Teleferico de Merida Review

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Teleférico de Mérida

Fodor's Review:

Five blocks east of Plaza Bolívar is Parque Las Heroínas, where you can catch the. Built in 1957 by French engineers, it is the longest and highest cable-car system in the world. In under an hour, the Teleférico ascends in four breathtaking stages to the 15,634-foot Pico Espejo, a mountain peak 892 feet taller than Switzerland's Matterhorn.

The 13-km (8-mi) journey carries you to four stations—Barinitas, La Montaña, La Aguada, and Loma Redonda—before reaching Pico Espejo, where you'll be treated to a great view of Pico Bolívar, Venezuela's highest peak, at 16,428 feet. The first car departs around 7 AM, the last around noon. Head out early in the day to beat the clouds that often obscure the views by late morning. Dress appropriately for the snowy heights, as the temperature change can be quite dramatic, and evaluate carefully your ability to make the trip if you have high blood pressure or a heart condition. The Loma Redonda stop houses a medical station for passengers having trouble with the altitude. Along the way, you'll encounter restaurants, coffee shops, bars, souvenir stores, and an Internet café to let the folks back home know what lofty heights you've reached. Reservations are mandatory during the high season, which lasts from Christmas to Easter, and during that time must be procured at least the day prior from the ticket office on Parque Las Heroínas, or via phone or fax. Your reservation will carry a specific departure time, and you're expected to show up an hour in advance to secure your place. The system is much more flexible the rest of the year.

  • Cost: Baranitas to Pico Espejo Bs.F60
  • Open: Dec.-Apr., daily 7:30-noon; May-Nov., Wed.-Sun. 8AM-11AM(11:30AMon weekends)
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