Trekking or hiking with a heavy backpack is not easy. You necessary go slowly. This slowness gives you time to look around, discover a countryside, a forest, a valley… well you never know what you will find on the way. To get to the summit requires a big physical effort, patience, tenacity, resistance, courage; all values that the mountain can teach you. For a high mountain expedition, it’s important to be prepared (mentally and physically). We recommend exercising your cardio, legs, back and shoulder. Our itinerary are planned to provide you the best acclimatizing to heights.
Merida is a small mountain city, and the starting point of many hiking and climbing expeditions. To the north of the city you find the mountain range called “Sierra de la Culata” and to the south you find the “Sierra Nevada”. Both are designated National Parks. In these mountains are Venezuela’s highest peaks, Pico Bolivar at 5007 meters and Pico Humboldt at 4942 meters. We specialize in expeditions around this area of fabulous natural beauty, from one day hiking into the cloud forest or paramo to 7-8 day mountain climbs. The “paramos” is the designed name for the vegetation of the region of the high tropical Andes. The paramo vegetation is found between 2800 to 4600m
In Merida the main dry season lasts from December to early May. During the months of August until October there are regularly snowfalls high up in the mountains, but it rarely snows below the 4200 meters. If you aim to climb Pico Bolivar “The Big One”, then it is a very different climb in theses months when compared with, say, February, when the normal route is completely free of snow and ice. You will then climb on rocks.
We stock a wide range of equipment to be used by our customers on our tours, from crampons and ice axes, to flee sweaters, rain coats and trousers. That means we can provide all the equipment for ice and snow climbing even if you arrive dressed for the beach!
Between the big ranges of mountain expeditions we offer some of the most popular expeditions: Los Nevados (2-3 days) and Pico Pan de Azucar ( 2-3 days). The highest peaks of Venezuela : Pico Humboldt (4 days) and Pico Bolivar (6 days). We also offer to cross the Andes .
We highly recommend to hire a “Sherpa” o porter during the trekking and climbing trips. Going with less weight, you will enjoy much more your hike.
What to bring :
Day Trek and Los Nevados : Trekking shoes, sweater, rain gear, camera, sunglasses and sun cream.
Pico Pan de Azucar, Crossing Andes & Guamanchi : Bag pack 70 liters, trekking shoes, sweater, jacket, rain gear, gloves and hat, rain gear, camera, sunglasses, sun cream, knife and flashlight.
Climbing :
Bag pack 80 liters, trekking shoes, sweater, jacket, rain gear, gloves and hat, camera, sunglasses, sun cream, knife and flashlight.
Equipment you can borrow from us :
tent, cooking stuff, helmet, harness, rope, crampons, ice axe, sleeping bag -10º and sleeping mat.
