Canaima National Park

There is a lot of debate about the best way to visit Angel Falls, either by air or by land (really river). I have just returned from Venezuela and had the benefit of doing both and they are both wonderful but different experiences. I will summarize both and list the pros and cons of each and you can decide.

First by air. Most people fly to Cainama form Peurto Ortez in commuter planes that fly regularly once a day. Cainama is a asphalt strip by a big lagoon where most good lodges are situated. The flights to Angel Falls are usually from Cainama and the pilots sit around playing dominoes in thatched huts until they think its time (usually 11am and 2pm when the weather is best) and then they look around for their passengers and take off in old beat up Cessnas. The flight is not too bumpy and the fly bys are spectacular. The pros are 1. The scenery from the air is amazing. You get to see the top of the tepuis, the whole grandeur of the waterfall etc. 2. The trip is pleasant and there is no long journey involved. The cons are 1. The view from the air is less dramatic because you are far from the waterfall and it looks small. 2. The windows of the Cessnas are glazed from age and your view is reduced by up to 50% and 3. The trip is all too short.

By river can be done in …

I visited Canaima National Park in August 2009. The landscape is stunning--the mysterious cloud covered tepuis, the many waterfalls, including Angel Falls that fall from the heights and the canyons and rivers. My perspective was from the ground and water--a three hour or so canoe trip to the Angel Falls with some rapids, though nothing too dangerous, from Canaima airport, a night camping and sleeping in hammocks at the base of the falls, with about 60 other people. The various tours that converge on this site can get crowded but the operators space the hiking trips so groups do not feel too crowded while on the paths but some may chafe at the assembly line nature of the usual 3 day, two night tour package. It's not ideal but really the only way to get to the falls and see a little of the park.The hour or so hike to the base of Angel Falls is not too strenous but there are some steep stretches that some might find tiring. As this was the rainy season (characterized by heavy downfalls in the afternoon and often at night) there were some slippery spots.

The drop from the top of the tepui is mesmerizing. The stream of water unfolds like a curtain and then vanishes into mist. It's possible to swim at the base of the falls, but due to the angle it's not possible to look up and see the entire drop. In addition to visits to the falls there are …

Canaima Park contains one of the World’s “great” waterfalls and some world-class eroded landscape – the isolated mesas locally called “Tepuis”.

Given the number of magnificent waterfalls around the World it is perhaps surprising that the WHS list only inscribes 2 by name (Iguassu and Victoria). However a number of other significant examples are situated within the boundaries of larger nominations – including the 2 falls generally considered to be the “tallest” in the World. Those who care will probably know where the second tallest are (and those who don’t know probably don’t care – so I won’t bother to name them, but treat it as a trivia question if you wish!) - but the “tallest”, both in terms of overall and single drop, are Angel Falls situated within the boundaries of Canaima National Park. (Worldwide “waterfall comparison” is rather difficult! How to allow for differences of width, volume of water (average per annum or maximum?), height overall and “single drop”, slope and “scenic grandeur”? And then there are all the different “types” of falls - those interested in such matters apparently identify 10 different “forms”! Have a look at http://www.world-waterfalls.com/ ).

We “visited” Angel Falls in 1990 and remember it as a great trip. I put “visited” in quotes because WHS collectors will have each have their own criteria for what constitutes a satisfactory “visit” and some might consider ours not fully “kosher” since we only saw the Falls, which drop 3212 ft/979 metres from Auyan-Tepui, from the air. …