Venezuela

Dry Season

The pleasant months and the ones that make the logistics easier. February and March are the driest of the year, the mountain is clear more often than not, and the cable car earns its reputation. These are also the most reliable months for the domestic flights that the rest of the trip depends on, which matters more than the weather in the city itself. If the itinerary has any flexibility at all, put Caracas in this window.

Trade Wind Season

The dry months and the windy ones, which is the combination most people come for. Steady easterlies across the flats make this the reliable window for kitesurfing, and it is also the classic bonefishing season, with clear water and fish on the flats through the day. April is the driest month of the year. If you are combining Los Roques with Mount Roraima this also happens to overlap with the best trekking conditions on the tepui, which is the single strongest argument for putting the two together.

Dry Season

The trekking window and the one worth planning around. Clearer skies, firmer trails, and the best odds of seeing the peaks at all, since afternoon cloud builds over the cordillera on most days year round and mornings are when you see anything. Frailejón flowering falls broadly in this drier stretch depending on the species. The one complication is that Christmas, New Year and Carnival all sit inside it and the cable car and páramo fill with Venezuelan holiday traffic, so timing around those weeks is worth doing.

Dry Season

The window operators build their calendars around. The Tek and Kukenán rivers run low enough to ford easily, the savanna crossing is firm underfoot rather than mud, and the Rampa is at its least treacherous. February is the driest month of the year. Cloud still sits on the plateau most days, but clear mornings are more frequent than at any other time and the odds of seeing Kukenán from La Ventana are at their best. Nights on the summit are cold, often close to freezing, and a warm sleeping bag matters more in these months than in any other.

Low Water

The most comfortable months and the easiest to travel. Water is at its lowest from October and bottoms out here, which concentrates fish into shrinking channels and the animals that eat fish along with them. Caiman are easier to find, banks are exposed, and the roads in from Maturín and Puerto Ordaz are at their best. This is the window for a first visit and for anyone who would rather not be rained on daily. April is the turn, and the river begins to rise before the month is out.

Dry Season

Clear skies and a shrinking river. Early December often still carries enough water for the canoes, but from January onward levels drop and the journey to the base becomes uncertain, slow or impossible, with crews sometimes pushing boats through shallows. The compensation is visibility. This is when the falls are least likely to be hidden, and overflights through the Devil's Canyon run on most days. Travellers in these months should plan around seeing the falls from the air and treat the river trip as a bonus rather than the itinerary.

Dry Season Lull

The quiet end of the year. Storm frequency drops sharply and in a dry year can fall close to zero for weeks at a time, as it did in early 2010 when the lightning stopped for around three months and was widely reported to have ended for good before it resumed. These are not months to travel for the phenomenon. Temperatures are at their highest and the marshes at their lowest.

Dry Season

The pleasant months and the ones that make the logistics easier. February and March are the driest of the year, the mountain is clear more often than not, and the cable car earns its reputation. These are also the most reliable months for the domestic flights that the rest of the trip depends on, which matters more than the weather in the city itself. If the itinerary has any flexibility at all, put Caracas in this window.

Trade Wind Season

The dry months and the windy ones, which is the combination most people come for. Steady easterlies across the flats make this the reliable window for kitesurfing, and it is also the classic bonefishing season, with clear water and fish on the flats through the day. April is the driest month of the year. If you are combining Los Roques with Mount Roraima this also happens to overlap with the best trekking conditions on the tepui, which is the single strongest argument for putting the two together.

Dry Season

The trekking window and the one worth planning around. Clearer skies, firmer trails, and the best odds of seeing the peaks at all, since afternoon cloud builds over the cordillera on most days year round and mornings are when you see anything. Frailejón flowering falls broadly in this drier stretch depending on the species. The one complication is that Christmas, New Year and Carnival all sit inside it and the cable car and páramo fill with Venezuelan holiday traffic, so timing around those weeks is worth doing.

Dry Season

The window operators build their calendars around. The Tek and Kukenán rivers run low enough to ford easily, the savanna crossing is firm underfoot rather than mud, and the Rampa is at its least treacherous. February is the driest month of the year. Cloud still sits on the plateau most days, but clear mornings are more frequent than at any other time and the odds of seeing Kukenán from La Ventana are at their best. Nights on the summit are cold, often close to freezing, and a warm sleeping bag matters more in these months than in any other.

