Venezuela - From Angel Falls to the Orinoco Delta and beyond

Notes

Essentials

Visas
Most nationalities, including UK and US citizens, and citizens of most European countries do not require a visa if entering Venezuela for tourist purposes. You will be issued with a tourist card at the border – this is free but is for single entry only. However visa regulations can and do change and so we recommend that you check with your nearest embassy for the most up to date details.

Airport Tax
There is no airport tax when leaving Venzuela, but internal flights to Caracas incur a tax of approximately Bsf35 per flight.

Health and Immunisations
As with travel to most parts of Latin America, we strongly recommend that you contact your doctor’s surgery or a specialist travel clinic for up-to-date information, advice and the necessary vaccinations. For a visit of less than one month, almost certainly you will be advised to have immunisations against the following: Diphtheria and Tetanus, Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Meningitis. The use of a DEET-containing insect repellent is highly recommended, and we recommend that you take professional advice about malaria prophylactics.

Insurance
What should my travel insurance policy cover?

• medical and health cover for an injury or sudden illness abroad

• 24 hour emergency service and assistance

• personal liability cover in case you’re sued for causing injury or damaging property

• lost and stolen possessions cover

• cancellation and curtailment (cutting short your trip) cover

• Extra cover for activities that are commonly excluded from standard policies, such as certain sports

The policy should cover the whole time that you are away.

Your policy may also have:

• personal accident cover

• legal expenses cover

Common travel insurance policy exclusions
Always check the conditions and exclusions of your policy:

• most policies will not cover drink or drug-related incidents

You must take reasonable care of your possessions or your policy will not cover you.

Practical information

Local Currency
The currency in Venezuela is the bolivar. For current exchange rates visit www.xe.com.

Where currency can be exchanged
It is fairly easy to exchange money in Venezuela - larger towns will have banks and even smaller towns are likely to have an exchange booth or private moneychanger. ATM machines are available but are not always the most reliable, so we do not recommend that you rely on them. We recommend that you bring US dollars to change, as these attract the best rate of exchange and are more widely accepted than other currencies.

Credit cards and travellers cheques
Travellers’ cheques can be difficult to exchange, and attract poor rates. You should only bring US dollar cheques. Credit and debit cards are widely accepted for payments, but less so in smaller towns.

Best time to go
Venezuela’s location close to the equator means that it enjoys year round warm temperatures with an average in the high twenties (Celsius), with high humidity. The wet season is from May to November – although it is of course possible to visit during this time, wildlife spotting in the Llanos can be more challenging. However the wet season is the best time to visit Angel Falls.

Main Language
The national and official language is Spanish, although in areas bordering Brazil and Guyana some people speak Portuguese and English respectively. In addition to this Venezuela has a wide variety of indigenous languages which are still spoken by Indian communities.

Main Religion
Like most of South America, Venezuela is predominantly Catholic, with around 8-10% of the population belonging to the Protestant faith. Indian communities often merge indigenous beliefs with Christianity to create their own ‘brand’ of the religion.

Food and drink
Food in Venezuela centres heavily around beef, vegetables, fish and corn. The vast ranches of the Llanos are home to huge herds of cattle and so beef features in many dishes, while fried pieces of cornmeal known as arepas make up a cheap staple. Other p[opular food includes empanadas – a cornmeal pancake wrapped around cheese or meat, and the national dish pabellon criolo is made of beef, avocados, rice, beans and cheese. Fish is also very popular, especially near the rivers or coast.

If you have any special dietary requirements you must notify us at the time of booking. While we will make every effort to cater for you, we cannot guarantee that this will be possible.

Meals in Venzuela can be expensive. Expect to pay around $50 for a meal in a restaurant, less at a cafe or somewhere less formal.

Transport
On this tour we use either private cars as well as boats (shared excursions in Canaima). Please be aware that roads in Venezuela are often poor and travel can take a long time. However this is generally more than compensated for by the spectacular scenery surrounding you. We will also make use of internal flights, some of which will be on small aircraft.

Local conditions
Travelling in the destinations that we visit requires a good deal of understanding that often standards simply won’t be as they are at home. While we aim to make your trip as comfortable as possible, please be aware that we are often visiting remote or less developed regions that may have little infrastructure. While we aim to make your trip run as smoothly as possible there may be times when we need to ask for your patience while we rectify any problems.

What to take with you

First Aid Kit
The first thing on your list should be a first aid kit. Whilst there is no undue cause for alarm, travellers are best advised to travel well-prepared: adequately immunized, with sufficient supplies of prescription drugs, along with a medical kit.

