1

I checked into this once myself and concluded that it was far too difficult, time consuming and expensive to be a very practical option. Here is a website link that outlines an itinerary that takes 4 nights and 5 days. I had also checked into visiting Angel Falls while visiting Caracas and even that was very expensive and time consuming.

You should also try posting this question on the South America branch to see if you can get some first hand information, but I'm pretty sure you will find that it is just not worth the effort. Besides, you can have a nice visit to T&T and stay very busy during an 8 day stay. I would definitely recommend going over to Tobago for a few days (I'd probably split my time about evenly between the two or perhaps 5 days in Trini and 3 in Tobago).

2

I seldom disagree with mgtraveler, but in this case....

I did a two day trip costing a couple hundred euros (including air, river, hammock, dinner, hike, etc.) arranged on the spot in Ciudad Bolivar. Similar can be done at a bit more expense from Caracas. Most people take three days/two nights, but to me that seemed excessive considering the added time seems largely spent hanging around wondering what kind of beer to drink with dinner.

This only works if you bring cash and change on the black market--if paying credit card or changing legally everything costs twice as much.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

3

Markharf, thanks for the info. Just to clarify for the original poster though, Ciudad Bolivar is in Venezuela, not Trinidad. So Markharf's suggestion still doesn't apply to your situation, I don't think (unless you get to Ciudad Bolivar, which will involve additional time and expense from Trinidad).

4

I'll also add that I think it's going to be tricky unless you want to use all of your eight days.
I guess it will take up to two days to get to where the excursion will start from (unless you can get there via Caracas in the same day) and then even if you get the two day trip, allow for another two to return to Trinidad.
If that is your sole purpose, you can probably do it.

5

To clarify: you can join an excursion to Salto Angel from Caracas. It's a bit easier in Ciudad Bolivar only because the airport, where excursions are offered by various agencies, is smaller.

You can easily fly from Port of Spain to Caracas. From the Caracas airport you can arrange your tour, preferably paid in cash USD, and fly directly to Canaima on the first leg of the tour. You don't need an extra day.

I did not do it this way myself, since I was already in Venezuela. However, some of the people in my boat came directly from Caracas, and that's what they did.

Whether this is worth your time and money is another story entirely. When I went to Trinidad and Tobago, I spent a week and a half there without getting bored. While it's possible to split your time between the two countries, the whole thing sounds unsatisfying.

Mark

6

Yes, Mark you are correct and I had forgot that one can do this, this remembering only that I flew down to Ciudad Bolivar from Caracas to start my tour.

7

Alternatively, if you find the flight to Caracas expensive, fly to Georgetown,Guyana instead, take a domestic flight from Georgetown to Lethem, travel overland to Boa Vista, Brazil, then to Santa Elena, take a night bus to Ciudad Bolivar, and then look for a tour to the Canaima and Angel Falls. From Port of Spain to Santa Elena, if you take an early morning flight from POS to catch a 8:15 flight at Georgetown to Lethem, you reach Santa Elana in the evening. If you wish, you can take a night bus to Ciudad Bolivar at 8pm on the same day.

I will be going to the Angel Falls from 23rd from Georgetown. I may see you there :)