Sierra Nevada National Park

Sierra Nevada National Park is a protected area in the Venezuelan Andes, in Mérida state, containing Venezuela’s highest Andean peaks including Pico Bolívar at about 4,978 metres. The park conserves high-mountain ecosystems from montane forest to páramo and the country’s principal mountaineering terrain.

The park’s key attractions are high peaks, glacial cirques and lakes, and alpine páramo habitats above 3,000 metres, used for trekking, mountaineering and ecological study. Mountain summits in the park reach roughly 4,900-5,000 metres, making it the principal high-altitude area in Venezuela.

The national park was created to protect the unique high-Andean flora, fauna and water sources and to regulate mountaineering and tourism activities in these fragile environments. Management focuses on conserving páramo ecosystems and the glacial landscapes that remain at the highest elevations.

Geographically the park sits in the Cordillera de Mérida in western Venezuela, within Mérida state. The city of Mérida serves as the main gateway for visitors and is the usual base for expeditions into the park.

• Access point: Best accessed from the city of Mérida, which serves as the usual base for treks and mountaineering into the park.
• Altitude risk: High-elevation conditions above 4,000 metres mean rapid weather changes and risk of altitude sickness; acclimatization is recommended for climbers.

What to See#

• Pico Bolívar: Venezuela’s highest mountain at approximately 4,978 metres above sea level and the principal mountaineering objective within the park.
• Pico Humboldt: The second-highest massif in the Venezuelan Andes with summits around 4,900 metres, containing glacial and periglacial landforms.