Gran Sabana

Due to the richness and diversity, both biological and mineral and geographical of the Southeast Guayana, was necessary to protect the territory by the Government of Venezuela. For this reason, Canaima was declared a National Park, many years later by Executive Order No. 770 dated June 12, 1962. The park is the second largest in Venezuela.

The Canaima National Park now covers an area of about 3,000,000 hectares (7,400,000 acres), which places it among the six largest national parks in the world. However, its original area was 1,000,000 hectares (2,500,000 acres), and did not include the territory of the Gran Sabana.

INPARQUES poster placed at the entrance to la Gran Sabana, after La Escalera

It was enlarged in 1975 to cover several points of high ecological importance. Among those sites are the Carrao River Basin, the headwaters of the Caroní River, the Sierra de Lema, the source of the Cuyuni River and the rolling plains, which form the Gran Sabana. Currently, the territory of the Gran Sabana is 1,082,000 hectares (2,670,000 acres), as shown in the image of the park entrance sign.

Currently, the Gran Sabana remains a place of high ecological value. UNESCO, proclaimed Canaima National Park a World Heritage Site in 1994. It is a place of high value to the Venezuela government, which promotes conservation and exploration, and to the people of Venezuela. Thousands of tourists visit the place every year. They can enjoy the variety of natural wonders in the park and delight both for the beauty of its places of interest including the landscapes of the tepuis, waterfalls and streams), and its diversity of fauna and flora. The latter attract many scholars and scientists from around the world. Only in the Gran Sabana is 40% of the species of Venezuela, and 23% in terms of reptiles and amphibians, with many endemic species.

The largest city in the area is Santa Elena de Uairén, which has experienced very rapid growth, with a population of over 30,000 inhabitants. It was founded in 1923 by Lucas Fernández Peña, attracted by the growth of diamond production in the area. Its average temperature is between 25 and 28 °C (77 and 82 °F). It is 910 meters (2,990 ft) above sea level, is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the border with Brazil, 615 kilometres (382 mi) from Ciudad Guayana, and about 1,400 kilometres (870 mi) from Caracas, by a paved road. The total population of the Gran Sabana is currently estimated at about 48,000.

La Gran Sabana, and the rest of Venezuela in general, is rich in river networks. The main drainage sub-basins are formed by the rivers Yuruaní, Aponwao, Kukenán, Suruku, Ikabarú, Karuay, Urimán and Antabare.

Yuruaní River, with the tepui of same name in the background

The Caroní River, of 925 km (575 mi) in length, and flow rate equal to 5,000 m³/s (180,000 cu ft/s), provides Venezuela with most of its electricity by hydropower exploitation, originates from several tributaries coming from tepuis and mountains of the Gran Sabana (the Aponwao, the Yuruaní and the Kukenan).

The vast majority of rivers and streams in the region are of dark waters, with coloration similar to that of tea. The waters are very poor in dissolved nutrients and rich in humic acids and tannins, which give them its characteristic brown color. The acidity is quite high, reaching pH of 3-4.

In the Gran Sabana, there are randomly distributed ancient massifs eroded in tabular form, known as tepuis. These are examples of inverted relief, which form a kind of typical plateau of the Guiana highlands. These plateaus, in the Gran Sabana, reach their maximum altitude in the Tepui Roraima, with nearly 2,800 meters (9,200 ft) above sea level.

Although the Auyantepui is not part of the Gran Sabana as the exact delimitation of the territory, it is considered by many to be part of it, being the most famous tepui throughout Guiana. It is in the Canaima Northwest and is one of the most recognized tepuis in the world, because from it comes the highest waterfall in the world, the Angel Falls (named for the local indigenous "Karepacupai-merú") with an almost 979-meter (3,212 ft) freefall.

The Auyantepui from Camp Uruyén

These Falls were first made known to non-indigenous people by the U.S. born explorer-aviator Jimmy Angel in 1937. He attempted to land his plane on top of Auyantepui, crashing (without fatalities) in one of his expeditions. It is the second largest Guiana tepui, with its surface of 700 km² (270 sq mi), after Chimantá. It has an altitude of 2,535 meters (8,317 ft). The Auyantepui is inclined on its surface: on the southern edge it exceeds 2,400 meters (7,900 ft), while the northern edge is barely 1,600 meters (5,200 ft) high.

