Wet and wild at Angel Falls
Trip Start
Jun 26, 2008
1
4
101
Trip End
Jun 2009
Canaima National Park,
Guayana Highlands,
Venezuela
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
We left you on the RALLY FRIDGE, where we resume at 5 am with a rude awakening as we realise we are at Cuidad Bolivar and the bus is about to pull out to Puerto Ordaz. Kings dashes to get our backpacks before someone takes off with them I am bring up the rear trailing the detruis of our night. We get a taxi which is more rust than metal and level of music only matched by the Ministry of Sound (Venezuelan style). The airport appears deserted but the door is open so we go in. We are alarmed to discover than none of the desks or offices bear the name that is on our ticket.
We are learing than travelling equals waiting but about 5 hours later we are on the runway while the signal lady searches for our pilot and soon we are taking off in the smallest plane we have been in. 5 seater Cesna (inclding pilot) to Canaima, reminding us of our honeymoon flight to the Okavango. It is a stunning flight over the Sabana. The landscape changes and we see tepuys (see pics) for the first time. There is a large winding river and some beuatiful waterfalls and then we come in to land.
Canaima airport is a thatched roof at the end of a gavel runway. Rustic and lovely, with 6 waterfalls that feed the Canaima Lagoon behind. There are lovely curios (pity we have no space) and a stall where we have our first enpanada (corn flour pie). Fresh and delicious.
A quick stop at base camp to pack our day packs and change into jungle gear and we are loaded into a motorised wodden canoe (with deep sides) and heading up river full speed ahead.
View of Canaima
Despite being jungle the scenery dramatically changes and we are constantly in awe. A couple of hours in we round a particular bend and get a good view of the Ayuan tepuy rising abover the jungle canopy. With its sheer cliffs rising to over 1000 m one can see how Arthur Conan Doyle was inspired to write the Lost World. Having started off with clear skies and sweltering heat, our new raincoats were about to get their first test. And what a test!! Marble-sized raindrops, pelting furiously down for over and hour ensured that we were all soaked to our skins. Our new waterproof Olympus 1030 is a godsend. Otherwise we could not have captured the trip at all.
We arrive at the base of the falls at about 4 pm due to the heavy rains and current. The hours easy "stroll" up the mountainous jungle path to the viewing point would make Rambo cry. With fading light against us we find reserves we never knew we had and manage to return to the start within two hours. The "Maria" biscuits AKA rich tea/Maries we had stashed in a pocket at lunch we our saviors. Although beautiful, the jungle is seriously oppersive and it is easy to see how one could become lost. Worth every drop of sweat though, as this 979m drop is simply awesome!
Camp is 100m downriver opposite the falls and is simple with 20 0r 30 hammocks slung under a corrgated tin roof. At first this seemed a little primitive however the multitude of dangerous creepy crawlies make the hammocks a swell idea.Getting in was tricky but as soon as the magic "diagonal" position was obtained, inside our silk liners, dressed head to toe, soaked in insect repellent we were our like lights. Safe from snakes, scorpoins and trantulas!
Comments
Awesome guys
So cool to see you guys are off to a great start. The falls sound incredible and the accommodation sounds far superior to the last few nights for us. Love the photos! Counting down till we catch up!
LOL A xx