Christopher Columbus discovered Venezuela on his third voyage to the New World. The people of the Orinoco Delta who lived in raised homes reminded him of the city of Venice and he was inspired to name the country which he was discovering after that city. Columbus considered Venezuela’s natural beauty to be so spectacular that he thought he was in the Garden of Eden. We made a list of the best natural wonders that Venezuela has to offer.
Top 8 Natural Wonders In Venezuela
1. Angel Falls
Located in the Guayana highlands, Angel Falls is the tallest waterfall in the world. It is fifteen times taller than Niagara Falls and the water flows down from a flat-topped mountain. Angel Falls is the highlight of a trip to Canaima National Park. This park is unique in the world because of its geological features and it is home to a wide variety of ecosystems that range from savannah grasslands to tropical rainforests. The falls themselves could only be described as awe inspiring because the visual experience and the massive scale of the falls go far beyond the word ‘beauty’. The wet season runs from April to August.
2. Orinoco Delta
South America is rich with long rivers that carry inconceivable amounts of water and define the local ecosystems. Amongst the longest rivers is the Orinoco River, which nourishes the lands of Venezuela from the east to the west. The basin for the Orinoco is a great place to see what Venezuela was truly like before Europeans first landed in the New World because it is remarkably untouched. This includes the people of the Orinoco Basin who still live as they lived when Columbus first arrived to the coasts of Venezuela and was inspired by them to name the country. They live a life that revolves around the river, from the way that they build their homes to the canoes which they use to travel.
3. La Gran Sabana
La Gran Sabana is part of the same park that the Angel Falls are in. The region offers one of the most unusual landscapes in the world, with rivers, waterfalls and gorges, deep and vast valleys and impenetrable jungles. The ‘Sabana’ is also the home of many of South America’s most famous and recognizable animals. The area is also dotted with tabletop mountains that look like enormous pillars shooting straight up from the ground to the sky. If you love nature you have to visit this place, I cannot stress enough how different it is from anything else that you might have already seen. The best way to see the whole region is by Jeep. It rains throughout the year, but from April to August is the wet season.
4. Mochima National Park
Jungle Treks are fun and exciting, but they’re not for everyone; some people prefer to spend the day relaxing at the beach or doing some water sports. Mochima Park in the northeastern coast of Venezuela offers spectacular islands that make some of the other Caribbean destinations blush. Mochima offers great reefs for diving and snorkeling. The fish and coral that live in the shallow coastal flats are small and colorful. You can also spend the day chilling at the beach, since that never really hurt anyone (except Tom Hanks in Castaway). If you go, you cannot leave without trying some of the fresh fish that make the coast of Venezuela a paradise for foodies. If you want a real adventure, feel free to camp in the park too.
5. Los Roques
The Los Roques Archipelago is a collection of about 350 islands north of La Guaira port. Los Roques is known for its natural beauty which is second-to-none. The sand is soft and white while the water is a turquoise blue. Many people go to Los Roques because of the wildlife there. The fishing and scuba diving in the archipelago are as famous as the soft sandy beaches. Many of the islands are only separated by shallow water and you could waddle from one to another. An interesting site is the ice cream vendors that glue styrofoam to the bottom of their ice cream carts so the carts float and they swim behind them pushing forward. I cannot stress enough how much more beautiful the beaches of Los Roques are to most beaches in the world.
6. Los Llanos
Los Llanos is a vast tropical wetland. The environment is similar to what you might expect to find in the Florida Everglades, but the animals and plants that you will see are completely different. Los Llanos is home to a wide variety of animal species such as flamingos. The region is home to the capybara, which is the world's largest rodent (about the size of a hog) and is sometimes called the hippo of South America since it spends its days chilling under the sun with its body in the water. If you like trying strange foods, you can find capybara meat in the region. Los Llanos is also important in Venezuelan culture as the llaneros (cowboys) herd their cattle in the region. This is also a good place to experience traditional joropo dancing in one of the villages in the Llanos region.
7. Cuevas de Kavac
Known alternatively as Canaima’s Throat, the Kavac caves are actually misnamed. As you walk through the cave you begin to see that the cave has no roof, because it is a natural gorge carved by the very water that runs through your toes as you walk down the gorge. As the wind blows between the rocks around you, it sings a song. A trek through the gorge is an experience that you will never forget. Kavac is outside of the radar of many tourists to the area because it is only accessible by small airplanes that leave from Ciudad Bolivar. This place is our gift to you, so that you can do something unique when visiting Venezuela.
8. Guacharo Cave
Guacharo Cave is located in the Northeastern part of Venezuela. The natural limestone cavern is over ten kilometers long and the ceiling is covered by icicle-like stone ‘fingers’ that took thousands of years to form. Inside the cave there is a massive population of oilbirds (guacharo in Spanish) which are a species of fruit-eating birds that can only be found in the Guacharo cave. The best time of the day to visit this cave is around sundown when the birds begin leaving the cave in order to feed. Visitors are welcome to watch during this time. This cave is a very popular attraction among Venezuelan tourists. From October to April is the wet season so I would avoid those dates or rent some rain boots and a poncho.
This article was written by Amid Bennaim.