Salto Aponwao

The Aponwao river drops about a hundred and five metres over a straight sandstone lip in the middle of the Gran Sabana, one of the highest single-drop falls in the region after Angel Falls. Getting there is part of it: from the Pemón community at Iboribo a dugout crosses the river and a walk of an hour or so over open grassland leads to the top, where the water goes over the edge in a single sheet, and a steeper path continues to the base.

Highlights

• The single drop - about a hundred and five metres over a straight sandstone lip.
• The canoe crossing - a dugout across the Aponwao to start the walk.
• The savanna approach - an hour or more across open grassland to the lip.
• The base path - a steep descent to the pool below the fall.

When to go

May to November has the strongest flow but the worst tracks. December to April is drier and easier to reach. Mornings avoid the afternoon storms.

Before you go

Access is through Pemón community land and fees for the canoe, the guide and entry are charged separately. The walk is fully exposed with no shade. The descent to the base is steep and slippery.

Nearby

La Gran Sabana surrounds it, and Kavanayen is west.

Key facts