7 Ultimate Days in Venezuela | Travel Itinerary and Guide
Venezuela is one of the countries in South America well-known for its adventurous and beautiful natural wonders. From its landscapes to its bustling cities, most wanderers feel inclined to travel and experience the ambiance of Venezuela. One of the unique and enticing things about Venezuela is its stunning waterfalls. In this jam-packed schedule, we are going to explore the striking water features of Venezuela.
7 Day Venezuela Travel Itinerary – In Brief
Day 1 – Reach Venezuela | Stay in Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela
Day 2 – Fly from Ciudad Bolivar to Cainama
Day 3 – Boat Riding to Angel Falls
Day 4 – Getting Back to Ciudad Bolivar
Day 5 – Exploring Kukenan River
Day 6 – Reaching the Roraima Falls
Day 7 – The Roraima Summit and Packing-up
First off, a few reminders before starting this journey. It will be challenging to get a good sleep while sleeping in hammocks. It is advisable to bring mosquito nets to prevent from being bitten by mosquitoes. It also gets noisy, especially when the rain starts to fall. Since you will spend a long time sitting on hardwoods while riding on a curiara (a South American dug-out canoe), it is better to bring a cushion to prevent sore bums and stiff legs.
One Week Epic Venezuela Travel Itinerary and Guide
Day 1 – Reach Venezuela | Stay in Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela
After arriving at Caracas, you will take a regional flight to Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela. You can also find flights from Caracas going directly to Canaima if you prefer. The flight to Ciudad Bolivar should only take about an hour. Once you touch down, Ciudad Bolivar is a great place to explore. Touring the city, seeing their colonial-style architecture, and trying their cassava bread is a relaxing way to spend the day there. When tired, you can check into a hotel here to spend the night after the long trip. Take a rest from the long flight and eat dinner.
Day 2 – Fly from Ciudad Bolivar to Cainama
Departing from Ciudad Bolivar, you can visit the Angel Falls by riding on a twin-propeller plane for another hour flight over the tepuis of Canaima, then a short transfer to one of the lodges near Laguna de Canaima. Some lodges include your airplane transportation with their booking, which can be convenient. From the shores, you can enjoy the Hacha Falls and waterfalls in the dark lagoon.
After eating your lunch, you are on your first adventure to either Hacha Falls, Sapo Falls, or both. After crossing the lagoon, you will take a short hike to reach the top of Sapo Falls with the view of Canaima and feel the refreshing experience brought by walking a trail behind the falls. Staying at Sapo falls is a relaxing experience for those who want to go sunbathing or swimming. Afterward, you will return to your lodge to eat dinner and take a good rest.
Day 3 – Boat Riding to Angel Falls
On Day 3, you will now head to the outdoor camp of Angel Falls for your remote camping adventure. After taking your breakfast at the lodge, you will now take a short adventure hiking to Ucaima Port, then board a curiara rowing along the Carrao and Churun Rivers to the stunning Angel Falls. The boat ride can take four to six hours, depending on the river flow and water level. Note that boats can only reach Angel Falls during the rainy season (June to December), so plan accordingly!
As you ride on the curiara, you will be able to enjoy the scenery and the massive tepuis. Be prepared to get out of the boat a few times to hike when you pass through some rapids along Carrao! The confluence between the two rivers is also impressive, as the Carrao river suddenly opens up into a sprawling, pebbly space. You can also enjoy a picnic lunch on the river banks.
Once you switch to the Churun River, you slowly enter the Devil’s Canyon. Devil’s Canyon is the valley where we find Angel Falls. Reaching the end of the Devil’s Canyon, you can now see the stunning Angel Falls cascading around 979 m in height from the top of the Auyan-tepui to the Churun River. From Churun, you will have a one-hour trek to Mirador Laime and then go down to the rock pools to enjoy swimming at the base of the falls. End your day with delicious food at a camp in Angel Falls before resting.
Day 4 – Getting Back to Ciudad Bolivar
On the fourth day of the trip, you will need to leave Angel Falls to explore Roraima. You will start your day by experiencing an exquisite breakfast while enjoying the magnificent view of Angel Falls. After enjoying the full breakfast and a sip of coffee, ride a boat traveling down to the rivers of Canaima.
After lunch, take a one-hour trip going back to Ciudad Bolivar. Arriving around mid to late afternoon, you will have the chance to explore the city of Ciudad Bolivar one more time since the scheduled private transfer or bus to Sta. Elena, your starting point for Roraima, will still be early in the evening. The ride should take around 10 hours for a private vehicle, so you would get a good rest during the travel.
Day 5 – Exploring Kukenan River
On the fifth day of the trip, you can explore the exhilarating Kukenan river. Early in the morning, you will leave Sta. Elena by jeep. The drive will take approximately two to three hours going to Pareitepuy, a Pemón village. Pareitepuy will be the starting point for your trek. You first need to register at the local chief house and InParques (Natural Parks Office) to get permission to hike to the Kukenan River. The hike is going to take up to five hours.
This adventurous trail will allow you to enjoy two refreshing river crossings. The Kukenan River can be pretty challenging, depending on the water level. Rest assured that your guides will be helping you throughout the way. After this exhausting adventure, you can have your dinner and overnight in the tents at the campsite in Kukenan. You can choose either the Rio Kukenan or Rio Tek Camp to rest at, as they are pretty close to each other.
Day 6 – Reaching the Roraima Falls
You are now on to your sixth day, and this day you will experience one of the famous natural wonders of Venezuela, the Roraima Falls. Some travelers opt to stay in Mount Roraima for up to six to eight days. The extra days give them time to further explore the area and hike to the tripoint at the top.
After having your breakfast at the Kukenan campsite, your long adventure will start as you trek past sprawling fields that, depending on the season, could be filled with orchids. The approximate uphill trek is two hours and then another two to four hours before you arrive at the base camp, which has fresh running water coming from the top of Roraima, also known as “The Ever Fruitful Mother of Streams”. Here is where the water of three of the largest rivers in the South originates. As usual, you will be spending your night in tents in Roraima.
Day 7 – The Roraima Summit and Packing-up
You are now on the last day of your trip after spending your night sleeping in the exuberant forest surrounding the tepui. After having breakfast, you are now to trek the tropical rainforest with abundant plants such as bromeliads and tree ferns. It will take another two to four hours hiking the ramp of big rocks to reach the top of the plateau, named “Hotel Indio” Camp. At the top, you will feel like you have been to the moon. After this exhausting adventure, you will now eat your lunch at the campsite in Roraima before packing your bags to say goodbye.
