Mukumbarí Cable Car

The Mukumbarí cable car (Teleférico de Mérida) ascends in four stages from the base station in the city at 1,577 metres to Pico Espejo at 4,765 metres — one of the highest cable car systems in the world. The journey takes around 50 minutes and passes through dramatically different climate zones, from cloud forest at mid-elevation to bare alpine tundra and glacial rock near the summit.

The upper stations offer extraordinary views of the Andean peaks — on clear mornings, the panorama from Pico Espejo is genuinely breathtaking. Go early: cloud typically rolls in by late morning and the summit can be socked in by noon. Dress warmly for the top regardless of the heat in the valley. The system operates Tuesday through Sunday and can sell out on busy weekends; arrive at opening time.

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A story
When the Mukumbarí cable car opened in 1960, it was the highest cable car in the world — a distinction it held for decades. The system was built with Swiss engineering and stretched 12.5 kilometres from the valley floor to Pico Espejo at 4,765 metres. After catastrophic mechanical failures in the 2000s, it sat idle for years before a full rebuild reopened it, but even the restored version reaches altitudes where altitude sickness is a real possibility.