Amazing Andes and Magnificent Merida

Cradled by blue skies, Venezuela’s Andes Mountains offer charming mountain villages, friendly campesinos and well-maintained trails – just perfect for nature tourists. The horizon seemingly stretches forever, capped by peaks ranging from 3600-5000 meters (12,000-15000 ft) in height. Bolivar Peak, the country’s tallest mountain, is readily visible from Mérida’s Cable Car – the world’s longest and highest cable car.

Located along Venezuela’s western border, the Andes offer great settings for adventure sports enthusiasts. Besides the challenging ascent to Bolivar Peak, climbers also tackle glaciers at Humboldt and Bonpland peaks. Other less demanding hike routes may visit highland lakes, while mountain bikers tackle roads and trails that stretch through remote, picturesque towns. Even hang-gliders and para-gliders take advantage of the Andean scenery.

Nature enthusiasts should put Sierra Nevada National Park on their itinerary. With an altitude range of 150 to 5,000m (450 to 15,000 ft), the park hosts a variety of habitats and wildlife species within its peaks and valleys. Mammals within these diverse ecosystems include puma, jaguar, mountain cat, ocelot, fox, weasel, deer, tapir, capybara, red howler monkey, sloth, raccoon, porcupine and the endangered spectacled bear. Trout and salmon spawn in the rivers, and bird species include eagle, hawk, parrot, parakeet, hummingbird, quetzal, owl, jay, pipit, nightjar and toucanet as well as the Andean condor, which was only recently reintroduced to the country. The famous frailejón (espeletia) is the typical flora of the páramos, with more than 40 species of this large, beige-leafed plant in the area, and blossoming with yellow flowers from September to December.

The colorful city of Mérida is the country’s highest state capital, where friendly Andeans share their magnificent cultural legacy. With Spanish roots dating to 1558, Mérida is proud of its heritage, and serves as a cultural and educational seat for the country.

Plan your Ultimate Andes Adventure now – Angel-Eco Tours offers trips to the mountain city of Merida, complete with a ride on the Teleferico (although it is undergoing some reconstruction presently until mid summer 2009), hikes to the home of the Andean Condor, and meals in beautiful historic Andean villages. This can be combined with a wildlife safari trip to Los Llanos.