Venezuela author to speak at Adventure Travel Show, London

Russell Maddicks, author of the Bradt Guide to Venezuela, will give an illustrated talk about travelling in Venezuela at the Telegraph Adventure Travel Show at Olympia, London, on 28 January.

Saturday 28 January 2012
Time : 12:00 till 12:45
Where : Theatre 4, Olympia (Kensington)
Venezuela: Wildlife Wonderful. Russell Maddicks.
One of the 17 most megadiverse countries in the world, Venezuela, perched at the top of South America, is hot, tropical and home to Caribbean beaches, dense rainforests, high Andean valleys, mysterious table-top tepui mountains, and seasonally-flooded plains that are literally teeming with birds, beasts and creepy-crawlies. From the anacondas, capybaras and crocodiles of Los Llanos, to the jaguars, monkeys and tarantulas of the jungle, a well-planned trip to this fascinating country can reap rich rewards for wildlife watchers. Russell Maddicks, author of the Bradt Guide to Venezuela, has been adventuring in Venezuela for more than 20 years. In his talk he will give practical tips on how to minimize your impact on these fragile environments, travel responsibly, and give something back to the local communities you stay with.

Special Discount Tickets
Tickets to The Telegraph Adventure Travel Show cost £10 on the door, but you can get them for £6 (a £4 discount) if you quote "RUSSELLMADDICKS" when booking online at www.adventureshow.com or when calling 0871 230 7159 (calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras).

For full details of the Telegraph Adventure Travel Show click here.

Out of the Wild: Venezuela - surviving Roraima

Could you survive on Venezuela's remote Mount Roraima if you were flown to the top of the mountain by helicopter with a group of strangers and a few supplies?

That was the challenge set on US reality show "Out of the Wild", produced by the Discovery Channel.

Basically, nine ordinary US citizens were taken to the border between Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana and helicoptered to the top of Roraima with the aim of getting off the famous table-top mountain, known as a tepui in the language of the local Pemon tribe, and making their way back to civilization.

The show is not like "Survivor" or "I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here", nobody was voted off by the public, but anybody could leave at any time if the challenge got too tough for them by activating a button on their GPS devices.

The lack of food, damp conditions and gruelling 70-mile hike down the mountain, across the savannah and through dense jungle put even the toughest participants to the test.

US Army Captain Nick Albini, a combat veteran, lost almost 30 pounds during the nearly three weeks it took to complete the trial.

He said afterwards, that it was a much tougher adventure than he had ever dreamed:

"I ate bugs for eight days straight without eating any meat - insects, worms, grasshoppers, spiders, grubworms, scorpions..."

Veteran travel journalist Ryan Van Duzer was also put to the test, calling his time in Venezuela "the most difficult mental and physical challenge of my life," although he said he enjoyed "stretching my limits... to the max."

Could you do it?

Part 2


Part 3


Killer wasps


Juicy Guava