Angel Falls

Angel Falls, deep in the wilderness of Canaima National Park in southeastern Venezuela, is the world's tallest uninterrupted waterfall, though some measurements leave room for South Africa's Tugela Falls, plunging an astonishing 979 metres from the sheer edge of Auyán-tepui, one of the great flat-topped table mountains that give the region its otherworldly character. So high is the drop that much of the water dissolves into mist before reaching the base. Set amid the primeval landscape of the Guiana Highlands, a UNESCO World Heritage site of ancient tepuis, savanna and jungle rivers, the falls are reached by an unforgettable journey of light aircraft and motorised canoe through pristine wilderness. To glimpse this immense ribbon of water tumbling from the clouds is one of the great natural spectacles on the planet.

History

Walter Raleigh is said, on doubtful grounds, to have been the first European to see the falls, other accounts name the Spanish governor Fernando de Berrío or the explorer Félix Cardona in 1927, but they became known to the world when the American aviator Jimmie Angel flew over them on 16 November 1933 while searching for an ore bed. On 9 October 1937 Angel tried to land his monoplane on top of Auyán-tepui, the wheels sank into the marsh, and he, his wife Marie and two companions took 11 days to walk down; the name Salto del Ángel first appeared on a Venezuelan government map in December 1939, and his ashes were scattered over the falls on 2 July 1960. In 2009 President Hugo Chávez proposed using the Pemon name, Kerepakupai Vená, though he did not decree the change (Wikipedia, Angel Falls).

The landscape

• The great cascade - the tallest uninterrupted waterfall on earth, from the tepui.
• Auyán-tepui - the vast flat-topped table mountain.
• The misty plunge - the water dissolving into spray on the way down.
• The wilderness journey - the flight and canoe trip to reach it.

When to go

June to November, the wet season, is the best time to see Angel Falls at full, thundering flow, when the river is high, though clouds may sometimes veil the top; the drier months offer clearer skies but a thinner cascade. Multi-day guided trips by light aircraft and canoe are the way to reach it.

Practical notes

Angel Falls is deep in remote wilderness, reached only by a multi-day trip involving light aircraft and long motorised canoe journeys, so it takes time, money and a spirit of adventure, and clouds can occasionally hide the summit. As the tallest uninterrupted waterfall on earth, tumbling from a tepui in a UNESCO World Heritage wilderness of primeval beauty, though, Angel Falls is one of the most breathtaking natural wonders on the planet.

Nearby

The village of Canaima and its lagoon of waterfalls are the gateway.

Key facts