Angel
Falls And Amazon Rain Forest
8 Days / 7 Nights
Day 1 - Caracas
Arrival In Caracas Welcome to Venezuela! Upon arrival at Caracas' Simon
Bolivar International Airport, clear Immigrations and Customs. After claiming
luggage, you will be met and assisted by our local representatives and
transferred to your hotel. Currency exchange is available in the airport
lobby. Overnight accommodations at Hotel Sheraton Macuto.
Day 2 - Caracas
/ Canaima
Hotel pick-up and transfer to Caracas' national airport. Check in for
your flight to Canaima. Servivensa 606 Dep 11:00A Arr 12:40P
Upon arrival in Canaima, pay National Park fee (about $10.00 US), before
proceeding to front desk to check in (patience advised). Accommodations
are in comfortable private bungalows with hot running water and ceiling
fans. Meals are included and served buffet style in the large open air
dining area overlooking Hacha falls and Canaima lagoon.
Included in your stay is a spectacular overflight of Devils Canyon, Auyan-tepui
and Angel Falls in a specially equipped, converted DC-3 as well as a short
boat excursion in the Canaima lagoon for an up close view of Hacha Falls.
You will be advised of departure times for these excursions when you arrive.
While here, your time is free to spend as you wish to relax or arrange
for additional activities. The beautiful white sand beach at Canaima lagoon
is a perfect place to sit back and enjoy the unique backdrop of Canaima
National Park, and the lagoon's cool, dark but clear water offers refreshing
respite from the Gran Sabana's mid-day heat. In the evening, video documentaries
on Canaima National Park can be viewed in the lounge area adjacent to
the dining room. See separate briefing for more trip details. (L,D)
Also
during your visit, arrangements for additional excursions (not included
in trip package) can be made on-site. Prices vary from $30-$200 US, and
depending on weather conditions, water levels, availability and your own
adventure level, options include:
Full-day
trip to Orchid Island - Departing camp on a 20-minute walk to PuertoUcaima,
you'll embark in motorized dugout canoes and head up the Carrao River
to the Mayupa plain. Here a vehicle awaits to cross the sabana before
boarding another canoe to continue up the same river. Along the way, pass
the Arautaima Indian village before continuing on towards Auyan-tepui
or Devil's Mountain. Arriving at Orchid Island, there will be time to
explore the area before lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy the islands beautiful
beaches and a swim before returning downriver to Canaima.
Half-day excursion to Mayupa - Beginning with the 20-minute walk
to Puerto Ucaima, load into motorized dugout canoes for a trip up the
Carrao River to Caño Moroco to explore Sapo and El Sapito falls.
If river conditions permit, you'll also visit the Mayupa rapids and Caño
Mayupita for a swim.
Full-day trip to Mayupa and Sapo Falls - After a 20-minute walk
to Puerto Ucaima, shove-off in motorized dugout canoes up the Carrao River
to the Sabana (plain) de Mayupa. You'll explore Sapo and Sapito Falls
and take a refreshing swim under the waterfalls before continuing up the
Caño Moroco stream to see El venado (the deer) and El Zamuro (the
vulture) mesas. Enjoy an Indian-style barbecue lunch before visiting the
Mayupa rapids en route back to camp.
Half-day excursion to Yuri Falls - Depart Canaima by vehicle for
a 20-minute drive across the savanna to Puerto Verde where you board a
motorized dugout canoe and head down the Carrao River. Arriving at Puerto
Yuri, a 15-minute walk through the jungle leads to the falls and beaches
of Yuri where you will have plenty of time for swimming and exploring.
Full-day trip to Kavak - After breakfast, board a single or twin-engine
plane for a 20-minute flight to the Pemon Indian outpost of Kavak located
at the base of Auyan-Tepui. En route, you'll catch a spectacular birds-eye
view of Angel Falls and Devils Canyon in the heart of Canaima National
Park. Arriving in Kavak, you will be led by a native Pemon Indian on a
hike across savannah and through lush rainforest to a series of spectacular
waterfalls and the Kavak gorge. There is plenty of time for exploring
this remarkable area, including a swim up the narrow canyon into an ancient
waterfall "bowl" carved into the jungle and rock by thousands
of years of relentless streamflow. Returning to Kavak, enjoy a grilled
lunch and refreshments before boarding our return charter flight to Canaima.
Day 3 - Canaima
Today you can explore the Gran Sabana on various guided excursions. (B,L,D)
Day 4 - Canaima / Puerto Ordaz / Caurama Lodge
After breakfast your morning is free to arrange for a short excursion
or explore the camp area on your own. After checking out you will be transferred
to the airstrip for your flight To Puerto Ordaz.
Upon arrival in Ciudad Bolivar or Puerto Ordaz, depart on a 3 to 3 1/2
hour drive to the Caurama Lodge, located in the state of Bolivar, the
largest in Venezuela. Here you'll find table top mountains (tepuis), waterfalls,
and unique, diverse ecosystems. The camp is ideally situated in the transition
zone between the flat grasslands (Llanos) and the hilly Amazonas rainforest.
