Mount Ayanganna

Ayanganna rises to around 2,042 metres in the Pakaraima mountains, a tepui entirely within Guyana with sheer sandstone walls and a forested summit plateau. It is climbed very rarely, perhaps a handful of times a decade, and biological expeditions to the top have described species new to science on more than one visit. Getting there means a charter to a small airstrip, days of trekking through forest, and a climb up a route that is not fixed or maintained.

What you actually see

• The sandstone walls - vertical cliffs ringing the summit plateau.
• The summit forest - stunted woodland and bog on the tabletop.
• The undescribed species - frogs, plants and insects still being found by expeditions.
• The approach - days of forest trekking to reach the base.

When to go

September to April is the drier window and the practical season. Rain is heavy in any month and the rivers rise fast. Cloud covers the summit for most of the year.

Honest expectations

This is a full expedition, not a hike: permits, charter flights, porters and guides must be arranged months ahead and the cost is high. Very few operators run it. There is no rescue capability and no communications on the mountain.

Nearby

The Pakaraima mountains surround it, and Kaieteur is southeast.