Tucupita
Encyclopedia
Tucupita is the capital city of the Venezuela
n state of Delta Amacuro
.
. The hot and humid Tucupita lies well into the delta on the Caño Manamo
river (one of the two major branches of the Orinoco river delta). It is approached by a road which runs along the top of a gigantic barrier constructed in the 1960s to create dry land. The project is considered by many to be a failure since little dry land was created and massive ecological disruption was caused by salt water penetration of the delta.
The delta is covered mostly by mangrove
swamp but there is a huge range of other flora and fauna making it one of the world's more ecologically diverse places. Significant amounts of oil have been discovered in the western parts of the delta and there is apprehension that exploitation of this oil will cause substantial ecological damage.
. Fast motorised canoes can take tourists into the remotest parts of the delta where a range of lodges have been constructed, ranging from simple rustic huts to more luxurious accommodations. Tourists can also stay in the stilted houses of the Warao for a few days and see how they live and learn some of their skills in herbalism, food foraging, fishing, boatbuilding, firemaking etc. In the delta itself only travel by boat is possible.
There is a range of basic accommodation in the town and several quite reasonable cafés and bars, although there is little else for the tourist to see and do within Tucupita itself. There are good bus connections to Bolivar City
and other towns in the north of Venezuela.
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n state of Delta Amacuro
Delta Amacuro
Delta Amacuro State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela, and is the location of the Orinoco Delta. The Paria Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean are found to the north, Bolívar State is found to the south, the Atlantic Ocean and Guyana are found to the east, and Monagas State is found to the west...
.
Geography
Delta Amacuro consists almost entirely of the swampy Orinoco River deltaRiver delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
. The hot and humid Tucupita lies well into the delta on the Caño Manamo
Caño Manamo
The Caño Manamo is a distributary of the Orinoco River. It branches northwards from the main channel of the Orinocoto delimit the western edge of the Orinoco Delta, ultimately emptying into the Gulf of Paria. Tucupita, the capital of Delta Amacuro state, is located on the east bank of the Caño...
river (one of the two major branches of the Orinoco river delta). It is approached by a road which runs along the top of a gigantic barrier constructed in the 1960s to create dry land. The project is considered by many to be a failure since little dry land was created and massive ecological disruption was caused by salt water penetration of the delta.
The delta is covered mostly by mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
swamp but there is a huge range of other flora and fauna making it one of the world's more ecologically diverse places. Significant amounts of oil have been discovered in the western parts of the delta and there is apprehension that exploitation of this oil will cause substantial ecological damage.
Eco-tourism
The main income of the town comes from eco-tourism. The attractions are the vast and varied bird life, mammal, and reptiles of the delta. Also to be seen and visited are the villages of the local Indians, the WaraoWarao
The Warao are an indigenous people inhabiting northeastern Venezuela and western Guyana. Alternate common spellings of Warao are Waroa, Guarauno, Guarao, and Warrau. The term Warao translates as "the boat people," after the Warao's lifelong and intimate connection to the water...
. Fast motorised canoes can take tourists into the remotest parts of the delta where a range of lodges have been constructed, ranging from simple rustic huts to more luxurious accommodations. Tourists can also stay in the stilted houses of the Warao for a few days and see how they live and learn some of their skills in herbalism, food foraging, fishing, boatbuilding, firemaking etc. In the delta itself only travel by boat is possible.
There is a range of basic accommodation in the town and several quite reasonable cafés and bars, although there is little else for the tourist to see and do within Tucupita itself. There are good bus connections to Bolivar City
Ciudad Bolívar
Ciudad Bolívar is the capital of Venezuela's southeastern Bolivar State. It was founded with the name Angostura in 1764, renamed in 1846, and, as of 2010, had an estimated population of 350,691....
and other towns in the north of Venezuela.