Trip to the Angel Falls, Salto Ángel – Venezuela

If you’re travelling through Venezuela than a trip to the Angel Falls is a must do. It’s one of the few amazing places on earth that you have to see before you die. It is in a protected area in the Amazonas jungle and the only way to get in is with an airplane. There are no streets to get to the falls. From the closest town Canaima it is another day trip per boat to get to the falls. The following night you’ll sleep in hammocks close to the falls. Usually you have to take an organized tour. This includes the flights, boat trip to the falls, food and sleeping.
The tours you’ll get at tour offices at the airports, hostels or tour agencies around the cities. I paid around 200$ with the black market exchange rate.

Day 1 – Ciudad Bolivar to Canaima and to the Angel Falls

We flew from Ciudad Bolívar to Canaima, the closest town to the falls. Canaima is a nice indigenous village with a great view to another water fall. Around Canaima and I think in the Canaima National Parque too, there are gold diggers at work.

The local people bring gold to the local market and get paid for it. I don’t know why this is possible at a national park, because gold digging is normally a dirty business for the beautiful nature. I think money makes everything possible in Venezuela.

At the first day we took a boat to the Angel Falls. It took around 6 hours to get in sight to the Angel Falls. Then you walk another hour through the jungle to get to the viewpoint of the Angel Falls, Salto Angelo. It was just amazing. We were lucky because we could see the falls without the clouds in this rainy season.

Angel Falls is the tallest waterfall in the world and it falls 3,212 feet (979 m) off a mountain called “Auyantepui”. After the falls we had some barbeque close to the falls and slept in hammocks.

Day 2 – Canaima

The next day we took a boat back to Canaima. Around Canaima there are many other waterfalls too. We took a boat across the small lagoon of Canaima and got to another waterfall “Salto el Sapo”.

You have to wear socks because of the slippery and you’ll have to walk a long way under a waterfall. It is wonderful. The noise and all the water coming down makes you crazy. Be careful, your camera will get very wet.

At the end you can walk directly under el sapo and feel the unbelievable power of the water. We got to the top of el sapo and had an amazing view over the Canaima Lagoon. In the evening you can have some very expensive beers at bars and reflect an unforgettable adventure.

Day 3 – Back to Ciudad Bolivar

The next day we flew back to Ciudad Bolívar and took a bus to the north. For us it was totally worth the money because it is an amazing place. You definitely feel like that you are in Jurassic Park. The landscape is magic and the falls will follow you at night.