The Avila - Chacaito

The path to the Park Rangers Place

In the Geographic center of Caracas, at the level of Chacaito, you find the raise to the national park ranger’s place Chacaito, in the national park El Avila.

If you’re going to take this way on a week day, take the Cota Mil (Boyaca Av.) direction west and between La Castellana and La Florida, park in the Boyaca viewing-point. Then, walk in the emergency channel in opposite directions to the traffic for about five minutes, until you get to the raise. If you make this excursion on a Sunday morning, when the Cota Mil is closed, park in the entry of La Castellana and as you walk West look out for the raise on your right side.

The “Cota Mil” on a Sunday morning

The raise to the Park Rangers Place

The raise has a stone ground, because it is occasionally used by 4-wheel traction vehicles from the park rangers. It’s a pretty strong raise.

The Country Club and Chacaito

The Mountain

raise takes from 20 to 30 minutes. You’ll enjoy a nice view from Caracas and the mountain itself. In the photo above and to the right you can watch the part of the Avila where the gully of Chacaito is located; you can go there and it will only take you from 20 to 30 additional minutes. From there you can also get to the popular place of Sabas Nieves.

Watch slides from the excursion.

Virgin of Chacaito
Virgin

Approaching the park rangers place Chacaito, you can see the Inmaculada Concepcion Virgin that will be translated in the future to the top of the Pico Oriental (West Peak).

The Park Rangers Place

Fire cutter

Once having reached the park rangers place you find the “cortafuegos”(fire cutter), a path relatively plain of about 6 kilometers that crosses the Avila from this point to the Loma del Viento in the West, close to San Bernardino ( Watch slides from the excursion ). The cortafuegos is 1100 meters above the sea level. It’s one of the best places of the city to jog, because it has majestic view of the city, it is relatively plain and very diversified: In some places you have shade, in others you can watch the city, some others you are in the middle of the jungle. We strongly recommend it as one of the obligated trips. If you wish to see the other part click on the Papelon site.

View from the fire cutter

You can also begin an excursion from here to Sabas Nieves: Chacaito Gully – Sabas Nieves

Querrequerres

Flores del Ávila en Chacaito

In the national park rangers place you can drink water from the mountain, buy a home-made ice cream and\or watch the querrequerres (see the picture above and to the Left), as they eat the food that is placed in a tray.

In the Avila, you should pay attention to the flora you pass by, because you may find some beautiful flowers, like this one on the Photo in the right.