Canaima National Park (Parque Nacional de Canaima) is a national park that spreads out across the Gran Sabana region of Bolívar State, in south-eastern Venezuela. The park has been renamed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, mainly due to the table mountains – locally known as tepui – that cover 65% of its surface area, constituting a unique bio-geological entity.
Canaima National Park however is more famous for being the home to the tallest uninterrupted waterfall in the world, a 979 meter drop flowing down from the top. AuyantepuiOne of many tepuis Geologists and biologists love this park. This waterfall is called Angel Falls, or Salto del Ángel in Spanish, and has today become the number one tourist attraction in the world is Angel Falls, Venezuela.
Angel Falls and Canaima National Park: How to get there
Canaima, a village or, more accurately, an indigenous settlement, is located in the middle jungle, on the shores Lake Canaima. It’s inhabited primarily by the indigenous group of the Pemon, who are mainly found in Venezuela, Guyana, and Brazil. Gran Sabana.
The village is not connected by road so as of today the Canaima can only be reached by plane from Caracas.
How to reach Canaima by car from Caracas?
Conviasa The only airline that flies between Caracas and Canaima is Air Caracas, which operates two flights per week: Thursday and Sunday.
This means your stay will be either Thursday to Sunday, OR Sunday to Thursday. You can stay as long as you like, but camping is technically prohibited and accommodation is extremely expensive. So, the length of your stay will depend on the rate you negotiate with the campsite.
How to book your flight from Caracas (Venezuela) to Venezuela?
One of the problems of Travel to Venezuela You can’t book domestic flights online. You must instead go to the airline office and pay cash for your ticket at the airport.
It is possible to hire a local agency for a fee. I paid 150 USD round-trip for a ticket from Caracas and Canaima between Sunday and Thursday. However, prices can change depending on season.
Canaima accommodation: Where to stay and how to book?
Angel Falls visitors are required to book their accommodation in Canaima during their entire trip. Booking in advance is recommended, as there are no staff on hand to check if you have already booked. Since camping is not permitted, you will need to stay at a lodge.
There are approximately 10 lodges on the shores of Lake Canaima. To book a reservation, simply contact the hotel directly.
Most lodges only sell packages of 4 or 5 days, which usually include:
- Airport Pickup
- Accommodation
- All meals
- Trip to Angel Falls
- Canaima Lake Half-day tour
Please note that all prices are per person.
All of them, except for two or three lodges, try to attract Venezuela’s elite by charging similar amounts to 5-star hotels located in European cities despite being far less luxurious.
Canaima has many popular luxury lodges
Some of the most popular luxury hotels include:
The accommodation in Canaima is dominated by these lodges, which all charge around $1600 for the package previously mentioned.
Canaima offers a range of lodges that are priced between mid-range and high-end. Then there are two campsites that charge around $1000 a night for your stay, which is a bit cheaper but still way above any backpacking budget.
Canaima campsites at a budget price
Canaima’s only affordable campsite is the Canaima Budget Camping. Campamento Wey TuPu, which, unlike other lodges in Caracas, is run by a Pemon Family, and not by a foreigner or a Caracas native.
The local family was absolutely lovely and accommodating. Although the rooms and facilities are very basic and modest, I felt that I was giving directly to the community. Plus, the local family were absolutely lovely and accommodating.
The day you visit Angel Falls you will sleep in a hammock in front of the waterfall. You will eat the same food, use the same toilet, and stay at the same location as people paying $1500 per night to stay in a luxury lodge.
I paid $480 total for Wey TuPu. That included flights, but not the $40 park entrance fee or the $40 flight.
Angel Falls and Canaima: Best time to visit
The best time to visit Angel Falls and Canaima National Park is from June to November.
Angel Falls is most active during the rainy seasons, from June to Novembre.
Dry season: December through May.
The dry season begins in December. The later you travel to Canaima the less water there will be. At the end of the season, boats may not even leave for Angel Falls because of the low river level.
I visited Canaima during the month of January. The water was not very abundant, but the scenery was still amazing. Angel Falls is always clear, whereas during the rainy seasons, it can be covered in mist and clouds.
Angel Falls: What to do and how to plan a trip
Day 1 – Arrival and tour around Canaima Lake
After lunch, you will be taken around Canaima Lagoon by canoe to see impressive waterfalls like Salto del Hacha and El Sapo. You may also have the opportunity to hike behind the water curtain.
Day 2 – Trip to Angel Falls
Angel Falls trips are always done in a 10 passenger canoe.
The boat trip lasts around 5 hours with a picnic break included. Remember that the trip may take longer at the end the dry season and you will likely have to walk a few kilometers.
There are a couple of campsites near the falls, but they’re all pretty basic with a dozen hammocks. Some of the fancy lodges – like Waku Lodge – have their own campsite offering a bit more comfort, but not all of them. Customers from Ara Merú for example, were staying in the same site as us.
Day 3 – Hike to Angel Falls viewpoint and return to Canaima
After breakfast, the majority of travelers will hike up to an overlook located near Angel Falls.
The hike is approximately 2.5 hours round-trip. You’ll then canoe back to Canaima, stopping at your campsite to have lunch. If you are staying in Canaima between Thursday and Sunday, your day 4 will be Thursday. But if you stay from Sunday to Thursday, then you have the day 4 to enjoy the national park.
Most people just relax and sit around for the day, while some climb one of these mountains. There are many nearby. Angel Falls can be seen from a helicopter, but it costs $500 per passenger. I chose to walk around the lake and village for the entire day. I was able to observe a Tapir The thief had just snuck in.
Day 4 – Departure
The final day of the trip is departure to Caracas.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to visit Angel Falls and Canaima?
The total cost of traveling to Canaima can be calculated easily because all the campsites sell the entire package.
Flight ticket: Around $150
Entrance fee to Canaima National Park $40
Accommodation: From $480 to $2000
Bring your own Alcohol
Alcohol in Canaima is outrageously expensive. For example, a 20cl bottle beer at the grocery costs $4. I recommend that you bring whatever you want to consume in your checked-in luggage.
Canaima has internet access?
There is no internet data, but the Wi-Fi at the different lodges work fine.
Canaima is a popular tourist destination?
It’s a touristy spot, yes, but because of the high price and the current Venezuelan situation, there weren’t that many people or at least I didn’t notice it during my visit. As a traveler, I am not particularly happy about what Canaima has become – like some sort of an eco-park for the wealthiest Venezuelans – but perhaps it’s precisely that exclusivity that has managed to keep Canaima free from the crowds.
