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Cove Team
Cove Team
Many countries in South America have been getting the hype for years, including Brazil and Argentina. Yet this magnificent continent embraces several beautiful countries that happen to be a little forgotten in the tourism world. Today, we’re spotting the lights on the great South American country of Venezuela.
Although it is not the protagonist of many travel tales, Venezuela is home to some of the world’s natural grandeurs. It holds the world’s largest waterfall and lake on the continent. Not only that, but it’s also home to delightful jungles, enormous mountains capped with snow, and a vast natural diversity.
Let’s not forget about its spacious coastline in the Caribbean, which makes for a fantastic getaway. The bottom line is that Venezuela is a beautiful spot on Earth that needs to be discovered, promising wondrous landscapes and breathtaking sights.
If you think you’re ready for this adventure, we’ve got your back with an itinerary of the destinations you shouldn’t miss. It includes the country’s hottest tourist destinations and some hidden gems. There are some off-the-beaten-path spots because, in the end, the best places are not easily reachable. We promise it’s worth the time and effort!
1. See the Angel Falls
Haven’t we mentioned that Venezuela is home to the world’s highest waterfall? Well, we were referring to the renowned Angel Falls. Situated in the heart of the country, this streaming waterfall can take your breath away. It’s a delightful sight where the waters cascade from the top of beautifully rising mountains, travelling 979 meters down.
No wonder the Angel Falls is one of the prominent features of South America. It’s advised to visit anywhere between May and November. During the colder seasons, the falls hide behind a mist. However, tourists are welcome to watch the falls at any time throughout the year.
Usually, tourists see Angel Falls from Canaima National Park. However, the sight can be a little remote or even difficult to observe. During those times, many flights can be easily arranged to take visitors on a nice ride above the beautiful waters.
2. Visit the Canaima National Park and La Gran Sabana
The Canaima National Park is one of the highlights of Venezuela and a top-rated tourist destination. That is because it is more often associated with the renowned Angel Falls as it provides great sightseeing of the falls. However, there is so much more to this national park than just that.
First, this park is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s pretty vast, stretching over three million hectares of land. Thus, it must offer a handful of spots that are equally fascinating. One of the most prominent features of the park is La Gran Sabana; it extends to the borders of Brazil and Guyana.
La Gran Sabana provides its visitors with unprecedented landscapes, where vast landscapes beautifully blend with coursing rivers and cascading waterfalls. It’s also home to some thick jungles and savanna, where the rarest species of plants are found.
Again, waterfalls are prominent highlights of South America. The park is home to the impressive El Sapo Waterfall, which many tourists enjoy hiking to. There is also the Canaima Lagoon, where you can relax and banish stress while listening to the mixed sounds of nature.
3. Wander Around Medanos de Coro National Park
Well, Venezuela seems to be full of surprises. It may be home to spacious greenery landscapes and delightful waterfalls, but it’s also home to the vast desert of Medanos. The latter is the name that the locals use to refer to dunes. This beautiful Medanos de Coro National Park encompasses fascinating sights of rolling dunes.
Many visitors enjoy the wind of this area and spend their time having fun by sliding down the dunes. The surprise here is that this park’s splendid dunes aren’t the only impressive thing. You can head into the hills and find more than a few lagoons covering the area. They were formed during the floods of many decades.
4. Ride the Cable Car in Mérida
Cable Cars may be a thing in Europe, but did you know that they made their way to Venezuela? Many people are unaware of this fact. Mérida is a fascinating Venezuelan city with pristine nature and breathtaking views. It is also home to the famous cable cars known as Telerifico de Mérida.
Riding in one of those flying vehicles, you see 12.5 kilometres of untouched landscapes and dramatic sightseeing. And, what is better than observing the splendour of Venezuela from a bird’s eye view?
Visitors are usually accompanied by guides that direct you to the best spots to view. They also took some time to tell you the history of cable car construction. You can also stop and take a walk around the glorifying area. Also, don’t forget to grab your camera and capture Instagram-worthy photos that will make your followers swoon.
5. Explore El Guacharo Park National Reserve Park
Venezuela embraces plentiful parks, where natural landscapes give the beholder an unprecedented euphoria. If you’re planning to embark on an adventurous journey around Venezuela, you shouldn’t miss El Guacharo National Reserve Park. This park is located a few kilometres from the Venezuelan town of Caripe in Monagas, so it’s easy to reach.
The park has two different parts to explore: the Black Mountains, which are in the upper part, and the Media Caripe River, which is in the lower part. Both sections hold many attractions with beautiful scenery. However, the Guacharo Cave remains the highlight of this area. The good news is that it’s accessible to visitors, so enthusiastic explorers can feed their curiosity.
This cave consists of several corridors covered by stalagmites and stalactites. It’s also home to the nocturnal creatures known as the guajaro, or wonder birds, hence the name. These birds fly out during the night to search for food and come back to their shelters.
6. Hike to the Caribbean Andes
The Andes are known to be the longest mountain range in South America, stretching over several countries. They are also one of the prominent highlights of Venezuela, attracting visitors every year. Most importantly, the mountain range extends along the west coast, allowing you to see the Colombian borders while in Venezuela.
This area is a famous hiking spot that suits energetic adventurers. Many hiking trails pave the way for a long hike and are suitable for different fitness levels. Once you reach the peak, you can overlook Venezuela’s historical towns from up there. Great views of historical buildings, museums, churches, and parks are in sight from the peak of the Andes.
7. Explore the Floating Island (Mount Roraima)
Mount Roraima is a significant spot that includes Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil. It’s also the highest point in Guyana. This mountain is a tepui, which means a flat-topped mountain, and it’s commonly known as the Floating Island. The name comes from the fact that the flat peak of this mountain is surrounded by clouds, making it feel like it’s floating.
