Vast and little-visited, Venezuelais a beautiful country thatstretches from the snow-capped Andesof the west down to the vast junglesof the Orinoco Delta and from theflat-topped 'Lost World' mountains of the south to palm-fringed beachesalong its Caribbean coast. In fact,Venezuela has the longest stretch ofCaribbean coastline of any singlenation and the gorgeous beaches hereand on its offshore islands make thecountry worth a visit alone. It is this north of the country where themajority of the population lives, mostof the rest of the country sees naturefirmly in charge. Venezuela is home to the some of the most uniquelandscapes on the planet includingSouth America's largest lake, theworld's highest waterfall and, for adifferent type of natural beauty, themost winners of the Miss World andMiss Universe contests. 48VenezuelaLos LlanosExperience some of the bestbird and wildlife spottingopportunities in South Americain these vast grasslands.MéridaThe university city of Méridaoffers great scenic outdooractivities such as trekking,mountain biking, paragliding andbirdwatching in the surroundingAndean countryside.Los Roques An archipelago of stunningwhite sandy beaches and simpleaccommodation with a laid-backCaribbean feel.321Orinoco DeltaA beautiful rainforest wherevisitors can gain an insight intothe traditional ways of life of the Warao Indians.4Angel FallsThe highest waterfall in theworld, 12 times the height ofNiagara Falls with a single dropof 978 metres.Gran SabanaThis vast table top mountainlandscape is Venezuela's largestnational park and was theinspiration for Conan Doyle's'The Lost World'.65Angel FallsLos RoquesAnteater, Los Llanos123456

Audley in VenezuelaFew travellers visit Venezuela - that's a key part of its appeal - but this does makethe experience something of a challenge. The tourism infrastructure is not very well-developed, and over recent years thegovernment has shown little interest ingetting more involved, which has led to noimprovement in service or facilities. You'llalso find that, outside Caracas, English israrely spoken, so it's important whenexploring Venezuela to ensure your plans arearranged carefully and that is where wecome in. Our specialists know the countrywell, and can create an itinerary that willenable you to see the parts that match yourinterests in the best available comfort, andwith the best available guides. At the time ofgoing to press the political situation inVenezuela was somewhat volatile, and eventhough visitor areas are rarely affected, wealways keep abreast of current developments and will be able to advise of any noteworthy developments. AccommodationVenezuela has some good accommodationbut this is limited to Caracas, Los Roques anda few lodges around Canaima. Many of thehotels on the Venezuelan mainland are nowstate-owned which has resulted in a dip inthe service and food standards. The posadaswe use on Los Roques are still underindependent or foreign ownership at thetime of writing, and the service levels hereare more in line with internationalexpectations. Outside of the aforementionedcentres accommodation is often basic andvery little English is spoken but, as withVenezuela as a whole, the stunning location and environment makes up for these shortcomings. Find out more For a suggested itinerary and practicalinformation about travel in Venezuela, pleasesee page 51.www.audleytravel.comInteractive maps and features, further suggested itineraries,accommodation, climate informationand articles written by our specialists.Discuss your plans with our Venezuelaspecialists 01993 838 625?ANGELFALLSBASECAMPClose to the base of the Angel Falls are campsitesthat offer an unrivalled location allowing you tosee the falls at the end of the day and first thingin the morning. Facilities are basic and includehammocks for sleeping, mosquito nets, flushtoilets and outdoor cold water showers. Gran SabanaGran Sabana ('Great Plain') is part of Venezuela'sbiggest protected national park and where you'llfind one of South America's most extraordinarysettings. Giant waterfalls cascade into lagoons,some of whose waters are an incredible red,coloured by the wealth of minerals they contain,and edged with pink quartz sand. Giant sweepingprairies are punctuated by imposing table-topmountains, such as Mount Roraima, consideredone of the oldest geological formations on earth.Ideally visited on three or four day safaris by jeep,you can witness these magnificent, surrealmountains best by camping in the vast wilderness.Roraima can be climbed over the course of achallenging six-day trek.CaracasBordered to the north by the wooded peaks ofthe Avila National Park, the city of Caracas isVenezuela's capital and gateway to the country.Although the city has a gritty reputation, withextremes of poverty and, mainly oil-produced,wealth standing side by side, it is a predominantlymodern, fast-paced and cosmopolitan city with a great culinary reputation, some interestingmuseums and endless shopping and nightlifeoptions. Most visitors use the city as a startingpoint or hub for their travels along the Caribbeancoast, or south to the country's centre.Angel Falls and CanaimaThe world's highest waterfall is an astounding sight with its water tumbling off the precipice fora sheer drop of 978 metres. Located in the ruralsoutheast of the country in the middle ofCanaima National Park, it says much about itsremoteness that this incredible natural wonderwas only reported in the 1930s, by Americanpilot Jimmy Angel who crash-landed here whilelooking for gold. So great is the impact of thewater thundering into its basin in the pristinejungle, that the mists created can be felt a mileaway. The Angel Falls feeds many tributaries ofthe River Carrao, which in turn flows into the vast Canaima Lagoon. It is on the shores of thislagoon that most lodges are situated, providing abase to visit the waterfall and the surroundingarea. Even now, there is no land access, the AngelFalls can only be reached by motorised canoe upthe River Carrao or by a spectacular light-aircraftoverflight, making the experience something of an adventure.WAKULODGE, CANAIMAWaku Lodge has the best location of all thelodges in Canaima, situated right on the banks of the tanin coloured Canaima Lagoon with aspectacular view of the El Hacha, Golondrina andUcaima waterfalls. The surrounding gardens arebeautifully sculpted and are home to various tameparrots and macaws. There are only 15 en suiterooms all individually decorated in a traditionalstyle with air-conditioning, hot water shower andsemi-private terraces with hammocks.Venezuela49Waku LodgeMéridaSurrounded by Venezuela's highest snow-cappedpeaks, the lively university city of Mérida is at thecentre of the country's Andean region. It is anattractive city with a gentle, friendly atmosphere,steep streets and some enchanting colonialbuildings. The surrounding countryside variesbetween highland moors, beautiful glacial lakesand tropical forests. You can visit small, traditionalvillages, where life still proceeds at the gradualpace of a climbing donkey eking an existencefrom the sheer mountain slopes. Currently, one of Mérida's major attractions, the world's highestand second longest cable car is closed, but thecity still offers the outdoor enthusiast superbwalking, mountain biking, horse riding, white water rafting, paragliding and birdwatching in the surrounding Andean countryside.Gran Sabana