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Eastern Venezuela
The coastal regions to the north of the Guiana Highlands have some fine tourist beaches and resorts. These include Higuerote, La Sabana and also Lecheria where the San Juan Drum Festival is held during late June.
The Guiana Highlands lie to the south of the Orinoco River and constitute half the land area of the country. Their main value is as a source of gold and diamonds. The Orinoco and its delta have been developed as major trade centres. Ciudad Bolívar, formerly known as Angostura, and the home of Angostura bitters, is an old city on the south bank of the Orinoco and still bears traces of its colonial past, although it is currently the centre of modern developments. The Gran Sabana National Reserve is the largest of the Venezuelan plateaux and has an extraordinary array of wildlife. Santa Elena, Guri Dam (a hydroelectric complex supplying electricity to most of Venezuela) and Danto Falls are all worth a visit. Santa Elena de Uairén is a rugged frontier town which holds a Fiesta in August. Mount Roraima, suggested as the site of Conan Doyle’s Lost World, can be climbed on foot. A fortnight’s supplies and full camping equipment should be taken as the trip can take up to two weeks. The nearest village to the mountain is Peraitepin. Tepuy Peak is also worth a visit. Trips can be arranged to the diamond mines at Los Caribes. In Icaban, after a heavy rainfall, it is common to see children searching the slopes for gold nuggets washed down from the slopes.
It is possible to arrange trips by boat up the Orinoco River delta to La Tucupita. Canaima (one of the world’s largest national parks, comprising 7,400,000 acres/3,000,000 hectares) is the setting for the spectacular Angel Falls, which carry the waters of the Churum River into an abyss. At 979m (3212ft), they are the highest in the world, a sight no visitor should miss. Trips can be arranged which take in the waterfalls and other nearby attractions, including many rare plants – Canaima has over 500 species of orchid alone. Overnight accommodation is available on the shores of the lagoon.
Other national parks in Venezuela are to be found in Bolívar State and the Amazonas Federal Territory, for example, El Cocuy and Autana.
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