Angel Falls what a river. Angel Falls: "Beautiful Angel Jump

Angel Falls (Spanish) Angel) or Salto Angel (Spanish. Salto Angel) is the highest free-falling waterfall in the world, 978 meters high. R he is located in highlands- Guyana, one of the five topographic regions of Venezuela. It is located on the Carrao River. The Carrao River is a tributary of the Caroni River which eventually flows into the Orinoco. It is not easy to get to the waterfall, as it is located in a dense tropical forest. There are no roads leading to the falls.

The waterfall falls from the top of a flat mountain, called "tepui" by the natives. A flat mountain called Auyan Tepuy (Devil's Mountain) is one of more than a hundred like it, scattered in the Guiana Highlands in southeastern Venezuela. These giants are characterized by their massive heights, soaring into the sky, with flat tops and completely vertical slopes. Tepui, also called "table mountains" (which accurately describes their shape), formed from sandstone billions of years ago. Their vertical slopes are continuously destroyed under the influence of heavy rains walking on the Guiana Highlands.

The Indians of Venezuela have known about "Salto Angel" since time immemorial. The waterfall was originally discovered in 1910 by a Spanish explorer named Ernesto Sanchez La Cruz. However, he was not known to the world until official opening American aviator and gold digger James Crawford Angel, after whom it was named. Angel was born in Springfield, Missouri in 1899.

This enterprising, experienced pilot, in 1935, flew over the area and landed on the top of a lonely mountain in search of gold. His monoplane "Flamingo" got stuck in the swampy jungle at the top, and he noticed a rather impressive waterfall extending thousands of feet down. He didn't have much luck with the 11-mile hike back to civilization, and his plane was left chained to the mountain, a rusting monument to his discovery. Soon the whole world learned about the waterfall, which became known as Angel Falls, in honor of the pilot who discovered it. Jimmy Angel's plane remained in the jungle for 33 years before being picked up by helicopter. It is currently housed in the Aviation Museum in Maracay. The one you can now see on top of the tepui is a replica of it.

If you have a trip to the United States of America, then South America should also become your place of pilgrimage, where the most big waterfall in the world - Angel.

Opening of Angel Falls

In order to find out how Angel Falls arose, you need to refer to the story of the journey of James Crawford Angel, who is considered the discoverer of Angel Falls.

In the thirties of the 20th century, James specialized in the search for gold ore and diamonds. At the same time, he traveled on his own plane, flying around hard-to-reach places South America. The first time he saw the waterfall was in 1933. And only in 1937, together with his three comrades and his wife, he decided to once again go to Venezuela for a detailed study of the waterfall. Continuing his journey in a private jet, he attempted to land on the top of Mount Auyantepui. However, the ground turned out to be so soft that the aircraft's wheels got stuck and the aircraft was damaged. As a result of such a hard landing, it became impossible to use it, and James and his company had to travel through the rainforests on foot. Walking tour through the jungle took eleven days before they reached the nearest locality.

The story of his journey quickly spread around the world, and the waterfall was named after him (the surname Angel is pronounced Angel).

However, the first mention of Angel Falls happened long before James Angel came to him. In 1910, Ernesto Sanchez first discovered the waterfall. But the public then did not show due attention to his trip.

The total height of the Angel Falls is 979 meters, the height of the continuous fall is 807 meters.

The height of the waterfall is so great that only the smallest particles of water reach the ground, which turn into fog. The smallest part of the waterfall reaches the base of the mountain, where it forms small lake, passing into the river Churun.

Where is the highest Angel Falls located?

Angel Falls, the location of which is attributed to the rainforests of Venezuela in the territory national park Canaima, can only be visited accompanied by a specially trained group of guides, since it is located in a remote place.

Located on the territory of the Canaima National Park, the waterfall falls from one of the largest tepui (table mountains) Auyantepui, which translates as "Devil's Mountain".

