Authentic Canaima: 3- or 4-Night Pemón Route
- THURSDAY – SUNDAY (3 NIGHTS) / SUNDAY – THURSDAY (4 NIGHTS)
Canaima National Park is not just virgin nature, the highest waterfall on the planet, tepuis that look like they come from another world and wine-colored rivers. It is also home to one of Venezuela's indigenous peoples: the Pemón. They conceived this route and they are the ones who run it.
By day you will follow the classic route: from the Canaima lagoon, with its imposing El Sapo and El Hacha falls, to the majestic Angel Falls — Kerepakupai Merú, as the Pemón call it —, with the chance to bathe in its waters. You will sail along a reddish river, cross dense jungle and burning savanna, and have lunch in front of the highest waterfall in the world.
The nights are for sharing with the Pemón: you will learn about their customs and beliefs, their culture and their daily life, and understand their daily struggle to preserve their history and identity.
You will be accompanied by excellent Pemón guides, professional and, above all, in love with their land, who will take you through the sacred places of Canaima.
Two nights you will sleep in a hammock, deep in the jungle, with the fresh river air, the murmur of the water and the shy sounds of the tropical night. The other night will be in a present-day Pemón community, where you will discover their traditional cuisine and perhaps try something you never thought you would try. And, as a grand finale, the children of the community will give you a small concert.
The program is conducted in Spanish and English.
Canaima National Park is not just virgin nature, the highest waterfall on the planet, tepuis that look like they come from another world and wine-colored rivers. It is also home to one of Venezuela's indigenous peoples: the Pemón. They conceived this route and they are the ones who run it.
By day you will follow the classic route: from the Canaima lagoon, with its imposing El Sapo and El Hacha falls, to the majestic Angel Falls — Kerepakupai Merú, as the Pemón call it —, with the chance to bathe in its waters. You will sail along a reddish river, cross dense jungle and burning savanna, and have lunch in front of the highest waterfall in the world.
The nights are for sharing with the Pemón: you will learn about their customs and beliefs, their culture and their daily life, and understand their daily struggle to preserve their history and identity.
You will be accompanied by excellent Pemón guides, professional and, above all, in love with their land, who will take you through the sacred places of Canaima.
Two nights you will sleep in a hammock, deep in the jungle, with the fresh river air, the murmur of the water and the shy sounds of the tropical night. The other night will be in a present-day Pemón community, where you will discover their traditional cuisine and perhaps try something you never thought you would try. And, as a grand finale, the children of the community will give you a small concert.
The program is conducted in Spanish and English.
The 4-night tour program is the same with an additional day, free of scheduled activities.
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Day 1, Thursday
- Departure at 08:00 from Caracas airport to Canaima. Flight of 1 h 05 min
- Meeting the Pemón guides
- Tour of the Canaima lagoon
Important: the mandatory park tourist fee is $40 for adults and $20 for children under 11. It is paid only on site and only in cash: we recommend bringing US dollars ready.
Important: this is the standard program; the National Park representatives may adjust it on site by changing the order of the activities.
Route of the day: Excursion to the El Sapo and El Hacha waterfalls (~4–5 hours).
Difficulty: low.
- The trip begins by sailing across the Canaima lagoon in a curiara, the traditional boat of the area. The group disembarks on Anatoly Island and continues on foot through the jungle to El Sapo Falls, which you cross from behind, along a path that runs right behind the curtain of water
- After resting at the viewpoint in front of El Sapo, the group returns by crossing the fall again. After a short stretch across the savanna, you reach El Hacha Falls, which is also crossed by a path hidden behind the falling water
- Afterwards, the group sails upriver to a Pemón camp, where it will sleep in hammocks
Meals: lunch, dinner.
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Day 2, Friday
- After breakfast, the journey continues along the river to Angel Falls
- Hikes across the savanna and the jungle to bypass the river rapids
- Climb along a fairly steep jungle trail to the culminating point of the trip: the viewpoint in front of Angel Falls. Swim in its waters
- Dinner and night in a hammock at the camp in front of Angel Falls
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
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Day 3, Saturday
- Breakfast
- Return by curiara to the Canaima lagoon. Lunch
- Free time in the Pemón community: craft market, food fair and children's concert
- Dinner and night at the community lodge (wifi, air conditioning)
Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.
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Day 4, Sunday
- Breakfast at the lodge
- Departure and transfer to the airport
- Return from Canaima to Caracas. Flight of 1 h 05 min
- Flight Caracas – Canaima – Caracas
- Meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 4
- Spanish- and English-speaking Pemón guide
- Accommodation in Pemón camps (2 nights) and in a community lodge (1 night)
- Non-alcoholic drinks
- Curiara ride on the Canaima lagoon
- Curiara excursion to Angel Falls
- Entrance fee to Canaima National Park ($40 adults, $20 children)
- Alcoholic drinks
- Flight Margarita – Caracas – Margarita
- Accommodation in Caracas
- Transfer to/from Caracas airport
