You know the expression you have to see it to believe it? It’s true of Venezuela and the highlights featured on this trip, in particular: You’ll lose yourself in the streets of a small, colonial town; explore historic, cocoa haciendas; take in the world’s tallest, single waterfall; and that’s just the half of it.

Founded by the Spaniard Diego de Losada, sacked by the English in 1595 and by the French in 1766 and freed from Spanish domination in 1821 by Simon Bolívar, Caracas has profound colonial heritage apparent in its streets and palpable in the villages that surround it.

You’ll begin your tour in Plaza Bolívar—full of history and known for its symmetry and traditional, Spanish layout. Then, after you’ve seen the plaza, the colonial house where Bolívar was born and some of Caracas’s most impressive architecture (the Capitolio, Palacio Legislativo, Palacio Federal and more), you’ll check out some barrios, or shantytowns, set on Caracas’s green hills. The homes in these barrios form an almost otherworldly, nativity-type landscape at night. You’ll continue on to El Hatillo, a small town just outside of Caracas, with a central square surrounded by colonial houses that are now restaurants, bars and artisan shops.

After that, you’ll head to Canaima National Park, where you’ll explore the Canaima lagoon, Auyantepuy, a Spanish fort built between 1662 and 1684 and the world’s tallest, single waterfall (3,212 feet): Salto Angel, or Angel Falls, named for its discoverer, Jimmie Angel, a North American pilot.

You’ll also visit Choroní, the must-see colonial town in Henri Pittier National Park. You’ll also have the chance to check out tropical coves, lie out on secluded, palm-fringed beaches, and find out more about colonial history. Once the heart of a rich cocoa-growing region, Choroní is known for its cocoa haciendas and African heritage. The town’s African roots are particularly evident at night when its streets fill up with people dancing to the beat of tambores, or drums.

You’ll wrap up your tour in The Roques National Park, where you’ll have the chance to snorkel, dive, bonefish, windsurf, deepwater fish and take flights over the archipelago as well as full-day trips to remote cays.

This trip can be customized to fit your individual travel dates and any specific requests that you may have. Your travel consultant will prepare a customized itinerary for you. Yampu offers a choice of 3-, 4-, 5-Star and deluxe hotels. In Caracas the Deluxe option is with Marriot or the Tamanaco Intercontinental.

Additional information on this trip:

• Days of Week the Trip can Start:
  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
• Visited Cities:
  Caracas, Canaima (Angel Falls), Los Roques