Venezuela - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 885

BsF1) on Avenida 3 at the Plaza Bolívar.
It presents pre-Columbian artefacts from
the region, augmented by thorough
historical descriptions.

Destinations Caracas (several daily; 13hr); San Cristóbal
(every half hour; 5hr); Maracaibo (several nightly; to go
by day take a por puesto ; 6hr); Maracay (several daily; 8hr);
Coro (1 night bus; 10hr); Puerto La Cruz (daily at 10am; 18hr)
with Expresos Mérida ( T 0414 737 1075). For Ciudad Bolívar
you have to change at Puerto La Cruz or Barinas, although
onward connections are far more reliable from the former.
Tourist information Cormetur ( T 0274 263 4701) has
o ces in several locations around town, including the
bus terminal, the airport and the Mercado Principal on
Av Las Américas. The most reliable booth is the one in the
bus terminal, which is open daily 7am-7pm. You'll find
the town's main central tourist o ce at the base station
of the teleférico, as well as the Inparques of ce.

Parque Zoologico
The zoo (open 8am-5pm, daily in the
high season, closed Mon in low season;
BsF10) at the northeastern limit of the
town has a good selection of native and
foreign animals including a tiger, a lion,
a condor recently brought down from
the refuge above Apartaderos (see p.893),
and a spectacled bear, which is pictured
on the BsF50 note. To get here take a bus
(BsF2.50) bound for Los Chorros from
the intersection of Avenida 5 and Calle 23.

ACCOMMODATION
Mérida has a good selection of budget hostels and
posadas. Most of the cheapest options are conveniently
found near Parque Las Heroínas, a sort of backpacker
ghetto where nearly all the tour agencies have their
o ces. Mid-range options can be up to forty percent
cheaper during the Nov-June low season, although the
posadas tend to remain the same price year-round. Unlike
the rest of the country, hot water is taken as given in
Mérida. To camp in the surrounding national parks, contact
the Inparques o ce at the teleférico (see opposite).
Posada Alemania Av 2 between calles 17 & 18 T 0274
252 4067. A hangout at the back with communal kitchen,
hammocks and chunky furniture gives this otherwise basic
posada a friendly feel. Spacious dorm beds go for BsF100,
there's wi-fi, a computer for those who didn't bring their
own technology, and the frie ndly owners cook up big
breakfasts from BsF38. BsF200
Ì Posada Guamanchi C 24 between Av 8 & Parque
las Heroínas T 0274 252 2080, W guamanchi.com. This
three-floor building has a nice location beside Parque las
Heroínas. The wi-fi reaches to the top-floor terrace, which
contains some of the hammocks that are slung throughout.
Probably the only place in the country you can snag a

11

The teleférico
Being refurbished at the time of research,
Mérida's greatest attraction, the world's
highest and longest teleférico (cable car),
is scheduled to open by the end of 2013.
The base station is situated at Parque Las
Heroínas ( T 0274 252 5080), from where
the car climbs 3000m vertically and
12.5km horizontally across three
intermediate stations to the Pico Espejo
(4865m). It is a good idea to pause for
acclimatization at the penultimate, Loma
Redonda (4045m), as the rapid changes
in height can cause mild altitude sickness.
From Loma Redonda, you can also
follow various hiking trails (4hr) to
the small Andean town of Los Nevados
13km away, which contains several
posadas and places to eat. You can do this
walk on your own, but should notify
Inparques beforehand, whose main office
is at the base station.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
By plane Mérida's Alberto Carnevalli airport ( T 0274 263
4352), which is 3km southwest of the town, has been
closed for some time with no indication of when it will
reopen. The closest domestic flights land at El Vigia, which
is an hour away by bus (BsF15) or taxi (BsF200).
Destinations Caracas (4 weekly); Porlamar (3 weekly);
Bogotá (3 weekly) and others. Conviasa ( W conviasa.aero)
is the main operator to El Vigia.
By bus The bus terminal is 2km outside the city centre.
Take a bus (BsF2.50) into town from the stop on the
opposite side of the main road to the terminal. Buses back
to the terminal pass via Av 2 beside the bridge.

Ì TREAT YOURSELF
Posada Casa Sol Av 4 between calles 15
& 16 T 0274 252 4164, W posadacasasol
.com. Mérida's best attempt at the
boutique hotel, this haven of serenity has
an excellent restaurant, balconies suited
to Shakespearean soliloquy and an
interesting water feature full of carp.
Rooms are elegant, the wi-fi reaches
throughout, beds are super-soft and
showers are excellent; the perfect spot to
reward yourself after an arduous trek o r
bus journey. Breakfast included. BsF480