Venezuelan tourism authorities are hoping more nature enthusiasts will find the country’s Lost World.

Large Venezuela has huge tracts of land protected from development, which should boost its allure among eco-tourists, but not all those wanting to see untouched jungle and other types of pristine environments are aware of that, says Karin Schmelzer of Venezuela’s National Institute of Tourism.

“Most people think the Amazon is only in Brazil,” she notes. “We have a lot of Amazon.” Jungle lodges are available for those wanting to explore the Venezuelan Amazon.

A particularly exotic part of interior Venezuela is the region often promoted as The Lost World, so named because it’s believed to have inspired the Arthur Conan Doyle novel of the same name. The region is home to Angel Falls, at 979 metres the tallest falls on the planet, and which can be visited on day trips that use small boats to work their way along rivers in Canaima National Park. Participants will end up at a vantage point about one kilometre from the base of the falls.

Angel Falls, which tourists can also view from smallish planes that depart from tourism centres, is described by Schmelzer as a “treasure” that is frequently seen in tourism promotion literature.

The surrounding region is known for its tepuis or tabletop mountains, unusual looking flat-topped mountains that enhance the area’s mystique.

Merida, found in the lofty Venezuelan Andes, is home to the world’s longest cable-car ride. Nevertheless, most of those vacationing in Venezuela are drawn by the beaches found on its long Caribbean coast, and Margarita Island, named by Christopher Columbus, and which Schmelzer says offers “sun, beaches and shopping.” However, many international travellers are unaware that Margarita Island is part of Venezuela, she adds.

Beaches and resorts are also found near the mainland city of Puerto la Cruz, which in turn is near Mochima National Park, where white-sand beaches meet thick jungle.

Schmelzer adds that many travellers are not aware of Venezuela’s attractions, while conceding that a country that traditionally has had an oil-based economy hasn’t promoted itself to tourists as aggressively as it could have, something she hopes will change.

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