These two fascinating worlds come together to create a truly memorable
experience for guests.
While staying at the camp, you will be able to explore both biological
regions. The Caura forest reserve is home to approximately 400 different
species of birds, numerous plants and trees such as acacias, cedars, mahogany
and orchids. Close to the camp is the Rio Sipao, which flows through the
protected Rio Caura Preserve. Here you'll find abundant wildlife including
jaguars, toucans, fisher eagles and royal herons. You may also catch sight
of capuchin and howler monkeys.
You'll have the opportunity to enjoy a number of excursions, including
a hike to the Leona Rapids. Located in an area of primary-growth forest,
the area has several smaller rapids systems and a natural spring, where
you can take a jungle swim. A more tricky hike through the rainforest
will take you up to Cockroach Falls, where various species of seeds used
for perfumes can be found. Also, at the Hacienda La Faltrisquera, near
the town of Santa Rosalia in a rocky Amazon valley, you can observe non-Asiatic
buffaloes, tapirs and hundreds of macaws flying over head. Higher up the
valley are waterfalls, some with pools 30 feet deep. Taking a boat trip
down the Rio Caura, you'll have the chance to visit an Makiritare indian
village, see pink river dolphins, river otters, kingfishers, turkey vultures
and numerous other flora and fauna. Peacock bass and catfish are also
plentiful.
At night, don't forget to look up and view the millions of stars. Because
the horizon is so low, and you're close to the Equator, the short, blazing
sunsets give way to a crystal clear Milky Way. Northern and southern sky
constellations, such as the Big Dipper and the Southern Cross, are visible
at the same time.
Your accommodations at Caurama are in clean, simple rooms with ceiling
fans, private bathrooms, and 120V-60 cycles electricity. Take a dip in
the small swimming pool, relax at the bar or in the gameroom. The excellent
meals are all homemade and served under a brightly colored, open-air portico.
Small ponds full of caimans, bass and egrets are in the immediate area.
(BLD)
Day 5 - Caurama Lodge
Guided river excursions. (BLD)
Day 6 - Caurama Lodge
Guided hikes into the rain forest. (B,L,D)
Day 7 - Puerto Ordaz / Caracas
In due time, you will be transferred back to the airport in Puerto Ordaz.
Check in for flight to Caracas. Airport reception, assistance and transfer
to your hotel. Overnight accommodations at Hotel Sheraton Macuto. (B)
Day 8 - Departure
Hotel pick-up and transfer to the International Airport. Pay Venezuela's
departure tax approximately $33 US; check-in at airline ticket counter
to depart.
Prices
available upon request.
Season: April
through November.
Tour includes:
2 nights Hotel Sheraton
Macuto
One-way air Caracas-Canaima
3 days/2 nights Camp
Canaima [includes overflight (weather permitting), accommodations, meals,
guided lagoon excursion]
One-way air Canaima-Puerto
Ordaz
4 days/3 nights Caurama
Lodge (includes transfers, accommodations, meals, guided excursions)
One-way air Puerto
Ordaz-Caracas
Airport transfers
and assistance
While at Caurama
Lodge, you may opt to arrange for a the 3 day Para Falls Expedition
Para Falls Expedition
Monday: After breakfast this morning you'll depart overland to
Las Trincheras, located on the banks of the Caura River. From here, board
our motorised dugout canoe and begin the expedition up the Caura River
to Para Falls.
Working upriver,
you'll pass several small rapids, including "5000 rapids", so-called
for the legend that a gold miner's boat was wrecked in the rapid and the
cargo of 5000 nuggets of gold were lost.
Enroute you'll
stop for short visits to local Makiritare villages, where exquisite baskets
and other handicrafts are made and sold. There will also be time for short
breaks on the river bank and for a refreshing swim.
In the mid-afternoon
you'll arrive at the indigenous camp of Nichare. Here you'll overnight
in hammocks, drifting to sleep to the sound of the surrounding rainforest.
(B,L,D)
Tuesday:
Continuing the trip up-river, you'll arrive at Playon in the late morning,
a camp located a short distance from Para Falls. From the camp set off
on a strenuous uphill hike to Para Falls. Once at the top of the falls,
you'll be treated to a wonderful view of the seemingly endless rainforest
stretching out in all directions. The rest of the day will be spending
enjoying the falls, which are actually about 12 falls, each around 700
feet tall.
Tonight you'll
return to the camp, where you'll once again overnight in hammocks. (B,L,D)
Wednesday:
Today you'll return to the relative comfort of Caurama Lodge, where you'll
overnight once again. (B,L,D)
***
End Of Our Services ***
Prices
available upon request. Monday departures.. |
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our tour packages include: Please
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