October 24, 2026, 1:06 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
In the Venezuelan mountain city of Mérida, the Mukumbarí cable car has been taking visitors to truly dizzying heights since 1960. Over five stations and a world-record length of 12.5 kilometers, the transport overcomes more than 3,000 meters in elevation to reach its destination at the summit of Pico Espejo. There’s nothing else like it on the planet.
The Venezuelan mountain city of Mérida is not only beautiful but also seems to have a penchant for world records. For years, the local ice cream parlor “Coromoto” held the Guinness record with a selection of more than 800 flavors. When I visited the city in 2013 during a months-long trip through South America, I tried vanilla ice cream with pork rind. Unfortunately, another attraction, which had been temporarily closed since 2008, eluded me at that time: the ride on Mérida’s cable car, the Mukumbarí. Translated, it means “place where the sun sleeps” in the indigenous dialect. Indeed, this transport is also a true world record holder. It takes its guests to such dizzying heights that a ride can even cause health issues.
The reason: On a superlative route of 12.5 kilometers, the Mérida cable car takes visitors over five stations to an altitude of nearly 5,000 meters. According to the tourist website “Posada Merida Vacacional,” it is not only the longest but also the highest in the world in this discipline. At its inauguration in March 1960, it was considered a technical masterpiece, and that hasn’t changed to this day. Guests board at the lowest station, Barinitas, which is already at an altitude of 1,577 meters. Then, they ascend in a gondola painted in the Venezuelan national colors to the intermediate stop La Montaña at 2,436 meters. Here, a short break for acclimatization is recommended, as the altitude can quickly affect the body.
Significant Physical Symptoms
Numerous online sources warn that a ride on the Mérida cable car can cause various physical symptoms. These range from shortness of breath and headaches to nausea and vomiting. Even those who don’t ride the cable car all the way to the sky can suffer from these signs of altitude sickness, which should be taken seriously. In 2017, I once hiked in Peru to a lagoon at about 4,600 meters above sea level and had the worst headaches of my life for hours afterward. And those who want to ride the Mérida cable car to the end will reach a significantly higher altitude than I did back then.
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The third station, La Aguada, is already at 3,452 meters. From there, the fourth leg goes to the stop Loma Redonda at 4,045 meters. Needless to say, a ride on the Mérida cable car is worthwhile because the views become increasingly spectacular with altitude. The mountain station Pico Espejo is at an incredible 4,765 meters, making it the highest in the world for a long time. However, the “Dagu Glacier Gondola” in China now holds this superlative at 4,843 meters. But since it “only” covers about 1,000 meters in elevation, the world record for the overall highest cable car remains in Venezuela.
Go to the Summit as Early as Possible
Between 2008 and 2016, the Mérida cable car had to close for renovations because its cables were severely worn from decades of use. 3,500 workers were employed to make the world’s highest gondola operational again. Since then, it has been taking up to 300 guests per hour from Wednesday to Sunday to the top if desired. Unfortunately, reliable information about the attraction’s opening hours and prices cannot be found online. Numerous sources contradict each other significantly on these points. According to Google, tourists currently pay $40 to the summit (and back, of course), which seems realistic. The opening hours on the mentioned days are reportedly from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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According to the site “Venezuela Tuya,” a ride on the Mérida cable car is most worthwhile between December and February. Incidentally, it’s no coincidence that the cable car opens so early, as there is a higher chance of clear visibility, especially at the start of the day. Due to its great height, the route is shrouded in fog for much of the year. And it’s the views of the landscape, of course, that make a ride on the world’s highest cable car so spectacular. I told myself back in December 2013, when I left Venezuela, that I would love to return to this fantastic country one day. I sincerely hope that I can also take a ride to the “place where the sun sleeps.”