Angel on a map of South America. Angel: coordinates and photos, what to see and where Angel is located

It may not be as picturesque as Iguazu, Niagara or Victoria Falls, but it is definitely the highest waterfall in the world. Angel's water flow travels almost a kilometer before reaching the ground. Angel Falls is twenty times higher than the famous and popular Niagara Falls.

Higher and higher

Angel Falls (also called Salto Angel) is the tallest free-falling waterfall in the world. Its height is, according to various estimates, 978 meters or 1054 meters. And the level of continuous water fall is 807 meters. This miracle of nature is located in the tropical forests of Venezuela, more precisely in the Canaima National Park.

Almost a kilometer is such a great fall that before it touches the ground, the water stream crumbles into many tiny particles. It turns out that at the surface of the earth the waterfall looks like fog. After the overthrow, the water ends up in a river called Kerep.

Don't pass, don't pass

Getting to Angel Falls is quite difficult, since the Venezuelan landmark is located in a dense tropical forest. And there are no roads there. The most desperate ones can make their way to the waterfall by air or by river. However, enterprising travel companies have already laid out a route to Angel. They sell tours to the waterfall in packages. This includes a flight from Ciudad Bolivar or Caracas to Canaima, then a journey by water. Tourists are offered food and various things needed for a trip to the waterfall.

Angel Falls falls from a huge flat mountain, called tepui by the aborigines. Mount Auyan Tepuy (which translated into Russian means “Devil’s Mountain”) is one of hundreds like it, which are located in the Guiana Highlands, in the southeast of Venezuela. These giants are distinguished by their massive heights, they seem to soar into the sky, end with flat tops and have completely vertical slopes. Tepuys are also called “table mountains”, this accurately describes their shape. The mountains were formed billions of years ago from sandstone. However, the vertical slopes are constantly destroyed under the influence of heavy rains, which are regular in the Guiana Highlands.

Unsuccessful search for gold

Since time immemorial, the natives of Venezuela have known about Salto Angel. The waterfall was first discovered in 1910. The discoverer was a Spanish explorer named Sanchez La Cruz. However, the world did not learn about the waterfall until it was officially discovered by American pilot and gold miner James Crawford Angel. The waterfall was named after him.

In 1937, James Angel flew over Venezuela in search of ore deposits and landed on one of the tops of a lonely mountain. Locals say he was looking for diamonds. This can be explained by the fact that the aborigines in Angel's time constantly talked about stones that, according to descriptions, were very similar to diamonds. In fact, the area where Angel Falls falls is rich in quartz. On November 16, 1933, from the window of the Flamingo monoplane, James Angel first noticed a tepui that attracted his attention. A few years later, he returned there, but his plane got stuck in the swampy jungle on the mountain, and the landing gear of the aircraft burst. The man and his three companions (including the pilot's wife Marie) noticed an impressive waterfall that stretched down thousands of feet. The gaze fell on the water mass when the company had to walk down the mountain. The man and his colleagues were not very lucky with the 11-mile road back to civilization, so his plane remained lying on the top of the mountain, remaining a kind of rusting monument in honor of the discovery of the waterfall. A little later, the world learned about Angel, then news about the adventures of ore seekers spread across the planet. The waterfall got its name from the pilot who discovered it. In Spanish, the name Angel is pronounced Angel, hence the name. It is worth noting that the waterfall has nothing in common with angels.

Jimmy Angel's plane spent 33 long years in the jungle before being lifted into the air by helicopter. The aircraft is now located in Maracay at the Aviation Museum.

After the discovery, the study of the waterfall began. It was officially measured only in 1949. Then the height was determined by a special expedition of the National Geographic Society. Since then, Angel has become a major tourist attraction in Venezuela.

In the local mountains, waterfalls are fed by rain. In the dry season, Angel looks like a thin stream of water, but in the rainy season it is a full-fledged waterfall.

At the end of 2009, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, on his weekly show, in the wake of anti-imperialism, decided to rename Angel Kerepakupai-mera. Initially, another name was proposed - Churun-meru, but the President’s daughter noticed that this is the name for one of the smallest waterfalls in this area. Hugo Chavez explained the decision to name the waterfall after the area by the fact that the waterfall was owned by Venezuela long before James Angel landed on the top of the mountain. Therefore, the water cascade should not bear his name. However, this does not mean at all that the waterfall will also be renamed on world maps.

