Venezuela Travel Guide: FCDO Warnings, Angel Falls, Los Roques & the Andes

E By Emma · Updated 21 October 2026 · 4 min read

Airports

Simón Bolívar International, Maiquetía for Caracas (CCS), operating with limited capacity; Valencia (VLN), Barquisimeto (BRM), Barcelona (BLA) and Maracaibo (MAR) also have international flights

Flight time

no direct flights; around 13-16h from London with a connection, usually in Madrid

Best time to go

December-April for the dry season; June-November for Angel Falls at full flow, when travel is advised

Currency

Venezuelan bolívar (VES); US dollars widely used

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all travel to parts of Venezuela and against all but essential travel to the rest of the country. The no-travel areas include Amazonas state, the Orinoco Mining Arc south of the Orinoco river, the south of Delta Amacuro, and land within 40 kilometres of the borders with Colombia, Brazil and Guyana. The country also faces political and economic instability, high crime and limited flights, and in June 2026 two strong earthquakes caused significant damage in La Guaira and parts of Caracas. Travelling against FCDO advice can invalidate your travel insurance. Read the latest GOV.UK FCDO travel advice for Venezuela before making any plans; this guide focuses on the places that make Venezuela so remarkable, for when it is safer to go.

Few countries pack in so much variety. Venezuela has a long Caribbean coastline and coral archipelagos, the northern end of the Andes, vast tropical grasslands teeming with wildlife, the Orinoco Delta and the ancient table-top mountains, or tepuis, of the Guiana Highlands. It borders Colombia, Brazil and Guyana, and lies just south of Curaçao, Aruba and Trinidad and Tobago.

Why go (when travel is advised)

1. Angel Falls and Canaima National Park – the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall, at around 979 metres, drops from the Auyán-tepui. Visits traditionally involve a flight to Canaima village, then a river trip by dugout canoe and a jungle walk to the viewpoint, with lagoon waterfalls nearby.
2. Los Roques – a national park archipelago of coral cays, white sand and turquoise lagoons off the Caribbean coast, famous for snorkelling, kitesurfing and bonefishing, with small guesthouses (posadas) on Gran Roque.
3. Mérida and the Andes – a university city surrounded by mountains, with the Mukumbarí cable car, one of the highest and longest in the world, climbing towards Pico Espejo near Pico Bolívar, the country's highest peak.
4. Los Llanos – the vast plains of the interior are one of South America's best places to see capybaras, caimans, anacondas, giant anteaters and huge numbers of birds, especially in the dry season.
5. Roraima – the most famous tepui, climbed on multi-day treks, is close to the Brazil and Guyana borders and currently falls within areas covered by FCDO warnings.
6. The Caribbean coast – Choroní and the beaches of Henri Pittier National Park, Mochima and Isla de Margarita have long been favourites with Venezuelans.
7. Caracas – the capital's cultural highlights include the modernist University City (a UNESCO site) and the cable car up El Ávila mountain.

Where to stay (when travel is advised)

• Canaima village – lodges and camps on the lagoon, usually booked as packages with flights and excursions.
• Gran Roque, Los Roques – small posadas offering full-board stays and boat trips to the cays.
• Mérida – colonial-style posadas and small hotels, a base for the Andes and mountain villages.
• Hatos in Los Llanos – working cattle ranches with eco-lodges and wildlife safaris.

Getting there

There are no direct flights from the UK. Travellers usually connect via Madrid, with Spanish airlines that have historically served Caracas, or via Panama City or Bogotá; total journey times are around 13 to 16 hours. Flight availability is limited and changes frequently. After the June 2026 earthquakes, Caracas airport at Maiquetía resumed commercial flights on 1 September with limited capacity, and other airports such as Valencia and Barquisimeto also handle international services. Check with airlines and GOV.UK for current entry requirements before booking anything.

Best time to visit

The dry season, roughly December to April, is best for the coast, Los Roques and wildlife in Los Llanos. Angel Falls is at its most powerful in the rainy season, from around June to November, when river levels are high enough for boat trips. Mérida and the Andes are cool all year, and nights at altitude are cold.

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