Angel Falls has the following coordinates: 5 degrees 58 minutes 3 seconds north latitude and 62 degrees 32 minutes 8 seconds west longitude.

You can get to Angel Falls either by air or by boat. motor boat. Although such a trip by swimming will take longer than by helicopter, sailing through the tropical jungle, you can get to know the inhabitants of the wilderness better.

Until 2009, the waterfall was named after James Angel. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez decided to return the waterfall to its original name, since the waterfall is owned by Venezuela and existed in tropical forests long before Angel's trip to its foot. Instead of Angel, the waterfall became known as Kerepakupai meru (Kerepakupai meru), which means “the deepest waterfall” in the Pemon language.

In 1994 the waterfall was listed world heritage UNESCO.

The Flamingo plane, on which Angel flew, was delivered to the aviation museum of the city of Maracay after 33 years. It has been restored in the museum. Currently, the aircraft is installed near the airport of Ciudad Bolivar.

Angel Falls is not only the highest waterfall in the world, but also one of the most beautiful, along with the famous Niagara Falls and visiting it, you will always remember the grandeur and power of Angel Falls.

Angel (Venezuela) - detailed description, location, reviews, photos and videos.

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The highest waterfall in the world with a height of almost 1 km (20 times higher than Niagara Falls) is located in tropical jungle Venezuela, the path to it is a whole adventure. Mount Auyan-Tepui ("mountain of the devil"), from the top of which streams of water fall, is located in Canaima National Park. In flight, jets of water are sprayed and turn into fog, which dissipates for kilometers around. Falling water gives rise to the river Kerep.

The giant waterfall has long been known to the local Indian tribes, they called it Kerepakupai-Meru. In the 20th century, it was described by the researcher E. S. La Cruz, but the world learned about it after the flight of the American pilot J. Angel. In 1937, a pilot with a small group of researchers carried out geological exploration of minerals from the air (according to the stories of local guides, they were looking for diamonds).

The landing on the plateau was unsuccessful, the plane was damaged, the travelers descended the mountain on foot for 11 days. The news of their adventures quickly spread around the world, and the waterfall was named after the pilot: Angel in Spanish sounds like "Angel".

In 1949, an expedition of scientists from the National geographical society The United States recorded the height of the waterfall (929 m, according to other sources 1054 m), in 1994 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, but only in 2005 the first climbers conquered it (among them was one Russian).

And what happened to the plane? The Flamingo lay at the landing site for 33 years, then it was transferred by helicopter to the city of Maracay, restored, and now it can be seen in the Venezuelan city of Ciudad Bolivar.

Angel Falls

The waterfall and its surroundings

The high plateau of the Guiana Highlands is formed from impregnable mesas. They are formed of pink sandstone with many cracks in which water accumulates from rain clouds. Moisture collects in channels, slowly moves to the northern slope and falls down the cliff, forming a beautiful cascade. Below, the water flows into the Kerep River. Most impressive view the waterfall opens from May to November, when it is more full-flowing, you need to wait for clear weather to see it.

Angel Falls is located in the Canaima National Park in the state of Bolivar, it is a nature reserve wildlife tropical region of Venezuela. The journey begins in the village of Canaima. Tourists arrive here by air or by river; for this, a small airfield and a boat pier are equipped here. Regular flights performed from Caracas or Ciudad Bolívar. The town has eco-hotels, campsites, restaurants and souvenir shops.

The path to the waterfall lies along the river (5 hours by canoe), then walk through the jungle (1 hour). Along the way, you can see unique species of tropical flora - bromeliads and orchids, and fauna - anteaters, porcupines, jaguars, monkeys, otters, three-toed sloths, deer, rock vultures, stone cockerels, etc.

At the foot of the mountain, a small reservoir has formed, in which you can swim if the stream is not too rough. There is also a beautiful lagoon nearby, into which jets of neighboring cascades flow. Hidden behind a wall of water in one of them is a cave where a scene from The Last of the Mohicans was filmed.