Tugela

Tugela Falls, the second highest in the world, is located in South Africa, in the KwaZulu Natal region. This giant has a slightly lower height than Angel - 948 meters. It consists of 5 separate tiers, and the highest of them is 411 meters. The Tugela waterfall is a rather thin waterfall, its width is only 15 meters and the average volume of water released is 50 cubic meters per second.

The waterfall is quite easy to get to. A car will take you to the top, namely the top of the mountain, in five hours. But to get to the lower tier you have to travel 5 miles along the Royal National Park. By the way, no matter where in South Africa a tourist stops, there is information everywhere on how to get to the Tugela Falls.

Another largest waterfall in the world is located in Peru. The three sisters are also known as Ayacucho. The waterfall is quite far from human eyes. And the Three Sisters were the first to be found by photographers who sent them to this area to take pictures of another beautiful Peruvian waterfall, Catarata. Its height is 267 meters.

The waterfall is called Three Sisters, as it consists of three tiers. The top two can be seen from the air; from them, water flows into the pool, which became the third tier. Almost the entire waterfall is surrounded by forest, where trees have grown up to 30 meters. The waterfall itself has a height of 914 meters.

If you are planning a trip to the United States of America, then your place of pilgrimage should also be South America, where the largest waterfall in the world is located - Angel.

Discovery of Angel Falls

In order to find out how Angel Falls came to be, 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 in South America. The first time he saw the waterfall was in 1933. And only in 1937, together with three of his comrades and his wife, he decided to once again go to Venezuela for a detailed study of the waterfall. Continuing his journey in his private jet, he attempted to land at the top of Mount Auyantepui. However, the soil turned out to be so soft that the plane's wheels got stuck and the plane was damaged. As a result of such a hard landing, it became impossible to use and James and his company had to travel through the rainforests on foot. The trek through the jungle took eleven days before they reached the nearest settlement.

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

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

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

The height of the waterfall is so high 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 a small lake that flows into the Churun ​​River.

Where is the tallest Angel Falls?

Angel Falls, which is located in the tropical forests of Venezuela in the Canaima National Park, can only be visited accompanied by a specially trained group of guides, since it is located in a remote location.

Located in the Canaima National Park, the waterfall cascades from one of the largest tepuis (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 motorboat. Although such a trip by swimming will take longer than by helicopter, sailing through the tropical jungle can give you a closer look at the inhabitants of the wilderness.

Until 2009, the waterfall was named in honor of 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 the rainforest long before Angel's trip to its foot. Instead of Angel, the waterfall became known as Kerepakupai meru, which means “deepest waterfall” in Pemon language.

In 1994, the waterfall was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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

Angel Falls is not only the tallest waterfall in the world, but also one of the most beautiful, along with the famous Niagara Falls and visiting it, you will forever be impressed by the grandeur and power of Angel Falls.

Latin America is very popular among tourists due to the beauty of its untouched nature and its special charm.

Not far from the border of Venezuela with Brazil, on the top of a mountain called the Devil's, the Churun ​​River flows its waters, which are saturated by tropical downpours.

It should be noted that only in this area there are flat mountains - tepuis, their peaks are not pointed, as usual, but with a flat horizontal platform.

This is where the famous Angel Falls originates.

Churun, approaching the cliff of such a plateau, picks up speed, breaks off with a roar and rushes down an uncontrollable stream.

It’s hard to imagine, but the power of the waterfall allows it to process three hundred cubic meters of raging water every second.

The kilometer height turns the stream into myriads of water particles flying in free fall– they are sprayed around and transform into droplets and then into fog.


From the outside, you can see how low clouds hover above the dense emerald forests, enveloping the valley in haze. The splashes that manage to reach the ground remain in the Kerep River.

Background to the discovery of the waterfall

The location of the waterfall is hidden from view; it is surrounded by wild forests and it is not possible to get here on foot.

Previously, residents were afraid to enter the protected area; there were many rumors and chilling stories about it.

It was believed that the Guyana region is guarded by spirits who are not too kind to mere mortals who disturb their peace.

But only in 1910 the first mentions of Angel appeared, and then in passing, from the explorer-traveler Sanchez La Cruz. Unfortunately, the information was never leaked to public sources.