It is possible to access the southern part of Auyantepui and climb it. In some sections of the trip it is necessary to use ropes to climb, although the difficulty level is not high. To make the ascent to the tepui, it is necessary to reach the village of Kavak by plane or helicopter, as there are no vehicle access routes to the tepui.

The Chimantá Massif is the formation of plateaus (10 in total, among which Amurí, Churí, and Akopán-tepui) and is the largest in Venezuela, with its 1,470 km² (570 sq mi). The tepui is not easily accessible, and is not visited by tourists. It is in the central-western Canaima. Recently, the Venezuelan scientist Charles Brewer Carías, flying over the massif discovered a huge entrance to a 250-meter (820 ft) deep cave. From this observation had two expeditions, one of which found the same Brewer Carías, among many other innovations a new species of frog, named in his honor Colostethus breweri.

Mount Roraima on a clear day, a rare event

Mount Roraima is the highest tepui of the National Park. It is also known as Blue Mountain or Crystal Mountain, and is considered by the local indigenous population as a divinity. The Pemon believe that most tepuis host powerful spirits or entities to which they respect and fear. Some of them even make offerings and prayers at the top in their infrequent visits to the tepui (usually as tour guides in exchange for money and/or food). Its height is about 2,800 meters (9,200 ft), it covers an area of 15 km (9.3 mi) long and its surface is 200 km² (77 sq mi). Its walls, completely vertical, may reach 500 meters (1,600 ft) high.

Rock formation of the "Elephant" at the top of Mount Roraima

Despite this, over this wall, it is an outstanding area, with tilt and space for tourists to climb to the top. Among the attractions are the Valley of the Crystals (a deposit of quartz formations), the Jacuzzi area (where water wells of greenish-yellow color), the viewpoints of La Ventana and El Abismo, the North Mazes, la Proa, Lake Gladys, and the "Triple Point". This point is in the northeast of the tepui, and is the place where it meets the border between Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana. They are also very attractive rock formations eroded by wind, leading to myriad interpretations of figures, as the formations of the "flying turtle", the "Mexican hat", the "monkey eating an ice cream cone," or the "elephant", shown in the image.

Incorrectly named and widely known as Kukenan-tepui, this plateau is in reality known as Matawi-tepui. It has a height of 2,680 meters (8,790 ft) and was first climbed in 1963 in an expedition organized by the University of Bangor, Wales. The second ascent was not till 1972 by Stephen Platt, Ramon Blanco, Hans Swartz and Ambrosio Perez. The Matawi-Tepui chain belongs to the eastern tepuis of the Gran Sabana, along with the Yuruani-tepui. It is also the location of Kukenan Falls listed as the tenth highest waterfall in the world with its 629 meters (2,064 ft) of free fall.

View of the tepuis, Kukenan and Roraima, in the Gran Sabana. Canaima National Park

Other recognized tepuis are in the chain Ilú-Tramén-Karaurín, as well as the Wadaka-piapó (or Wadakapiapü) and the Yuruaní, which together with the Kukenan and Roraima, in the chain of the 7 eastern tepuis. These also highlight the tepuis Iglú-tepui, Ptarí-tepui, Acopán-tepui and the Sororopán-tepui, which has a tilt feature, and can be climbed.

Tramen Tepui (2,700 m) in the Ilú–Tramen Massif, was first climbed by Scharlie Wraight and Stephen Platt from the col between Ilu Tepui and Tramen Tepui on 24 November 1981.

There are a large number of minor tepuis, however, which can be found tepuis the whole of Canaima, the total of these around 150. Most tepuis reach heights ranging between 2,000 and 2,700 m.

Due to the elevation of Gran Sabana, about 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) on average, the weather is quite pleasant, mild with average annual temperature of 20 °C (68 °F), similar to the valley of Caracas.

Rain in front of tepui Sororopán

However, due to rainfall, which abounds throughout the year, and therefore its cloud cover, the average annual temperature is lower, with daily temperature variations. Minimum temperatures rarely drop below 8–10 °C (46–50 °F) (unless it is on top of the tepuis, which are exposed, such as Roraima, overnight). Usually, the maximum temperature does not exceed 32–35 °C (90–95 °F).

Climate diagram of Santa Elena

The rainy season prevails about 10 months, with a period of relative drought between January and March with annual average between 1,600 and 2,200 mm (63 and 87 in) of rain (twice what is observed in the Venezuelan capital). This measure varies along the savanna area, in the south the average drops to between 1,600 and 1,900 mm (63 and 75 in) of rain, in the north it varies between 1,600 and 2,500 millimetres (63 and 98 in), and in the south-east it is above 3,000 mm (120 in).

