Canaima Adventures (English)

Canaima National Park was decreed as such by the National Government on June 12th, 1962, with an area of one million hectares (1,000,00 Ha), which was increased to three million hectares on October 10th, 1975, making it one of the largest national parks in the world. The park is located in Venezuela's Guayana region, south of the Orinoco River, in the Gran Sabana Autonomous Municipality and the Sifontes Municipality of Bolívar State.
By its very size and because of its spectacular scenery and vast natural resources, Canaima National Park is truly one of the world's greatest natural wonders. It is crossed by huge rapids as well as slow, majestic rivers, which flow in marked contrast to thick jungle of this paradise, reflecting the variety of green hues as they blend with the water.
The rolling scenery meets the legendary "tepuys" (table-top mountains), transporting the spectator back over thousands of years and showing the Earth's physiochronology as if in an open book. Exuberant wildlife and flowers join in a polychromatic concert of living beings, with intense colour and light in harmonious natural surroundings. This daily spectacle includes jungles, forest, grasslands, mountains, strong winds and torrential rains, which give way to wide, blue skies. Canaima National Park has valleys as low as 400m above sea level, while some 'tepuys' rise to over 2,400m above sea level. Roraima, for example, has an altitude of 2,763m at its table-top
The most ancient rock formations in the world's geochronology are found here. Dating from the Precambrian period, they are assumed to have been formed between 1,5 million and 2 billion years ago
Most of the Canaima National Park falls under the influence of an Equatorial Climate, with sunshine and high precipitations throughout the year. The park's average temperature is 10 to 20 degrees centigrade, depending on the altitude, type of area and season. At the top of some tepuys temperatures of near 0 degrees centigrade have been registered. The dry season lasts from January to March, and the rainy season lasts from April to December.
Among the main features in Canaima National Park, we find the tepuys with their vertical walls carved by the erosion of millions of years. Tepuy walls are composed of polychrome sandstone, quartz and agglomerates, which emerge abruptly out of the grasslands and thick jungles. Tepuys have flat, slightly sloping tops, where plant life is endemic. Writers have termed the table-tops "islands in time" or "ecological islands".
Principal rivers: Caroni, Carrao, Aponwao, Kukenan, Churun, Arabopo, Yuruani, Kauai, Cucurital, Tirika, Urimank Aranan, Kamoirank Apakara, Aprado, Aravak, Mauruk, Surukun, Kerepakupai, Tek Luana, Arauriquenk Antabare, and Karaurin, many of which are navigable throughout the year; others are only navigable during the rainy season.
Among the Park's main features we find its waterfalls, known as meru or vena in the Pemon language. the most important ones are Angel Falls or Parecupa-vena, Kerepakupai-meru, Churun-meru, Hacha or Kama-meru, Chinak-meru, Aponwao Toron-meru, Kukenan, El Danto, Aripichi, Eurobarima, La Cortina or Aicha-meru, Epopa, Techinen-meru, Yunwaru-meru and El Sapo.
The park's wildlife is extremely diverse, depending on such factors as altitude, type of plant life and productivity of the ecosystems. The most commonly found vertebrates are the following: Mammals, Birds and Reptiles
Tourist Attractions:
• Laguna de Canaima
• Salto Hacha (waterfall)
• Salto El Sapo (waterfall)
• Carrao River
• Mayupa rapids
• Salto Yuri (waterfall)
• Cucurital River jungle and grasslands
• Isla de la Orquìdea (orchid Island)
• Churún River
• Angel Falls
• Kavac
• Kamarata
Th Tepuy Cerro Autana was declared natural monument in 1978. It is one of the Table Mountains of southern Venezuela and about 4,000 feet high. Inside the mountain, there is cave formed entirely of quartz, which measures 1,300 feet in length and 130 feet in height. On our 3-day boat trip on the Orinoco, Sipapo and Autana rivers we will visit different Indian communities. Upon arriving at our destination we will take a two-hour hike to the Cerro Guahari, from which we will have a beautiful view of the Autana and the Cara del Indio tepuys, the sacred mountains of the Piaroa Indians.
Juana Frontera - Fogel