The best time to visit Venezuela

January and February are two of the best months to go to Venezuela. It’s not too hot, not too humid, and the weather is usually very dry – no big rain showers to contend with. February also sees Carnival take place.

By March, temperatures increase considerably across Venezuela. Holidaymakers flock to the coast, while those looking for cooler climes can head up into the mountains. Very few people go to Angel Falls, which is all but dried up at this time of year.

Wetter weather begins from April, with the rainy season getting underway in May. Few choose to travel in these months though – it’s hot and sticky and humid, with temperatures easily topping 30°C in May.

The rain in Venezuela falls mainly on the plains (if you discount the rainforest where it’s wet year-round). The flat Llanos region sees some of the heaviest precipitation through June, July and August. Flooding is common, but that doesn’t hinder the wildlife watching; it just means you switch from jeeps to boats. You’ll see capybaras scurrying around riverbanks, caimans watching you from the shadows, and it’s even possible to see green anacondas gliding weightlessly along the water.

Venezuela does have a hurricane season, predominantly affecting the north of the country including the coast and islands. This starts in August, with heavy rains continuing through September and October. These are shoulder months, though, and a good time to travel. It’s not too hot, Angel Falls is in its full dramatic glory in October, while showers are fewer and lighter. Indigenous Resistance Day is 12 October, which celebrates Venezuela’s Indigenous people, their heritage, and their fight against Spanish colonialism.

November and December mark the beginning of peak season in Venezuela, with travellers returning to take advantage of comfortably warm, dry weather. The wildlife watching is sublime as creatures great and small shake off the damp and embrace the sunshine.