Angel Falls is the setting for the movie Point Break, and it is also the prototype for Paradise Falls in the feature-length cartoon Up.

Practical information

GPS coordinates: 5.970429; −62.536283.

How to get there: Angel Falls is located in a remote area of ​​Venezuela, you can only get there by boat or helicopter. best to buy package tour from Caracas or Ciudad Bolivar to Canaima. When entering the reserve, you must present a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever.

Angel Falls originates on Mount Auyantepui, which has steep slopes and a flat, wide top. The high mountain plateau contains several layers of sandstone, riddled with numerous cracks. It is these cuts that serve as a kind of channels for powerful streams of tropical showers, often observed in this area. Water is collected here even after a light rain, which allows the existence of a waterfall.

Auyantepui is the largest of the heights of Venezuela, its name in translation sounds like "mountain of the devil." Probably, this name was chosen because of the constant dense fog that surrounded the mountain and seemed to the locals mystical phenomenon. The very word "tepui" in the language of the Pemon Indians literally means "house of the gods." Similar mountains are often found within the Guiana Highlands. They are distinguished by their enormous height, even peaks and steep vertical slopes. They are often referred to as "table mountains", which perfectly characterizes the shape of the surface. Due to the peculiarities of the relief, the hills are practically inaccessible; for hundreds of years no human foot has set foot here. This area is ideal for germination. unique plants and habitation of unknown animals.

Discovery history

From time immemorial, the local Indians knew about the existence of a water stream, they called it Churun-Meru - "the waterfall of the deep place". Only at the dawn of the 20th century did it become known to the whole world. The explorer Ernesto Sanchez La Cruz was the first to stumble upon the sight, but the pioneer from America, James Angel, is considered to be the discoverer.

In 1937, the expedition, which included the pilot himself, his wife Maria, as well as two colleagues in the person of Gustavo Heni and Miguel Delgado, went in search of ore deposits. Local guides claim that they also could plan to find diamonds - the aborigines told about their existence in those days. In fact, the “precious” stones were quartz rocks, which abound in Mount Auyantepui. There is also a version that the group was in search of gold.

The miners planned to spend several days on the plateau, but they failed to carry out their plans. James Angel wanted to land on the very top of the hill, but the attempt was unsuccessful. According to various sources, the landing gear burst or the fuel line was damaged during the landing. The accident did not harm the passengers, but they were completely isolated from the outside world. As a result, the group descended the mountain on their own, their way down lasted a week and a half.

The news of the dangerous adventure of the gold diggers quickly spread and the waterfall was named after the pilot. The Spanish version of the surname Angel is Angel, so the name has become such. The plane sat on top of the mountain for the next 33 years, then was evacuated using a special helicopter. On this moment the airliner is located near the airport of the village of Ciudad Bolivar in Venezuela.

In 1949, members of the National Geographic Society, one of the largest scientific organizations in the United States, went to the waterfall. Scientists have calculated and officially documented Angel's exact height. All their observations during the trip were recorded and then published in the form of a book. In 1994, UNESCO included national park Canaima and Angel Falls are a World Heritage Site. In the spring of 2005, climbers from England, Venezuela and Russia climbed the wall of the waterfall for the first time.

In December 2009, the head of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, announced the change of the name of the waterfall to Kerepakupai-meru. This was done due to the fact that the natural attraction is considered the property of the state and cannot be named after a citizen of another country. Besides, given place was known among the locals long before its discovery by James Angel. Such a statement by the president is fair for the Venezuelans, but the waterfall is known in the world as Angel. Most likely, on the maps of all countries, its name will remain unchanged, the innovation will affect only Venezuela.

Information for tourists

Angel Falls is located among tropical vegetation, the Venezuelan authorities have not built paved roads to this place. Tourists can get to the sights by air or by boat with a motor. Fans of extreme sensations have the opportunity to try to jump off the edge of the plateau on a hang glider.

