| Canaima National Park Parque Nacional Canaima | |
 | |
| Area type | National Park |
|---|---|
| State | Venezuela |
| Federated state | Bolívar |
| Surface | 30,000 km² |
| Foundation year | 1962 |
| Institutional website | |
Canaima National Park (Parque Nacional Canaima) is a protected area located in the state Bolívar, in Venezuela.
To know
The park is the access route to the waterfall of Salto Angel, the highest waterfall in the world. Although there are many other waterfalls, lagoons and natural beauty inside the park, the reason many tourists come here is precisely for the three-day, two-night tour that leads to the base of the Salto Angel.
It is part of the assets protected byUNESCO.
Geographical notes
The Tepuyes (tepuis) are mountains with inimitable characteristics similar to the plateaus, among which the vertical walls and practically flat peaks stand out, although there are tepuy that are an exception to the rule. On the summits live an important quantity of very specific endemic vegetation species, some of which are categorized as "carnivorous".
These formations have a geological age ranging between 2,000 and 3,000 million years, making them one of the oldest formations on the planet. The most famous tepuy are: El Auyantepuy (from which the Salto Angel is born), El Roraima, El Kukenan and El Chimantá, among many.
Flora and fauna
There is an incredible variety of tropical wildlife in the area including monkeys, frogs. Mammals in the area are generally difficult to spot, but include giant anteaters, armadillos, porcupines, sloths, otters, jaguars, cougars, tapirs, and capybaras. Some of the birds that can be seen are the royal vulture, the tangara of paradise, the rooster of the rocks, species of wren, the sulphurous pitango, Cereba, parrots, the capuchin pigeon and many others. For the flora some species of insectivorous plants are very widespread; orchids are present in hundreds of species.
When to go
The climate is tropical, with frequent rains. The driest season is from December to April.
Background
When it became a national park by order of the Venezuelan government in 1962, it measured one million hectares. The increase to 3 million in 1975 made it one of the largest parks in the world.
How to get
By plane
There are several airports within the national park, the main one being the airport of Canaima (SVCN), currently being expanded. Avior is Rutaca operate flights to and from Puerto Ordaz, Ciudad Bolívar is Caracas. Flights from Santa Elena de Uairen have been suspended since May 2016.
Access to the western sector is by plane to villages such as Canaima. The eastern sector, however, has road access along the Troncal 10. The El Dorado-Luepa road for Santa Elena de Uairen joins the park to the Brazilian border and a branch leads to the village of Kanavayen, near the spectacular Aponwao waterfall.
To reach the falls you can take a charter plane from the airports of Caracas, Isla Margarita or Ciudad Bolivar to Canaima, and then arrange a tour on your own. Basically the easiest thing to do is sign up for a tour that takes care of the details. If you book a visit from your home country, it will be more expensive and also book a visit from Caracas it will cost more. It is cheaper to book a visit from the airport Ciudad Bolivar. Almost all tours to Salto Angel operate from this city, and their prices include the cost of the flight from Ciudad Bolivar to Canaima. Expect to pay 900 / 1,600 VEF for the three-day, two-night tour that takes you to the falls. Most of these tours also include an up-close flight over the falls on your way to Canaima.
By car
There are no roads to get there, the only way is by plane.
Permits / Rates
A fee of 25 VEF is charged upon arrival in Canaima. Visitors must also prove they are vaccinated against yellow fever. Those who do not have one or are unable to prove vaccination can get vaccinated at the airport a Ciudad Bolivar.
How to get around
The small settlement of Canaima can be explored on foot. The trips up to the falls however will be in a pirogue, or curiara. The walk from the closest point on the river to the base of the falls (about 30 minutes) is not easy due to the large tree roots on the path and guests are advised to use sports shoes or similar for this hike.
On a boat
From Canaima in spring, when the water is neither too high nor too low, you can travel by motorized canoes (also called curiaras) along the Carrao River, then the Churun River to a landing point where it is possible hike through the jungle to the falls. The riverside part takes about four hours and you should allow another hour or more for the hike. Access by canoe to Salto Angel is usually not possible outside the rainy season from June to November.
What see
- 1 Salto Angel. Salto Angel is there highest waterfall in the world, falls from 978 meters from the top of Auyan Tepuy, and with an uninterrupted jump of 807 meters.