Visitors to the Gran Sabana may notice strong winds to finish up the area of La Escalera and see for first time large areas of savannah. Compared to the average weather of Venezuela, the site moved relatively favorable and cool winds, creating a comfortable feeling. Climate variation is determined by altitude and winds, as the latitude (between 4 ° and 8 ° latitude north) of the site falls within the equatorial belt. The area further north in its lower part is subject to the influence of winds from the east and northeast, resulting in a rainy season and drought season. The south by contrast, is affected by wet winds from the Amazon depression and Southeast, which condense when in contact with elevations, producing heavy rains.

The language of almost all the indigenous peoples of the area is the Pemon, a language of Carib family related to the extinct Caribs, and Tamanaco and Chaimas. Most of them also speak Spanish. However, note that there is a large non-indigenous population that speaks Spanish. In Santa Elena de Uairén, in the area near the Brazilian border, it is common to find people who speak Portuguese.

Brazil-Venezuela border, near Santa Elena de Uairén

As already mentioned, the main town is Santa Elena de Uairén, which is also the capital of the Gran Sabana Municipality. The city's name originated in the first daughter of the founder, Lucas Fernández Peña, called "Elena", and on the river that crosses the city, the "Uairén". It has an airport, a military post and is a free port from 1999, organized and founded by the son of the founder, Professor Héctor Fernández Espinoza. Its economy is based on trade and mining.

Recently, the tourism sector has been an important development because of its proximity to the main natural features of the Gran Sabana and its location near the border. The city has had a rapid population growth during the last decade and it is estimated that by 2016 the population of the town will be around 55,000. Several hotels that are involved in tourism with limited resources are spread through the center of the city. The Hotel Gran Sabana is a luxury option, like the Hotel Anaconda. In the center of the city, tourists can find many shops where they can buy supplies for camping in the national park, from canned or fresh food, to spare normal camping equipment. Many are also the business of buying and selling gold in the village.

Shrine of Santa Teresita de Kavanayén

Kavanayén (Santa Teresita de Kavanayén) is an indigenous village inhabited mainly by the Pemon people. Currently it is estimated that about 30,000 people live in the town. It is in the boundaries of Canaima National Park in the Gran Sabana Municipality, in the Upper Caroní River. The Capuchin missionaries founded the town of Kavanayén in 1943. The buildings of the town are built with the technique developed by missionaries with stone taken from the area. One of the most important architectural attractions of the community is the Shrine of Santa Teresita de Kavanayén, but it has other buildings of significant size and importance, such as a presidential residence where visiting presidents can stay for short periods, a beacon station, and a generating turbine for hydroelectric power.

The community of El Paují is south of Bolivar State, about 75 kilometres (47 mi) west of Santa Elena de Uairén, on the road that leads to Icabarú and very close to the border with Brazil. In El Paují the streets are not paved. Has power, but the build system is switched off shortly before midnight. Almost all households have its own generating plant. No cell phone service or coverage, but there is a communications center which it can access the internet. The community also has an airstrip, medications, a rescue group and a school. For tourists there are inns and eating places. In the community living around 500 people, many of them professionals and retirees. Among them there are craftsmen, adventurers, miners, beekeepers.

San Francisco de Yuruaní

San Francisco de Yuruaní, an indigenous community in the "km 250" of the Troncal 10 is an important craft selling place, and offers refueling for tourists. The name in the native language of the community is Kumarakapay. The town offers various items of tourist tat, including bracelets and necklaces. Tourists can find there a large sample of mineral stones common in Bolivar state, as auriferous quartz, rose quartz, slate, iron, marble, bauxite, silicon, jet and ruffe, among others. In the restaurants of the community can sample typical foods. The small town has several services, including lodging, groceries, restaurants, and health supplies. It is also possible to organize trips and excursions to other parts of Canaima National Park.

Among other less important communities may be mentioned San Rafael de Kamoirán, where are the Rapids Kamoirán, Wönken, known for its Capuchin missions, Paraitepuy of Roraima, where the walk starts normally to the tepui, and Iboriwo or Liwöriwö, where visitors can camp and visit the Aponwao Falls. Other sites closer to the Canaima area include Kavak, Kamarata, Pupurken, Guayaraca and Uruyén. These communities offer the possibility to the visitors of trekking in the area, or climbing Auyantepui being the pemones guides with extensive knowledge of the area.

