Canaima & Angel Falls Travel Guide

The only settlement within the national park and the departure point for all Angel Falls expeditions. A small Pemón community lives here alongside the lodges. The turquoise lagoon with its pink-sand beaches and the roaring Hacha Falls — which you can walk behind — make Canaima itself spectacular. There is no mobile signal, no shops beyond the basic, and no roads — this is genuine wilderness. Everything you need is provided by your tour operator or lodge.

The overnight camp used on multi-day Angel Falls canoe expeditions — typically hammocks or simple bungalows at a riverside camp a short walk from the base of the falls. No electricity, no running water, total darkness at night. The experience of sleeping in the tepui jungle with the sound of Salto Ángel in the distance is extraordinary and completely unlike any other on the continent.

The colonial city on the Orinoco River where all visitors overnight before their light aircraft to Canaima. A beautiful and underrated colonial centre — Paseo Orinoco, the Casa del Congreso, and the old city are all worth exploring. One full day here is rewarding. All Angel Falls tour operators are based in or around the airport area and can arrange your accommodation.

For travellers doing overland Gran Sabana tours rather than Angel Falls fly-in expeditions, Santa Elena de Uairén near the Brazilian border is the base. Small guesthouses, good local restaurants, and a genuine frontier-town feel. The town borders the Roraima tepui access route and is the starting point for most multi-day Gran Sabana overland journeys.