From a nature perspective, South America might just be the most jaw-dropping continent in the world, and Venezuela is no exception.
However, this barely visited country has the added benefit that it’s also very Venezuelan, extremely raw, culturally untouched and home to the most genuinely nice people in the continent.
I backpacked solo all over Venezuela and while it’s true that you might bump into a few foreign tourists in Canaima National Park or on the islands, I never saw any solo tourists roaming around the country. All of my insights and experiences were 100% Venezuelan, and that’s what makes traveling here so incredible.
need to know for traveling in Venezuela
Quick facts
Capital: Caracas
Population: 28 million (41st)
Language: Spanish
Area: 916,445km² (33rd largest country)
Visa
Most nationalities can get a free 3-month visa on arrival.
US citizens and Canadians will have to apply for a visa at the embassy. There’s a consulate in Vancouver but there aren’t any in the USA, so US passport holders will need to apply in Mexico City.
Getting in
There are daily flights from Madrid (Iberia and Air Europa), Istanbul (Turkish Airlines) and Lisbon (TAP Portugal). Other common connections are Panama and Colombia.
Land borders with Colombia and Brazil are fully open and operational. There’s no border crossing with Guayana so you need to go through Brazil.
Travel Insurance
Anything can happen in Venezuela, so having proper travel insurance is a good idea.
I recommend IATI Insurance. 5% discount if you book with this link:
Best time to visit
Venezuela is a year-round destination, so the best time to visit will depend on what you want to do.
July to October is the rainy season. This is the best season for Canaima National Park, when the waterfalls will all be at their fastest-flowing.
November to April is the dry season and the later you go, the less water you’ll find in Canaima although this can be a good time to visit the islands, Caribbean coast and also Los Llanos, for a higher chance to spot anacondas.
Safety
Safety in Venezuela has drastically improved, for the following reasons:
- The Government took action against local mafias by carrying out raids in specific shanty towns.
- Massive inflation: express kidnappings are not a profitable business anymore because wealthy Venezuelans have moved their wealth to foreign bank accounts.
- Mugging wasn’t profitable anymore because the local Bolívar was worth nothing, so nobody had any money on them.
- Given the situation, the remaining thieves fled Venezuela to neighbouring countries.
need to know about money in Venezuela
The official currency in Venezuela is the Bolívar
1 USD = 36 VES
After a massive devaluation, the Government decided to fix the exchange rate versus the US dollar, so the Bolívar has now stabilised by being in parity with the USD.
Today, Venezuelans use dollars for all transactions, to the extent that you won’t need to get any local currency.
Remember that in many places you can pay by card although not everywhere, so do bring money in cash, especially because it’s very difficult to withdraw money from an ATM, if not impossible.
Bring small denominations because there’s a shortage of small change.
Budget: it really depends on what you do but if you want to explore national parks, I think it would be upwards of $100 a day
Top experiences in Venezuela
Go on an anaconda safari
Visit Los Llanos to spot up to anacondas of up to 7-metres
Explore Caribbean towns
Venezuela’s coast has a very distinct culture which hasn’t been spoiled by foreign tourism
Enjoy Venezuela’s outdoors
Canaima National Park, Roraima, Los Roques or Orinoco Delta, countryside in Venezuela is absolutely mind-blowing.
Venezuelan people
Venezuelans are eager to meet foreigners, and you’ll notice how easy is to make friends compared to other neighbouring countries.
tips for Venezuela
Accommodation
For Caracas, you can find a few expensive options at booking.com
For the rest of the country, it’s easy to find local posadas (like a guesthouse). I just browsed hotels on Google Maps, and then called them to ask about prices and availability.
Independent travel
Many travelers fear backpacking in Venezuela but the truth is, it isn’t much different from other Latin American countries, the only difference being that there’s a shortage of information, and that you must bring all your money in cash. Other than that, getting around by public transportation is very easy, and you can find posadas absolutely everywhere.
Transportation
There are buses and minibuses connecting all towns and cities so it’s really easy: just go to the bus station, like you’d do in Colombia or Ecuador.
Domestic flights aren’t super convenient because you can’t book tickets online; instead you have to purchase them at the respective airline office or travel agency. Check Conviasa or Laser Airlines