In the eastern tip of Venezuela a place is found where beauty are such that could impressed Columbus himself when in 1498 discovered a sea of drinking water that pours into the coast of a virgin land to which he called the "Land of Grace".

The Orinoco is born in the Amazons state in the bordering area with Brazil and drags the waters of many rivers coming down from the Andean mountains and from the central upper lands, turning the Orinoco into the well known enigmatic and mysterious river. From small drops, formed by dew on the top of a mountain at 1,047 meters high, in the area where the jungle is very thick, the Orinoco is transformed into a medieval monster which divides Venezuela geography into two parts and after a long journey finally pours its waters over the Atlantic Ocean forming such a big delta as Belgium, made up by an intricate hydrological system with over 300 pipes which is the way channels that communicate one island with the other are named after, of which only three are navigable by large-draft vessels. At the same time, a large number of islands formed by the slow gathering of sediments has created a fantastic river jungle, indescribable and impenetrable, but beautiful beyond doubt. The Orinoco´s delta is a territory, which occupies an approximate area of 23,600 km2 in the Delta Amacuro State between the coordinates 8º 30´ and 10º of North latitude and 60º and 62º 30' West longitude. With a warm and humid climate characteristic of the intertropical zones which implies a yearly average temperature of 26º C with abundant rains between the months of May and November, being the heaviest in the months of July and August. The system that made up the delta is based on a large number of sedimented island and communicated among themselves where a thick and inaccessible jungle steadily grows where tall trees and a great variety of palms which struggle for light create the great always green labyrinth where the beings that have been capable of adapting to these conditions live. They are floading lands, rich and fertile where more or less stable agriculture can be developed, always depending on the river´s capricious will, for it frequently raises and lowers its level. The whole territory comprises a fantastic view, hiding thousand secrets within the jungle and under the turbid water of ochre color, where the danger of falling into the faucets of voracious Caribe or of getting lost in the endless jungle is always present, but there, nobody fears, on the contrary all its inhabitants, men and animals are used to face it every day, adopting it to their way of life and accepting it as it is. But the delta is not only populated by jungle animals and the human being has always been there for many years: they are women and men that learned how to live with the mighty river, they are the second largest indigenous ethnic population of Venezuela comprising about 30,000 people: the Warao. Their ancestors are the Caribe and Chibchas tribes, occupying the north area of the Venezuelan Guayana, they were expelled and persecuted by the very Caribes. They have also managed to adapt themselves to the changes in the water level of the river, building their houses on trunk structures which enable them to rise above the ground level, preventing the water to reach the floor of the "parafito" which is the name given to this kind of dwelling. Every family has as an average from five to eight children, and authority is represented by women, though men is in charge of providing the daily supply sharing some house chores with his wife and children, forming a family whose members are active. In the past, they were indoctrinated by the same Capuchins and Franciscans missions, at present most of the population has been evangelized by Pentecostal and Baptist missions. However, each Warao has kept burning deep inside the flame of his ancestors and have never forgotten their roots, though at present they can be seen working with oil companies and in tourist camps established all over the delta area. Warao means in their primitive language “canoe people”. They baptized de river with the actual name of Orinoco, “the place to row”.

How to reach?

There are direct flights to the capital or to other international airports as Margarita Island with Iberia, Alitalia or British Airways. Once you are in Venezuela, the Línea Turística Aerotuy (L.T.A.)has daily flights to Maturín (capital of the Monagas state). From that place a vehicle will take you during an hour to the traditional village of San José de Buja (Delta Amacuro state) and after two hours of navigation through the pipes, you will reach to the Boca de Tigre Camp.

Aerotuy Tourist Line In Caracas: Tel (2) 761.61.31 Fax: (2) 762.52.54 In Porlamar (Margarita Island): Tel: (95) 63.22.11. Fax: (95)61.77.46