Angel Falls

In a remote part of south-eastern Venezuela, the world’s highest waterfall cascades 979 meters over the edge of a flat-topped sandstone mountain. This is the majestic Angel Falls, located in Canaima National Park. The falls are named after Jimmie Angel, a United States pilot who first flew over them in 1937. The indigenous Pemon people have known about the falls for centuries and have always called them Kerepakupai Vená, which means “Waterfall of the Deepest Place.” But that’s hard to say, so the World happily ignores it. Angel Falls is located on the Gauja River in an isolated jungle deep within Canaima National Park, which covers 30,000 square kilometers, making it the sixth largest national park in the world. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

Making it Happen

Although a trip to the falls is a bit of a complicated affair, unspoiled beauty and awe-inspiring majesty make it one of Venezuela's most popular tourist attractions. Angel Falls can be viewed from an airplane any time of the year, but if you want to get to know the falls on a more personal level, you will have to wait for the rainy season, which generally occurs between June and November. Because the falls can only be reached by boat there are no organized trips to the falls during the dry season.

The trip to Angel Falls is usually a three-day, two-night tour, which includes airfare, primitive lodging, and meals. Most people fly into Canaima from the airport in Ciudad Bolivar, and it is actually cheaper to book your tour of the falls from the airport, rather than at home. There are no roads in the village, but the area is easily walkable. From Canaima, you will travel in motorized canoes up the river for about four hours, and then hike one more hour to the base of the falls. Plan on spending one night in Canaima and one night in hammocks at the base of the falls. There will be plenty of swimming and photo opportunities along the way.

The complexities involved in traveling to this hidden paradise are what make visiting Angel Falls a true adventure. Far from the civilized world, you will immerse yourself in a world of rugged beauty, fascinating culture, and an awe-inspiring force of nature.