Angel Falls & Roraima Trek Trip Details.

Day 1IMG_8798

Departing from Caracas, Puerto Ordaz or Ciudad Bolivar, Angel Falls is located impenetrably deep inside Canaima National Park but your tour begins with an exciting flight in a light aircraft / small jet over the tepuis of Canaima and a short transfer to one of the lodges close to the Laguna de Canaima, from the shores you can see the spectacular Hacha Falls and other waterfalls spilling into the dark lagoon. After lunch your first excursion will begin with a curiara ride on the lagoon to either Hacha or Sapo Falls (or both). Once across the lagoon you will take a short hike to the top of Sapo Falls with vistas of Canaima and then get your adrenaline rush for the day by walking behind the falls themselves. Returning to your lodge tasty dinner before retiring for the night and falling asleep to the melodic sound of the crickets outside. Overnight in beds. (L,D)

Day 2 IMG_2240

After breakfast at the lodge you will take a short jungle hike to Ucaima Port and board your curiara (dugout motorized canoe) for your river journey along the Carrao and the Churún Rivers to the spectacular Angel falls. As you travel along the rivers you have time to take in the lush scenery and the dramatic tepuis and enjoy a light picnic lunch on the banks of the river. Only when you arrive at the end of Devil’s Canyon will you see the majestic Angel Falls cascading 979 metres / 3,212 feet from the top of the Auyántepui to the Churún River below. From the Churun you will disembark and trek through the rainforest for around an hour to the “Mirador Laime” vantage point and then down to the rock pools near the base of the falls for a refreshing swim! That night you will eat a delicious, freshly prepared meal at a camp in front of the falls before falling asleep in your hammock. (B,L,D)

Day 3JH1A0474

After an early breakfast and coffee at the camp enjoy the last views of the falls ever changing in front of you with the early morning mist and sunrise, you will travel back down along the rivers to Canaima for lunch before taking a final one hour flight over the tepuis and forests below to Ciudad Bolivar. Your overnight bus or private transfer to Santa Elena will be early evening giving some time to visit the colonial city of Ciudad Bolivar for a few hours. (B,L,)

 

 

Day 4003

In the morning we leave Santa Elena by jeep and drive for about two to three hours to Pareitepuy, our starting point for the trek. After registration at the local indigenous chief’s house and InParques (National Parks Office) we will hike for four to five hours to the Kukenan River. Here we find two quite refreshing river crossings after the earlier trek before approx half an hour more of an uphill trek. Kukenan River depends on the water level and can be challenging but your Pemón guides will be there to help you along! If the weather is clear you will be able to enjoy your first views of Mount Roraima, Kukenan and many other tepuis that form the Guyana shield along the way. The terrain on this day is mainly open savannah. Dinner at the campsite and overnight in tents. (B,L,D)

 

Day 5238

After breakfast your long ascent starts. Depending on the season we may trek across complete fields strewn with orchids. There is two more hours of good uphill trekking and then two to four more before we reach the base camp with fresh running water coming from the top of “the ever fruitful mother of the streams” – Roraima. The indigenous name is appropriate as “mother’s water” feeds the Amazon, the Orinoco and the Essequibo, the three largest rivers in South America! Overnight in tents. (B,L,D)

 

 

Day 6002

We slept overnight close to a thick, lush belt of humid cloud forest that surrounds the tepui. After breakfast it will take us about two hours to cross this thick, exotic rain forest with many neo tropical plants such as bromeliads, tree ferns and helicons; another two hours of ascent up the “ramp” of big rocks to reach the top of the plateau, some might think they have just landed on the moon, maybe one is exhausted, but what a surprise is in store! Lunch at campsite followed by an afternoon exploratory stroll on this “island in time”. (B,L,D)

 

 

Day 7028

The plateau of Roraima is around 70sq kms – it’s so vast that one could spend weeks on the summit full of strange somewhat bizarre rock formations, flesh eating endemic plants (drosseras) and black prehistoric looking frogs. After breakfast we will work our way through a labyrinth of black lichen tainted rocks and hike for the whole day. We will encounter the valley of the crystals, the obelisk monument and the “triple point” border of Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana – no passport required there! We will continue on to ” el Pozo”, a natural water pit with a small cave system below it,  oh and if you see a monkey eating an ice cream, an over dimensional piano or smoking camel, things like that are normal here, remember we could be on the moon of some other galaxy – let your imagine run wild. Truly fantastic! All in all around eight hours of walking all day taking a picnic lunch along the way followed by dinner back at camp. Overnight in tents. (B,L,D)

Day 8OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Time for some last photographs of the plants and views before starting our descent, bidding farewell to the giant “flying turtle” and all the other strange weather hewn formations. Our hike will take us to Rio Tek (around six to eight hours) a steady “strong” downhill hike. Taking a refreshing swim in the cool river will be your reward after the day’s long trek. Lunch en route and dinner at the camp. (B,L,D)

 

 

 

Day 9013

After breakfast it is still some three to four hours back to Pareitepuy where cold beers and icy refreshments await us, also be aware, the officers of InParques will check everybody for crystals and other items from the tepui. You will understand that is part of the deal – we want this place to suffer minimal impact from tourists that visit and any other folks for that matter. Our jeeps will drive you back to Santa Elena and from here you will catch the bus or take private transport back to Ciudad Bolivar or Puerto Ordaz. (B, L)