- It is known as Parekupa-Meru by the local Pemon Indians, but earned the name Angelo after US pilot Jimmy Angelo crashed into Auyan Tepuy while searching for gold in the area in 1937. Instead he found this spectacular waterfall. After 11 days of trekking he reached Kamarata and told his discovery. His plane was then recovered and can be seen in front of the airport in Ciudad Bolivar. After his death in 1956 his ashes were scattered on the Salto Angel.
- Salto Angel is located in the region of Gran Sabana of Venezuela. The area is full of meadows, with some dense jungle along the rivers and at the base of the many tepuis, or flat mountains. Salto Angel is on one side of one of the largest tepuis in Venezuela known as Auyan-tepui.
- The falls are about 5 hours away with a canoe ride upstream from the village of Canaima. Most of the Park's attractions can only be visited with a guided tour from Canaima. Generally the tours leading to the foot of the falls are two nights (one in Canaima, one at the falls) and three days, and combine all three elements below (and also include food and transportation). Alternatively, it is possible to hire shorter excursions just to go up to Salto Angel and vice versa. A typical tour includes the flight to Canaima and then three days of food and accommodation (very basic) at the various campsites along the river towards the falls. The trip includes several hours in a pirogue and a few hours of walking through the tunnel forest to the main viewpoint under the falls. Most of the guides speak Spanish with limited knowledge of English.
- The two-day hikes go to the foot of the waterfall with a motorized pirogue (curiara). On the first day, a five or six hour boat ride will take you to base camp. From there it is an hour's walk to the foot of the waterfall. Here you can take pictures and swim. At night you sleep in hammocks and the next day another five hour journey will bring you back to Canaima.
- A half day tour takes you to the Anatoly Island, very close to the village of Canaima, where you can see other waterfalls like 'Salto Sapo' . In some of them you can walk behind the curtain of water.
- Just west of Canaima is a gorgeous lagoon with tea-colored water due to the vegetation in the area, and with a nice view of the waterfalls and tepui mountains.
- 2 Mount Roraima. Monte Roraima is in a different area of the park, the starting point of this 4/8 day trek is Paraitepuy, a small village about 90 minutes north of Santa Elena reachable only by motorbike or 4WD. Organized excursions depart from Santa Elena a couple of times a week, it's also possible to meet other travelers there and make a group together, but plan to have to wait a day or two to get started. Guides are unfortunately mandatory, even if not entirely necessary or particularly motivated. Porters can be hired for around USD 15 / day and can carry up to 15kg. There are several campsites along the way and "hotels" at the top of the Tepuy - caves where you can pitch your tent. Hotel Coati is actually located in Brazil, the top of Roraima is shared between three countries - Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana, there is a monument marking the tri-border at the top.
What to do
The journey to the waterfall itself has many attractions. The boat rides and walks through the jungle offer unique views of Venezuela's flora, fauna, and terrains. If the water flow is mild enough, you can swim in the small pool that forms under the falls.
In addition to Salto Angel, Canaima National Park offers challenging treks, including trips to the 700km² Auyantepui plateau, which can be arranged at Ciudad Bolivar. The trek to the top from the small village of Uruyen is three days on rough trails, and the final climb is over a cleft in the massive rock face and is tough, but the rewards are immense - the landscape is surreal, with tufts of carnivorous plants clinging to the bare rock, and, unlike Mount Roraima, you will hardly meet a soul. The excursions usually last a couple of days on the top, and count 2 days to return to Uruyen or Kavac. The weather can be wet and cold on the tepui - bring warm fleece and some raincoats.
The tourist village of Kavac has a bar, a small craft shop, and traditional huts with comfortable beds or hammocks. Stay for a morning before your flight out and someone will offer to show you the "caves", actually a narrow canyon that leads to a waterfall and freshwater pool.
Shopping
Where to eat
THE fruits of the Moriche palm they are small red, scaly pineapples. The water from the waterfall is refreshing, pure and delicious.
Where stay
It is not possible to camp near the Angel Falls, there are very strict controls to prevent this from happening.
- 1 Canaima Camp (Comunidad Indígena Kanaimö), ☎ 58 414 2877554.
120. Check in: 9:00, check-out: 12:00. Canaima Camp has 120 rooms built as cottages, divided into double, triple and quadruple and built in such a way as to respect the harmony of the park and the natural environment. They have all the necessary amenities, overlooking the Laguna de Canaima is the restaurant. - Campamentos in canaima, ☎ 58 286 9622359. Check in: 9:00.
120. Safety
How to keep in touch
Around
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Canaima National Park
Commons contains images or other files on Canaima National Park
