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Visit The Angel Falls in Venezuela
To the Pemon Indians, the tepuis, or table top mountains, that rise so dramatically out of the jungle in the Gran Sabana region of Venezuela are the abodes of gods. The Angel Falls that cascade down the side of Auyantepui, are named after a mere mortal however, one Jimmie Crawford Angel Marshall, an aviator who first flew over them in 1933.
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Have you ever been to The Angel Falls? If so we would love to hear all about your experiences (perhaps with a photo or two). You can contact us via our contact page.
Essential Reading
Venezuela Guide
Lonely Planet
Price: £11.19
The longest stretch of Caribbean, the world's highest waterfall, the most winners of the Miss Universe competition and the fattest, crunchiest, chocolate-coated ants - Venezuela's got the lot, and so has our latest guide.
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 Jimmy Angel was looking for gold when he flew over the Angel Falls in 1933. He returned in 1937 and landed his plane on top of Auyantepui, but the soft ground made it impossible for him to take off again. Together with his companions had to trek for 11 days to make their way off the mountain and down to the nearest settlement at Kamarata.
News of his
exploits soon spread and he became something of a hero in Venezuela - so much so trhat the world's highest waterfall is named after him.
Incidentally, his plane stayed at the top of that mountain until 1970 when it was lifted down in parts by Venezuelan military helicopters and today a replica of it can be seen outside the airport terminal at Ciudad Bolívar.
The Angel Falls drop a total of 978m from near the summit of Auyantepui and boast a spectacular 807m uninterrupted drop. Indeed, the water falls so far - the Angel Falls are 19 times higher than the Niagra Falls - that it turns into mist before reaching the ground!
Despite being one of Venezuela's main tourist attractions, The Angel Falls are in a remote part of the country and there is no easy way of reaching them and the Canaima National Park.
Most tours fly to the village of Canaima via either Ciudad Bolívar or Caracas and the Falls are then a five or six hour river ride away in a motorized dugout canoe called a curiara. From where the canoes land, there is a further one hour walk to the foot of the waterfall.
Given the timescales involved, most trips to the Angel Falls last for three days and includde transport, food and basic accommodation in one of the campsites along the river towards the Falls.
The trip to and from The Angel Falls
allows you to experience the wildlife and flora of the Canaima National Park including monkeys, giant anteaters, poison arrow frogs and countless species of orchids.
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