The fate of the unknown waterfall was decided by James Angel, an American pilot, who in 1933 was looking for mineral deposits, studying the surrounding area from above.

The plateau interested Angel, but he returned there only a few years later, in 1937. The trip was not very successful; the plane broke down during landing.

Venezuela is famous for its natural beauty and surprisingly friendly people.

Find out what place it currently occupies on the world map

And you will get acquainted with the wonderful resort of this country, Margarita Island

The pilot was forced to go down on his own and get to the nearest settlement. Three colleagues were with him, including his wife.

The long and exhausting journey took 11 days. When the exhausted James finally reached the nearest home, the Venezuelans greeted him very warmly and admired the hero’s courage.

They expressed their delight in a unique way - they named the waterfall, which he admired so much, after Angel.

In the Spanish version, the pilot's surname is read slightly differently, hence the pronunciation Angel.

The Flamingo plane remained in Canaima National Park; it was moved from there only 33 years later.

The helicopter flew the faulty aircraft to Marakkay, where it was repaired.



Now it is not a means of transportation, but a monument erected near the Ciudad Bolivar airport.

How to get to Angel?

The weather around Mount Ayantepui is unpredictable. It is not always possible to enjoy the spectacular spectacle due to thick fog.

Limited visibility can last for days, and sometimes dissipates in a few minutes.

The most beautiful panoramas are visible from a bird's eye view, however, getting to Angel on foot is still unrealistic.

Special tours are organized for tourists, everyone who wants to see one of the natural wonders of the world can use helicopters and airplanes.

The initial stop will be Ciudad Bolivar, Margarita or Caracos.

Canoes depart from the same settlement, but at the end of the rafting you will have to walk a distance of 3 km.

Perhaps the path will seem too difficult and long to many, but when a bewitching view of the cascades of Angel Falls opens up, then at that moment all difficulties will be forgotten.

There are not many sights in the world, looking at which you can experience indescribable delight and experience the taste of life to the fullest.

As a rule, everyone who wants to visit here stays for several days. Hotels and shops were built for guests near the village, which is the starting point for excursion programs.

The reserve continues to be home to wild animals and exotic plants, and features picturesque lagoons and equally stunning smaller waterfalls, jungles and grottoes.

There is an opportunity to touch the history of Indian settlements that have survived here to this day.

Local residents will be happy to demonstrate the peculiarities of their way of life, treat them to dishes cooked over a fire, and talk about traditions preserved by generations.



A trip to the origins of Angel is associated with a journey into a lost world; there is a feeling of immersion in another reality. The only thing missing is dinosaurs.

Although, some corners of the reserve have not yet been fully explored... Expeditions periodically visit this area in the hope of making new discoveries.

Climbers storm the sheer cliffs, hoping to climb to the top of the Devil's Mountain.

Scientists write books demonstrating all sorts of facets of this amazing natural phenomenon.

The height of Angel exceeds the well-known Niagara Falls by as much as 20 times!

Venezuelan President Chavez said that a World Heritage Site and national treasure should not bear the initials of a citizen of a foreign country.

Once upon a time, the Pemon Indians who lived here called the waterfall Kerepakupai-Meru; in 2009, the waterfall was returned to its old name.

Admire Angel Falls

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Angel Falls: luxurious and majestic

Angel Falls, also called Salto Angela, is known as the highest waterfall in the world. It differs significantly from its other famous “brothers” - Niagara, Victoria and Iguazu. Angel is much more modest than them in such an indicator as the volume of water passed through. But the height of its free fall - 978 meters - allows us to characterize Angel as the largest waterfall in the world.

Angel Falls - photo

Angel Falls - photo

History of discovery

Angel Falls received its name in honor of the American pilot James Angel, who in 1935 saw a stream of water falling from a height of more than a thousand meters from an airplane. James was not going to discover anything; he was looking for gold, but due to an accident he made an emergency landing in the jungle of the Guiana Highlands. The discovery of the waterfall became a kind of compensation for him for the plane, which had to be left to rot in a tropical swamp, and for the journey through the jungle to civilization. These eleven miles were not the most pleasant of his life.

