recommendations for 1 month in colombia/venezuela

If you are afraid of height Bogota will be a problem for you. I got height sickness too when we arrived at Bogota. So much so I called Aerorepublica right away and we flew to Leticia next morning. But after we came back to Bogota from Leticia my height sickness was no more. You may want to skip Bogota and go to the Amazon from Venezuela.

Hi there

I think the other guy replying was confusing altitude sickness with being scared of heights! Bogata is a beautiful city well worth seeing, and it isn't that high that you will get altitude problems.

I just wanted to say that I went on the trip to Cuidad Perdida in Columbia and it was actually the highlight of my trip. There are no problems with heights (it is mostly all jungle trails). The only 'scarey' bits are the river crossings which sometimes feel a bit uneasy as the water flows quite fast. A good guide however will make sure you're ok. They secure ropes from both ends and you hold onto those as you cross. Just make sure that you take a sturdy pair of boots (not trainers) and dont take them off at the crossings (they will get soaked anyway) as under the water it is very rocky and you dont want bear feet.

At the place itself its much overgrown and although its up a mountain it doesn't feel like it - its as close as you'll come to feeling like you're in an indiana jones movie! I do hope you go.

One more thing - one of the first crossings you have the option of crossing through the river or via a cable trolley that has been there for years. If you're afraid of heights insist you go through the river!

Rob

Hi,
am also considering the lost city trek, is it considered safe currently?
I know the LP mentions guerilla activity, and that the fco (UK) advises against all but essential travel to the area, so was wondering what others felt.

My recommendation: skip Venezuela totally and just do Colombia!

I travelled in the reverse direction to what you are planning, and once I got to Colombia I felt I had wasted time by being in Venezuela. In terms of value for money, scenery, quality of food, landscape, things to do, friendliness of locals, and infrastructure, Colombia won every time.

1 Month: Cartagena, La Ciudad Perdida, Bogota, Medellin, Cali, diving in Caribbean. This makes a good starting list.

if you can bring usa dollars with you go to venezuela first...get about a 20% bump with them on the black market...

smcleo r u colombian?If not i can't understand this at all.
> {quote:title=smcleo wrote:}{quote}
> My recommendation: skip Venezuela totally and just do Colombia!

I travelled in the reverse direction to what you are planning, and once I got to Colombia I felt I had wasted time by being in Venezuela. In terms of value for money, scenery, quality of food, landscape, things to do, friendliness of locals, and infrastructure, Colombia won every time.

1 Month: Cartagena, La Ciudad Perdida, Bogota, Medellin, Cali, diving in Caribbean. This makes a good starting list.
>

The only truths there are 1-Colombia is cheaper that Venezuela(but if u change in the blak market as every travel does,there is not a so big difference).

2.-sometimes friendliness of locals,for example maybe it's better in Bogota that in Caracas,but it changes from a region to another in both countries and there are two countries that have almost the same culture and race so i thinks ur comments are not too reflexive.

3-For the rest is almost the same in both countries quality of food(basic of boths diets it's the same,even if the combination changes,anyway not very good from my spanish poit of view in both countries but maybe for and anglosaxon that's a great food),landscape(great landscape in both countries,from jungle to desert,to snow,to beaches in both),things to do(the same in big cities and a little more in the samall ones in Venezuela since they are safer,i'd love to know where did u saw the differences).And for the last point INFRASTRUCTURE BETTER IN COLOMBIA THAN IN VENEZUELA?????!!!!!! Here i can only say; R u sure u was in Venezuela and not dreaming or in Honduras???Cause infrastructure is better in Venezuela than in Colombia without any doubts.

Maybe u r not colombian but u should have ha a bad experience in Venezuela,if not i can't understand u.

As i said both are great countries and really similar but with a difference that does Venezuela a little bit better to travel,specially if u want to go to the jungle,which is the safety.In Colombia simply u can travel most of the jungle or some rural roads.In Venezuela you can go where u want,specially if what u want is to see the jungle(i'm not saying at all Colombia is not a good place to visit too,only that Venezuela have that advantage and i say this cause i can't understand the post before).

good look with ur travel

can't say i'm 100% with you jimmyjazz...but imo you're pretty much right on with venezuela...it has bunches to offer.

it's a really close call on the 2 countries...but i think venezuela has a good edge on the trekking opportunities

Yes it's normal not to agree 100%,as each one has it's own experience. I just tried to edit my post because of redaction(my english is not great but i saw in that post was even worst than usually) but i couldn't. And when i said that in Colombia you can go to the jungle and sometimes to some rural areas i mean u CAN'T(u can but at a high risk).

But the global meaning doesn't need to edit.And it's that both are good places to visit but in Venezuela u can go almost everywhere and in Colombia there are places that you can't visit,specially if you are looking for the Amazon as it seems the person who opened the post does.I won't avoid Colombia,but even less Venezuela as someone suggests in here.