Low Water

The most comfortable months and the easiest to travel. Water is at its lowest from October and bottoms out here, which concentrates fish into shrinking channels and the animals that eat fish along with them. Caiman are easier to find, banks are exposed, and the roads in from Maturín and Puerto Ordaz are at their best. This is the window for a first visit and for anyone who would rather not be rained on daily. April is the turn, and the river begins to rise before the month is out.

Dry Season

Clear skies and a shrinking river. Early December often still carries enough water for the canoes, but from January onward levels drop and the journey to the base becomes uncertain, slow or impossible, with crews sometimes pushing boats through shallows. The compensation is visibility. This is when the falls are least likely to be hidden, and overflights through the Devil's Canyon run on most days. Travellers in these months should plan around seeing the falls from the air and treat the river trip as a bonus rather than the itinerary.

Dry Season Lull

The quiet end of the year. Storm frequency drops sharply and in a dry year can fall close to zero for weeks at a time, as it did in early 2010 when the lightning stopped for around three months and was widely reported to have ended for good before it resumed. These are not months to travel for the phenomenon. Temperatures are at their highest and the marshes at their lowest.

Dry Season

The pleasant months and the ones that make the logistics easier. February and March are the driest of the year, the mountain is clear more often than not, and the cable car earns its reputation. These are also the most reliable months for the domestic flights that the rest of the trip depends on, which matters more than the weather in the city itself. If the itinerary has any flexibility at all, put Caracas in this window.

Trade Wind Season

The dry months and the windy ones, which is the combination most people come for. Steady easterlies across the flats make this the reliable window for kitesurfing, and it is also the classic bonefishing season, with clear water and fish on the flats through the day. April is the driest month of the year. If you are combining Los Roques with Mount Roraima this also happens to overlap with the best trekking conditions on the tepui, which is the single strongest argument for putting the two together.

Dry Season

The trekking window and the one worth planning around. Clearer skies, firmer trails, and the best odds of seeing the peaks at all, since afternoon cloud builds over the cordillera on most days year round and mornings are when you see anything. Frailejón flowering falls broadly in this drier stretch depending on the species. The one complication is that Christmas, New Year and Carnival all sit inside it and the cable car and páramo fill with Venezuelan holiday traffic, so timing around those weeks is worth doing.

Dry Season

The window operators build their calendars around. The Tek and Kukenán rivers run low enough to ford easily, the savanna crossing is firm underfoot rather than mud, and the Rampa is at its least treacherous. February is the driest month of the year. Cloud still sits on the plateau most days, but clear mornings are more frequent than at any other time and the odds of seeing Kukenán from La Ventana are at their best. Nights on the summit are cold, often close to freezing, and a warm sleeping bag matters more in these months than in any other.

Low Water

The most comfortable months and the easiest to travel. Water is at its lowest from October and bottoms out here, which concentrates fish into shrinking channels and the animals that eat fish along with them. Caiman are easier to find, banks are exposed, and the roads in from Maturín and Puerto Ordaz are at their best. This is the window for a first visit and for anyone who would rather not be rained on daily. April is the turn, and the river begins to rise before the month is out.

Dry Season

Clear skies and a shrinking river. Early December often still carries enough water for the canoes, but from January onward levels drop and the journey to the base becomes uncertain, slow or impossible, with crews sometimes pushing boats through shallows. The compensation is visibility. This is when the falls are least likely to be hidden, and overflights through the Devil's Canyon run on most days. Travellers in these months should plan around seeing the falls from the air and treat the river trip as a bonus rather than the itinerary.

Dry Season Lull

The quiet end of the year. Storm frequency drops sharply and in a dry year can fall close to zero for weeks at a time, as it did in early 2010 when the lightning stopped for around three months and was widely reported to have ended for good before it resumed. These are not months to travel for the phenomenon. Temperatures are at their highest and the marshes at their lowest.

Trade Wind Season

The dry months and the windy ones, which is the combination most people come for. Steady easterlies across the flats make this the reliable window for kitesurfing, and it is also the classic bonefishing season, with clear water and fish on the flats through the day. April is the driest month of the year. If you are combining Los Roques with Mount Roraima this also happens to overlap with the best trekking conditions on the tepui, which is the single strongest argument for putting the two together.

Low Water

The most comfortable months and the easiest to travel. Water is at its lowest from October and bottoms out here, which concentrates fish into shrinking channels and the animals that eat fish along with them. Caiman are easier to find, banks are exposed, and the roads in from Maturín and Puerto Ordaz are at their best. This is the window for a first visit and for anyone who would rather not be rained on daily. April is the turn, and the river begins to rise before the month is out.

