This guide is provided for reference and future use:

• Canaima NP (Bolívar State) — UNESCO World Heritage; the Gran Sabana tepui plateau; Angel Falls (Salto Ángel, 979m — world’s highest); Roraima (2,810m — the original “Lost World”)
• Andes (Mérida State) — Pico Bolívar (4,978m — Venezuela’s highest); world’s highest cable car (Teleférico de Mérida, 4,765m — currently non-operational); cloud forest and páramo
• Los Llanos (Apure / Guárico) — vast tropical wetlands; jaguar, anaconda, capybara, giant river otter; mostly 4WD-based with walking
• Henri Pittier NP (Aragua) — Venezuela’s oldest NP; Caribbean coast cloud forest; exceptional birding

Venezuela’s landscape is defined by extraordinary geological and biological diversity:

• Tepuis — ancient Precambrian sandstone table mountains; some of the oldest rock formations on Earth; unique ecosystems found nowhere else; Roraima, Auyántepui (Angel Falls source), Kukenan
• Angel Falls — the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall; plunges 979m from the top of Auyántepui; accessible only by boat and light aircraft from Canaima
• Andean páramo — high-altitude grassland; Espeletia frailejón plants identical to Colombia and Ecuador
• Gran Sabana — red-soil savanna plateau at 1,000m; tepuis rising above it; unique landscape unlike anywhere else in South America

Pre-crisis highlights — for future reference:

• Roraima Trek — 6 days; 2,810m; the original “Lost World” tepui that inspired Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel; unique endemic species found nowhere else on Earth
• Angel Falls visit — 3 days from Canaima; combination of light aircraft, boat and short hikes through tepui jungle
• Pico Bolívar (4,978m) — Venezuela’s highest summit; previously accessible via the Teleférico (cable car); mountaineering route from Mérida
• Los Llanos safari walks — guided walks through wetland ecosystems; extraordinary wildlife density

When Venezuela eventually reopens to tourism:

• Roraima Trek: moderate to hard; 6 days; well-established route with guide requirement
• Angel Falls approaches: easy to moderate; guided boat and short walk combination
• Pico Bolívar: hard to technical; high altitude; glacier travel historically involved

Pre-crisis permit situation — for future reference:

• INPARQUES (National Parks Institute) managed all national park access; Canaima NP required park registration
• Roraima Trek: indigenous Pemón community permits through Paraitepuy de Roraima village; guide mandatory
• Canaima access: only via authorized agencies in Puerto Ordaz, Ciudad Bolívar or Caracas

For future reference when Venezuela reopens:

• Full rain gear — Canaima and the Gran Sabana receive heavy rain year-round; tepuis generate their own weather systems
• Good water purification — essential for all backcountry water sources in Venezuela
• Licensed indigenous guide — mandatory for Roraima and essential for Canaima

Emergency: 171 (police) | 170 (CICPC) | 911 varies by region

This information may not be accurate under current crisis conditions. In any genuine emergency in Venezuela, contact your country’s embassy immediately — consular services are limited but present in Caracas.

Venezuela has a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons:

• Dry season (November–April) — best for tepui trekking; Angel Falls at lower volume but better accessibility; savanna crossings possible
• Wet season (May–October) — Angel Falls at maximum; Gran Sabana flooded in places; tepui summits cloud-covered

• When Venezuela eventually reopens — dry season (November–April) is the best window for Roraima and Canaima trekking
• June–August — Angel Falls at maximum volume; extraordinary to see but trekking conditions challenging

When Venezuela eventually reopens:

• Caracas (CCS / Simón Bolívar Airport) — main international gateway
• Canaima — fly from Caracas or Puerto Ordaz to Canaima airstrip (Cessna charter flights); no road access
• Roraima — fly or bus to Santa Elena de Uairén near the Brazilian border; jeep to Paraitepuy de Roraima village trailhead
• Mérida (Andes) — bus from Caracas (9hr) or fly; base for Pico Bolívar and Andean routes

Venezuela’s INAC (Civil Aeronautics Institute) regulates drone operations; under the current crisis conditions these regulations are inconsistently enforced and the political situation makes drone use particularly sensitive.