Senior travel: Caracas

Pace for a day

About 2 stops a day. 5 h out − 45 min rest, divided by an average visit of 62 min (from this city’s guide) + 30 min to move.

Getting around in Caracas

Caracas is hard going for wheelchairs and strollers: uneven pavements, steep streets in places, and a security model built around cars rather than walking. Malls and larger hotels are the step-free exceptions.

Pavements:

Uneven, sometimes broken, with steep sections in the hillier eastern districts; not reliable for wheeled mobility.

Getting around:

A private car with a driver is the accessible option by default here, since independent walking is already discouraged for security reasons.

Hotels:

International chain hotels in Altamira and Las Mercedes are the most likely to have lifts and accessible rooms; confirm specifics before booking.

Toilets:

Accessible toilets are most reliable in malls and larger hotels; do not count on them elsewhere.

Medicines and health on the ground

The Venezuela guide lists no medicine paperwork. Check the official customs page for your medicines.

Water:

Do not drink tap water; use bottled or filtered water throughout your stay.

Medicines:

Pharmacy stock can be thin or inconsistent; bring your own regular and basic medicines from home.

Insurance:

Confirm before you travel that your travel insurance explicitly covers Venezuela — many policies exclude it or require a specific add-on.

Mosquito-borne illness:

Dengue and other mosquito-borne illness occur in Venezuela; use repellent, particularly at dusk.

More: how much medicine to pack, medicine times across time zones.

Ask your insurer

Age limits and prices differ by policy and the guides do not hold them, so put these to the insurer before you buy.

• What is the oldest age the policy covers, at purchase and on the last day of the trip?
• Does the price or the cover change after a certain age?
• Are existing conditions covered, and what must be declared?
• Does the cover include medical evacuation and trip interruption?