Shoulder Months

April sits at the end of the dry season and November at the end of the wet, and both are comfortable without being reliable. Afternoon cloud builds over the mountain more often, so a morning ascent is the way to use them. April is often the warmest month of the year in the valley, though the range in Caracas is narrow enough that the difference is barely worth planning around.

Wet Season

Reliably active without being at the maximum. Storms are frequent through these months and displays are often excellent, with more variation night to night than in the peak. May and June bring the heaviest rain of the first wet peak, which means more chance of being rained on at the viewing base and more chance of cloud sitting low enough to flatten the display rather than frame it.

Early Rains

The rains arrive but have not settled in. Trekking is still workable with the expectation of being rained on and of mud on the cloud forest sections of the Humboldt approach, and the páramo is at its greenest. Fewer people on the mountain than in the dry season. Technical climbing on Pico Bolívar becomes harder through these months as conditions on the rock deteriorate.

Shoulder Months

April sits at the end of the dry season and September through November at the end of the wet, and both behave unpredictably. Rivers are usually crossable but can rise fast after a storm, and treks occasionally wait a day at the Tek for levels to drop. The compensation is that the waterfalls coming off the plateau are running hard, the savanna is green rather than bleached, and there are fewer groups on the mountain. Good months for trekkers who would rather have the summit quiet than the sky clear.

Dry Season

Clear skies and a shrinking river. Early December often still carries enough water for the canoes, but from January onward levels drop and the journey to the base becomes uncertain, slow or impossible, with crews sometimes pushing boats through shallows. The compensation is visibility. This is when the falls are least likely to be hidden, and overflights through the Devil's Canyon run on most days. Travellers in these months should plan around seeing the falls from the air and treat the river trip as a bonus rather than the itinerary.

Trade Wind Season

The dry months and the windy ones, which is the combination most people come for. Steady easterlies across the flats make this the reliable window for kitesurfing, and it is also the classic bonefishing season, with clear water and fish on the flats through the day. April is the driest month of the year. If you are combining Los Roques with Mount Roraima this also happens to overlap with the best trekking conditions on the tepui, which is the single strongest argument for putting the two together.

High Water

The falls at maximum flow and the river journey at its most certain. June and July are the wettest months of the year in Canaima, and the same rain that guarantees the boats reach the base also puts cloud across the tepui for much of the day. Expect to be rained on, expect the falls to appear and disappear, and expect the volume of water when it does appear to be the thing you remember. A trade worth making for travellers who want the river trip guaranteed.

Wet Season

Reliably active without being at the maximum. Storms are frequent through these months and displays are often excellent, with more variation night to night than in the peak. May and June bring the heaviest rain of the first wet peak, which means more chance of being rained on at the viewing base and more chance of cloud sitting low enough to flatten the display rather than frame it.

Early Rains

The rains arrive but have not settled in. Trekking is still workable with the expectation of being rained on and of mud on the cloud forest sections of the Humboldt approach, and the páramo is at its greenest. Fewer people on the mountain than in the dry season. Technical climbing on Pico Bolívar becomes harder through these months as conditions on the rock deteriorate.

High Water

The flood, peaking in July. Water pushes up into the forest and opens a second landscape that simply does not exist in the dry months, where a paddled dugout goes in among the trunks and the canopy is at eye level rather than overhead. It is the more interesting version of the delta for anyone who has been before. It is also wetter, hotter underfoot, harder on remote logistics, and the mosquitoes are at their worst. Expect the programme to move around the weather.

Wet Season

Rain most days, usually in the afternoon rather than all day, and cloud sitting on El Avila for long stretches. October is generally the wettest month. None of this makes Caracas difficult, since you are here for one or two nights and the rain is warm, but it does mean the summit view is a matter of luck and the mountain morning should be attempted early or not at all. The wet months coincide with the best water levels for Angel Falls, which is usually the deciding factor anyway.

Wet Season

June and July are the wettest months of the year in the Gran Sabana. Treks still run, but expect sustained rain, deep mud on the ascent, gear that never fully dries and a real chance of delay at the river crossings. Views from the rim are rare. What these months give in return is the mountain at its most dramatic, with waterfalls pouring off every side of the plateau and cloud moving through the rock towers on the summit. A trip for people who want the atmosphere more than the panorama.

