Everyone knows Angel Falls as the highest waterfall in the world, with a height of 979 m (807 m of uninterrupted fall). Generated from the Auyantepuy, this jump is located in the Canaima National Park, in the Bolívar State, Venezuela.
We share with you other information that complements the history of this waterfall:
His name is Kerepakupai Meru in Pemón, which means "jump from the deepest place"
In the western sector of the Canaima National Park, there is the Auyantepuy, one of the best known tepuyes. It is in this tepuy where the Angel Falls are born. If you want to know what other National Parks Venezuela has, see the interactive map that IMPARQUES has
To learn more about Canaima and Roraima, we recommend you complete your knowledge with these 20 things you did not know about Roraima
A little history
The official discovery of Angel Falls remains an enigma. It is attributed to several people, such as the captain of the Venezuelan Navy born in Spain, Félix Cardona Puig.
Cardona in 1927, together with Juan María Mundó Freixas, also a Spanish explorer, were the first Europeans to see the Salto. Cardona's articles and maps attracted the curiosity and spirit of adventure of American aviator Jimmie Angel, who contacted Cardona to make several visits to the jump in 1937.
It is May 21, 1937, when Cardona accompanied Jimmie Ángel to fly over the Salto. In September of that same year, Jimmie Ángel insisted on landing on the top of Auyantepuy, a goal he abruptly achieved.
The news of the accident that fortunately left no victims, motivated the great jump to be baptized as Angel Falls, and that is how it has been known since then.
Its name is due to this American aviator who took almost 11 days to descend the Tepui on foot in the middle of the jungle.
Getting to know Angel Falls
Its access is not so easy, even, there are 2 ways to see it: from the air by plane, and from an excursion from Puerto Ucaima in Canaima. The latter lasts 3 hours when navigating the Carrao River and then the Churún.
The fall is in all its glory from June to December, during the rainy season.
Its waterfalls are 226 meters high, and are about fifteen times higher than Niagara Falls.
The Canaima National Park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994. Its territory extends over an area of 30,000 square kilometers, up to the border with Guyana and Brazil.
In 2009 it was selected as one of the 28 finalists to opt for the position of the seven natural wonders of the world. However, it was excluded from the new Seven Wonders of the World.
The seven winning wonders were:
Chichen Itza in Mexico, The Colosseum in Rome in Italy, The Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, The Great Wall of China in China, Machu Picchu in Peru, Petra in Jordan, The Taj Mahal in India.
Check these 25 Curiosities of the Pemón People
Angel Falls in the movies
In 2009 it was an inspiration for the filmmakers of the Disney Pixar film UP, by referencing Angel Falls in images and in the context of the story.
The Auyantepuy and the majestic landscapes of Canaima also inspired director James Cameron. He made a recreation together with the Venezuelan Luis Pagés, director of visual effects for the film, which simulates these natural settings, for the film Avatar. Especially to create the waterfalls in the world of Pandora.
The Disney movie "Dinosaur" (2000) used real images of Canaima National Park and Angel Falls in several scenes.
The movie "Dragon Fly" known as "The Mystery of the Dragonfly", was also inspired by Angel Falls. To be the birthplace of Kevin Costner's daughter, who upon finding her did not know that she had been born there.
It was the location for one of the scenes of the recent version of the movie "Point Break", starring Venezuelan Edgar Ramírez and Luke Bracey.
We recommend you watch the Documentary of the Mexican Youtuber Alex Tienda. Here he travels to various places in the country and the last chapter shows his journey to go to Angel Falls. start watching here
We can say that Angel Falls is majestic, unique and captivating. Without a doubt, it is an extraordinary gift of nature located in the lung of the world, a territory where rivers, tropical forests and more than 100 tepuyes converge.