1st day :
First stop will be at Merida’s principal market where we buy the groceries and where you can get all the fresh products like tropical fruits. Then we go southwest through the dry area of Merida State. We stop at a small sugarcane plantation where you can learn how they transform the cane juice to a brown sugar called “panela”. On the way, let’s visit also a small factory of “chimo”, ( chewing tobacco ) , famous in the Andes. We do a quick stop at “Laguna del Uruao”, the only salt lake in Venezuela. Leaving the dry area for the cloud forest and visit the antic “Museo del café” “La Victoria” to learn about the coffee process, Venezuelan immigration and observe old machineries. After lunch, we get to Puerto Concha, a small village south of the Maracaibo lake, where the main activity is the blue crab fishing. We go for a safari boat ride in the “Parque Nacional Cienagas de Juan Manuel” observe red howler monkys, tucans, eagles, parrots, fresh river dolphins… We will pass the night in hammocks in a small cabin on the water called “palafito”. During the evening, we go by boat for a night safari and hoping to see the famous lightning phenomen of Catatumbo (visible during 170 days a year, mainly thru the rain-season).
2nd day :
Early in the morning, we go to a bird refugee and observe a multitude of birds and do an other morning safari. By a circular route, we come back to Merida, stoping in La Azulita at the “Cueva del Pirata” a full of legends and mystical cave also a great natural climbing wall and the cathedral to learn more about the “Virgen of Coromoto” one of the most famous religious figure of Venezuela. Return to Merida.
The tour includes :
guide, transport, food, basic accommodation and activities.
What to bring: :
original passport! Towel, soap, shampoo, sun protection and repellent. Sweater for the first day, crossing the highlands. Long pants and trainers for the day you do horseback riding. Hat or cap, light clothes like shorts, t-shirt and sandals. It might be a bit cold at night, please bring a light sleeping bag o blanket and a torch.
