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The Delta Amacuro is a 220 miles wide gigantic maze of rivers and creeks through which
the mighty Orinoco River pours its waters in the Atlantic ocean. The Northern part of the delta
is the most humid and swampy part and this is where is concentrated the native population.
A typical characteristic of the delta is the mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) which allows
the stability of a land in constant formation by the continuous sedimentation of the river.
On these shores flooded daily by the flow of tides (especially during the
swelling of the Orinoco around August), the Warao Indians built their rectangular houses,
made of manaca and moriche palm trees, on piles almost two
meters above the water.
The Warao, which means "people of curiara" (or people of the canoe) are born-sailors.
Perfectly adapted to this environment, the curiara (a kind of dugout canoe) is not only their
principal mean of transportation, but it is also an essential object accompanying them all
along their life from their childhood as a toy to their last days.
Cristopher Columbus on his third trip saw the coast of South America for the first time.
Around August, 1498, he landed where now stands the village of Macura, on
the coast of the Paria Peninsula, North of the delta, across the gulf bearing the same name.
Paria Peninsula features extraordinary landscape, exuberant vegetation, a pleasant climate,
warm hospitality from the population and deserted beaches. It sounds like
the perfect definition of paradise. 500 years ago Columbus called this area
"Tierra de Gracia"(Graceland)
Because of the high endemic number of plants and animals, the 37.500 ha stretching from
the mouth of Cumana to the Promontory of Paria and including most of the superior portion
of the Coastal range were declared in December 1978 as the National Park of the Peninsula
de Paria. It harbours quantity of gigantic trees, flowered-trees, medicinal plants
and still virgin cloud forests with its typical bromeliads.
The Paria Peninsula is a paradise for the nature lovers. The absence of road protects
the area again crowds and weekend invasions. It is still one of a few places protected from
man-made degradation and pollution. But the small-scale farming in forms of "conuco",
the cotton fields, tobacco, cocoa, and some animals demand more and more fertile land
and so more forest is being destroyed by indiscriminate fires.
The journey below is recommended only to the most adventurous travellers. You share the
life of the Warao Indians, sleep in hammocks and comfort and hygiene conditions are
precarious. Crossing the gulf of Paria can be quite an ordeal if the sea is bad...
The Itinerary
First part: Orinoco Delta
Day 1
We pick you up at your hotel in Puerto Ordaz or at the airport and first
cross the mighty Orinoco River on a ferry. We notice the difference in colour of the waters
of the Orinoco and the Caroni Rivers as they do not mix for kilometres (like the sharing of the water
of the Amazon and Rio Negro River in Manaus)
It is then an hour and a half drive to Boca de Uracoa, a small village on the river
Manamo, a large arm of the Orinoco Delta. We board a modern motorised dugout,
the only mean of transportation in the delta. That part of the delta is covered by an aquatic
plant which does not ease the navigation, the Boro (Eichhornia purpurea).
This plant floats up and down river with the tides because of appendages
which act as buoys.
We sail downriver for about 3 hours. That part of the delta is very "colonised",
there are quantity of ranches, animals and crops, but on our way we probably have
the opportunity to see fresh water dolphins, and quantity of aquatic birds.
The Warao Indians who inhabit the delta live on picturesque houses built on piles
above the water, with palm-thatched roofs and without walls. We spend the night in
such a village, Culebritas (little snake in Spanish), and spend the night in hammocks
the Indian way. They teach us the way
they live, work, cultivate their crops and produce their handicraft, etc.
We can try fishing for piranhas. At night we board small canoe and paddle
into small rivers to observe the caimans. Overnight in hammocks.(L D)
Day 2
After breakfast, we board again our canoe and sail down river deeper
into the delta leaving the Manamo River for smaller canos (narrow arms of the river).
We meet less and less people and feel the nature at first hand. We hear howling monkeys,
parrots and macaws and have time to entertain ourselves.
Finally, we emerge in a wide river and stop for the night at the native community of Jaera Kabanoko.
We discover how the Indians children learn how to paddle their little canoes before learning
how to walk! At night we again enter the smallest canos in smaller curiaras to observe
the fauna. Overnight in hammocks.(BLD)
Day 3
We say good-by to our delta's boatsman and begin a 3 hours sail to
the little village of Pedernales on the North shore of the delta.
Pedernales is a Creole village, which lives off the oil and gas exploration and production.
We have lunch and board a bigger boat, a typical penero (wooden fishing boat), in
order to cross the Gulf of Paria. This is a four to five hours sail which
can long and uncomfortable if the sea is rough!
We arrive at the scenic village of Macuro on the Paria Peninsula, where Christopher
Columbus set foot for the first time in South America, on August 1498 during his third
journey. There are no roads to get here and the only link with the rest of Venezuela
is a 2-3 hours ride to Guiria. No restaurant in town, so we have dinner in our lodge.
Overnight in beds. (BLD)
Second part: Paria Peninsula
Day 4
After breakfast, we load our luggage on the boat which goes and wait for
us on the Northen side of the Paria Peninsula. We begin our 4 to 5 hours moderate
hike across the peninsula from Macuro.
We cross haciendas of tobacco and cacao and then enter the virgin cloud forest of
the Peninsula de Paria National Park. We have lunch at the maximum height
of our hike, about 550m. The descent on the northern side is steep, muddy and slippery.
We arrive at a kind of ghost village called Don Pedro where our boat is waiting for us.
The village was abandoned by its inhabitants after a mudslide in 1938. At that
time it accounted about 170 people whereas today about 15 people live there.
We have time for a swim in the clear ocean water before boarding the boat again
and sail for a few minutes to a nearby isolated beach cove to install our campsite.
Overnight in camp (BLD).
Day 5
After enjoying this extraordinary beach we board our boat again and sail westwards enjoying
magnificent views over the green mountains and lush forests mixing with cliffs and beaches. We
can stop at our convenience to enjoy one of those stupendous beaches. We choose one of them
to set up our campsite for another night. Overnight in camp (BLD).
Day 6
This is the last day on our boat. We leisurely sail west to San Juan de las Galdonas, a small
fishing village connected to the Venezuelan highway system. Comfortable night in a lodge
in San Juan. (BL)
Day 7
Breakfast and transfer to the Carupano airport for your flight back.
(B).
General Information
Rated: Moderate/Strenuous. This journey is designed for outdoor minded people who
do not mind basic lodging conditions, mosquitoes and being wet.
If you do not wish to visit Paria Peninusla, the first 3 days of this journey in the
Orinoco Delta form a trip on its own.
For those who prefer a comfortable journey, please contact us as we can advice one of the
first class Lodge of the Delta. However, you do not travel deep into the delta and will not
visit out of the beaten tracks places.
| Tour Tariff - Private Departures | |||||
| N° of Participants | 6+ | ||||
| USD | $ 669 | ||||
| EUR | € 555 | ||||
| GBP | £ 374 | ||||
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