Great Savannah
The Great Savannah is an area in the southeast of the Venezuelan state of Bolivar, located south of the Orinoco River and covering an area of 18,000 square meters. km. Geographically, the Great Savannah is part of the Canaima National Park. The beauty of the local nature is breathtaking: magnificent forests coexist with rivers, picturesque waterfalls and tepui – mountains with flat tops. For many centuries, the Great Savannah remained aloof from the twists and turns of human history and the influence of civilization, thanks to which it retained the breath of the wild, the very essence of the concept of “creation of the world.”
Here is the highest and most famous tepui of Canaima Park – Roraima-tepui (about 2800 meters, age – about 2000 million years). At its top in 1931, an international commission established the border of three states: Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana. For a long time it was believed that the tepui, composed of quartzites, sandstone and thin layers of slate, and also characterized by absolutely vertical walls, was impregnable.
Roraima tepui is an important part of the Great Savannah ecosystem. At the top of the tepui grow unique endemic plants that are not found anywhere else on the planet; other plants acquired unusual properties here: they adapted to the low content of nitrogen and nutrients. On the slopes of Roraima take the sources of the river, which is part of the hydraulic system of the Orinoco and the Amazon. There are also several picturesque waterfalls:
Jaspe Falls is one of the most popular places to visit in the Great Savannah. The peculiarity of the waterfall is that, having descended from a low cliff in a picturesque cascade, it flows along smoothly polished dark red platforms with a length of about 300 meters. The platforms are formed by a semi-precious stone, which is a mixture of quartz and jasper. The water level in this section does not exceed 5 centimeters. The pleasure of a wonderful spectacle can be supplemented with a natural massage under the cascades of Jaspe, during which you can enjoy the surrounding landscapes. In addition, jasper is believed to have a healing effect and alleviate some mental and physical illnesses.
Aponwao Falls (Chinak Meru) located 214 km from Santa Elena de Airen, is one of the largest accessible waterfalls in the Great Savannah zone. The height of the waterfall is 108 meters in free fall. Water falls from the cliff with extraordinary power, which increases several times during the season of full-flowing rivers. Renting an Indian cariara boat and reaching the dam on the Aponwao River, located 500 meters from the waterfall (about 20 minutes on the way), you can witness an amazing spectacle.
The Kama Meru waterfall, 50 meters high, is located on the Kama River, a tributary of the Apon Wao, and is a convenient place for recreation and picnics. In the nearest settlement of the Pemon Indians, you can rent a cariara boat and try to penetrate the water wall of the waterfall. In the vicinity of Kama Meru there is a restaurant, a hostel, as well as typical souvenir shops.
Kavi Falls is a picturesque low waterfall that forms a deep lagoon, in which it is pleasant to swim or, sitting under the jets of the cascade, enjoy a massage. In the vicinity of the waterfall, you can buy souvenirs made by the Pemon Indians.
Climate
In the rainy season (from June to November) the cascades of the waterfalls are fuller; however, the chance of clear weather is higher during the dry season.
Cumana
Cumana is a city in the northeast of Venezuela, located on the Caribbean coast and at the mouth of the Manzanzares River. It is due to its location that the city received the name Kumana, which means “the union of the sea and the river.” White sandy beaches and slender rows of Cumana palms stretched along the sea for 30 km. This is the first city built by Europeans in South America in 1521. In those days, many forts were erected in Kuman, which protected the city from raids by invaders and pirates. Some of them have survived to this day, unlike most of the colonial buildings destroyed by earthquakes.
The main attraction of Kumana and its environs is the magnificent beaches, the fame of pearl sand of which spread throughout Europe in the 16th century. Mochima Marine Park, consisting of several dozen small islands between Cumana and Puerto de la Cruz, attracts diving and snorkeling enthusiasts from all over the world. Many tourists come here to go to Margarita Island. There is a regular ferry service between Cumana and Margarita.