Via Troncal 10 of Venezuela, in the Gran Sabana

To reach the Gran Sabana is necessary to pass the paved road (called Troncal 10) passing through Ciudad Guayana and reaches the Brazilian border. Just before arriving at the Gran Sabana is to pass the said place called La Escalera, an uphill road with several curves and immersed in a typically rainy and foggy forest. Once past that section there is a paved road that runs through the Gran Sabana. There are other ways to access other sites, but are not paved.

Tourists can also take a plane to Santa Elena de Uairén. They can reach this town by paved road from Caracas, or from Brazil through Pacaraima, traveling along the highway BR174, which connects Manaus (some 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) away from Santa Helena) and Boa Vista (approximately 225 kilometres (140 mi)) with the Venezuela–Brazil border. Currently bus service exists between Ciudad Guayana and Santa Elena de Uairén, but car travel is recommended to allow for frequent stops in interesting places. The journey from Caracas is usually done in two days.

Some of the most attractive places can be reached only by four wheel drive vehicles. Such is the case in places like Torón and Toroncito, Rapids Sakaika, Rapids Anaway, Rapids Käk, the town of Paraitepuy de Roraima, and several sites of interest in the way to Ikabarú.

The Jasper Creek is a river whose waters circulate in a smooth surface of jasper, red and black, mostly

To reach the town of Kavak, where the gorge of the river of that name, it is essential to travel by air. In the second half of 2011, however, vehicles were banned from some of the unpaved roads, such as at the River Torón. This measure was taken by the Government, because the soil condition was badly damaged by the passage of four wheel drive vehicles. The most important falls, and easier access on the main road, that can be reached without four wheel drive vehicles are the Falls Kama or "Kama-Merú" in Pemon language, Falls Pacheco or "Arapan-Merú" and Jasper Creek or "Kako Paru".

The road to the camp Liworiwo is an unpaved dirt road. From there trails go to the Falls Aponwao. Four-wheel drive vehicles are recommended.

Another issue to consider traveling in the Gran Sabana is the supply of gasoline. There are few suppliers of fuel, and not every one is always open. Most likely to find gasoline is in Santa Elena has Uairén, however, the town is over 200 kilometres (120 mi) from the entrance to the Gran Sabana by La Escalera. For foreign tourists the fuel supply is not guaranteed, because the government guarantees gasoline only for Venezuelans. There is also differentiation of supply for Venezuelan tourists and locals, due to smuggling of gasoline in Brazil has a much higher value than in Venezuela. The same problem of illegal purchase and sale of gasoline is before the entrance to the Gran Sabana, the Venezuelan side, in the town of San Isidro, also known as "Km 88".

Visitors can lose hours to fill a vehicle fuel in high season. Because of these difficulties, it is recommended that tourists carry pimpinas or drums, properly identified with the red color for safety and security reasons.

Some tranches can be done in "curiaras", which are boats carved in wood, manned by local people. Despite being managed by pemones, these boats may have engines to reduce travel time. Such is the case of access to Falls Aponwao, one of the most renowned in the Gran Sabana, with a fall of about 110 meters (360 ft). To get to the falls, visitors must travel by car to the camp Liwöriwö by dirt roads, and then take the curiara guided by Indigenous (a journey of about 20 minutes) until the fall.

Another popular tourist activity, albeit at a price making it somewhat less accessible, is to fly by helicopter or plane. Visitors can take flights from many places, however, the most common is to take off from Santa Elena de Uairén, where there are local agencies. Some plans include tours on tepuis Roraima and Kukenan, visits to waterfalls, overlooking Auyantepuy with overflight of Angel Falls and camp visits of Canaima, to places which is not accessible by vehicle.

The majesty of Tepuy Kukenan or Matawi-tepui, 1,100 m

• Falls Aponwao (Chinak-meru)
• Falls Kamá (Kamá Meru)
• Falls Kamá (Kamá Mesalto)
• Falls Kawi (Kawí merú)
• Falls Kukenan
• Falls Yuruaní
• Falls Karuay
• Km "88"
• La Laja
• El Paují
• El Abismo
• Santa Elena de Uairén
• Mission of Kavanayén