High Water

The falls at maximum flow and the river journey at its most certain. June and July are the wettest months of the year in Canaima, and the same rain that guarantees the boats reach the base also puts cloud across the tepui for much of the day. Expect to be rained on, expect the falls to appear and disappear, and expect the volume of water when it does appear to be the thing you remember. A trade worth making for travellers who want the river trip guaranteed.

Wet Season

Reliably active without being at the maximum. Storms are frequent through these months and displays are often excellent, with more variation night to night than in the peak. May and June bring the heaviest rain of the first wet peak, which means more chance of being rained on at the viewing base and more chance of cloud sitting low enough to flatten the display rather than frame it.

Early Rains

The rains arrive but have not settled in. Trekking is still workable with the expectation of being rained on and of mud on the cloud forest sections of the Humboldt approach, and the páramo is at its greenest. Fewer people on the mountain than in the dry season. Technical climbing on Pico Bolívar becomes harder through these months as conditions on the rock deteriorate.

High Water

The flood, peaking in July. Water pushes up into the forest and opens a second landscape that simply does not exist in the dry months, where a paddled dugout goes in among the trunks and the canopy is at eye level rather than overhead. It is the more interesting version of the delta for anyone who has been before. It is also wetter, hotter underfoot, harder on remote logistics, and the mosquitoes are at their worst. Expect the programme to move around the weather.

Wet Season

Rain most days, usually in the afternoon rather than all day, and cloud sitting on El Avila for long stretches. October is generally the wettest month. None of this makes Caracas difficult, since you are here for one or two nights and the rain is warm, but it does mean the summit view is a matter of luck and the mountain morning should be attempted early or not at all. The wet months coincide with the best water levels for Angel Falls, which is usually the deciding factor anyway.

Calm Water

The wind drops off through this stretch and the sea goes glassy, which is bad for kites and very good for everything underwater. Visibility is at its best, often cited as peaking around October, and the snorkelling off the cays becomes a different experience entirely. These are the hottest months of the year and rain starts building from September. Quiet on the islands, since Venezuelan holiday traffic is elsewhere.

Wet Season

June and July are the wettest months of the year in the Gran Sabana. Treks still run, but expect sustained rain, deep mud on the ascent, gear that never fully dries and a real chance of delay at the river crossings. Views from the rim are rare. What these months give in return is the mountain at its most dramatic, with waterfalls pouring off every side of the plateau and cloud moving through the rock towers on the summit. A trip for people who want the atmosphere more than the panorama.

High Water

The falls at maximum flow and the river journey at its most certain. June and July are the wettest months of the year in Canaima, and the same rain that guarantees the boats reach the base also puts cloud across the tepui for much of the day. Expect to be rained on, expect the falls to appear and disappear, and expect the volume of water when it does appear to be the thing you remember. A trade worth making for travellers who want the river trip guaranteed.

Wet Season

Reliably active without being at the maximum. Storms are frequent through these months and displays are often excellent, with more variation night to night than in the peak. May and June bring the heaviest rain of the first wet peak, which means more chance of being rained on at the viewing base and more chance of cloud sitting low enough to flatten the display rather than frame it.

High Water

The flood, peaking in July. Water pushes up into the forest and opens a second landscape that simply does not exist in the dry months, where a paddled dugout goes in among the trunks and the canopy is at eye level rather than overhead. It is the more interesting version of the delta for anyone who has been before. It is also wetter, hotter underfoot, harder on remote logistics, and the mosquitoes are at their worst. Expect the programme to move around the weather.

Wet Season

Rain most days, usually in the afternoon rather than all day, and cloud sitting on El Avila for long stretches. October is generally the wettest month. None of this makes Caracas difficult, since you are here for one or two nights and the rain is warm, but it does mean the summit view is a matter of luck and the mountain morning should be attempted early or not at all. The wet months coincide with the best water levels for Angel Falls, which is usually the deciding factor anyway.

Calm Water

The wind drops off through this stretch and the sea goes glassy, which is bad for kites and very good for everything underwater. Visibility is at its best, often cited as peaking around October, and the snorkelling off the cays becomes a different experience entirely. These are the hottest months of the year and rain starts building from September. Quiet on the islands, since Venezuelan holiday traffic is elsewhere.

