Pico Bolívar

Pico Bolívar is the highest mountain in Venezuela, rising to about 4,978 metres in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida. It is a focal point for Andean mountaineering in the country and is often approached from the city of Mérida.

Climbing routes require technical sections in places and strong acclimatization given rapid elevation gain. The mountain lies within a national park area that protects high Andean ecosystems and provides access points via mountain towns and refuges.

Pico Bolívar is located in western Venezuela’s Mérida state and forms part of the higher Andean cordillera that defines the region’s steep valleys and high ridges.

• Highest peak: The peak is the highest point in Venezuela and a central summit of the Sierra Nevada range in Mérida state.

• Aim for the Andean dry season (generally May-October) and start very early in the day-afternoon storms are common in the Sierra Nevada and can make ridge travel hazardous.
• Acclimatize in Mérida for several days before any summit attempt and hire a local, certified guide; technical glacier or snow travel is typically required near the highest sections.
• Many visitors overlook nearby páramo valleys and highland lakes on the approach routes-allow time to visit lower-altitude refuges and viewpoints for panoramic photographs and better altitude acclimatization.