The hook
The tallest waterfall on Earth, a ribbon of water plunging almost a kilometre off the sheer edge of a flat-topped mountain, in a primeval landscape of table-mountains so otherworldly it inspired "The Lost World."
01Why it's worth it
In the remote Guayana Highlands of southeastern Venezuela rises one of the planet's strangest and most spectacular landscapes: the tepuis, immense flat-topped mountains with sheer vertical walls, ancient islands of rock that stand isolated above the jungle and savanna, their summits harbouring unique plants and an atmosphere of primordial mystery (they inspired Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Lost World"). Off the edge of one of them, Auyán-tepui, tumbles Angel Falls, the highest waterfall in the world, its water falling so far, nearly a kilometre, that much of it disperses into mist before reaching the bottom. Reaching it is an adventure in itself, typically flying in to Canaima National Park and then travelling by motorised canoe up jungle rivers and hiking to a viewpoint at the base, best in the wet season when the falls are in full flow. Nearby, the great tepui of Roraima can be climbed on a multi-day trek onto its surreal, rock-garden summit. This is one of South America's ultimate natural wonders. However, Venezuela's severe political and economic crisis has made travel there difficult and requires caution and up-to-date advice, with trips generally arranged through specialist operators.
02How to experience it
Given Venezuela's crisis, go through experienced tour operators and check current conditions and advice carefully. Trips to Angel Falls fly in to Canaima and continue by canoe and on foot, best in the wet season for full flow; the Roraima tepui is a separate multi-day trek. Treat it as serious, organised adventure travel to one of Earth's great wonders.