Clothing
When it comes to clothing it is usually recommended that lighter clothes are worn through the day, and warmer ones at night. A hat is also advised to be worn through the day to protect from the sun, along with at least one piece of waterproof clothing for any days that the weather may be wet or windy. Venezuela is warm all year round and so there is no need to bring masses of heavy clothing, although in the Andes it is considerably cooler and so a fleece or something similar may be appreciated. It’s a good idea to bring some long trousers and long sleeved shirts to avoid being bitten by insects.

Footwear
Footwear is a main priority on this tour. Comfortable walking shoes/boots are recommended.

Luggage
Your luggage should not exceed 20kgs (44lbs). One large suitcase/rucksack, and one small hand luggage rucksack is acceptable.

Other
Suncream/sunblock is a must – please ensure you bring enough as it may not be available locally. Insect repellent, including a bite spray will also be useful to have.

Fitness
This tour does not require any special degree of fitness but you will find it more enjoyable if you are reasonably fit.

Cultural and environmental guidelines
When out and about, and especially when in national parks please ensure that you take all non-biodegradable rubbish away with you.

You may come across beggars while on tour in Venezuela. Every traveller has different perspectives on this and ultimately the choice is up to you. Many sources recommend that you watch to see if local people give, and then follow their lead with genuine beggars. We do not recommend giving money, sweets, pens etc to children as this can encourage a begging mentality and can lead to children choosing to beg rather than go to school.

Haggling is a way of life in Latin America when making many purchases, especially with tourist souvenirs. Usually, but not always, the vendor will start with a price that is higher than they are prepared to accept, and the buyer is expected to haggle. There are no hard and fast rules with this – some vendors may initially quote a vastly overinflated price, others may start with a price close to the true value, while others may just present you with one price and not be prepared to discuss it. Although many tourists may feel uncomfortable with this, it’s important to remember that this is best entered into in a relaxed manner. Once you have agreed upon a price, it is extremely bad form to then not pay this. Please also bear in mind that a small amount of money to you can be a relatively large amount for the vendor, and that it is not necessarily best practice to ‘beat the vendor down’ to the lowest possible price. Remember that they also have a living to make.

You will be spending time in environments that have very little trace of human presence or development on our tours in Venezuela. It is important to ensure that they stay this way. Please make sure that you take any rubbish back to the hotels with you where they can be properly disposed of – this includes cigarette butts as well.

Please do not buy any products made from endangered species – this is not sustainable and hastens the species’ decline

Photography
You should always ask permission before taking anyone's photograph and respect their decision if they say no. In more remote areas women and older people often do not want to be photographed. Some people may also ask for some money – sometimes a little, sometimes a lot - in return for a photo. Taking photos of military installations, state buildings, and airports can lead to problems with local authorities. If you are unsure about whether it is acceptable to take a photo, please ask your tour leader or guide.

Tipping
Tipping is common practise in Latin America. If your local guide has been helpful then you could think about tipping. This amount can obviously be left to you. When tipping a driver, a guide or hotel staff a few dollars will always be gratefully received.

Foreign Office Advice
We constantly monitor the advice posted by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). In particular we will always advise clients of any travel warnings. At present there are no warnings against travel to the parts of Venezuela that we visit. Please feel free to contact us should you have any specific concerns or would like to know in detail what measures are being taken to ensure visits remain trouble free and without incident.

It should be noted that this information applies to British citizens. Other nationals are asked to check the current position of their respective government.

Further Information

Public Holidays in Venezuela:
1 Jan New Year’s Day
19 Apr Declaration of Independence
1 May Labour Day
24 Jun Battle of Carabobo
5 Jul Independence Day
24 Jul Birthday of Simon Bolivar
12 Oct Day of Indigenous Resistance
25 Dec Christmas Day

In addition to this Venezuela celebrates Easter which varies annually.

Dates are for guidance only and may vary year to year

Electrical Supply
Plugs are generally of the two pin, American style plugs. We recommend that you bring a multi-adapter.

Recommended Reading

Venezuela – The Bradt Guide
Russell Maddicks

Hugo: The Hugo Chavez Story from Mud Hut to Perpetual Revolution
Marc Herman

IMPORTANT NOTES – PLEASE READ

Please note that the information provided is correct at the time of writing but may change. It is intended as a guide only. Further information regarding vaccinations and travel health visit www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk or contact your local healthcare provider.

In addition we strongly advise you to check the information and any travel advice provided by your government. For British citizens you should visit the Foreign Office website www.fco.gov.uk.

Furthermore, you should be aware that any travel warnings or advisories may affect the validity of your travel insurance. Therefore, at the time of booking your tour it is essential you check any restrictions on cover with your insurance provider.

Issue Date – 12/12/11

For possible changes to this dossier please visit www.undiscovered-destinations.com or call +44 (0)191 296 2674