Venezuela is a country rich in natural landscapes that are not limited to islands, coasts, and beaches. Thus, for instance, if you prefer a mountain landscape and climate, Mérida state’s beauty is something you must not pass over. Besides being an ideal place to go trout fishing, mountain-biking or hiking, the Andean region also offers a cool climate, enchanted lagoons, and traditional handicrafts. In Mérida you can also ride the highest and longest cable-car in the world, spend the night in one of its dream inns, catch a juicy trout to enjoy it with your partner, find yourself playing with snow in a Caribbean country, taste the unique ice creams of the region, visit the Los Chorros de Milla Park or the main town market, and discover the experience of visiting one of Mérida’s theme parks named "La Venezuela de Antier" ("Venezuela of the day before yesterday"), among others.

On the other hand, if you are a curious nature-lover visitor we recommend you to visit Los Llanos Venezolanos. Stretching to over a fourth of Venezuelan territory, our plains display a completely harmonious, large variety of vegetation and wildlife. Its climate consists of a season marked by heavy rains (the winter season from June to November) and a dry season (from December to May). During these seasons, major changes take place not only in the environment but also in the biodiversity so typical of this region. Highlights of the wildlife you can find at these natural reservoir include river dolphins, the peacock fish, the golden fish, the tiger-striped catfish, and dangerous flesh-eating piranhas; antbear, red sparrow hawks, stone curlews, white and dark paleta herons, otters, the Orinoco caiman, partridges, ocelot-like cunaguaros, aragüato monkeys (known as howling monkeys), small alligators (known as babas), capybaras and a whole variety of reptiles, to mention just a few.

Savannahs are the dominant element in this environment. Accordingly, both local and international visitors will find there a variety of ranches and farms established to serve as ecotourism camps. These camps offer many activities and excursions that enable tourists to enjoy nature in a different way, as efforts are made to make them aware of the environment and strive to preserve it. Thus, you can rely on finding excellent ecotourism sites in the Venezuelan plains, such as the San Leonardo Ranch, the El Frio Ranch, and the El Cedral Ranch, all located in Apure state (the ideal state for catching the peacock fish). El Cedral Ranch has become a place of reference on an international scale for research in the natural sciences, acknowledge by such institutions as the National Geographic Society in USA, the BBC from London, the Discovery Channel, the New York Zoological Society, the London Zoo, the Universidad de Los Llanos and the Universidad Simón Bolívar. You will also find the Piñero Ranch in Cojedes state. This particular ranch works jointly with international wildlife-protection institutions, such as the Smithsonian Institute, the World Wildlife Fund, and the New York Zoo.