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a nice, embossed stamp in hand, both valid for 90 days. A very official looking officer shook my hand, wishing me“ welcome to Venezuela”.
The last of my doubts about travelling in the border region were taken out by local travellers getting excited about seeing a foreigner and taking group pictures together.
The southern part of the country is the far lesser populated Gran Sabana, the Great Savannah that features a number of table mountains or tepuis, literally“ houses of the gods”. The best-known ones are the Roraima and Kukenan tepui in the eastern part of the savannah, the first of which being the most accessible. I had booked a tour directly with an indigenous guide which I was supposed to meet at a community village. The ride took me through an enkindling landscape that had also been inspiring a number of movies.
Together with a couple from Australia, we set off on a 6-day tour to Mount Roraima. The scenery was unique and somewhat ancient, thanks to the fact that the surface of the mountain had been separated from its surroundings some 2 billion years ago. It features a microclimate and the weather changes rapidly between rainy, sunny, and cloudy which makes the scenery even more mystic. It’ s been a special experience to say the least, and coming back down felt a bit like waking up from a dream.
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