Venezuela 2002 - By river to Salto Angel and Canaima
Having done planes and cars earlier in the day, at Kamarata we transfered to boats. We set off down the Akanan river in a dugout canoe with a large outboard motor.
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| Transferring into a canoe at Kamarata. | Shooting the rapids on the Akanan river. |
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We stopped at Iwana Meru well after dark and got our first experience of hammocks and mosquito nets.
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| Breakfast in a jungle shelter at Iwana Meru. | Jungle-style sleeping arrangements. |
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The following day was a boat trip down the Carrao river. In the morning we stopped at the site of a former gold mining town, now almost completely reverted to jungle.
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| All that remains of a mining town on the Carrao river. | Inside the wrecked Dakota. |
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| An impromptu meeting of the digital camera club. | Even a wrecked DC3 is good for something. |
At lunchtime we stopped at a Pemon indian homestead, where they grow yucca and make cassava bread. We spent that night at another jungle shelter close to the confluence of the Churun and Carrao rivers, and the following morning we turned up the Churun towards Salto Angel.
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| A homestead near the Carrao river, showing a trough used for making cassava bread. | A quick juggling demonstration. | Starting up the Churun river. |
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We were in and out of the canoes often on the way up the Churun, to lighten them to help shoot the rapids. We arrived at another jungle shelter, at Mouse Island, at midday.
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| Shooting rapids on the way up the Churun. | A human chain unloading the canoes at Mouse Island. |
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From Mouse Island it was about one hour's hike up to the foot of the Angel Falls. We stopped at the foot of the falls to admire the view.
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| Salto Angel. | Taking a break at the foot of the Angel Falls. |
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When we were done with admiring the falls, we went down to the perfect swimming hole, right at the foot of the cascade.
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| A great swimming spot at the foot of the Angel Falls. | Salto Angel, seen from below. |
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| An invigorating shower under the Angel Falls. | The best of our many great swimming spots. |
The camp at Mouse Island was our third night in hammocks, and we had learned how comfortable they could be. After we had got up and admired the effect of the morning light on Salto Angel, we headed back down the Churun and on down the Carrao towards Canaima.
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| Just another five minutes. | The Angel Falls. | A restful cruise back down the Churun river. |
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Early that afternoon we reached Canaima lagoon. We visited Salto el Sapo and walked behind the falling water, and then carried on past the Hacha falls to Canaima itself.
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| Salto el Sapo, falling into Canaima lagoon. | Canaima Lagoon, and the Hacha Falls. |
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