Roraima Tepui

My main target after leaving Mèrida was to climb the Roraima Tepui, the biggest and most famous table top mountain in Venezuela. Roraima, is of course in the middle of nowhere, the nearest town is situated in the very south east of Venezuela on the border with Brazil. So this is where I headed to try and join an expedition to climb Roraima. My German philosopher friend was heading in the same direction, but luckily I left Puerto Ayacucho before him to avoid being stuck with his stressful rantings for the next week.

Roraima and Kukenùn Tepuis

I managed to arrive in time to join an expedition that was just leaving. An expedition to the top of Roraima goes something like this. Its a 2 hour jeep journey from the nearest town across dirt tracks through Dartmoor like wilderness. You then have two days walking ascending to the base of the wall of Roraima,

a day to climb the wall (which includes climbing up through cloud forest, scrambling up rocks under a waterfall and then clambering up the path of a small river),

We made our way up under that waterfall and up the slope to its left

The cloud forest reached up to the wall of the Tepui

a couple of days exploring the top, and a day or two to descend.



The top of Roraima, which is about 10 square miles, is a very unique place due the altitude (2700 metres), the constant swirling clouds that engulf it at least once a day, and its sheer remoteness and contrast in climate from the surrounding terrain. There are apparently 1000 endemic plant species, and about 4 endemic animal species there (a couple of small frogs and some worms). It really did feel like we were on a different planet.

There were 8 of us who made the trip; 2 Swedish, an Italian, 3 Germans and a Norwegian - a truly European effort. Everyone got on really well, which was good as we spent 6 days together, and it was nice to speak a little English again.

Cornwall, Sweden, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Germany, Germany, Norway

You can check out all my photos from the trip here.

After Roraima, I think all but two us were decided that some days relaxing on a warm beach were in order, so we all headed to the coast. Which is where I`ve been for the past few days. Now I am preparing (ish) for Costa Rica - I fly Friday. At the moment I plan to stay there for maybe a month, taking some more Spanish lessons and getting to know the country, and then making my way north.

I hope you are all getting on ok back home - it must be almost Spring in the UK right? Its always great to hear anyones news, so any emails are gratefully received, and if you want to plan any summer holidays - how about meeting me in Mexico or Cuba?

Best wishes to everyone.

Trev.