Beginning to feel that the days when travel meant daring discovery and challenging exploration are long gone? Before you get too down in the doldrums, let us help. Here at Black Tomato we’re always in search of the next Captain Cook adventure and lucky for you we’ve just come up with an experience that’s totally out of this world. Not only is it guaranteed to be free of heaving crowds, buzzing blackberries and golden arches, but it’s seriously intrepid in the old school way. Reignite your love of adventure travel on a trek through lush rainforest to your very own ‘Lost World’.
Deep in the south of Venezuela, up against the Brazilian border, you’ll find ‘The Lost World’, as it was named by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, or ‘La Gran Sabana’, as the locals like to call it. Consisting of 18,000 square kilometres of pristine, protected rainforest, this region offers intrepid adventurers the opportunity to discover one of the world’s most unique and enthralling landscapes. With assistance from expert guides you’ll trek through wild terrain and breathtaking - figuratively and literally - scenery to reach Mount Roraima, a towering tabletop mountain that soars over the surrounding countryside. The views of the region are even better from its 2,810 metre peak so climb to its summit to explore further and access a seemingly forgotten wilderness complete with flowers and animals found nowhere else on earth. Set up camp as the sun sets beneath you and settle down for a night under the stars – after a seriously awe-inspiring day you’ll sleep the sleep of a satisfied explorer, resting up before the next discovery.
From mountain peak to valley floor you’ll make your way downwards and trek past surging rivers and cascading waterfalls before emerging from the rainforest. The sense of achievement you’ll feel from having conquered such an incredible environment is likely to leave you surging with adrenalin, so for some well-deserved relaxation cool down in the archipelago of Los Roques off the Caribbean coast. Don’t worry though; all bar one of the islands are uninhabited so you don’t need to worry about being reintroduced to humdrum civilisation too soon. Hire a yacht to sail brilliant turquoise oceans and explore miles of deserted, caster-sugar beaches, or dive underwater to witness some of the Caribbean’s most stunning coral reefs.
While other holidaymakers will have spent their precious time off jostling for space on packed beaches and exploring only as far as the buffet table, you’ll have navigated prehistoric valleys and seen unearthly vistas untouched by man, before retiring to miles of flawless strand on your own deserted island. The perfect, picture-postcard ending to your epic journey through one of the world’s last great wildernesses (and a great excuse for some serious post-trip bragging).