The village of Canaima serves as the starting point for the journey to the waterfall. The town has many hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops for tourists. You can get here from Caracas or Ciudad Bolívar. There are many aircraft that perform regular and commercial flights. Ticket prices range from $110 to $350. Upon arrival, you will need to pay a certain amount for visiting the National Park and provide a certificate of available vaccinations against yellow fever.

It is recommended to visit the waterfall from spring to autumn, because at this time Angel impresses with its full flow. The only obstacle may be cloudy weather - during such a period, the attraction is almost impossible to see. In winter, the waterfall is not so lively, but it is possible to have a good view of it.

Does everyone know in which country the highest Angel Falls in the world is located? Venezuela is justifiably proud of this amazing sight, although it is hidden deep in the tropical jungles of South America. Photos of the waterfall are impressive, despite the fact that in terms of entertainment it is inferior to the Iguazu complex or Niagara. However, many tourists wish to take a look at the highest stream of water falling from the mountain range.

Geographic characteristics of Angel Falls

The height of the waterfall is impressive, as it is almost a kilometer, to be more precise - 979 meters. Given its small width, only 107 meters, the stream itself does not seem so massive, because most of water at the moment free fall disperses over the surroundings, forming a dense fog.

Given the height from which this giant dumps water, it is not surprising that not so much reaches the Kerep River. However, the spectacle deserves attention, because outlandish images from the air clouds over the jungle create a special atmosphere.

The basis for the waterfall is the Churun ​​River, the channel of which runs along Mount Auyantepui. locals flat ridges are called tepui. They mainly consist of sandy rocks, therefore, on the one hand, under the influence of winds and waters, they become sheer. It is because of this feature of nature that the Angel Falls appeared, the height of the free fall of water in meters is 807.

History of the highest waterfall

For the first time, Ernesto Sanchez La Cruz came across the waterfall in the early 20th century, but the name of the natural miracle was given in honor of the American James Angel, who crashed near the falling stream. In 1933, an adventurer noticed Mount Auyantepui, deciding that there should be diamond deposits here. In 1937, he, along with three companions, among whom was his wife, returned here, but it was not possible to find what he wanted, since the sparkling plateau is replete with quartz.

At the time of landing on the ridge near the aircraft, the landing gear burst, which made it impossible to return on it. As a result, travelers had to go all the way through the dangerous jungle. They spent 11 days on this, but upon returning, the pilot told everyone about huge waterfall Angel, therefore, they began to consider him the discoverer.

For those who are curious about where Angel's plane is located, it is worth saying that for 33 years it remained at the crash site. Later, with the help of a helicopter, it was transferred to the aviation museum in the city of Maracay, where the restoration of the famous Flamingo took place. At the moment, you can see a photo of this monument or see it with your own eyes in front of the airport in Ciudad Bolivar.

In 2009, the President of Venezuela made a statement about the desire to rename the waterfall to Kerepakupai-Meru, arguing that the property in the country should not bear the name of an American pilot. Such an initiative was not supported by the public, so the idea had to be abandoned.

The first ascent without insurance on the sheer rock of the waterfall was made during the expedition in the spring of 2005. It included two Venezuelans, four Englishmen and one Russian climbers who decided to conquer Auyantepui.

Help for tourists

Coordinates highest waterfall Angel are as follows: 25° 41′ 38.85″ S, 54° 26′ 15.92″ W, however, when using a navigator, they will not help much, since there are no road or foot routes laid here. For those who are still wondering how to get to natural wonder, there are only two ways: through the sky or along the river.

Departure is usually from Ciudad Bolívar and Caracas. After the flight further way in any case, it will pass through the water, so it will not work without a guide. When ordering an excursion, tourists are fully equipped with the necessary equipment, food and clothing necessary for a comfortable and safe visit to Angel Falls.