Tailored travel programs

The Canaima National Park in southeast Venezuela, covers one of the oldest geological regions in the world. The unique flattop mountains known as Tepuys are as old as the separation of the continents itself. It have been cataloged as a resemblance of a lost world, giving us an impression on how the land looked millions of years ago. It has been declared a UNESCO heritage site and with it's 30.000 km2 is the sixth largest national park in the world and yet home, to another world class record: THE ANGEL FALLS, the highest waterfall, known by the Pemón indigenous people as »Kerepapukay Vena« offers to the visitor an impressive sight: 1000 meters of  clear water falling on an spectacular sandstone wall in the middle of a jungle lush vegetation!

Set amidst the Sierra de Pacaraima in the border area between Venezuela - Guyana and Brazil , is the mysterious sister mountain of Roraima: The Kukenán "tepuy" (flat top mountains from La Gran Sana ain Venezuela) , one of the largest in the Canaima National Park and La Gran Sabana. Full of mysteries, intrinsic to its rock formations and cracks at the top product of millenial erosion, makes it complicated for guidance and orientation, that's why many of the Pemon local people had a fear and respect for this climb. With 2650 meters of altitud the Kukenán or Matawi as it is also known, has 20.63 km2 of surface. Its name is due to a great waterfall that runs along it's wester wall and can be seen from the camps at Rio Tök, and incredible sight, 610 meters of runing water, the second highest in Venezuela.

On the northwest wall of Kukenán is the "big crack" which is 250 meters deep, and that will be our goal in the expedition. This top has been little explored, which makes it a unique and exclusive adventure; not to mention the spectacular sights you'll have from the camp of the amazing Pacaraima range of "tepuys".

The Paraguana Peninsula, located in the north of Falcón State, is one of the most remote regions of the country and the northernmost, just 27 km from the island of Aruba, and a little farther east are the islands of Bonaire and Curacao. It is connected to the mainland by an isthmus of dunes which was declared a national park in 1974, with the name of"Medanos de Coro" and spreads over an area of ​​approximately 92,000 hectares. The peninsula occupies an area of ​​approximately 2500 km2 and its Cape “San Roman”, the northernmost point of Venezuela, was discovered by Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda in the year of 1499.

The name Paraguaná in the caquetío language (indigenous ethnic group inhabiting the area) means "garden between the sea." It is an excellent opportunity to enter a desert-like ecosystem, and appreciate a wide variety of vegetation typical of these environments. Visit Montecano Biological Reserve, uncrowded place where we will observe endemic wildlife while hiking on a very well preserved nature trail.

Besides nature, Paraguaná peninsula is rich in its historical and cultural heritage, in its villages you will find important examples of religious colonial architecture dating back to the early colonization era.

In Araguato we offer you a one-day visit to see the most emblematic places of this beautiful and unusual region of the country. Below is a list of places of interest:

Laying on the eastern half of the territory occupied  by the Canaima National Park, with an area of ​​10,800 km2, is a region where we find the oldest geological formations on earth: 2.000 million years of tectonic activity and erosion have resulted in a landscape  full of special formations, valleys, rivers, plateaus known as "tepuis", waterfalls and natural baths that host to countless species of flora and fauna. Since the opening of the national road #10, which connects the major cities of Bolivar State with the Brazilian border, the visit to this beautiful region of the country has popularized. It has been the setting and inspiration for movies and documentaries about the prehistory, including Jurassic Park and the popular novel by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Lost World". Come along and enjoy yourself in a landscape that can only be described as magical!

Our hosts are the indigenous Pemón known for their hospitality and their workship, through the learning of their traditions and cosmology, we’ll expand our vision and sensitivity to this unique landscape in the world.

Here we describe our basic itinerary of 3 days and 2 nights, during which we will cover the main attractions. We can organize more extensive tours as required by our travelers.

Los Medanos and Sandboarding

Declared a national park in 1974 to protect the dunes isthmus connecting the Paraguaná Peninsula with the mainland, Los Medanos de Coro is an important reference of Venezuela attractions and are visited by thousands of people around the world. Its large dunes, scattered in about 6 km2 and with an average height of 50-100 meters offer an excellent "sand-park" to practice sandboarding: A growing extreme sport born in Brazil, which consits in surfing down sand dunes using a board specially made for this purpose.

Origin

The sandboarding was created by surfers on the island of Santa Catarina - Brazil as an alternative to surfing the days when the sea had little waves. Today has a lot of practitioners around the world, especially in the United States, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Mexico and Namibia, to name a few, with a lot of annual events such as regional championships, national and even global, where enthusiasts "sandboarders" of many countries show their skills in both speed and driving and performing jumps and stunts.

