Overview

The Andean cordillera is every bit as dramatic and photogenic in Venezuela as in the neighbouring countries, with spikey snow-tipped peaks rising out of a savage upland landscape of wilderness grasslands, tousled forests and icy lagoons. There are isolated villages where life has changed little through the country’s political, economic and social upheavals over the years. Tiny farmsteads cultivate potatoes and maize on undulating slopes or hand-hewn terraces, served by little colonial-style market towns. The principal settlement here is the University town of Mérida, 1,630m, now a centre for adventure sports in the shadow of the country’s highest peak at 4,987m, Pico Bolívar.

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Where to go when - our guide to Merida and the Andes

Merida Venezuela

The weather in Merida and the Andes is wide and varied

Rising from tangled landscapes of wild grasslands, lush forests and icy lagoons are the snow-tipped peaks of the Andes. Scattered with traditional villages, small farmsteads and colonial-style market towns, the principal settlement and centre for adventure sports is Mérida. There is plenty of rain in the mountains, with a drier, sunnier season between December and March. High altitude means that Mérida is cooler than the lowland areas of the country; temperatures hover around the low 20°Cs. Christmas, Carnival in February/March and Easter are busy times for visitors.

View our Merida and the Andes weather guide

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Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

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Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Kathryn
    Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

    Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

  • Lina
    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

  • Mary
    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

  • Paul
    Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert

    After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

  • Charlotte
    Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

    Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

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