Venezuela
is situated on the northern coast of South America, north
of Brazil and between Colombia and Guyana. The southeast is
dominated by the Guayana Highlands, and a further 30% of the
country is taken up by the vast grassland plain of the central
Llanos, which is drained by South America's third-largest
river, the Río Orinoco. The continent's largest inland
lake, Lake Maracaibo, lies in the northwest, surrounded by
marshy, fertile lowlands. South of the lake rise the northern
end of the Andes, known here as the Cordillera de Los Andes,
which climb to 5007m (16,423ft) at Pico Bolívar. Boggy
highland meadows in the Andes, known as páramos, are
home to some of Venezuela's most amazing plant species. Equally
diverse flora can be found on the tepuis (huge flat-topped
mountains) in the southeast of the country, particularly Roraima.
Please
note that additional info (prices, activities, etc) are found
to the right of this pages. 
The
country's climate is predominantly tropical, with a warm temperate
zone extending along the coast. Temperatures rarely vary more
than a few degrees (Caracas 18-20°C/64-68°F; Maracaibo
27-29°C/81-84°F); consequently, Venezuela's climatic
zones are defined by rainfall rather than by differences in
temperature. The northern coastal lowlands are relatively
arid, but rainfall increases over the Llanos and the Guayana
Highlands, with average yearly readings reaching 150cm (58in)
in both regions. The dry season (called the verano) extends
from December to April, and the wet season (invierno) covers
the remainder of the year. The Amazon region has no distinct
dry season, and annual rainfall exceeds 200cm (78in), distributed
evenly throughout the year. The dry season is more pleasant
for traveling, particularly if you plan on hiking.
