Description:
Up in the high reaches of the southern chain of the Venezuelan Andes lies the pueblo of San Jose. Home to a scant 30 souls and virtually inaccessible to the public.
Activites:
Cultural Exploration, Eco-Tours, Biking, Horseback Riding, Paragliding
Itinerary:
Day 1:
When we’ve packed up the jeep, we embark upon a tour boasting exposure to a large variety of ecosystems, going from lush green cloud forest vegetation where we’ll visit a waterfall. Then we visit the picturesque Andean village of Jaji, and descend by mountain bike into a Xerophitic ecosystem, visiting a small sugar cane mill to observe the production of "panela", and traveling to a salt lake, the only one of its kind in Venezuela.
Next, we’ll see verdant coffee country, visiting the Coffee Museum and present day coffee farm. Afterwards, we take a winding switchback road with a breathtaking view, ascending from 460 m to 2,290 m. Finally, we arrive at a remote Andean village that’s been lost in time called San Jose, "where no one else goes". We spend the night at an idyllic Andean chalet with trout ponds. This lodge, run by the notoriously talented cook and conversationalist Martin, is of superb quality in food and accommodation.
Day 2:
We eat a tasty breakfast with Martin and then descend into the beautiful valley of Tostos either on horse or by foot with mule support (One of the most enjoyable ways to walk in the Andes), enjoying the surroundings of eucalyptus trees and beautiful rivers. Here we will have direct contact with the villagers. Around us, farmers plow with oxen while villagers grind their corn by hand in order to make the typical "arepa" over a wood-fed fire.
Our excursion brings us back to San Jose for lunch and a brief rest. If you didn’t find horseback riding exciting enough, we’ll do some exhilarating mountain biking downhill, arriving at the launch site for your optional paragliding flight. The view of the valley simply doesn’t get any better than this. After a full day, we will return to Merida.