Things to do
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Angel Falls
Water drops around nine hundred and eighty metres from the rim of Auyán tepui, falling so far that much of it turns to mist before reaching the Churún below. Motorised dugouts run upriver from Canaima in the rainy months, a trip of two days with a night in a hammock camp under the viewpoint. Cloud often hides the top.
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Other
Auyán-tepui
Largest of the table mountains at around seven hundred square kilometres of summit, this sandstone massif carries Angel Falls off its western flank and drops sheer for a kilometre on several sides. Trekking routes from Kamarata take about a week with Pemon guides, and helicopters land on the plateau in clear weather. Cloud sits on the summit for much of the year.
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Canaima Lagoon
Tannin stained water the colour of strong tea lies below a line of waterfalls, with pink sand beaches and palms along the shore. Curtains of falling water at Sapo and Hacha frame the view from the camps. Swimming is possible near the beaches, though current close to the falls is strong and the flow rises quickly after rain.
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Park
Canaima National Park
Thirty thousand square kilometres of savanna, forest and table mountains fill Venezuela's southeast, a World Heritage site shared with Pemon communities whose villages lie inside it. Flat topped tepuis rise abruptly from the plain, each with its own endemic plants. Access is by air or by river, and travel beyond the camps needs a licensed guide.
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Sapo Falls
A path cut into the rock passes behind the curtain of this waterfall on the Carrao River, a walk of a few minutes through spray loud enough to drown conversation. Guides take groups across in swimwear because the ledge stays soaked and slippery. The crossing is closed when the river runs too high.
