With 9,219 feet
of height, Roraima is the tallest of the unique and eerie
flat-topped, sandstone mesas known as Tepuys located in
Venezuela. The ascend to its summit has been cataloged
as one of the great treks of South America and a essential
destination for travelers to this part of the world. The
first known tepuy to be explored and climbed, Roraima
represents a never-ending place of discovery for the scientific
world due to its endemic and very interesting flora and,
good news, is the easiest tepuy to climb.
Totally
unknown by the civilized world until some one hundred
years ago, life atop the tepuys evolved undisturbed for
more than 1,500 millions of years creating unique ecosystems
teeming with highly diversified and endemic animal and
vegetal species. The flora is represented by some 3,000
species and this is the only region of the country to
have two families of endemic plants. Bromeliads and orchids,
but also small palms, heliconias, mosses and ferns, vines,
mushrooms and lichens all grow in this botanical paradise
and share the space with a decent number of amphibians,
reptiles and birds. Of particular interest atop Roraima
are the insectivorous plants: Heliamphoras, Droseras and
Utricularias.
Roraima
means "The Mother of All Waters" in the Pemon
language, a very good definition for a mountain where
rivers that drain to Venezuela, Guyana and Brazil are
born, but is also known as The Crystal Mountain due to
its incredible quartz formations. Difficult terrain conditions
and the extreme weather tends to limit this trek only
for the fit, but any person in reasonably shape and health
can experience it. One of the most unusual and memorable
landscapes on the earth will reward your efforts in Roraima's
plateau.
We
offer a complete range of alternatives to discover Roraima's
secrets. Our flagship Roraima
Trek starts in Santa Elena de Uairen, which you can
access by plane from Ciudad Bolivar or by land from Puerto
Ordaz. It is possible to combine your trek with a pre
or post visit to Canaima,
Angel Falls
and Kavak
or with a 4WD tour of the astonishing beautiful Gran
Sabana. Overflights with small planes and day tours
by helicopter are also available.
Contact
us to include Roraima Tepui
in the Lost
World in a customized itinerary of travel to Venezuela.
