A common shrub on the savanna. I saw several on the way to Roraima tepui, and on the way to Angel falls, where this photo was taken. This is the only portion of the boat journey to Angel falls where we had to leave the canoes behind, as the long section of rapids in the [...]
The boat journey to Angel Falls was interrupted only once by a long section of rapids where we had to disembark and walk for about 20 minutes on the open savanna. This flowering shrub was located along this path. Please help me classify it – leave a comment
The boat journey to Angel Falls was interrupted only once by a long section of rapids where we had to disembark and walk for about 20 minutes on the open savanna. This flowering shrub was located along this path. Please help me classify it – leave a comment
The boat journey to Angel Falls was interrupted only once by a long section of rapids. Here we had to disembark and walk for about 20 minutes on the open savanna. This flowering shrub was located along this path.
On the boat journey to Angel Falls, there was only one section where we had to disembark and walk for about 20 minutes on the open savanna. This flower was located along this path. Please help me classify it – leave a comment
Now the landscape widens, and so does the river, which is now the Carrao river. The table mountains are now fewer and far between, compared to an hour ago upstream. Very soon this fantastic trip will be over!
One might say that all the clouds is unfortunate, but if the air was dry and all the table mountains fully visible, I wouldn’t have seen the dramatic changes – minute by minute. Here only a few portions of the tepui visible, and it hints something incredible lurking beyond the veil of moisture. A clear [...]
Early morning (07:37) in a landscape seemingly inpenetrable and with no visible trace of human activity! The experience was magnified by the fact that I was sitting in the only boat, and 10s of kilometres away from any dirt road and no mobile network! Only later in the day would boats normally be coming up [...]
The trip downstream is much faster as you ride the flow, and this cuts travel time in half – just 2 hours opposed to 4 going up! The high speed of the boat leaves little time to catch the pristine beauty in the morning light, so I memorized the interesting locations I missed on my [...]
These flowers grow on a tree on the the last remaning soil before two rivers meet – the Kerep river (fed from Angel Falls) and Chrurun river (a tributary of the Carrao River). . Please help me classify it – leave a comment r
One of several species of fungus growing in the moist and dark forest surrounding the Auyantepui – the source of Angel Falls. These are growing on and outcrop by the path up to the lookoutpoint to the falls.
This plant grows in the moist and dark forest floor below the Angel Falls. Please help me classify it – leave a comment
The forest below Angel Falls is dense, moist and dark and this was the only orchid of this species I found in bloom.
A sandstone outcrop is located a 40-50 minute walk from the boats, and provides awesome views of the falls. Under normal circumstances I would have shared this lookout point with people from all over the world. Today I could sit by myself. Fantastic! Much of the water “evaporates” on the way down as it’s carried [...]
When the clouds are low in the sky it’s hard to locate the falls, unless you know where to look. Even if you know where to look, it can be hard to see the falls from the jungle. From the right position alongside the the Kerep river (fed by Angel Falls), the river will provide [...]
On the right, the river Kerep flows into Churun river. This smaller river is the water that just a few minutes ago fell off the Auyantepui as Angel Falls – a near 1000 metres waterfall and the highest of any in the world! This was the camp site, and it was completely deserted. As this [...]
As we moved further up the Churun river, the river changed into a winding snake of rapids and turns. Some sections the river was calm, deep and narrow and the forest canopy almost covered the river. We only met one other canoe on our way upriver, and I wondered how many accidents occur, as it [...]
The journey to Angel Falls begins only metres from where the Carrao River plunges into the huge Hacha Falls, and takes about 4 hours to reach the base of the Ayantepui from which Angel Falls originates. The transportation is a mix of old and new – with Yamaha outboards attached to a dug-out tree trunk! [...]
One of the four spectacular water falls of the Carrao river by the Pemon village of Canaima. The deep rumbling sound of the water is heard from far away and the mist is carried high and far. If you are walking on the plain in the vincinity, you will not necessarily see the water falls [...]
The Carrao river is the only (easy) means of transportation to the Angel falls other than by air. These falls are located by the Pemon village of Canaima. It’s an awesome sight to begin the journey, at least when there is plenty of water, as was the case here. It should have been much less [...]
Over time the huge waterfalls have created this lagoon. In the wet season it’s a big lake and in the dry season just a pool with big sandy beaches which are starting to emerge as seen in this photo.