Wet Season

Sustained rain, low cloud and long stretches where the peaks are simply not visible. The high trek is still run in these months but the experience is a different one, and anyone coming specifically to see Pico Bolívar and Pico Humboldt should not come now. What works instead is the páramo at lower altitude, the lakes, the villages and the birding, all of which are good in the wet and none of which depend on a clear summit. August also carries school holiday traffic.

Wet Season

June and July are the wettest months of the year in the Gran Sabana. Treks still run, but expect sustained rain, deep mud on the ascent, gear that never fully dries and a real chance of delay at the river crossings. Views from the rim are rare. What these months give in return is the mountain at its most dramatic, with waterfalls pouring off every side of the plateau and cloud moving through the rock towers on the summit. A trip for people who want the atmosphere more than the panorama.

Peak Storm Season

The most active months of the year and the window anyone travelling for the lightning would want. Storms build most nights, run for hours, and produce the sustained flash rates the place is known for. September and October are the months most often named as the best. Two nights is the sensible minimum even at peak, because a single quiet sky is always possible and the journey in is long enough that one attempt is a poor bet.

High Water

The falls at maximum flow and the river journey at its most certain. June and July are the wettest months of the year in Canaima, and the same rain that guarantees the boats reach the base also puts cloud across the tepui for much of the day. Expect to be rained on, expect the falls to appear and disappear, and expect the volume of water when it does appear to be the thing you remember. A trade worth making for travellers who want the river trip guaranteed.

High Water

The flood, peaking in July. Water pushes up into the forest and opens a second landscape that simply does not exist in the dry months, where a paddled dugout goes in among the trunks and the canopy is at eye level rather than overhead. It is the more interesting version of the delta for anyone who has been before. It is also wetter, hotter underfoot, harder on remote logistics, and the mosquitoes are at their worst. Expect the programme to move around the weather.

Wet Season

Rain most days, usually in the afternoon rather than all day, and cloud sitting on El Avila for long stretches. October is generally the wettest month. None of this makes Caracas difficult, since you are here for one or two nights and the rain is warm, but it does mean the summit view is a matter of luck and the mountain morning should be attempted early or not at all. The wet months coincide with the best water levels for Angel Falls, which is usually the deciding factor anyway.

Calm Water

The wind drops off through this stretch and the sea goes glassy, which is bad for kites and very good for everything underwater. Visibility is at its best, often cited as peaking around October, and the snorkelling off the cays becomes a different experience entirely. These are the hottest months of the year and rain starts building from September. Quiet on the islands, since Venezuelan holiday traffic is elsewhere.

Wet Season

Sustained rain, low cloud and long stretches where the peaks are simply not visible. The high trek is still run in these months but the experience is a different one, and anyone coming specifically to see Pico Bolívar and Pico Humboldt should not come now. What works instead is the páramo at lower altitude, the lakes, the villages and the birding, all of which are good in the wet and none of which depend on a clear summit. August also carries school holiday traffic.

Wet Season

June and July are the wettest months of the year in the Gran Sabana. Treks still run, but expect sustained rain, deep mud on the ascent, gear that never fully dries and a real chance of delay at the river crossings. Views from the rim are rare. What these months give in return is the mountain at its most dramatic, with waterfalls pouring off every side of the plateau and cloud moving through the rock towers on the summit. A trip for people who want the atmosphere more than the panorama.

River Season Peak

The best balance of the year. Rivers are still high enough that the canoe journey to the base runs without difficulty, and the heaviest cloud of the wet season has begun to ease, so the odds of actually seeing the full drop from Mirador Laime are better than at any other time. The falls are still carrying serious volume. October and November are the months most operators point travellers toward, and they fill first.

Peak Storm Season

The most active months of the year and the window anyone travelling for the lightning would want. Storms build most nights, run for hours, and produce the sustained flash rates the place is known for. September and October are the months most often named as the best. Two nights is the sensible minimum even at peak, because a single quiet sky is always possible and the journey in is long enough that one attempt is a poor bet.

Shoulder Months

April sits at the end of the dry season and September through November at the end of the wet, and both behave unpredictably. Rivers are usually crossable but can rise fast after a storm, and treks occasionally wait a day at the Tek for levels to drop. The compensation is that the waterfalls coming off the plateau are running hard, the savanna is green rather than bleached, and there are fewer groups on the mountain. Good months for trekkers who would rather have the summit quiet than the sky clear.

