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

  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Carrie
    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

  • Sophie
    Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

    Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.

  • Chris
    Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

    Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

  • Paul Winrow Giffin
    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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