Angel Falls - photo

Angel Falls - photo

But, as often happens, Angel was far from the first person to see this miracle of nature, and not even the first European. The Indians knew about it long before Columbus sailed his caravels across the Atlantic Ocean. It was they who gave the name “tepui” to the mountains characteristic of the Guiana Highlands. They all have vertical slopes and flat tops, like Table Mountain near Cape Town. Tepuis are constantly subject to water erosion due to tropical rainfall, characteristic of the climate of this area. The name of the mountain from which the stream falls remains Indian. "Auyantepui" translated from one of the local dialects means "devil's mountain".

Aboriginal stories brought the Spanish conquistador Ernesto Sanchez La Cruz to these lands. But its discovery was safely forgotten until 1935.

Angel Falls - photo

Angel Falls - photo

Location and road to Angel

Angel Falls is located in Venezuela, in the Canaima Park. If Niagara and Victoria are easily accessible to tourists, they have convenient roads, and hotels are built nearby, then it is much more difficult to see the “Angel’s Flip”. Roads simply do not exist in the tropical jungle - movement is only possible by water or air. To see the largest waterfall with your own eyes, you need to travel by plane from the capital of Venezuela, Caracas. There are also regular flights from Ciudad Bolivar to Canaima, and then you will have to take a boat trip. The cost of the tour usually includes the necessary equipment, equipment and food costs.

Angel Falls - photo

Those who want to see this wonder of the world have to put up with the need to get wet from the fog. Water, falling from a great height, is dispersed into tiny particles and it is in this form that it enters the Kerep River.

Any schoolchild knows in which country Angel Falls is located. This natural site has been declared a national treasure of Venezuela. Its height was measured in 1949, and in 1968, James Angel's plane was removed from the jungle using a helicopter and solemnly placed in a museum. Those wishing to see this relic should go to the city of Maracay and visit the local aviation museum.

Angel Falls is Venezuela's most famous natural treasure and one of the most impressive places in the world. It is 2.5 times higher than the famous Empire State Building in New York, and 15 times higher than the famous Niagara. The discoverer of the waterfall is considered to be the American pilot Jimmy Angel, who dreamed of finding the Golden River all his life. The American adventurer never found gold, but instead discovered one of the most famous natural attractions on our planet. Although the local Pemon Indians knew about the existence of the waterfall for thousands of years, the water cascade was named after Angel (but in the Spanish manner Angel), because it was he who discovered it to the modern world.

The history of the discovery of Angel Falls

On November 19, 1933, an American pilot first witnessed the majesty of the tallest waterfall in the world, falling from a height of 979 meters in the jungle of Venezuela. Jimmy Angel described his impressions this way: “When I saw the waterfall, I almost lost control of the plane. A cascade of water straight from the sky!”

On October 9, 1937, Angel carefully planned his El Rio Caroni light plane to land on top of the enormous Auyantepui mountain (with a waterfall falling from its peak) in the isolated Gran Sabana region of Venezuela. According to Jimmy, his plan was to stay at the top of the mountain for a few days in search of gold. But the author’s plans were thwarted by an unsuccessful landing. The plane nose-downed during landing and damaged a fuel line. The accident did not harm Jimmy, his wife Maria, and two colleagues Gustavo Heni and Miguel Delgado, but now they were cut off from the outside world on the top of the Auyantepui mesa.

The only way out was to descend on foot through unmarked territory, with limited food. Eleven days later, exhausted but alive, the group reached the city of Camarata. As word of this event spread around the world, the name Jimmy Angel began to be inextricably linked with the waterfall, which he first saw back in 1933.

Twelve years later, American photojournalist Ruth Robertson made the first successful expedition to the foot of the Angel, measured it and officially declared it the tallest waterfall in the world. Her article, "Jungle Journey to the World's Tallest Waterfall," published in November 1949 in National Geographic magazine, is a fascinating account of this journey.

In 1955, Latvian explorer Alexander Laime became the first Westerner to climb to the source of the river that feeds Angel Falls. Nowadays, the Laime trail is used by tourists when climbing to the top of Mount Auyantepui.

Jimmy Angel's plane remained atop Auyantepui for 33 years. In 1964, the Venezuelan government declared the plane a national monument. In 1970, it was dismantled into pieces and transported by Venezuelan Air Force helicopters to the aviation museum in Maracay for restoration. The plane was later installed on the green lawn in front of the passenger terminal of Ciudad Bolivar Airport, where it remains to this day.
Angel never dreamed that his plane would become a national monument. Years earlier, Patricia Grant had asked Jimmy if he would like to have his plane removed from the top of Auyantepui. Then he replied: “No, by remaining there, he will serve as a memory of me.”