Wet Season

Rain most days, usually in the afternoon rather than all day, and cloud sitting on El Avila for long stretches. October is generally the wettest month. None of this makes Caracas difficult, since you are here for one or two nights and the rain is warm, but it does mean the summit view is a matter of luck and the mountain morning should be attempted early or not at all. The wet months coincide with the best water levels for Angel Falls, which is usually the deciding factor anyway.

Calm Water

The wind drops off through this stretch and the sea goes glassy, which is bad for kites and very good for everything underwater. Visibility is at its best, often cited as peaking around October, and the snorkelling off the cays becomes a different experience entirely. These are the hottest months of the year and rain starts building from September. Quiet on the islands, since Venezuelan holiday traffic is elsewhere.

Wet Season

Sustained rain, low cloud and long stretches where the peaks are simply not visible. The high trek is still run in these months but the experience is a different one, and anyone coming specifically to see Pico Bolívar and Pico Humboldt should not come now. What works instead is the páramo at lower altitude, the lakes, the villages and the birding, all of which are good in the wet and none of which depend on a clear summit. August also carries school holiday traffic.

Falling Water

The drawdown. Water drops steadily through these months and the delta moves from flooded forest back toward exposed bank, which makes for good and steadily improving wildlife viewing without the crowds of the dry season peak, such as crowds are in a place with this few visitors. September and October still carry real rain. December is usually dependable and is the quiet month worth knowing about.

River Season Peak

The best balance of the year. Rivers are still high enough that the canoe journey to the base runs without difficulty, and the heaviest cloud of the wet season has begun to ease, so the odds of actually seeing the full drop from Mirador Laime are better than at any other time. The falls are still carrying serious volume. October and November are the months most operators point travellers toward, and they fill first.

Peak Storm Season

The most active months of the year and the window anyone travelling for the lightning would want. Storms build most nights, run for hours, and produce the sustained flash rates the place is known for. September and October are the months most often named as the best. Two nights is the sensible minimum even at peak, because a single quiet sky is always possible and the journey in is long enough that one attempt is a poor bet.

Shoulder Months

April sits at the end of the dry season and September through November at the end of the wet, and both behave unpredictably. Rivers are usually crossable but can rise fast after a storm, and treks occasionally wait a day at the Tek for levels to drop. The compensation is that the waterfalls coming off the plateau are running hard, the savanna is green rather than bleached, and there are fewer groups on the mountain. Good months for trekkers who would rather have the summit quiet than the sky clear.

Wet Season

Rain most days, usually in the afternoon rather than all day, and cloud sitting on El Avila for long stretches. October is generally the wettest month. None of this makes Caracas difficult, since you are here for one or two nights and the rain is warm, but it does mean the summit view is a matter of luck and the mountain morning should be attempted early or not at all. The wet months coincide with the best water levels for Angel Falls, which is usually the deciding factor anyway.

Calm Water

The wind drops off through this stretch and the sea goes glassy, which is bad for kites and very good for everything underwater. Visibility is at its best, often cited as peaking around October, and the snorkelling off the cays becomes a different experience entirely. These are the hottest months of the year and rain starts building from September. Quiet on the islands, since Venezuelan holiday traffic is elsewhere.

Wet Season

Sustained rain, low cloud and long stretches where the peaks are simply not visible. The high trek is still run in these months but the experience is a different one, and anyone coming specifically to see Pico Bolívar and Pico Humboldt should not come now. What works instead is the páramo at lower altitude, the lakes, the villages and the birding, all of which are good in the wet and none of which depend on a clear summit. August also carries school holiday traffic.

Falling Water

The drawdown. Water drops steadily through these months and the delta moves from flooded forest back toward exposed bank, which makes for good and steadily improving wildlife viewing without the crowds of the dry season peak, such as crowds are in a place with this few visitors. September and October still carry real rain. December is usually dependable and is the quiet month worth knowing about.

River Season Peak

The best balance of the year. Rivers are still high enough that the canoe journey to the base runs without difficulty, and the heaviest cloud of the wet season has begun to ease, so the odds of actually seeing the full drop from Mirador Laime are better than at any other time. The falls are still carrying serious volume. October and November are the months most operators point travellers toward, and they fill first.

Shoulder Months

April sits at the end of the dry season and November at the end of the wet, and both are comfortable without being reliable. Afternoon cloud builds over the mountain more often, so a morning ascent is the way to use them. April is often the warmest month of the year in the valley, though the range in Caracas is narrow enough that the difference is barely worth planning around.

