Venezuela Overview

Overview

From the empty white sand beaches of Los Roques to the steady drip-drip of the air conditioners among the concrete towers of Caracas, Venezuela is a country defined by contrasts. The high Andes of the west descend rapidly into the wildlife rich, water logged plains of the Janos. Eastwards, and we come to the northern reaches of jungle clad Amazonia, which swiftly transform into the plains and table top mountains that mark the border with Brazil. Venezuela has been gifted with many natural wonders and provides a rich hunting ground for travellers in search of a touch of adventure.

Sitting atop the South American continent on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, squeezed between mountains, sea and jungle, Venezuela is home to 25 million souls in a country about twice the size of California. Most are native to the country, but there remain some vestiges of the Eurpean immigrants from the 18th century. Gifted with oil, it is one of the richest countries on the continent, but like many South American nations there are stark distinctions between rich and poor. In terms of wealth, the capital, Caracas, with its skyscrapers and metro system, is not unlike a city in Eastern Europe while the southern provinces are much poorer. By and large however, many of the features of a modern nation are present and, from a traveller's perspective, the links between cities, mostly by bus or plane, are reliable and regular, sometimes even comfortable!

There is much to see all over the country, but the highlights are mostly of the natural rather than man made variety. Somewhere near the top of the list is Angel falls, the tallest waterfall in the world. It stands 807 meters high, or twice the height of the Empire State Building! Trips to its base involve two days in a long canoe and nights spent in hammocks, but everything can be organised for you in Ciudad Bolivar and is rather painless.

If time allows, or you don't fancy waterfalls, why not take a safari in the Janos Savanah to see the vast flocks of birds of all kinds, fish for piranha, look out for crocodiles and search for the elusive Anaconda, the largest snake in the world. For those inclined to walking, the Andes around the city of Merida offers many distractions including Pico Bolivar, the highest mountain in the country at 5007 meters. If you just fancy lazing around, Venezuela is gifted with many beaches on its northern shore. The best of these are to be found on the Los Roques archipelago and the coasts away from the Capital, where pollution can be a problem.