It may not be Rio de Janiero, but Venezuela celebrates Carnival, too.
Rumor has it that the oldest Carnival in Venezuela takes place in the small mining town of El Callao in the state of Bolívar, where Africans enslaved by gold barons from the US and Europe began celebrating the pre-Lenten festival in the mid-19th century.
This “Carnaval del Calipso” still continues today, and draws revelers and tourists each year who dance, drink, and dress up. Traditional parades at El Callao feature devil masks.
If you’re interested in shaking things up, why not visit El Callao yourself? It is easy to stop there on the way to Angel Falls, which is featured in our travel section.
