A waterfall about 980 meter (3,212ft) high with uninterrupted drop of 2,648ft, in the western part of Canaima National Park, is the Auyentepuy better known as "Tepuy" ( a flat top mountain ending with vertical wall). From this Tepuy is where the Angels falls are formed. It is the highest waterfall in the world. About 20 times higher than the Niagara falls, 2 times higher than the Empire state building and 3 times higher than the Eiffel tower. Believed it or not, Angel falls unknown to Venezuelan until early 1930's. It is only accessible by boat or plane because of the steep jungle surrounding it. Angel Falls was named after James Angel in 1935. He was an American adventurer who crashed his plane is searched of gold near the falls 2 years after they were discovered.
Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez today called for the Angel Falls - the world’s tallest waterfalls – to be renamed.
Instead of commemorating the American pilot who spotted it in 1933, he said the 3,212ft-high landmark should be revert to its original indigenous name.
Mr Chavez, being a stern opponent of the U.S., said that thousands of Pemon Indians had seen the falls before Jimmy Angel ever ