Adventure Travel in Venezuela – BikeHike Adventures

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Venezuela

Viva Venezuela!

Mountain Biking, Hiking, Mule and Horseback Riding

(9 Days)

The Venezuelan Andes, are without question, a hidden gem for all you adventure travellers. The landscapes are dramatic with snowy jagged peaks, misty cloud forests and the gentle rolling Andes. The grounds are fertile with multi-colored wildflowers punching through the earth and the cobalt skies alive with flocks of screeching parrots soaring overhead. On BikeHike's 9-day adventure we pedal, horseback, climb and tramp along a network of backcountry roads and twisting trails. Our playground is rugged and in a culture where time stands still. We experience the real Venezuela-- the side that few people encounter, with glimpses of the authentic traditions and daily lifestyles of the agricultural highlanders.

Trip Highlights

Mountain biking across the Andean Mountains
Wildlife viewing at Los Llanos Wildlife Reserve
Hiking to The San Jose de Mucuños Ruins

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival Caracas - Fly Merida

Upon arrival you'll be met by one of our representatives and transferred to a comfortable hotel in La Guaira. The remainder of the day is at leisure to wander along the coastline or sample the Venezuelan nightlife. For those who arrive before 2 pm, you can connect directly to the Andes today.

Day 2: Merida (Mountain Biking)

For those who stayed in La Guaira last night, we'll transfer you to the airport to connect with a morning flight to Merida. Once the group is all together we'll take a short drive to the colonial village of Jaji, where we will start our bike ride along a network of dirt and paved paths to the coffee plantation Hacienda El Carmen. We climb and descend along winding switchback roads in the Andean highlands with spectacular views of the snowy peaks, cascading waterfalls dripping from the Andes and misty cloud forests surrounding us. We pedal past the colonial town of Lagunillas and then cap riding to our cozy lodge in San Jose, a very remote Andean village. (Biking: 19km/12 miles. Altitude: 5900 - 7200 ft, 1800-2200 metres). (L,D)

Day 3: Acequias (Hiking and Horseback Riding)

We fuel with a typical Venezuelan breakfast of strong coffee, scrambled eggs, cheese, fruit, and arepas and then set off on foot for a hike that climbs high into the Andes. We follow the gurgling Tos River, draped with ash trees and clusters of red-tile roofed Andean homesteads. Our route is along a network of trails that ascends to 11,000 feet/3,350 meters. Once the trail becomes steep we switch to horseback and ascend to the top of a mountain that offers spectacular views of the surrounding Andean highlands. We break for a picnic in the wilderness, then continue on horses, descending to our lodge in Acequias. (Total distance: 19 km/12 miles. Altitude: 8,200 -10,500 ft/ 2,500 -3,200 meters) (B,L,D)

Day 4: Acequias Village - Los Nevadas (Hiking and 4-Wheeling)

Today is one of the most scenic days of the entire trip. We start on foot, hiking along a mountainous dirt road to the ruins of San Jose de Mucuños. This ruin is an old Spanish colonial site, built in the 1600’s and is one of the few untouched archaeological sites left in Venezuela. We then head down to the Nuestra Senora River and whisk along a dirt track by jeep up a grueling climb to El Morro village. We’ll break here for lunch. Afterwards we can trek or travel by jeep to the village of Los Nevados, a very remote Andean village, where time seems to stand still. (Total distance, 15 km/9 miles hike and 25 km jeep drive, Altitude: 8,800 ft/2700 metres . (B,L,D)

Day 5: Los Nevados- Merida (Mule Riding, Cable Car, Biking and Hotsprings)

This morning we saddle up onto mules for an adventurous ride from Los Nevados over the Alto de La Cruz pass at 13,944 feet/4,250 meters. We’ll end the ride in Loma Redonda and jump into a gondola for a ride up the world's highest and longest cable car. From top to bottom, the ride takes one hour. The scenery and vegetation dramatically changes as we seek the peak. From the summit, there is a brilliant panorama of snowcapped mountains, spectacular glaciers and lakes full of Andean trout. Afterwards, we’ll descend by jeep from the steep forested hills and sweep across the valley of Merida, fertile with sugar cane and coffee plantations. We’ll refuel with a typical lunch and then it’s back on our bikes, tackling mountainous dirt roads to a scenic lookout point in the Andean highlands. If we’re lucky we’ll see condors and eagles soaring high in the sky. Once we return to the lodge we change into swimsuits and hike to a steamy hotspring in the area. We’ll soak in the bath warm waters below a brilliant sky of stars. Dinner is back at Balcones de la Musuy and the evening is at leisure to enjoy the games room at the lodge. (Total Distance: 10 km hike and 30 km drive, Altitude: 8,800 -13,944 ft / 2700 – 4,250 meters). (B,L,D)

Day 6: La Culata National Park (Mountain Biking)

Downhill fat tire thrills is the order of the day in La Culata National Park. The area is famous for spotting Andean condors soaring high in the sky. We begin up in the golden grassy highlands at 13,860 ft/4,200 meters and hurl downhill to the Apartaderos area at 11,550 ft/3,500 meters. We continue our descent winding down tight and twisty switchbacks descending to 1,300 feet. The scenery changes as we descend from high altiplano grasslands to enormous fragrant trees in the San Isidro cloud forest and as we reach the lower altitudes, the vegetation becomes more abundant and tropical. We overnight in the Posada Caceres close to the city of Barinas. (Total Biking distance: 70 km/44 miles. Altitude: 13,200 –2,600 ft/ 4,000 - 800 meters). (B,L,D)

Day 7: Los Llanos (Safari Wildlife Observation)

After breakfast we make our way to Los Llanos, one of Venezuela’s most prized destinations. This is the nesting and reproducing area of thousands of herons, ibises, and cormorants. These expansive plains cover nearly one third of the country and are a transitional life zone north of the Amazon Basin. The region’s annual cycle of flood and drought has resulted in an unmatched concentration of flora and fauna, producing some of the finest wildlife viewing in South America. Upon arrival at Hato “Dona Barbara”, a world-renowned animal preserve, we begin a wildlife viewing expedition by safari jeep. Some of the most common animals we’ll encounter are deer, anteaters, iguanas, capybaras, howler monkeys, fox, caiman, ocelot. If we’re lucky, we may even see the elusive jaguar. There are also over 300 species of birds in this area including Hoatzins, Pied Lapwings, King Vultures, Storks, and Red Ibis’. After lunch and a rest, we have the opportunity to enjoy the sunset on horseback. Overnight at Hato Dona Barbara. (B,L,D)

Day 8: Barinas /Caracas (Swimming)

We have the morning at leisure at the ranch to relax in a hammock, watch the cattle production, or swim in the pool. In the early evening, we fly to Caracas and transfer to a comfortable hotel in La Guaira. The remainder of the evening is at leisure. (B,L)

Day 9: Caracas- Departure

A BikeHike Adventures representative will transfer you to the international airport approximately 2-3 hours before your flight home.

Jan 24, 2009	-	Feb 1, 2009
Feb 14, 2009	-	Feb 22, 2009
Mar 21, 2009	-	Mar 29, 2009
Apr 18, 2009	-	Apr 26, 2009
May 16, 2009	-	May 24, 2009
Jun 20, 2009	-	Jun 28, 2009
Jul 18, 2009	-	Jul 26, 2009
Aug 29 2009	-	Sept 6, 2009
Nov 14, 2009	-	Nov 22, 2009
Dec 12, 2009	-	Dec 20, 2009
Jan 23, 2010	-	Jan 31, 2010
Feb 13, 2010	-	Feb 21, 2010


Hotel
8 Nights