Conquer The Mesmerizing and Mysterious Highest Waterfall In The World

Canaima National Park (Parque Nacional Canaima in Spanish), in Venezuela, is home to the world's tallest waterfall, called Angel Falls, and also known as Salto Ángel.

Charlotte Pho

August 31, 2021 | 15:41

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Why is it called “The Highest Waterfall?”

Photo: Smart Water Magazine

It is the world's tallest uninterrupted waterfall, with a height of 979 metres (3,212 ft) and a plunge of 807 m (2,648 ft). The waterfall drops over the edge of the Auyán-tepui mountain in the Canaima National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Canaima), a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Gran Sabana region of Bolívar State. The height figure, 979 m (3,212 ft), mostly consists of the main plunge but also includes about 400 metres (1,300 ft) of sloped cascade and rapids below the drop and a 30-metre (98 ft) high plunge downstream of the talus rapids.

The falls are along a fork of the Río Kerepacupai Merú which flows into the Churún River, a tributary of the Carrao River, itself a tributary of the Orinoco River.

This waterfall was one of the 28 finalists in the choice of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

The history of Angel Falls

Photo: Beautiful World Travel Guide

The falls, first sighted by outsiders in the 1930s, were named for James Angel, an American adventurer who crash-landed his plane on a nearby mesa in 1937. In late 2009 Venezuelan Pres. Hugo Chávez declared that the falls should be referred to as Kerepakupai Merú, an indigenous name.

Sir Walter Raleigh, in his expedition to find the fabled city of El Dorado, described what was possibly a tepui (table top mountain), and he is said to have been the first European to view Angel Falls, although these claims are considered far-fetched. Some historians state that the first European to visit the waterfall was Fernando de Berrío, a Spanish explorer and governor from the 16th and 17th centuries. Other sources state that the first Westerner to see the waterfall was the Spanish explorer Fèlix Cardona in 1927.

They were not known to the outside world until American aviator Jimmie Angel, following directions given by Cardona, flew over them on 16 November 1933 on a flight while he was searching for a valuable ore bed.

Photo: Britannica

Returning on 9 October 1937, Angel tried to land his Flamingo monoplane El Río Caroní atop Auyán-tepui, but the plane was damaged when the wheels sank into the marshy ground. Angel and his three companions, including his wife Marie, were forced to descend the tepui on foot. It took them 11 days to make their way back to civilization by the gradually sloping back side, but news of their adventure spread and the waterfall was named Angel Falls in his honor. The name of the waterfall—"Salto del Ángel"—was first published on a Venezuelan government map in December 1939.

Angel's plane remained on top of the tepui for 33 years before being lifted out by helicopter. It was restored at the Aviation Museum in Maracay and now sits outdoors on the front of the airport at Ciudad Bolívar.

The first recorded European to reach the base of the falls was the Latvian explorer Aleksandrs Laime, also known as Alejandro Laime to the native Pemon tribe. He reached the falls alone in 1946. He was the first to reach the upper side of falls in the late 1950s, by climbing on the back side where the slope is not vertical. He also reached Angel's plane 18 years after the crash landing. On 18 November 1955, Latvian independence day, he announced to the Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional that this stream without any known local name should be named after a Latvian river, Gauja.

Photo: Action Culture

The official height of the falls was determined by a survey carried out by an expedition organized and financed by American journalist Ruth Robertson on 13 May 1949. Robertson's expedition, which began on 23 April 1949, was also the first to reach the foot of the falls.cThe first known attempt to climb the face of the cliff was made in 1968 during the wet season. It failed because of slippery rock. In 1969, a second attempt was made during the dry season. This attempt was thwarted by lack of water and an overhang 120 metres (400 ft) from the top. The first climb to the top of the cliff was completed on 13 January 1971. The climbers, a 4-man team lead by American mountaineer, George Bogel, an electrical engineer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, required nine and a half days to ascend and one and a half days to rappel down.

