Venezuela - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 874

The park also has large reptile and
mammal populations; noteworthy
residents include sea turtles, jaguars,
pumas, spider monkeys and rattlesnakes.
Entry to the park is free, and most
people access the towns of Choroní and
Ocumare de la Costa , beach communities
at the ends of the only two roads, by bus
from the terminal in Maracay , a town
which offers tourists little of interest.
Choroní, on the eastern side of the park,
is the nicer of the two beach communities,
with lots of places to stay and a lively
atmosphere. Ocumare is neither pretty nor
particularly lively, but is worth a visit for
the stunning La Ciénaga lagoon nearby.
Guided tours of the park are organized
from either Choroní or Ocumare, rather
than Maracay on the outside.

The northwest
coast
Venezuela's northwest coast gets much
less press than the Caribbean offshore
islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao,
but offers similarly spectacular beaches
alongside some of the Caribbean's
prettiest colonial towns and two fine
national parks.
Parque Nacional Henri Pittier , roughly
150km from Caracas, has palm-lined
sands, striking mountain ranges and four
vegetation zones, which are home to
a tremendous array of birds and plant
life. If taking a speedboat to the beach
appeals, then Parque Nacional Morrocoy
a few hours to the west is popular for its
offshore cays surrounded by crystalline
water. Three hours closer to Colombia
from Morrocoy, the well-preserved
colonial town of Coro serves as a good
breather between the coast and the
Andes. For those heading directly to
Colombia this is the most backpacker-
friendly spot en route to the border
(see p.886) 360km away.

11

Estación Biológica Rancho Grande
The park can be explored along hiking
trails from Choroní (see below), but the
best base for serious wildlife-spotting is
the atmospheric Estación Biológica
Rancho Grande (open 8am-4pm if the
research team are here, otherwise contact
Oskar Padilla; see below), a large complex
which the jungle has enveloped to create
something Lara Croft would come across
in Tomb Raider . At about 1100m, this
research station for the Universidad
Central de Venezuela has lots of trails
from which visitors are likely to see an
incredible variety of fauna including
sloths, anteaters and howler monkeys
(if you are particularly lucky). The station
also offers very rustic dormitory
accommodation (BsF30), but guests
must bring their own sheets or a sleeping
bag, as well as food to cook in the
communal kitchen.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bus Maracay is the access point for Henri Pittier and
has a busy terminal serving country-wide locations. The
Estación Biológica's entrance is a nondescript gate beside
a bus stop on the road between Maracay and Ocumare
de la Costa; to get there board the hourly bus heading
in either direction and ask the bus driver to let you off
at Rancho Grande. To get away, hail a passing bus from
beside the entrance.
Destinations from Maracay Caracas (every 20min;
1hr 30min); Valencia (every 15min; 45min); Coro (several

PARQUE NACIONAL HENRI PITTIER
Created in 1937, PARQUE NACIONAL
HENRI PITTIER was Venezuela's first
national park, named after the Swiss
geographer and botanist who classified
more than thirty thousand plants in
Venezuela. Despite the park's great
biodiversity, the vast majority of visitors
come for its beaches , which can be
overrun at weekends but are generally
quiet the rest of the time.
Pittier's wide array of flora and fauna is
a result of the relatively short space in
which it climbs from sea level to 2430m,
producing distinct vegetation zones.
The park's wildlife is best experienced
from the Universidad Central de
Venezuela's Estación Biológica . he area
is renowned among birdwatchers,
having one of the highest densities of
birds in the world, with at least 582
species (6.5 percent of the world's total),
including the Venezuelan bristle-tyrant.