Puerto Ayacucho is the capital and largest city of Amazonas state in Venezuela. It is located across the Orinoco River from the Colombian village of Casuarito. The economy is supported by both national and international tourism. Also based here is the Venezuelan Army and Navy, conducting a continuous low level campaign against incursions and drug-runners from nearby Colombia. The climate is equatorial and the surrounding rainforests are some of the worlds least explored and most untouched. The nearby forested mountains, tepuis, contain some the worlds least investigated micro systems. The inhabitants are mostly Criollos — mixed indigenous and Spanish blood. There are a number of local indigenous tribes including the Yanomami, the Panare, the Bari, Piaroa, and Guajibo (also known as Jibis).

Sightseeing
Two hundred kilometres to the south is one of the natural world's great wonders, the Casiquiare canal, a waterway that links South America's two greatest river systems, the Amazon and the Orinoco. Nowadays tourists can organise a trip along it from Puerto Ayacucho. Ninety kilometres to the east is the second highest waterfall in Venezuela, the 670 metre Yutaje Falls. Nearby is the Yutaje Tourist Lodge with its own airstrip in the jungle. Walks and river trips can be undertaken from here in the surrounding selva. Of note is the large population of greenwing macaws. There are also jaguars, pink river dolphins, numerous monkeys and bird life.

Getting there
Puerto Ayacucho has a small airport and has good bus connections to San Fernando, El Burro, San Félix and Ciudad Bolívar. There is little traffic on the river these days.