Guárico, State division in north-central Venezuela
Guárico is a state in north-central Venezuela that stretches from the foothills down to the wide plains of the lowlands. The capital town San Juan de los Morros sits in the north near the mountains, while the rest of the territory opens into the flat savannas that lead toward the Orinoco.
The administrative unit came into being in 1848 when the province of Caracas was split into three parts. Sixteen years later the area officially received state status within the new federal structure of Venezuela.
The name comes from the river that crosses the plains and carries an indigenous word in its roots. Ranch life shapes daily routines across open grasslands, where cowboys still ride horses and herd cattle following old ranching customs.
Travelers find the best orientation in the capital, from where roads lead out into the surrounding plains. During the rainy season between May and November some routes in the flat regions can become muddy.
Near the town of Calabozo you find springs with warm water bubbling up from the ground and forming small natural pools. Two protected areas preserve wilderness between plain and highland, with peaks rising over 1900 m (more than 6200 ft).
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