Mount Roraima is popular among hikers for the abundance of its challenging hiking trails. It overlooks beautiful landscapes and fascinating sights. You may also explore the mountain’s plant life. It’s home to different forms of plant life and unique fauna. Most of them are native to the region and rare to be found anywhere else around the globe.
8. Watch the Unique Birdlife in Henri Pittier National Park
Here comes the oldest national park in Venezuela, Henri Pittier National Park. It’s located in the Cordillera de la Costa and named after its founder, Henri François Pittier. The latter was a Swiss botanist who arrived in Venezuela in the early 20th century and classified over 30,000 plants.
Most tourists visit this park to observe the rare birdlife that live there. There are almost over 500 bird species to see and wonder about. Moreover, the park offers more activities, thanks to its location near mountains, beaches, and bays. Many people spend their time in the park doing activities like diving or swimming.
9. Relax at Margarita Island (The Pearl of Venezuela)
This impressive island has earned the title of the Pearl of Venezuela for its abundance of pearls within the land. The discovery goes back to when Christopher Columbus landed in South America in 1498. He landed specifically on the Margarita Island in Venezuela. It’s situated off the northeastern coast of the country.
Its location on the Caribbean Sea has made it a popular destination for relaxing and chilling among tourists. It has over 50 beaches to choose from and enjoy your vacation at. Moreover, you can visit the surrounding cities and explore the culinary world and the nightlife. Many people also enjoy shopping at the duty-free found at the port.
10. Take A Day Trip to Kavak Cave (Cuevas de Kavac)
Caves always have this unique ambience and feel. They give you this adventurous experience where you explore a side of the world that is ambiguous to you. Luckily, South America is full of them, and Venezuela is no exception. If you want a brand new experience, you should head to the magnificent Kavak Cave.
To reach Kavak Cave, you’ll need to take a 15-minute flight. The best part is observing the Canaima National Park from a high perspective. You will be fascinated by the splendid Canaima Lagoon and other natural landscapes.
Once you land, you’ll meet a small community living around this serene area. The guides will take you through some trails along a river that leads to the mysterious cave. It will take you half an hour to get to the Kavak Cave. Meanwhile, you’ll be enjoying a wide array of rare plant species, stairs made up of nature, and wells with crystalizing waters.
11. See the Drowned Church of Potosi
One of the most unusual attractions you may ever see is in Venezuela. And that would be the Church of Potosi. This church drowned several years ago, resulting in an eerie sight in a river in Táchira. Fishermen had reported seeing a cross hauntingly rising out of the water, leading to an investigation.
This church sits on the deep bottom of the waters. The receding that took place in 2008 helped reveal parts of a worn-out church. It turns out it’s actually a massive Gothic-style structure that drowned during a flood. It’s one of the weirdest attractions in Venezuela, and many visitors like to give it a shot. If you want to see something spooky from an ancient time, this one is totally for you.
12. Experience Bizarre Flavors at Cromoto Ice Cream Shop
Merida may be best known for its cable car rides, but its one-of-a-kind Cromoto Ice Cream Shop is another thing not to be missed. This shop is not like any other regular ice cream shop you will find across Venezuela or anywhere else in the world. It offers the world’s most extensive variety of ice cream flavours, some of which you may not expect.
Some of those flavours include mushrooms in wine, hot dogs, and spaghetti with cheese. Yes, these are flavours for ice cream! And these are only a few among the 900 flavours. However, only 60 flavours can be offered to visitors at any given time, and other flavours may only be available during specific seasons.
The founder of this peculiar idea was Manuel Da Silva Oliveira. He was a Portuguese immigrant who worked for several ice cream companies, including large ones, before starting his own business. That guy had taken the world of ice cream by storm when he offered exotic flavours that the world was never accustomed to. Make sure you grab your scoop while in Merida.
13. Observe the Amazonian Parrots of Las Mercedes
Parrots are beautiful creatures that fascinate the beholder with their fabulous colours. While they are not rare birds, we still don’t see them daily. Well, this is not the case in the beautiful capital city of Venezuela, Caracas. The Amazonian parrots dominate the skies of Caracas, creating a splendid spectacle.
To be more precise, this fascinating scene can be observed in Las Mercedes, the largest shopping region in South America. During the day, they disappear into the mountains, looking for their meals. At night, they wait for the night to take over and return to the palm trees of the Las Mercedes area.
14. Discern the Countryside Charm of El Hatillo Village
The countryside usually possesses unprecedented beauty that you won’t find in the urban cities. Venezuela has its magnificent El Hatillo village, 20 kilometres outside of Caracas. The village has a pretty old-fashioned ambience despite witnessing several developments. However, the maintenance of the quaint style is what makes El Hatillo attractive.
There are incredible landscapes and picturesque scenes to indulge in. Moreover, the buildings scattered over the village have bright colours that please the beholders. Besides the houses, there are several restaurants and pizzerias that offer delicious meals. Moreover, the Hannsi is a vast barn where people can buy souvenirs and handicrafts.
15. Check Out the National Pantheon of Venezuela
The Pantheon is one of the most prominent attractions in Caracas. It’s also an archaic structure that dates back to 1874; it became the final grave of the national heroes. The purpose of this monument was to honour Simón Bolívar, a Venezuelan military and political leader. Tourists are permitted to check out the remains of Bolívar while touring the building.
Interestingly, the central hub is devoted to the bronze sarcophagus of Simón Bolívar. Visitors tour around and observe the remains of Bolívar and some other heroes. There are also beautiful paintings depicting the lives of national heroes.
