Day 1: CARACAS / PUERTO ORDAZ

Upon arrival into Simon Bolivar airport in Caracas, you are personally met and transferred to a dayroom in the city. Here you are given all necessary documents to connect with your evening flight to Puerto Ordaz. Upon arrival you are personally met by your guide and transferred to your hotel.

Overnight Eurobuilding Guayana Hotel (Dinner)

Day 2: SANTA ELENA

Early in the morning you are met and transferred to Ciudad Bolivar airport, where you will take a private charter flight to Santa Elena. You arrive around midday in the area known as the Gran Sabana and are transferred to your lodge.

Overnight Campamento Yakoo (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 3: RORAIMA TREK / TEK RIVER

The vehicle will take you to the small Pemon Indian community of Paray-tepui (1,400 m). The ride is about 90 km, and some of the roads are in bad condition. The scenery on this drive is described as breathtaking, with views of the rolling savannah and the tepuis. After a light lunch in the village, we will begin the trek escorted by our Taurepan porters who prefer to use their own woven baskets, balanced with a tumpline, to carry their loads. The main Pemon tribes are Arekunas, Kamaracotos, each with a distinct dialect. Our first camp will be established near the River Tek (11 km), approximately a 4 hour hike across the savannah. Along the way we will ford four small streams, which will provide a chance to rejuvenate ourselves. The route will start off by descending from the ridge into a small, forested valley where we will cross many small streams. As we leave the valley, and enter the rolling savannah, we might hear the occasional "boink" (a sound like a hammer striking an anvil) of the bearded Bellbird, which inhabits this region. Directly ahead lays the massive, symmetrical bulk of Roraima, whose 9,129 ft summit towers high above the plains. To the north of this mesa is the sister Tepui, Kukenan (8,793 ft) and even further north, three other tepuis dominate the horizon. The campsite at the River Tek sits at an altitude of (900 m) and provides an excellent opportunity for a refreshing swim at the river. Accommodations will be in tents, so that you may enjoy the fresh nighttime air of the savannah.

Overnight Camp (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 4: RORAIMA TREK / BASE CAMP / SUMMIT

This will be our most difficult day. In the morning we will enjoy our first sunrise view of Tepui Roraima, contemplating its Indian name, which means Great, Ever Fruitful, and Mother of Streams. The names seem appropriate because its waters feed into three vital river systems, the Amazon, Orinoco and Essequibo. After breakfast, we will head for the Roraima base camp at the foot of the Tepui (10 km) for a lunch stop. First, we will ford the River Tek and continue along the River Kukenan. This is a bigger river, 40 m wide, and the level of water affects the crossing. Along the long incline that leads to the base of Roraima’s vertical 600 m cliffs, the terrain is a series of long ridges radiating out from the Tepui. Grasslands dominate the terrain, except in the deep ravines where rainforest patches have escaped the Indian’s fires. About halfway to the "base camp" we will enter a broad sloping area of black, lichen-covered boulders where we might spot trodipurus lizards and Chestnut-collared Sparrows. Its about a 2 hour walk to arrive to the Military Camp and then an hour later, we will reach our lunch spot, which is not far from the base of Roraima. The base camp sits at (1,800 m). After lunch, we ascend a 50-100 ft wide ramp that runs from right to left along the cliff face allowing the only easy access to Roraima’s summit. In 1884, the British explorer, Everard Im Thurn discovered this route. Cloud forest surrounds the vertical wall and is inhabited by an abundance of lovely orchids, lush ferns, palms, woody shrubs and delicate flowers. En route, we will be treated with the surprise of a thin, ribbon-like waterfall, which falls from the crest. There are opportunities to refill water bottle from some of the freshest water on the planet. Upon arrival at the summit, we will be rewarded with a stunning vista of the savannah floor rolling out gracefully below us. We will set up camp on the tepui’s top (2,800 m) below a rock ledge that prevents the strong winds and cold temperatures (5 degrees Celsius) from reaching us during the evening. The locals call these natural caves -- hotels. We will spend a few hours exploring the foreign landscape of black rock near the campsite. After dinner, we can enjoy the nighttime sky. The stars are brilliant with the absence of human-produced light. The Southern Cross, as well as the familiar Northern Hemisphere stars and constellations, will be our companions for the evening.

Overnight Camp (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 5: RORAIMA TREK / SUMMIT

We will have the full day to explore the fantasyland atop Roraima. Excursions depend on current weather conditions. After a very early breakfast, we will trek to the Kukenan Window, so we may view the eastern wall of Roraima, Matawi Tepui and the jungle of Guyana before the clouds come in. We will also visit Triple Point, where the frontiers of Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana intersect and are marked by a monument. We will also explore the Valley of the Crystals. If you desire, you can take an invigorating swim in an icy blue well. You will find that life atop of Roraima is fascinating. The pebble toad that rolls like a ball to escape danger instead of jumping, carnivorous plants, and many other endemic plant and animal life will amaze you. The landscape is equally extraordinary. Constant wind and rain have eroded the surface to form huge, stone sculptures: house-sized slabs balanced precariously on slender spires, arches and pillars of a forgotten and imaginary dynasty, and natural bridges that span narrow chasms. The dominant color is black, created by rock encrusting lichen that covers every bare surface, in all directions.

Overnight Camp (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 6: RORAIMA TREK / TEK RIVER

After a good night’s rest, it will be time to head back down to the savannah. We will eat lunch at the base of Roraima in the company of huge boulders that form a talus slope. We will cross the Kukenan and Tek Rivers and then arrive in camp. A refreshing swim in the Tek River will be a supreme reward after the day’s long trek.

Overnight Camp (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 7: SANTA ELENA

After our last breakfast on trail, we will head for Paraytepui about 4 hours away. While waiting for our driver, we will take a leisurely lunch. After traveling in the vehicle, we arrive to Santa Elena late afternoon at your lodge.

Overnight Campamento Yakoo (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 8: CANAIMA

Today you fly from Santa Elena to Canaima. At the Canaima Airport you will be met at the airport by our representative and then transferred to your lodge, situated alongside the Canaima Lagoon with its spectacular views. The excursion begins! We are going to begin by passing along the Canaima Lagoon, and navigate our way through the waterfalls of Hacha, Golondrinas, Ucaima and Guadaima until we arrive at the opposite end of the lagoon. Once we reach Ucaima Port, we are going to disembark and walk by foot until we arrive at the entrance of Sapo Falls, where we have the opportunity to pass behind the falls water curtain for a beautiful view behind the falls. We will then continue on to Sapito falls, where participants will have the opportunity to enjoy the wonders of the natural landscape. Following, we will return via curiara (indigenous dug-out boats) to the lodge.

Overnight Waku Lodge (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 9: ANGEL FALLS

After an early breakfast we will travel two hours by boat on the Rio Carrao to our Angel Falls base at Raton Island. From this camp we will head to the base of Angel Falls. On this one hour and fifteen minute trek the lush primary tropical forest will enthrall you with its greenery and diversity of plant life and the calls of its tropical animals and bird species. Arriving at the base of Angel Falls, Laime viewpoint, we will have time to relax on the large rocks warmed by the sun, shoot some pictures of the raging world’s tallest waterfall, and take a dip in the pool created at its base. After trekking back down to our day camp we will be greeted with a traditional Indian barbecue prepared by our Pemon hosts. An exciting return down the rapids will follow to the lodge.

Overnight Waku Lodge (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 10: CARACAS / DEPART

After breakfast you are transferred to the airport to catch a flight to Puerto Ordaz. From here you connect with another flight to Caracas, which arrives in the late afternoon to connect with your evening International departure.

(Breakfast)