Venezuela - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 889

Internet and phones Several useful centros de
conexiones offer internet, phone services and photo-
copying. There's a CANTV centre (Mon-Sat 7am-5pm)
beside Posada Guamanchi . There's another centro in the
bus terminal, and a handful more internet cafés around
the teleférico base. Internet costs around BsF5/hr.
Language study Iowa Institute on Av 4, at C 18 T 0274
252 6404, W iowainstitute.com.
Laundry An unnamed laundry on Av 6, between C 19 &
Hotel Sueño Dorado , does a same-day service for BsF24/load
(Mon-Sat 8am-noon & 2-6pm). Most accommodation will
wash guests' clothes for around BsF50.
Medical care A reputable clinic with some English-
speaking doctors is Clínica Mérida ( T 0274 263 0652) on
Av Urdaneta next to the airport.
Pharmacy Farmacía Central (daily) on Av 3, at Plaza
Bolívar; Farmacía 6ta Avenida (Mon-Sat) on Av 6, at C 22.
Both 8am-7pm.
Police The main station is on Av Urdaneta, adjacent to
Parque Gloria Patrias ( T 0274 263 6722).
Post o ce Ipostel, C 21 between avenidas 4 & 5, and in
the bus terminal. Mon-Fri 8am-4.30pm.

p.889) recently inherited a condor from
this project, although it's not as large as
the fully-fledged adult at the refuge.
Visitors are shown an instructional
five-minute video in English or Spanish.
Two kilometres away, the Observatorio
Astronómico Nacional ( T 0274 245 0106,
W cida.gob.ve) opens its doors to the
public annually during August and
September (daily 5-11pm) to showcase
its work in one of the world's highest
observatories.
The Carretera Transandina highway
eventually crosses the highest driveable
summit in Venezuela, at Pico El Águila,
and begins the spectacular descent to
Barinas and Los Llanos (see p.894).

11

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bus From the Mérida terminal buses for Apartaderos
(every 15min; 2hr) leave from the designated platform until
6pm. You don't need to pay a tasa de salida to ride this route.
To return to Mérida, flag down one of the buses which pass
along the route every 20min or so until 6.30pm.
By taxi From Apartaderos taxis will take tourists to the
condor refuge or the observatory for BsF30. Getting back is
as simple as walking the kilometre (or paying anyone with
a car to drive you) back to the bus route (see above).

APARTADEROS AND AROUND
Most of the quaint Andean towns
northeast of Mérida are set alongside the
Carretera Transandina (Trans-Andean
Highway), with beautiful views of the
Sierra Nevada range to the south and the
Sierra Culata range to the north. Two
hours up the valley, the mountain town
of APARTADEROS makes a diverting
day-trip from Mérida, although you
should head out early as it tends to rain
in the afternoons. The strip of houses
here looks a lot like a town in the
Scottish Highlands; there are fabulous
views of the valley below when it's
clear, although, like bonny Scotland,
the town is utterly dismal when the rain
comes down.
he nearby Refugio del Cóndor , best
accessed by hailing a passing cab from the
main road (daily 7am-5pm; no phone
- contact Inparques in Mérida for more
details), is home to the Andean condor
conservation and research project. Only
one condor remains in the dome-cage at
the top of the mountain road. It's one
of only fifteen remaining in Venezuela,
all of which live in captivity around the
country. If you want to see a condor
without making the trip, Mérida Zoo (see

PARQUE NACIONAL
SIERRA NEVADA
Looming above Mérida to the south and
east, the Sierra Nevada runs northeast
along the Carretera Transandina and
through the 2760-square-kilometre
PARQUE NACIONAL SIERRA NEVADA .
There is great diversity in flora and
fauna here, but the park's most famous
inhabitant, the threatened spectacled bear,
is a shy creature that you'll be lucky to see,
although Mérida's zoo (see p.889) has one
if you're interested. The park features the
country's highest mountains, which reach
over 5000m, as well as its best adventure
activities . You can easily explore the
lower reaches on your own, but guides
(see box, p.890) are recommended for
the two higher peaks unless you are an
experienced mountaineer.
Just inside the northern entrance to the
park, a few kilometres along the highway
from Apartaderos, is Laguna Mucubají .
Camping is allowed here; you will need