Angel Falls: World's Highest Waterfall in Venezuela's Canaima National Park

Angel Falls (Salto Ángel) plunges 979 meters (3,212 ft) from the summit of Auyán-tepui in the Canaima National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Gran Sabana region of Bolívar State, Venezuela.

Key Facts

• Total height: 979 m (3,212 ft) — world's tallest uninterrupted waterfall.
• Longest single drop: 807 m (2,648 ft).
• Source: Churún River (tributary of Carrao → Orinoco).
• Discovery: Named for Jimmie Angel, U.S. aviator who crash-landed on Auyán-tepui in 1937 while searching for gold.
• Indigenous name: Kerepakupai merú ("waterfall of the deepest place") in Pemón language.

Visiting

• Access: Fly to Canaima camp (from Ciudad Bolívar or Puerto Ordaz), then 4–6 hour motorized canoe (curiara) up Carrao & Churún rivers, + 1 hr jungle hike.
• Best time: Rainy season (May–Nov) for full flow; dry season (Dec–Apr) may reduce to mist.
• Tour operators: Essential—logistics, permits, guides, hammock camps.

Geological Wonder

Auyán-tepui is a tepui (table-top mountain)—Precambrian sandstone plateau, isolated for millions of years, hosting unique endemic species (carnivorous plants, frogs, orchids). The falls drop from its vertical cliff into the "Devil's Canyon."

Angel Falls is not just a waterfall—it's a journey into a lost world.