Angel Falls

Angel Falls is the highest waterfall in the world. It vaults nearly a thousand metres into space from the flanks of Auyan Tepuy, the Mountain of Evil. It is one of the most awe-inspiring natural monuments on Earth. You can hear its roar up to three miles away...

The falls were brought to the attention of the world by the maverick bush pilot Jimmy Angel in 1937. He had been flying to the mountain since 1935 in search of a "river of gold", but on this fateful flight, his plane became stuck in a bog on the top. He and his companions were forced to find a way down. During their arduous descent they confirmed the existence of the colossal waterfall, which today bares his name.

It wasn't until 1949 that a National Geographic-led expedition was able to measure the falls accurately. They are 979 metres high (3,212 feet), about twenty times the height of Niagara. The article published relating the expedition in 1952 made Angel's Falls famous forever. They are now Venezuela's most touted and recognised tourist destination.

In the 1980s an expedition from the Venezuelan Army successfully ascended Auyan Tepuy, roughly retracing Angel's steps. In 1996, the first group of mountaineers to climb the face of the table mountain without the use of ladders reached its summit. Several skydivers have jumped from its summit too. See www.aerialfocus.com/angelfalls.htm

Go to Canaima for info on the lagoon starting point for the trip to the falls, or here for an article with details and information.