1

I did it last year in Feb, but not from Bogota, I came South from Santa Marta..

I caught a bus from Bucaramanga to Cucuta. From the bus station in Cucuta I caught a taxi to the border. I crossed on foot. Once I crossed the border it took me 10 minutes to find the window to show my passport, it took another 2 minutes to get the Venezuelan immigration officer to take his eyes off the football on the TV to stamp my passport.

I then walked about 600 metre to the main road towards San Cristobal. I flagged down a share taxi to San Cristobal. There are 4 Police and Military checkpoints on the way to San Cristobal. Being a gringo in a car full of Venezualans meant I was a red flag to talk to. I was questioned at 3 of the 4 checkpoints, all were polite and passive and if anything interested in my travels, but I was stripped searched at the 1st checkpoint. From San Cristobal I caught a bus from the bus station (very cheap) to Merida.

When I was in Merida the worlds highest cable car was not operational, but may be now. The reason I went Merida was to get to the Los Llanos for wildlife watching which I would recommend.

2

Thanks for that. How long from Bucaramanga to border and border to Merida?