Canaima National Park is in Venezuela’s remote south eastern corner and contains some of the most interesting flora, fauna and geological formations found anywhere on the continent. Roughly the size of Belgium, Canaima has flat table mountains known as ‘Tepuis’, black lagoons fed by multiple waterfalls lined by pink sandy beaches, mist shrouded plateaus inhabited by pemon Indians; it is no surprise that this was the setting for Conan Doyle’s ‘Lost World’.
The majority of the park is still untouched by tourism; the only access is by plane. The highlight is, of course, the Angel Falls, a towering spine of water that drops 979 metres into the Devil’s Canyon. To see the falls you must either take a light aircraft or board an Indian canoe that takes you into the heart of the Devil’s Canyon. You stay in thatched lodges known as posadas, and immerse yourself in this surreal world.
The area is synonymous with Angel falls, an unmissable highlight, but the surrounding area is also an explorer’s paradise of hidden waterfalls, canyons and lagoons. Below are some of the options available in and around Canaima.
Having trekked up to Laimes you will stop for lunch on Raconcito Island and enjoy a swim in the lagoons at the base of Angel falls. After lunch you will navigate downstream stopping off at Sapo and Sapito waterfalls en-route to Canaima.
Take a DC-3 plane over the Tepuis in to the impressive Devil’s canyon and enjoy with views of Angel falls. You will arrive at the small Indian settlement of Kavac in the Kamarata valley, here you will walk with a local guide through the ‘enchanted valley’ – one of the narrowest canyons in the world. Wade and swim through the canyon to the hidden waterfalls of Kavac before tucking into a BBQ lunch and then flying back to Canaima.
About Canaima and Angel Falls
The area is synonymous with Angel falls, an unmissable highlight, but the surrounding area is also an explorer’s paradise of hidden waterfalls, canyons and lagoons. Below are some of the options available in and around Canaima.
Overnight trip to Angel Falls
Day 1:
Take a boat rideover down the Carrao River, on a motorised Indian canoe, crossing the Mayupa Lagoon and Arautaima rapids. You will then set up camp on Orchid Island and spend the night sleeping in hammocks.Day 2:
After a night in he hammock you will rise early and get back into your canoemake your way into the Churun river and then the Devil’s Canyon for views of Angel Falls.Having trekked up to Laimes you will stop for lunch on Raconcito Island and enjoy a swim in the lagoons at the base of Angel falls. After lunch you will navigate downstream stopping off at Sapo and Sapito waterfalls en-route to Canaima.
Day trip to Kavac Canyon
Take a DC-3 plane over the Tepuis in to the impressive Devil’s canyon and enjoy with views of Angel falls. You will arrive at the small Indian settlement of Kavac in the Kamarata valley, here you will walk with a local guide through the ‘enchanted valley’ – one of the narrowest canyons in the world. Wade and swim through the canyon to the hidden waterfalls of Kavac before tucking into a BBQ lunch and then flying back to Canaima.
