The Tepui Cerro Autana was declared natural monument in 1978. It is one of the table mountains of southern Venezuela and about 1.300 mts high. Inside the mountain, there is a cave that mesures 395 mts long and 40 mts height which consists entirely of quartz.
3 DAYS
On our 3-day boat trip on the Río Orinoco, Río Sipapo, and Río Autana we will visit different Indian communities. At our destination we will take a two-hours hike to the Cerro Wahari, from which we will have a beautiful view of the Tepui Autana and of the Cara del Indio, the sacred mountain of the Piaroa Indians.
In the Orinoquia Lodge you stay in a confortable churuata (a small hut in Indian style with a palm roof), while on our tour we sleep in hammocks with mosquito nets.
This is a tour particularly suited for people who want to experience the Venezuelan jungle, since it goes through regions which are virtually untouched.
This tour can be taken any time during the year.
DAY 1: Transfer to the Orinoquia Lodge. Excursion to a natural water slide.
We pick you up at the airport and take you to our Orinoquia Lodge which is located right next to the Orinoco.
After lunch, we will drive you to the natural water slide “Tobogan de la Selva”, where we can take a short hike and enjoy the refreshing water.
DAY 2: Ride to Samariapo and onwards by boat to the Laguna de Mapuey.
After breakfast, we leave the Orinoquia Lodge and reach Puerto Samariapo after about an hour. This is where our bongos will already be waiting for us, wooden dug-outs with a thatched roof which are typical of the region. After loading the equipment and food for three days on the boats, we will star our trip on the river. We travel the Orinoco upstream for 40 minutes and reach the Isla de Ratón, where our documents will be checked. As we continue, we leave the Rio Orinoco an the enter the Rio Sipapo. We will notice the difference between the brown waters of the Orinoco and the black water of the Rio Sipapo. We will stay on the Rio Sipapo for about two hours and pass communities of the Piaroa Indians who settle in this area. If we are lucky, we can observe animals such as the Orinoco cayman. Every now and then we can stop our journey and take a refreshing bath in the beautiful water of the Sipapo. Around noon we will start looking for a nice place to have our lunch break.
As we continue our boat ride, we will reach the confluent Rio Autana, the third river we pass on our journey. From here we can see the Cerro Pelota, a mountain which is sacred to the Piaroa Indians and where they bury their dead.
After about five hours since our departure we arrive at the Laguna de Mapuey where we will spend the night. Before dinner we still have time to learn about the customs and agricultural techniques applied by the indigenous population. Maybe we will even see a tarantula, since it is quite widespread in this region. After dinner we will spend the evening at a romantic bonfire. Those who still look for activities can go fishing at night.
DAY 3: Excursion to an India community, Hike on the Cerro Wahari with a Beautiful view of the Cerro Autana.
After breakfast we continue for a short while to reach the Raudal de Ceguera, where some Indians will be waiting for us. We will change to smaller boats in order to get to the departure point for our hike. For about two hours we will walk through the rainforest towards the Cerro Wahari. On our way we have the opportunity to explore the flora and fauna of the forest.
As we proceed towards the peak, the vegetation changes and the trail becomes steeper. Finally, an extraordinary view will open up in front of our eyes, and we can admire both the Tepui Autana and the Cara del Indio (face of the Indian). Way below we can spot the tiny Rio Autana and the rainforest.
After enjoying the view for a while, we return to our camp where we will have time to relax, take a bath or go fishing. Again, we spend the night in hammocks that are strung up in a Churuata, an open Indian hut. As the day before, we will let the day fade out at a bonfire.
DAY 4: Return to Samariapo and visit to an Indian community. Transfer to the Orinoquia Lodge.
We will return to Puerto Samariapo in our Bongo. On our way, we can stop at one of the various indigenous communities and visit a shaman. We will have the opportunity to try Yopo, a drug made from plants by the Indians, or to smoke tobacco with the shaman. As on our way upstream, we can make stops to take a bath in the river, and we will take a break for lunch.
In the afternoon we reach Puerto Samariapo, where we will be picked up and brought back to the Orinoquia camp.
DAY 5: Transfer to the airport. After breakfast we will take you to the airport.