General

Meals:
Total Breakfast (B); Lunch (L); Dinner (D) B= 4 / L= 5 / D= 4
Max Pax:
8
Type:

Destination Tour
Duration:
4 nights
5 days
Activities:
Trekking
Destinations:
Mérida
Level:

Moderate
Price:

Warning: eregi() [function.eregi]: REG_EMPTY in /home/turpialt/public_html/components/com_travel/includes/funciones.php on line 533

Adventure Map

Notes

Search Adventure

 
 

Your Trip Costs

Trekking the Andes
Departure Dates:
Date In: Date Out:
Type of service:
VIP-Exclusive Comfort
Superior Standard
Passengers:
No. adults:
No. Children:
Room Type:
Tripple Room
Standard Twin Room
Standard Double Room
Single Room
The room distribution is a recommendation. Please feel free to modify it according to your particular needs.

Total person: $ 0
OR

Bookmark & Join Us

Bookmark Us
 Join Us on Facebook

Trekking the Andes

Warning: eregi() [function.eregi]: REG_EMPTY in /home/turpialt/public_html/components/com_travel/includes/funciones.php on line 533
Trip Highlights:
  • Meet Los Andes mountain range by walking, cross small wilderness towns, cloudy leafy forests, imposing views valleys, and the true Andes settlers...
  • This little-known trek is one of the best because of the open páramo, flowing streams, splendid cloud forest, cultural exchange, and the solitude in the absence of people.
  • This exceptionally rewarding hike takes you through two states, Mérida and Barinas.
  • The trek starts from Mucuchies at 3000 meters and ends on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada at about 400 meters and the trail follows a road to Gavidia, an Old Spanish mule path over the Andes, down to Cano Grande and the Barinas highway.
    •  


Day 1: Mérida

(4 hours hiking) Early in the morning, we will leave the city of Merida and head to the páramo. On the way, we will go by a number of picturesque Andean villages. After a 1-hour drive, we will arrive at the Andean village of Mucuchies (2,980 m). From there, we’ll take a gorgeous secondary road to Gavidia, one of the best car trips in the Venezuelan Andes, through the spectacular canyon and over the Gavidia creek. Once we arrive at Gavidia, we will turn and drive into a small country road and work our way to Micarache (3,100 m). Gavidia’s main crops are potatoes, carrots, and garlic. The landscape features small fields, stone fences and hilly pastures which are shaded by groves of tall trees. Here we will start our trek. Along the way, the only people we will meet will be solitary cowherds. After a few hours of hiking, we will arrive at our first campsite (3,000 m).

Day 2: Mérida

(5 hours hiking per day) Early in the morning we will head off to El Carrizal where we will enter a dense, well-preserved rain forest, following narrow valleys. Occasionally, we will cross-incredible suspension bridges, which point to man’s feeble effort to tame this wild and unpopulated region. The streams that we will cross feed the watershed of the Orinoco River, many miles away. These are some of the last paradises left in the area. We will come to El Carrizal (1,400 m), a small Andean hamlet completely cut off from civilization; without roads or electricity and a total population of 30 people. The village specializes in the production of coffee, avocado, and oranges which are brought to market, via 10-12 hours on foot or mule. After a hot breakfast, we’ll pack up the gear and trek to another small village, Alto La Aguada (1,000 m). On the trek, we’ll ford beautiful rivers and pass through sugar cane and coffee plantations and the remnants of cloud forest that are quickly being developed into pastures. At the village, we’ll get a good glimpse of the lowlands and the city of Barinas in the distance. As we share a little time with local people, it will be interesting to note that not only has the landscape changed but so have the people and their habits. Along the way, we will sleep in a tent or farmers’ houses and if we’re lucky, the hosts may prepare us tasty, traditional corn arepas for our breakfast! After breakfast, we will continue trekking down the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada (400 m), which firmly signals our arrival to the Barinas State. Our arrival to the small village of Canagua is where a small, dirt road ends its uphill climb.

Day 3: Mérida

Day 4:

Day 5: Mérida

(4 hours hiking, 6 hours driving) After breakfast, we will continue with our descent, walking approximately one hour till we reach Las Palmas. Our 4WD vehicle will meet us and bring us down to the Pan-American Highway. From here, we can bring you back to Mérida or to Barinas for a flight or bus to your next destination.

Day 6:

