Venezuela travel guide
Venezuela has some of South America's most dramatic landscapes: the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall, table-top mountains rising from savannah, Andean peaks, Caribbean coral islands and the vast Orinoco delta. The country has been through a prolonged economic and political crisis, and tourism infrastructure is limited, so check your government's current travel advice before planning a trip.
Places worth the trip
Angel Falls and Canaima
Kerepakupai Merú, known in English as Angel Falls, drops roughly 979 metres from the Auyán-tepui in Canaima National Park. Trips usually combine a flight into Canaima with a river journey by dugout canoe, followed by a walk to the viewpoint.
Mount Roraima
A flat-topped tepui on the borders with Brazil and Guyana, with a summit plateau of black rock, crystals and endemic plants. It is reached on a guided trek of about a week from the Gran Sabana.
Gran Sabana
High savannah in the south-east dotted with tepuis and waterfalls such as Salto Kamá and Quebrada de Jaspe, where water flows over red jasper rock.
Los Roques
An archipelago national park of coral islands and white-sand cays in the Caribbean, known for snorkelling, diving and kitesurfing, reached by small plane from the mainland.
Mérida and the Andes
A university city in the mountains, base for hiking, paragliding and the Mukumbarí cable car, which climbs towards Pico Espejo near Pico Bolívar, Venezuela's highest peak.
Orinoco Delta
A huge maze of rivers and mangroves where the Orinoco meets the Atlantic, home to the Warao people, who live in stilt houses by the water. Lodges run boat trips to see river dolphins, howler monkeys and birds.
Coro and the Médanos dunes
Coro is a colonial town of earth-built houses and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Just outside, the Médanos de Coro National Park has large, shifting sand dunes.
Catatumbo lightning
Over the south-western part of Lake Maracaibo, where the Catatumbo River enters it, near-silent lightning storms occur on many nights of the year, best seen from a boat or stilt-house village.
Interesting facts about Venezuela
- Angel Falls is the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall, and is named after the American aviator Jimmie Angel, who flew over it in the 1930s.
- The name Venezuela is thought to mean 'little Venice', inspired by stilt houses that early European explorers saw on Lake Maracaibo.
- The Catatumbo lightning is among the most frequent lightning activity anywhere on Earth.
- The independence leader Simón Bolívar was born in Caracas in 1783.
- Venezuela has some of the largest proven oil reserves in the world.
Best time to visit Venezuela
The dry season, from roughly December to April, is the best time for most of the country, including the beaches, Los Roques and the Andes. Angel Falls is at its most powerful in the rainy season, from about June to November, when river levels are high enough for boat trips to the base; in the dry season the flow can be much reduced. Roraima treks are possible most of the year but are wetter in the rainy months.
Getting around
Most travel to remote areas such as Canaima, Los Roques and the Orinoco Delta is arranged through tour operators, using small planes, boats and 4x4 vehicles. Domestic flights connect Caracas with major cities, but schedules may be limited and change. Long-distance buses run between cities. Fuel shortages and road conditions can affect road travel. In cities, use taxis booked through your accommodation or a trusted operator.
Practical details
- Capital
- Caracas
- Currency
- Venezuelan bolívar (VES); US dollars are widely used
- Languages
- Spanish
- Plug types
- A, B
- Voltage
- 120 V, 60 Hz
- Emergency
- 911
- Driving side
- right
- Tipping
- Around 10 percent in restaurants is common; tip guides and drivers, often in US dollars.
Staying online in Venezuela
Mobile coverage is available in Caracas and other cities, but speeds can be slow, and power cuts and network problems are not unusual. Coverage drops sharply outside towns: in Canaima, the Gran Sabana, Roraima, the Orinoco Delta and Los Roques, signal is limited or absent, and lodges may rely on satellite internet. Wi-Fi in hotels exists but can be unreliable. Download offline maps and translation packs before you go. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land, and treat it as one of several options.
Useful apps
- WhatsApp: The main way to communicate with tour operators, drivers and accommodation.
- Google Maps: Download offline maps before travelling, as connections can be unreliable.
- Google Translate: Spanish translation with an offline pack, as English is not widely spoken.
- XE Currency: Reference rates for bolívars and US dollars, although rates in practice may differ.
Venezuela travel FAQs
Travel advice varies by government and changes over time. Check your government's current advice before making plans, and use experienced local tour operators for remote areas.
In cities, generally yes, although connections can be slow and power cuts can affect service. In national parks and remote regions, expect no signal. A travel eSIM can provide data where networks are available.
During the rainy season, from roughly June to November, the falls are at full flow and boats can reach the base. In the dry season the flow is much lower and river access can be harder.
Arepas (corn cakes filled with cheese, beans or meat), pabellón criollo (shredded beef, black beans, rice and plantain), cachapas (sweet corn pancakes) and, at Christmas, hallacas wrapped in plantain leaves.