WanderingTrader

Visiting Angel Falls in Venezuela

Angel Falls, in the southeast of Venezuela, is the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall. At nearly 1,000 metres, it towers above Canaima National Park in Bolivar State. Getting to the falls can be a challenge.

No overland routes in the area mean most visitors access Angel Falls through a flight into the region, followed by a hike or river trip. Getting to Venezuela in general is a bit easier. If you’re flying from the UK, you have the option of Gatwick Airport or Heathrow Airport.

Angel Falls Panoramic

Panoramic View of the Angel Falls

If it’s the former, and you’re driving, check out short stay car parking options at Gatwick. Those willing to make the journey from the UK to Venezuela, from Venezuela to Angel Falls, will be rewarded with a view of one of South America’s grandest wonders, tucked deep in country’s jungle surrounded by towering stone cliffs.


About Angel Falls-Geography

Canaima National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, not only for Angel Falls but also for the table-shaped mountains that dot the unique landscape. These unique geographical features are called tepuis, meaning “houses of the gods” in the language of the local indigenous Pemon people. Angel Falls descends from Venezuela’s largest tepui, called Auyantepui. Tepuis are so large that the climate and landscape on top of the mountain can be vastly different from the land below. These ecological islands contribute to the wide variety of exotic flora and fauna that surrounds Angel Falls. Visitors to Canaima National Park may encounter monkeys, giant anteaters, jaguars and armadillo, as well as carnivorous plants and hundreds of species of orchids.

Angel Falls feeds the Churun River and is a part of the Orinoco River Basin. Most trips to Angel Falls take place during the rainy season from April to December. During the dry season early in the year Angel Falls continues to flow, but far less dramatically.

About Angel Falls-History

Angel Falls is named after American aviator Jimmie Angel, who made the natural wonder famous after his plane crash-landed on Auyantepui. Angel, his wife and two traveling companions walked for 11 days to reach civilization and the falls were named in his honour after word of his adventure spread to the public. Angel’s plane remained on top of the mountain for more than 30 years. It is now displayed publicly in front of the airport in Ciudad Bolivar.

Visiting Angel Falls

Ciudad Bolivar is the nearest large city to Angel Falls. Visitors to the falls will usually stopover in Canaima, a small settlement inside the national park which includes a small airport, a restaurant, and accommodations in cabins for visitors. Canaima also boasts its own beautiful landscape including a lagoon and Isla Anatoly, which hosts its own stunning waterfalls. Visiting Angel Falls generally requires a guide, since camping without a guide is forbidden and securing independent transportation can be a challenge. Tours to Angel Falls can be booked either from Canaima or Ciudad Bolivar, but prices in the larger city are usually more competitive. From Canaima, the falls are usually accessed by curiara, a dugout canoe that may be motorized. A five hour boat ride upstream brings visitors to a base camp with hammocks, where guided camping is permitted. From there it is a short hour walk to the foot of Angel Falls.

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