We recommend you bring:
  • Passport (with photocopies)
  • Travel insurance (with photocopies)
  • Airline tickets (with photocopies)
  • USD o EURO cash and/or travelers checks
  • Credit card
  • Turpial Travel vouchers, pre-departure information and printed copy of your Itinerary PDF
  • Alarm clock
  • Flashlight
  • Sun hat, sunblock, sunglasses
  • Insect repellent
  • Water bottle
  • Small towel and swim wear
  • Toiletries (biodegradable)
  • Sturdy walking shoes/sport sandals
  • Moneybelt
  • Shorts
  • Long trousers
  • Hiking pants/track pants
  • Shirts/T-shirts
  • Swimwear
  • Warm clothes and windproof/waterproof jacket if you are traveling to the Andes or taking a trekking/climbing expedition.
  • Waterproof clothes for wet season May-Oct. Umbrella or waterproof jacket
  • Cover for backpack or plastic bags to keep clothes dry
  • Clothes for temples – long pants or sarongs
  • Camera and film
  • Reading/writing material
  • Binoculars
  • Pocketknife
  • First-aid kit (should contain lip salve, aspirin, band aids, anti-histamine, imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, re-hydration powder, extra prescription drugs you may be taking).
  • If you are under medical treatment, please bring medical treatment for the days you will be traveling with us.
Special Needs: Those who have special needs need to let us know in advance so we can make the necessary arrangements (e.g. allergy to specific foods, etc).
Tour Includeds:
  • A comprehensive pre-departure information
  • Airport assistance
  • Accommodation (including overnights in camps and hotels) on a twin-share basis
  • Tents and all kitchen equipment
  • Domestic flights, if indicated on the itinerary. If not, it is not included. Baggage allowance in domestic flights is 10kg.
  • Private ground transfers as listed on the itinerary
  • Excursions and meals as indicated on the itinerary
  • Professional English-speaking local guide for the tours (for comfort and superior service levels)
Tour does NOT include:
  • International flights
  • Maiquetia international airport departure tax ($52)
  • International airport tax ($64)
  • National airport taxes, if we include the internal flights in the itinerary (approximately BS.F.27.50)
  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Tips / Gratuities
  • Personal expenses
  • Sleeping Bag
  • Personal Gear (or other items of a personal nature)
  • Entrance fees to National Parks if included in your itinerary ($26)
  • Medical treatment
  • Excess baggage costs
  • Meals, alcoholic beverages, tours, or other services not listed on the itinerary.
  • Holliday surcharges
  • Visas
  • Expenses incurred in preparing for the trip such as but not limited to: non-refundable airline tickets, travel insurance or additional expenses encountered as a result of flight delays, cancellations, or missed connections.
NOTES:
  1. Trip extensions can be arrange for any of our tours at an additional cost.
  2. Allow for USD 20 per day for meals not included and/or additional personal expenses. 
How to Book?

I.             I. BOOK ONLINE: Start by filling out YOUR TRIP COST section. Each itinerary has a trip price range. This section will allow you to quote an exact price by filling out Questions 1-4. The price will be determined by: the dates you choose to travel, the number of people traveling with you, and the type of service you require throughout your trip. After filling out Questions 1-4, you will choose between two options:

Option A - Book Now: If you agree with the price and you DO NOT need to make any changes to the itinerary and/or the departure dates, you will press the BOOK NOW button which will take you through a series of steps:

* Step 1: Enter your Details & Flight Information – Here you will have to fill out the passenger details, contact information and international flight information. If you still haven’t booked your international flight, no worries, the system will allow you to request a quote through us. 

* Step 2: Pre/Post Hotels & Transfers in Caracas - Need extra nights in Caracas before or after your trip? If you do, you will need to fill out this section. If you don’t you will skip this section and proceed to Step 3. 

* Step 3: Make a donation? – Turpial Travel is a member of several organizations that protect the environment, study endangered species and promote sustainable tourism. We work in partnership with Fundación AndígenA to forge a direct link between the economic benefits from tourism and the biodiversity protection. This section will allow you to make a donation to this caused if interested. 

* Step 4: Is Everything Correct?  Review your Booking Information – This section will confirm key information needed to proceed with your booking.  

* Step 5: Payment Information – Last step! Here you proceed to pay and book your trip. Payment is processed through credit card only.

When filling out sections 1-5 you will received two emails from us. The first email will let you know that a personal account has been created for you. The account will allow you to interact with your assigned travel agent, update your profile, review trip details, and upload/download important pre-departure information. The email will also tell you the name of the Travel Assistant that has been assigned to you. The second email will confirm your payment once it has been processed.

We recommend using Option A since it was designed to save our clients time and money!

Option B - Personalize my Trip: If you need to adapt the itinerary to your specific needs (e.g. make changes to the itinerary and/or the pre-departure dates), you will fill out Questions 1-4 in “Your Trip Cost” section and press the PERSONALIZE MY TRIP button. Next, you will proceed to fill out some basic information needed to process your request. Once you submit this information, you will receive an email letting you know that your enquiry has been sent to the Department of Sales & Reservations and a Travel Assistant will contact you shortly.

I.             II. DOWNLOAD THE BOOKING FORM AND FAX/EMAIL IT TO US! Download the booking form (below), fill in the information requested, read the Terms and Conditions, sign it and send it to us. You can send this information by:
                               
                               * Fax: 1 (310) 872 5482 (USA)
                               * Email (in a PDF file): info@turpialtravel.com.  

Upon receipt of your booking form, we will proceed to call you and confirm your information. If all is correct, you can purchase the tour by credit card or bank transfer. On receipt of the payment, we will send you all necessary pre-departure information pertaining to your trip. In the pre-departure information you will receive all the details necessary for you to prepare for your holiday.

Booking Form / Terms and Conditions
Please download, print and complete the booking form below and email this information to us. Please ensure you read the Terms and Conditions of Contract on the booking form. If you cannot download this Booking Form contact us and we will post, email or fax you a copy.

Call US! If you wish to speak with a travel agent at any time call us through our website (FREE) or dial +1 (310) 427 3616 (USA) or +58 (243) 431 3785 (Venezuela). Our office hours are 8:00 am – 5:30 pm Mon - Fri (Pacific Time).

  Download Booking Form

 

Note: If you cannot download this Booking Form contact us and we will post, email or fax you a copy.

 


Tell a Friend Feed-Back.