I've received notice of an exotic trip opportunity that may interest some of you. Pasted in below is a trip description and itinerary. If you have any interest, you can contact the sender directly at stewart@redfernnaturalhistory.com. Ask Stewart to send you some photos of the place, and you will be amazed. I will definitely be going!
Gerry Bishop
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Dear Redfern Alumni,
It is my pleasure to write with the news we have had a completely unique opportunity to organise a helicopter expedition to the lost world of Mount Roraima with a canoe trip to the base of Angel Falls.
While we have organised numerous trekking expeditions to Mount Roraima and Angel Falls over the past few years, this helicopter expedition is unique and will happen only once.
So if you wish to see what is perhaps the most spectacular corner of South America, home to the tallest waterfall on earth, countless carnivorous plants, orchids, and other incredible wildlife, this is your chance!
The price for this unique 14 day trip depends upon the eventual group size, but will be approximately £2500-£2800 all inclusive for 14 days, from Caracas, back to Caracas (inclusive of all helicopter costs, all hotels, transport, accommodation, food, guides, group porters etc.).
The dates can be decided as a group. We propose late 2015 or early to mid 2016.
Below is an overview. If this is of interest, please do email me directly.
Kind regards
Stewart McPherson
Redfern Natural History Productions
www.redfernnaturalhistory.com
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HELICOPTER EXPEDITION TO MOUNT RORAIMA AND CANOE TRIP TO ANGEL FALLS
Mount Roraima is called South America’s “lost world” because it is a gigantic tableland encircled on all sides by vertical cliffs up to 700 m tall. Towering over the surrounding savannahs and rainforest like an immense fortress above the clouds, Roraima’s summit has been isolated for millions of years and is home to bizarre landscapes of towering stone pinnacles, a valley of shimmering quartz crystals, and unique animals and plants found anywhere on earth. The discovery of Roraima directly inspired Arthur Conan Doyle’s story, The Lost World. The trek to the lost world involves a 4*4 safari through the Gran Sabana to see the Jasper Creek (a stunning waterfall flowing over a bedrock of blood-red jasper gemstone) and visits to remote Amerindian communities!
Angel Falls is the tallest waterfall on earth. At 979 m in height (nearly a vertical kilometre high), this immense cascade is twice the height of the Empire State building and fifteen times the height of Niagara Falls - it is one of the great natural spectacles of our world.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Meet in Simón Bolívar Maiquetía International Airport, meet expedition leader, transfer Puerto Ordaz by local flight. Expedition brief over dinner in hotel restaurant. Overnight in hotel.
Day 2: Transfer to van to travel to Santa Elena (either by internal flight if possible, or by vehicle stopping through the Gran Sabana at viewpoints). Lunch and snacks en route. Dinner in restaurant in Santa Elena. Overnight in local hotel.
Day 3: Transfer into helicopter and flight to the summit of Mount Roraima.
Day 4, 5, 6 and 7: On the summit of Mount Roraima. We can decide the itinerary as a group - highlights include the Valley of the Crystals, labyrinths of towering stone pinnacles, Lake Gladys, the Prow, Triple Point (the three way border of Venezuela, Guyana and Brazil) and the Oilbird Ravine (home to rare echo-locating oilbird Steatornis caripensis). The summit is the habitat for a plethora of orchids, bromeliads, airplants, carnivorous plants (Brocchinia, Drosera, Genlisea, Heliamphora, Utricularia), unique butterflies and toads, and a black and yellow spotted lizard called Riolama. A trek to La Ventana offers the chance to catch breathtaking views of some of the most spectacular scenery in South America. Other activities include early start to walk to La Ventana to see spectacular sunrise views of the neighbouring plateau Kukenán Tepui bathed in sunlight. The exploration of El Carro view point to see the whole plateau, the Jacuzzis (crystal lined pools), the pit, the valley of a thousand columns, spectacular rock formations. We watch for the elusive South American coati (Nasua nasua). And sunset views of La Ventana. Campside dinner and overnight in tents inside caves.
Day 8: Pickup by helicopter off the summit of Mount Roraima. Transfer back to Santa Elena.
Day 9: Buffer day (in case of bad weather delaying pickup on day 8). Otherwise early breakfast then transfer into 4×4 vehicles for safari tour of the Gran Sabana. Sites to visit include Jasper Creek (waterfall made of blood red semi-precious gemstone), Agua Fría Falls, Yuruaní curtain falls, view point for the Eastern Plateaus, and visits to native Amerindian villages. Lunch in San Francisco village. Offroad journey (1.5 hour) to overnight in huts with beds at Paraitepui de Roraima (charming traditional village). During the journey we look out for giant anteaters.
Day 10: Transfer to Puerto Ordaz (either by internal flight if possible, or by vehicle stopping through the Gran Sabana at viewpoints). Lunch and snacks en route. Dinner in restaurant in Santa Elena. Overnight in local hotel.
Day 11: Early transfer to catch light aircraft charter flight to Canaima. Flight duration approximately 1.5 hours, with scenic flyover Angel Falls (weather dependent). Landing at the native Pemón Amerindian village of Canaima. Transfer to motorised, traditional Pemón dugout canoes (curiaras) and travel upstream to Angel Falls camp (4 hrs in the canoes). Angel Falls camp is on the bank of the river opposite the mighty Angel Falls. We watch the sun set on the tallest waterfall on the planet. Dinner at Angel Falls camp. Overnight in hammocks with mosquito nets.
Day 12: Breakfast in Angel Falls camp, and then cross the river in the canoes and then hike 1 km to the base of Angel Falls to photograph the gigantic cascade and to bathe in the cascading waters of the falls. We have lunch at a scenic look out point, and then return to Angel Falls camp. Dinner at Angel Falls camp. Overnight in hammocks with mosquito nets.
Day 13: After breakfast, we return by motorised canoes back to Canaima. After lunch in Canaima, we explore Canaima lagoon with a walk to Sapo Falls and, depending on water levels, either a walk behind the thundering curtain of water of Sapo Falls or Hacha Falls. Dinner and overnight in a posada in Canaima.
Day 14: Late breakfast, then return to Puerto Ordaz in light aircraft charter flight. We have a second opportunity for a scenic flyover Angel Falls in light aircraft (weather dependent) on the way to Puerto Ordaz. After lunch, we catch flights to Caracas in time for evening flights from Simón Bolívar Maiquetía International Airport.
