Canaima National Park Destination Guide

Canaima National Park is nature at its magnificent, unspoilt best. The mind-boggling variety of plant and animal species and stunningly beautiful landscape can leave visitors completely bewildered. What are the things to see and do in Canaima and how does one make the most of a trip like this? To thoroughly explore the Gran Sabana is no mean feat, for it takes time and infinite patience, not to mention a pair of sturdy walking boots and a handy waterproof jacket!

Come and take a trek into a lost world home to giant anteaters, giant river otters and other endangered and rare species.

Our Canaima National Park destination guide below will give you a run through of the treasures that lie within the park. If planning to travel outside Canaima then our Venezuela country guide and Los Roques destination guide may also be of interest.

The Canaima highlights are many including the highest waterfalls in the world and some of the most unheard of species. Canaima tours will definitely help you to make the most of your trip to the lost world, and a search for what Canaima hotels and accommodations are available can assist you in making that trip a reality today.

Things to See & Do in Canaima National Park

Here are the some of the Canaima tourist attractions:

Topping the list of sites is Angel Falls (Salto Ángel), falling all of 978 m from the top of the Auyantepui. Of this, 807 m is an uninterrupted drop. Another statistic: these falls are 16 times the height of Niagara!

The native Indian name for the falls is Parekupa-meru. It was later renamed after the maverick American pilot Jimmy Angel, who serendipitously landed on the Auyantepui in 1937, while searching for the legendary El Dorado, or city of gold. Instead, he had come upon the world's highest waterfalls. An 11-day trek later, he arrived in the town of Kamarata and told the world his story. A later expedition to the falls salvaged his plane, which is now installed at Ciudad Bolivar Airport.

It's a 5-hour ride up the river from Canaima village to reach the falls, a trip made in a dugout canoe. The vast terrain and other attendant risks involved mean that most of Canaima's attractions can be seen only on guided tours. Reservations for these tours can be made from overseas, or upon arrival in Caracas. The most competitive prices however, are available from Ciudad Bolivar.

Typically, a tour to the base of the waterfalls is spread out over 2 nights and three days. The package includes airfare to Canaima and back, all meals for the duration of the trip and basic accommodation at riverside campsites, en route to the falls. The first night is spent at Canaima. Nearer to the destination, there's a fairly lengthy ride by dugout canoe on the river. You then trek through the forest for a few hours before reaching the main viewing spot below the falls.

Shorter tours are also possible, where you can simply go direct to the falls and return. Most tour guides speak Spanish, with a smattering of English.

The Gran Sabana is a region like no other on earth in its forbidding beauty. The vast plains stretch out, interspersed with hundreds of tepui or table-top mountains, many of which remain unexplored by man. Giant hills cut across this view, carpeted with moriche palms and pristine rainforest. More than 300 waterfalls gush down from the tepuis, an awe inspiring sight.

Kavac is a little forest village, inhabited by all of 40 Pemon Indians. They are hunter-gatherers, as the Pemon have been since the time of their ancestors. Since 1995, the government has negotiated with them for a limited form of tourism in this region. Every month, around 20 visitors are allowed to visit the village.

Getting to Kavac is quite a life altering experience! Visitors trek through a rainforest and then swim into a cave. This opens into a grotto where they are greeted by the spectacle of a 300-foot waterfall. To accommodate guests, Kavak has traditional, comfortably appointed huts and hammocks. There’s a bar, a craft shop and one small electricity generator that is used for under 3 hours per day.

Roraima is Canaima’s tallest tepui. Its summit is often obscured by fog. There’s plenty to explore, with oddly shaped black rocks, serene pools, gorges and several exotic wildflower species.

Mt. Auyantepui, one of the Guayana Range’s largest mountains, is home to the iconic Angel Falls.

Dropping over 300 feet, the Salto Aponguao waterfalls are magnificent in their expanse. The area is not easily accessible, though it’s worth making a trip to experience the sheer beauty of the falls.

What the Yurani Falls lack in height, at just 15 feet, they make up for with their width of 150 feet and sheer power.

This small village, near the Brazilian border, opened up to outsiders in the 1980’s, mostly young couples looking for an alternative lifestyle close to nature, in which to raise their families.

Definitely, one of Venezuela’s loveliest, picture postcard spots! Several small waterfalls – Hacha, Wadaima, Golondrina and Ucaima – drain into the lagoon. Behind the falls rise three table-tops, Nonoy Tepui ("Zamuro" or Vulture), Kuravaina Tepui ("Venado" or Deer) and Topochi Tepui ("Cerbatana" or Blowpipe). Get closer to the falls in a canoe. The water in the lagoon is reddish, while the sand is light pink, thanks to the minerals brought down by the waterfalls.

Close to the Canaima Lagoon, from a branch of the Carrao river is the Sapo (“Frog”) Falls. During the rainy season from May to November, the falls are a truly splendid sight, beyond description. When the weather turns dry, the water dwindles to the extent that you can easily cross to the other side. If you’re visiting the park during the wet season, you’ll be walking over stepping stones behind the dense curtain of water and get completely drenched. After crossing the Sapo, walk to a smaller waterfall called Sapito (“Little Frog”), interesting for its mineral-coloured hues.

Bird Watching
Canaima National Park is a birdwatchers’ nirvana. Keep your binoculars and camera handy for sightings of hummingbirds, herons, tanagers, toucanets, curassows and hundreds of rare and beautiful species.

Take a boat ride and walk through the jungle
Sailing down rivers and trekking through rainforest adds up to an unforgettable experience of Venezuela’s amazing biodiversity.

Swimming
Depending on the season, you can take a swim in the small pool below the Angel Falls, provided the water flow is relatively mild.

Trekking
Looking for a challenge? Take a trek to the top of Auyantepui’s 700 sq km plateau. Arrangements for the trip can be fixed up in Ciudad Bolivar. Commencing at Uruyen village, it takes three days of trekking up rugged trails to reach the top. The final segment involves hauling yourself up a cleft in the massive wall of rock, a tough call for most, but the reward is completely satisfying. The landscape is dreamlike, bare brown rocks interspersed with insect-eating pitcher plants clinging to them. This being a tougher climb than Mount Roraima, it’s unlikely you’ll bump into other trekkers. Typically, trekkers spend a couple of days on the plateau, with the return trip to Uruyen or Kavac taking another 2 days. It can be cold and wet on top of the tepui, so equip yourself with a warm jacket.

Take a Stroll in Kavac
In Kavac, a guide can show you the “caves”, actually a narrow canyon that leads to a waterfall and a serene pool where you can take a refreshing dip.

Visit the indigenous people
At Orinoco Delta camp, look out for rare birds, river dolphins and get a glimpse into the lives of native Indians.