In Venezuela and Coro

In Venezuela sandboarding is relatively recent, and in Araguato we consider ourselves pioneers in the introduction of the sport in Los Medanos de Coro. When and how? After being in contact with snowboard and practice it for several seasons in Europe, we asked ourselves if it could be possible to surf down a dune with a snowboard and drive it as such. and ... we tried!. The response was positive and then it was just enough to consult the Internet to discover how widespread and popular the sport was in other countries where there were dunes. We got some snowboards and we started practicing and taking travelers to the dunes to whom we presented the sport. The reactions from the outset were positive and demand grew. The activity was consolidated as one of the "to do things" when visiting Coro and the dunes after Brian Kluepfel, incharge of updating the famous travel guide "Lonely Planet" went with us to do a tour of sandboarding. Satisfied with the experience and the sport itself, decided to write an article in the guide and it was thus first time the activity was outlined in an international publication. Increased demand led to the rest of the posadas and travel agencies based in Coro to get involved and practice the activity and even raided successfully in making sand boards which has resulted in the consolidation of the city and their dunes as a destination for fun practice of this extreme sport.

In the year 2012 we had the visit of two important "Sandboard" people: Digiacomo Días from the very island of Santa Catarina - Brazil, three times world champion of "Big Air" sandboarding, and the first sandboarder to do a "double front flip" and Fabian Orsi  owner at "Sandwave" an Argentine brand, manufacturers of boards of excellent quality. Both really enjoyed our dunes and agreed that its level is optimal for the sport.

The Caura River with its 723 km of length is the third river of Venezuela and the second tributary of the Orinoco River. It's source is a sping located in the south central area of  Bolivar State, specifically at the Jaua Plateau. Its dark waters flow to meet the Orinoco at the village of Maripa. It is a unique opportunity to delve into the lush Amazon rainforest, experience its mysticism and share with the people in this so remote region of the country: The Yekuana and Sanema Indians. Join us to visit this mighty river, appreciate the diversity of its wildlife, surfing its calm waters accompanied by dolphins and macaws. Visit the indigenous community "El Playon", explore into the jungle to discover the majestic Pará Falls as we  enjoy with the hospitality of the natives of the area.

Here at Araguato Expeditions we offer you an itinerary of 5 days and 4 nights, departing from Ciudad Bolivar. In addition we can provide all necessary means of transport to complete your itinerary from anywhere in the country.

The Orinoco Delta is a vast region located in the extreme east of Venezuela, here the Orinoco river divides into multiple streams and channels seeking their way out to the Atlantic through a thick swamp forest. The river banks are covered by lush vegetation of mangrove and rainforest that are home to the Warao indigenous group characterized by its ability to adapt to this unique aquatic environment, to the point that the name of the tribe " Warao " means" canoe man " or “people on canoes”

Visiting the Delta del Orinoco brings us closer to the majesty of the main river of Venezuela, to get into this unique ecosystem formed by intrinsic streams and creeks, backwoods, where wildlife live in perfect harmony with the natives of the area, from whom we will learn about their customs and traditions. "Jakera" is the greeting of the indigenous Warao and with it we welcome you and invite you to join one of our visits to this important lung cradle of ancient traditions vegetable

We offer you two travel itineraries to the Delta. They differ mainly in duration adapting to the time you have available for the visit. All itineraries described begin and end in San José de Buja (Maturin) and we can provide all the necessary means of transport to complete your itinerary from anywhere in the country.

In the south of Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela has a unique natural phenomenon in the world: The Catatumbo Lightning. This phenomenon of great importance for conservation, since it contributes to the regeneration of the ozone layer, consists of a series of silent and large lightnings, some reaching 10km in height, which have their origin in the basin of the Catatumbo river. It originates once the cold winds from the mountainous system of Perijá and the western slope of the Venezuelan Andes meet the organic matter-rich steam from the Maracaibo Lake. The phenomenon can be seen up to 260 times a year, and the electric storms may persist up to 10 hours per night. As is known in electrical storms lightnings produce ozone. The Catatumbo has the highest density of electric activity in the world with 181 discharges per km2 per year. Is the proud holder of the Guinnes World Record as the "Place on earth with the highest concetration of lightning.

Apart from the important and impressive Catatumbo lightning,  you can delve into this particular area of ​​Venezuela, and enjoy a diversity of ecosystems seen only at this geographical location, being able to visit the south of Merida and the tropical savannas of the Maracaibo Lake basin. You'll also see La Azulita and its tropical cloud forest rich in biodiversity, sail on river mouths and observe a variety of birds and wildlife in the National Park Cienagas de Juan Manuel, sleep over the lake waters in a "Palafito"  a typical stilt house with ancient origins, the very same ones that resembled Venice at the arrival of the spanish conquistadores, and inspired them to give Venezuela it’s name.