySociety in 1949. We are viewing it from the board of a plane. Also there is a possibility of renting a boat to get closer to this natural phenomena. On our way we stop in the Morocoy National Park. It is famous for its countless coral island covered with tropical rainforest. We want to spend a day or two diving in the crystal clear waters of the Carribbean Sea and visiting Indian tribes that live down the Orinoco river delta.