Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
INFORMATION AND TOURS
Tourist information As well as the Inparques o ces in
Mérida at the base station of the teleférico (see p.889),
there is one near the park entrance that can issue camping
permits and dispense advice (Spanish only).
Tour operators Companies (see box, p.890) organize
groups on a one guide to two clients ratio; cost is BsF600
per day and all equipment is included. Routes (Weiss, Sur
Este, North Flank) can be selected depending on expe-
rience and generally take six days, a time which can be cut
to four with higher levels of expertise.
permission from the Inparques office near
the entrance. A good hiking trail connects
Laguna Mucubají with Laguna Negra ,
a trout-filled lake with dark water. The
beautiful hike takes two hours, and you
can continue another one hour thirty
minutes to the pretty Laguna Los Patos .
In the wet season, it's best to leave early to
avoid rain and fog that could limit visibility
considerably. Just outside the park entrance
is Refugio Mucubají, a restaurant that sells
good picnic supplies as well as excellent
arepas , soups and coffees.
Los Llanos
Taking up nearly a third of the country,
the immense plains and wetlands of
Los Llanos are one of the continent's
premier wildlife-viewing areas. Some of
the most abundant species are alligators,
anacondas and capybaras, the world's
largest rodent. Other common species are
river dolphins, jaguars, pumas, howler
and capuchin monkeys and anteaters.
However, the livelihood of the region's
human inhabitants, the llaneros, is most
closely linked with domesticated animals.
Los Llaneros are extremely skilled
horsemen and work in secluded groups
on hatos (see box, p.896), enormous
ranches with cattle often numbering in
the tens of thousands.
Los Llanos has two very pronounced
seasons . During the wet season,
from May to November, much of the
land becomes flooded and extremely
verdant. In the dry season the land
becomes parched and dusty, and
vegetation changes colour to match
the dry surroundings. The best wildlife
viewing comes when water is scarce,
when animals congregate at the few
watering holes.
Unless you have a wad of cash to
spend on a stay at one of the hatos , you'll
most likely visit Los Llanos as part of a
multi-day tour from Mérida (see p.891).
If you're determined to see the region
on your own, or are passing through
Los Llanos to another part of the country,
the backwater city of San Fernando de
Apure is the region's hub, though there's
no reason to visit the town itself.
Pico Bolívar
At 5007m, Pico Bolívar is the country's
highest and most hiked peak. There are
multiple routes up, varying in difficulty
and length of ascent. When the teleférico
is operational, many walkers get off at the
last station, Pico Espejo, and make the
five-hour ascent along the Ruta Weiss.
This is not very technical in the dry season
(Dec-May). he Ruta Sur Este and North
Flank are two more challenging routes,
which involve ice-climbing and require ice
axes and crampons. Views from the top
are spectacular - on a clear day, you can
see the city of Mérida, the Colombian
Andes and the vast expanse of Los Llanos.
11
Pico Humboldt
Another renowned peak, Pico Humboldt ,
can be combined with a climb of Pico
Bolívar or tackled on its own. Starting at
the entrance of Parque Nacional La Mucuy,
about 10km to the northeast of Mérida,
the first day's ascent is 1000m; after the
six-hour, 9km walk, most people camp
around the picturesque Laguna Coromoto.
The ascent on the second day is shorter but
steeper as you get into the rocky terrain
above the tree line. The final day's ascent to
the peak and return to the campsite usually
takes at least eight hours, depending upon
your ice-climbing ability. The fourth day is
for the descent back to La Mucuy.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By bus The park entrance is on the Apartaderos route from
Mérida; simply stay on the bus for a few kilometres after
Apartaderos. To get back to Mérida or onwards to Barinas,
flag down a passing bus in either direction, which pass
every 20min or so until 6.30pm.
 
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