Jun
01
2012
Sep
30
2012
Get Soaked by the Mists of Angel Falls
Published by Kristin Cowles, Editor-in-Chief
Country: Venezuela 
The Experience
Take in the feeling of utter awe when you visit the Salto Angel falls. Indigenously known as Parekupa-meru, which means falls to the deepest place, these falls drop an astounding 2,648ft, making it the worlds tallest free falling fresh water waterfall. Taking a trek to see this natural wonder will require some moderate hiking and maneuvering through the Canaima National Park terrain located in Bolivar State, Venezuela. The effort is well worth it for that moment when you and your traveling companions make it to the base of Angel Falls, and plunge your body, mind and senses into the cool currents being churned out into the Churun River. The scenery is beyond striking. Above you, a vertical cliff of Auyan-Tepui Mesa, and below lush wild rain forest, imparting a feeling of harmonious balance between two such extremes. The namesake for the falls comes from its discoverer, adventurer pilot James Crawford Angel, who stumbled upon the falls in search of an ore bed November 15, 1933.
When to Go to Angel Falls
The best time to take in the sights and sounds of Angel Falls is between June to December, before the dry season which spans from January to May. During the dry season the water level of the falls drops significantly causing it to become more misty then usual. If you are navigating by boat during the dry season plan for longer times to navigate the terrain, with portaging as a high possibility. Good to note is that the temperature is fairly moderate throughout the year, meaning you won’t freeze or die of heat no matter when your planning your travels.
Odds n' Ends
A couple of things to expect before embarking on this adventure is the Canaima National Park entrance fee of. 8000 Bs., the equivalent to $4 Canadian dollars. Visitors must also prove that they have been given the yellow fever vaccination or else be made to get it at the air port, or worse face not going on the expedition. To embark on your journey you have a couple of options for viewing Angel Falls, one is by foot and canoe, and the other by air. If venturing by foot you can choose your own adventure, allowing some flexibility on the duration of 1 day to a few days, all the way up to a few weeks. The alternative is to take a charter plane and fly over the falls. One thing to beware of though is that being based in the thick jungle the moisture can cause dense cloud coverage depending on the time of year, which might obstruct a clear view of the falls. Day tours start at about $175 per person and go up from their depending on the duration of the trip.
Want a Guide?
- Angel Falls Experience - GAP Adventures
- apo Waterfall, Canaima National Park, Angel Falls, Devil's Canyon. This trip combines a night in a hammock camp, an exciting canoe-ride and the chance to swim at the base of Angel Falls.
More Experiences Nearby
- Ziplining Through the St. Lucia Rainforest
- What was once an activity reserved for summer camps and water parks, ziplining is quickly becoming one of the most popular tropical attractions in the world. While you can now find zipline tours in many countries, some of these are just through sparse forests or open fields. There's a novelty that comes from your first ziplining experience, but there's nothing like ziplining through a thick rainforest in the Caribbean. As one of the best Caribbean destinations in the world, St. Lucia offers the ideal spot for ziplining, whether it is as a first-timer or an experienced zipliner. St. Lucia is ...583 miles away.
Books and DVDs
Elsewhere on the Web
- Angel Falls - Wikipedia.org
- Angel Falls (indigenous name: Parekupa-meru) is the world's highest free-falling, freshwater waterfall at 979 m (3,212 ft), with a clear drop of 807 m (2,648 ft).
- Travel Report Venezuela - Voyages.gc.ca
- WARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
- Canaima National Park - UNESCO.org
Media References
- In Angel Falls, Venezuela, a Forest of Islands - Times.com (newspaper)
- THE wooden canoe, a curiara in the language of my Pemón Indian guides, winds through the rapids of the Carrao River in southeast Venezuela. A drizzle lets up as the sun rises, revealing the misty...
- Venezuela's Sky-High Falls - NY Times.com (newspaper)
- WHEN a stranger offered Jimmy Angel $5,000 to fly him to an uncharted mountaintop in southern Venezuela, the Missouri-born bush pilot jumped at the chance. It was 1935 and Angel, down on his luck, promptly ferried his mysterious passenger to one of 100 table mountains that rise abruptly from Venezuela's forest floor.
Travel Insurance. Simple & Flexible.
Language Guides
Spanish 
is one of the languages spoken in Venezuela. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!
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