Wet Season

Reliably active without being at the maximum. Storms are frequent through these months and displays are often excellent, with more variation night to night than in the peak. May and June bring the heaviest rain of the first wet peak, which means more chance of being rained on at the viewing base and more chance of cloud sitting low enough to flatten the display rather than frame it.

Wet and Busy

November is the wettest month of a year that is not wet by any Caribbean standard, and the trades begin returning through December. What changes more than the weather is the crowd. December is peak Venezuelan holiday season and the posadas fill with domestic travellers, which is either the atmosphere you want or the opposite. The archipelago sits south of the main hurricane belt, so the storm risk that shapes travel elsewhere in the Caribbean does not really apply here.

Shoulder Months

April sits at the end of the dry season and September through November at the end of the wet, and both behave unpredictably. Rivers are usually crossable but can rise fast after a storm, and treks occasionally wait a day at the Tek for levels to drop. The compensation is that the waterfalls coming off the plateau are running hard, the savanna is green rather than bleached, and there are fewer groups on the mountain. Good months for trekkers who would rather have the summit quiet than the sky clear.

Wet Season

Sustained rain, low cloud and long stretches where the peaks are simply not visible. The high trek is still run in these months but the experience is a different one, and anyone coming specifically to see Pico Bolívar and Pico Humboldt should not come now. What works instead is the páramo at lower altitude, the lakes, the villages and the birding, all of which are good in the wet and none of which depend on a clear summit. August also carries school holiday traffic.

Falling Water

The drawdown. Water drops steadily through these months and the delta moves from flooded forest back toward exposed bank, which makes for good and steadily improving wildlife viewing without the crowds of the dry season peak, such as crowds are in a place with this few visitors. September and October still carry real rain. December is usually dependable and is the quiet month worth knowing about.

Dry Season

The pleasant months and the ones that make the logistics easier. February and March are the driest of the year, the mountain is clear more often than not, and the cable car earns its reputation. These are also the most reliable months for the domestic flights that the rest of the trip depends on, which matters more than the weather in the city itself. If the itinerary has any flexibility at all, put Caracas in this window.

Dry Season

The trekking window and the one worth planning around. Clearer skies, firmer trails, and the best odds of seeing the peaks at all, since afternoon cloud builds over the cordillera on most days year round and mornings are when you see anything. Frailejón flowering falls broadly in this drier stretch depending on the species. The one complication is that Christmas, New Year and Carnival all sit inside it and the cable car and páramo fill with Venezuelan holiday traffic, so timing around those weeks is worth doing.

Dry Season

The window operators build their calendars around. The Tek and Kukenán rivers run low enough to ford easily, the savanna crossing is firm underfoot rather than mud, and the Rampa is at its least treacherous. February is the driest month of the year. Cloud still sits on the plateau most days, but clear mornings are more frequent than at any other time and the odds of seeing Kukenán from La Ventana are at their best. Nights on the summit are cold, often close to freezing, and a warm sleeping bag matters more in these months than in any other.

Wet and Busy

November is the wettest month of a year that is not wet by any Caribbean standard, and the trades begin returning through December. What changes more than the weather is the crowd. December is peak Venezuelan holiday season and the posadas fill with domestic travellers, which is either the atmosphere you want or the opposite. The archipelago sits south of the main hurricane belt, so the storm risk that shapes travel elsewhere in the Caribbean does not really apply here.

Dry Season

Clear skies and a shrinking river. Early December often still carries enough water for the canoes, but from January onward levels drop and the journey to the base becomes uncertain, slow or impossible, with crews sometimes pushing boats through shallows. The compensation is visibility. This is when the falls are least likely to be hidden, and overflights through the Devil's Canyon run on most days. Travellers in these months should plan around seeing the falls from the air and treat the river trip as a bonus rather than the itinerary.

Dry Season Lull

The quiet end of the year. Storm frequency drops sharply and in a dry year can fall close to zero for weeks at a time, as it did in early 2010 when the lightning stopped for around three months and was widely reported to have ended for good before it resumed. These are not months to travel for the phenomenon. Temperatures are at their highest and the marshes at their lowest.

Falling Water

The drawdown. Water drops steadily through these months and the delta moves from flooded forest back toward exposed bank, which makes for good and steadily improving wildlife viewing without the crowds of the dry season peak, such as crowds are in a place with this few visitors. September and October still carry real rain. December is usually dependable and is the quiet month worth knowing about.