Angel Falls – One of the most attractive spots for tourism

Photo: Australian Geography

The busiest months of the year to visit Angel Falls are July, August, November, December, and January. This is when prices go up considerably, and you’ll be competing for the picturesque views with other visitors. Visitors who want to make a flyover tour can schedule them year-round, but if you’d like to visit on foot, you must arrive during the rainy season, from June through November. This is because the park has to ensure that the river level is high enough for the water to make it all the way to the Falls. There aren’t any organized trips to the area between January and May, but the park is still accessible.

Although this waterfall is one of the most-visited tourist attractions in the country, it is difficult to access, since the trip is quite complicated. As the area is surrounded by a dense forest, the only way to get there is by taking a small plane from the country's capital or from Ciudad Bolivar.

How to get to Angel Waterfall?

First, it’s important to note that it is not possible to reach Angel Falls by car, since there are no roads in the area. The most popular way to visit the Falls is by flying to the town of Canaima, Venezuela. There are no direct flights to Canaima from Caracas, Venezuela — you must first fly to Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela, or Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.

Purchasing a package tour that includes the trek to the Falls, as well as accommodations, flights, and meals, is the easiest and most cost-effective way to see the natural marvel. Most visitors who come to Canaima do so through these package tours, and the tours that include airfare are the most convenient for travelers, since flights tend to sell out far in advance.

Booking your tour in advance is key, and there are many tour companies to choose from. One that consistently receives good reviews is Angel-Eco Tours, which offers a three-day, two-night Canaima National Park experience. The tour includes assistance getting to and from Canaima from Caracas. On the first two days, visitors tour other sights in the area, and on the third day, they depart for the Falls in a motorized canoe from Ucaima Port. The tour features moderate hikes to nearby lookout points. If you’re looking for something more adventurous and challenging, Angel-Eco Tours also offers a nine-day trek that includes Angel Falls and a visit to Roraima, Brazil.

Osprey Expeditions is another highly rated tour operator that offers treks to Angel Falls and other popular vantage points along the way. The company also assists with airport transfers to and from Canaima.

Another way to visit the Falls is to go through a lodge. Waku Lodge is one of the better boutique lodges in the region and offers customized packages for visiting Angel Falls. Many of these packages include airfare to and from Puerto Ordaz.

You can also book a flyover tour of the Falls if the boat ride is too much of a time commitment.

Other activities to do near Angel Waterfalls

Photo: Travelawaits

There are so many impressive sites on the way to Angel Falls that a trip to the Falls is really the cherry on top. This part of Venezuela is home to undulating savannas, palm forests, rivers, towering cliffs, and flat-topped table mountains called tepuis.

Canaima itself is a remote village — its biggest claim to fame is that it is the jumping-off point for exploring Angel Falls. But the rest of Canaima National Park is beautiful and well worth exploring. At the center, the Laguna de Canaima, a reddish-colored reflective lagoon, features palm trees and pink sandy banks. The red and pink hues are due to tannins from decomposing plants over the decades. Seven stunning waterfalls tumble from the lagoon, and most tours to Angel Falls include a short boat trip and hike that allow tour goers to explore these other falls as well.

The park is also home to Uruyen Canyon and the sacred Kavak Caves, which are thought to have been the site of mystic shaman ceremonies. Angel-Eco Tours offers hikes from Uruyen to Kavak or vice versa. The trip to the waterfalls of Kavak includes hiking, wading, and swimming in the canyons before reaching the powerful waterfalls that tumble in the distance. The hike from Uruyen to Kavak is about 5 miles and takes roughly 3 hours to complete at a leisurely pace. To access the caves requires an additional 1.5-mile walk on slightly steeper terrain.

An interesting fact: Pixar used this waterfall as an inspiration for their animated film 'Up', where the protagonist tries to take his house to the top of the 'Paradise Falls', in a clear allusion to Angel Falls.