Latin America, Venezuela

Overview

Venezuela is epic in proportion: it boasts South America's largest lake and third-longest river, the highest waterfall in the world, the longest of all snakes, and some of the most spectacular landscapes you'll ever see.

When To Go

The tourist season in Venezuela runs year-round, but consider the climate and Venezuelan holidays before finalizing your travel plans. Venezuela has a dry season late November to early May and a wet season the rest of the year. The dry season is certainly more pleasant for traveling, particularly for hiking or other outdoor activities, though sightseeing in cities or towns won't be greatly disturbed by rain. Some sights, such as waterfalls, are actually more impressive in the wet season. Angel Falls is absolutely spectacular after heavy rains in the wet months, but may be little more than a thin ribbon of water in the dry season. Furthermore, the falls can be inaccessible by boat in dry months.Venezuelans are mad about traveling to visit friends, family and the beach over Christmas through till mid-January, Carnaval several days prior to Ash Wednesday and Semana Santa Holy Week; the week before Easter Sunday. These periods are colorful and alive with a host of festivities, but you may

Visas

Nationals of the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the UK and most of Western and Scandinavian Europe don't need a visa to enter Venezuela; a free tarjeta de ingreso tourist card, officially denominated DEX-2 is all that is required. The card is normally valid for 90 days and can be extended. Airlines provide these cards to passengers; overland travelers can obtain the card from the immigration official at the border crossing check this beforehand at the nearest consulate.On entering Venezuela, your passport and tourist card will be stamped by Dirección de Identificación y Extranjería DIEX or DEX border officials. Keep the yellow copy of the tourist card while traveling in Venezuela, and return it to immigration officials when leaving the country. Visa and tourist card extensions are handled by Onidex in Caracas.

Weather

Weather The dry season from December to April is the best time to hang out on the Venezuelan coast and soak up the rays. While temperatures can get a bit fevered, peaking around 32°C 89°F during the day, there is decent sunshine and negligible rainfall. During the rest of the year temperatures are just a pinch hotter, especially between June and September, with rainfall peaking around October. Moving inland, temperatures are cooler but still with little seasonal change, averaging highs between 24°C 75°F and 27°C 80°F. Though the wet season is the same inland as on the coast, rainfall is more frequent throughout the year. In the southern plateau region the temperature climbs again, however the hottest months are now February and March and it is wet for most of the year with slightly drier periods in September and October and between January and March.

Getting There

Flights to Caracas arrive from the US and Western European countries. From Australia and New Zealand, round-the-world tickets may be the cheapest and most flexible option. There are direct flights between Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil, though the latter is very expensive.