Close to the walls of Roraima the montane forest is dense, moist and very steep. Roraima is causing constant cloud formation and moisture is brushing against everything that lives here. On days with no rain, the fog can create fantastic dew formations of insects, plants and rock. Up here the water is no longer tropically [...]
Walking down from Roraima once out of the forest was very hot. I had a hard time managing my body temperature, and was longing for a rainshower that never seemed to come. The shower did come eventually, but alas, I was walking away from it. I sat down to rest on a rock in the [...]
Not only was this plant in bloom, but it was also growing fruit. What color is it when ripe?
I was surprised to see a Passion flower on the savanna, as out in the open there is nothing to climb on for one. I only found this one – about a kilometre downhill from the base camp to Roraima in a dry and rocky location.
The view from the camp site, or “hotel”, atop Roraima was awesome. I was well protected from the elements in the cave, and could watch nature in all it’s ways and never get wet or cold. The “entertainment” was spectacular this evening. Several cumulunimbus clouds produced lightning for what seemed forever. The altitude made the [...]
About one our before sunset. Most prefer to be in constant movement to forget about the unanswered questions of existence and keep the mind fully occupied. Instead they could simply sit still and watch nature’s countless variations and manifestations. For just one moment the light of the sun was let through as if a giant’s [...]
There are countless waterfalls on and off Roraima, large and small. If the sun is out and the angle is right, a rainbow will flash as in this photo. One can walk to such a place, or sit by one and wait until the sun and angle makes it happen all on it’s own.
This crevice is huge in depth and length, and in one location a rumbling sound – like a remote jet plane – is heard. It’s the sound of a large waterfall far below – covered by layers of rock. Some time in the future this crevice may have grown to a divide that separate parts [...]
What a stunning place to wake up! Just outside my tent this is what I saw – the great wall of the neighbouring Kukenan tepui. Every minute the light, shadows and clouds changed – no human sounds – not even the sound of a plane. Silence…. Watching the sun rising and the shadows shrinking. This [...]
Finally arrived at the “hotel”, after a very wet hike up. Now the high clouds are dissolving, and the lower clouds manifest in the heat of the emerging sun. Both Roraima and Kukenan are cloudmakers, and if they are in the clear – just sit and wait, and the updrafts will soon manifest misty rivers [...]
This was the third day of the Roraima trek. The morning started with a light shower. Unfortunately it lasted for many hours, and we just had to make our way to the top of Roraima. It was a weeeeet walk! Strangely enough I preferred the wet, as that made it easier to climb and not [...]
Base camp turned out be quite a spectacle after dark, as the fireflies here were abundant and glowed – yellow! On the savanna the light was blue, and the fireflies mostly on the ground or in between the grass. Here they were quite busy on the ground, as well as in the air. Some only [...]
I’m not certain this is a butterfly (Lepidoptera), so any correction is welcome. I only saw this amazingly colored insect only once on my trek to an from Roraima, and this was close to the base camp on the way up. I was unable to get very close before it took off, so quality is [...]
Closing in on base camp, Roraima seemed lik an insurmountable wall going on forever as it disappeared into the clouds. How to climb this monster?
This was the third and most common of three species of butterflies that were seen around the path to and from Roraima. It was seen on the path or on rocks close by the path. If disturbed it was quick to mov back and reclaim its territory.
This small tree grows alongside the path to Roraima and is common all over the Sabana.
Grows alongside the path to Roraima. It’s a small plant not easily seen in between the grass. Please help me classify it – leave a comment
Grows alongside the path to Roraima.
Grows alongside the path to Roraima and looks like it belongs to the heather family. Please help me classify it – leave a comment
A beautiful flower from a rather deadly plant! The bladders are in fact traps to catch various organisms, and when the prey touches the trigger hairs, it is sucked into the bladder. This is how the plant get its nutrients! It grows on the wet areas of the savanna, and here it was almost like [...]
Grows along the path to Roraima. Please help me classify it – leave a comment
On the way to base camp, the walls of Roraima and Kukenan slowly came closer, and the sheer scale of them became more apparent. During the day they were both covered in clouds, but that made it even more exiting, as it was never certain what would be revealed next. This was shot at 13:11, [...]
It’s a small bush that produces these incredibly colored fruits that grows alongside the path to Roraima. Please help me classify it – leave a comment
Grows alongside the path to Roraima. Please help me classify it – leave a comment
Common and widespread along the path to Roraima. Please help me classify it – leave a comment
Grows alongside the path to Roraima. Please help me classify it – leave a comment
Common and widespread along the path to Roraima. Please help me classify it – leave a comment