3 days/ 2nights - Rio Doradas – the river that will thrill you all year round !
 

Day 1:

7:15 am. Breakfast at the Arassari Trek cybercafe/office on our panoramic balcony. Buffet style.
7:30 am Departure by 4 wheel drive vehicles down to Ejido where we visit a typical “Trapiche” (sugar cane production, not working on weekends!). From there we continue our ride down the dry and xerofite Chama valley. We enter El Museo de Cafe en Estanquez and as we drive on we will leave the rain shadow effect again and find the lush and green valley of the Mocoties river. This area is famous to produce Venezuela´s finest and best coffee.
The mountains are calling and we leave the main valley for the small road across the mountain hills to the tiny village of Guaraque.
In the afternoon we will enjoy a (10 km asphalt optional) and 25 km dirt road by mountain bike along the Rio Guaraque and later on the Rio Negro. The altitude and climate are just fine and the views of the mountains and canyons are extremely attractive and beautiful.This place looks more like the Gran Sabana than the Andes !!! Just after the cycling we enter a cave and have a refreshing bath in natural pools and tropical rainforest vegetation.
Late afternoon we reach the dam of “ Represa la Honda”, an artificial lake  that created a fjord – like landscape.
Cabañas and rooms at beautiful “Campamento La Trampa” which was built for the italian, german engineers and their families that constructed the dam in the eighties. The tranquility, natural beauty and peace of this place is incredible. The altitude of 1200 meters above sea level guarantees the absence of mosquitoes and you will sleep in a nice and fresh mountain climate.
Diner in the clubhouse where evening entertainment is offered  with pool tables and dance floors.

Day 2:
7:00 am breakfast. After a short drive we get to the San Agaton Hydroelectric station where we get our compulsory rafting instructions and an intensive safety briefing. Bouncy nice class 3 to 3 and a half rapids are awaiting us. As we enter the Doradas valley we will stop in the middle of the wilderness and tie up our boat. An hour and a half hike through the bush and tropical rainforest and we will encounter the ruins of a developed society that lived and built a “lost city” in the Doradas valley. Discovery channel live in the forest. This site is practically unknown to science and only few people have heard of it or been at the spot. Your imagination will mix with images of the Indiana Jones movies.
Returning to our boats we continue for another hour of rafting in soft class 1 to 2 waters except for the last rapid which is again class 3 to 4 !! Instead of taking out the raft and walk back (like on the 2 day tour) we continue after lunch and the swim in "Pozo Azul" for another 2  hours of wild rafting. Attention .... this IS wilderness travel ! From here on the river is surrounded by thick rainforest for miles on both sides, gorges, beautiful canyons and even some small cascades. The overnight will be in tents or a really rustical small hut on top of a mountainhill. According to the waterlevel and/or crew there might be some short portage stretches.
Camping and dinner out in the bush..

Day 3:
Breakfast and continue rafting on the wild Doradas. Big class 5 drops that require a lot of teamwork and adventure spirit. We raft the morning and will get to flat water and the lowlands. We reach the take out place around noon,  early afternoon. Have lunch and drive back via San Cristobal to Merida. In the rainy season you can add other exciting raft days at our Acequias camp (Siniguis, Upper Canagua or Acequia) and enjoy more of that wet fun and adventure. (distance back to Merida is around 6 hours drive/ to our arassari Trek adventure camp in "la Acequia" around 4 hours)

What to bring ?

-  Long trousers, shorts or lycra for cycling and rafting
- T-shirts and sweater or a long sleeve
- Towel and personal affairs
- Hat or baseball cap
- Running/ cycling shoes or sandals for Biking and Rafting, gloves and other accessories
- Socks and underwear
- Sun protection cream and Mosquito spray (for the river)
- Camera and film, waterproof or throw away for the river
- you can also bring along your own bike if you wish so.
- Note: everybody is restricted to bring along the absolute minimum gear and personal belongings necesssary !

What is included ?
- All land and river transports from and back to Merida. (you can also get out in San Cristobal or at the Santo Domingo Airport)
- 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 2 dinners
- snacks and refreshments
- 1 overnight at beautiful “La Trampa” Camp, 1 overnight camping out in the bush
- Mountain bikes & helmets (Merida-brand and Specialised with shock suspension, V-brakes, 21 to 24 gears)
- All rafting (self bailing boats, Incept brand) equipment & gear (helmets, PFD, paddles etc.)
- Professional river-raft guide plus assistent per boat ....and driver
- Note: this tour does not include any accident nor life insurance !

When ?       All year

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