Interesting information about Angel Falls

Angel Falls is located in the tropical jungle of the southeastern region of Venezuela called Gran Sabana. A large area of ​​this region (more than 3 million hectares) is included in the Canaima National Park, the largest national park in Venezuela and the sixth largest in the world. Gran Sabana means large plain (or savana) in Spanish, but the area's most famous feature is the dozens of exotic, sheer-cliffed, flat-topped mountains that rise from the middle of the plain. Named "Tepui" in the language of the local Indian tribe, these pink sandstone mesas are the product of millions of years of erosion, and contain unique flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world - frogs that don't jump and red carnivorous plants.

The most famous landmark of the Gran Sabana is Roraima, the highest tepui at about 2800 meters. Fans of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle believe that his science fiction novel The Lost World, about dinosaur hunters in the jungles of South America, was based on the first scientific expedition to Roraima. Angel Falls falls from the top of Auyantepui (translated from the Pemon Indian language as “Devil’s Mountain”), one of the largest tepuis in Venezuela.

Canaima serves as the starting point for a trip to Angel Falls. Situated on the edge of a lagoon (pictured), surrounded by pink-sand beaches, beautiful waterfalls and pristine jungle, the word “paradise” best describes the natural beauty of the area. Although it is possible to visit other waterfalls and lagoons from here, as well as climb the mesas' flat tops, the main reason tourists fly to Canaima for a few days is to see Angel Falls.

The tallest waterfall in the world is also one of the most difficult to reach. Venezuela did absolutely nothing to somehow develop this region. Its remoteness and inaccessibility have preserved the untouched nature of the area and made Angel Falls one of the most inaccessible tourist attractions in Venezuela. There is still no possibility of traveling by car, since most of the Canaima National Park has almost no roads. Small light aircraft runways connect this remote region to the outside world.

Most tourists visiting Angel Falls do so from an airplane window. Almost all flights to Canaima, both commercial and charter, fly near this waterfall. But, given the fact that Angel falls from the wall of a steep canyon, often shrouded in clouds (especially during the rainy season), it is not always possible to see him. Moreover, even on a clear day, when the plane makes a couple of passes on each side, you can often inspect it briefly.

If you want to truly experience the magnificence of the world's tallest waterfall, then a boat trip is a must. Almost all hotels and tour companies in Canaima offer 1, 2 or 3 day tours. They all follow the same route, the only difference is the amount of time, which completely depends on the wishes of the visitors.

Angel Falls is about a 5-hour canoe ride upriver from Canaima, followed by a trek through the jungle to its base (about an hour). The path to the waterfall from Canaima is an equally interesting part of the trip and provides an opportunity to get acquainted with unique species of Venezuelan flora and fauna and enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the surrounding nature (pictured). If the water flow is quite moderate, you can swim in a small pond at the foot of the waterfall.

The waterfall is at its highest during the rainy season from May to November, but at this time of year clouds often obscure the summit of Auyantepui. During the dry season from December to April it looks less attractive.

Conclusion

In May 1956, Angel's light aircraft crashed in Panama. He escaped with a large abrasion on his forehead, everything seemed to be in order. A few days later he suffered a stroke and, without regaining consciousness, died in December of the same year at the age of 57. The pilot’s last wish was to request that his ashes be scattered over the Angel Falls he discovered.

In 1960, Maria (wife) and his 2 sons, Jimmy and Roland, took Angel to Venezuela. On his last flight over the waterfall, he was accompanied by his close friends Gustavo Heni and Patricia Grant. Henie later told his sister Carmen that "when the plane entered the canyon, nothing was visible because of the high clouds, then suddenly something happened. It became so clear, so beautiful, we could see everything. It looked like Mt. was taking something incomparable - it was Jimmy."

In 2009, President Hugo Chavez proposed that the nation's most famous landmark should now be named after an indigenous Venezuelan people rather than an American gringo. On December 20, 2009, the President of Venezuela signed a decree renaming Angel Falls to Kerepakupai Meru. But in other countries it is still called by its old name.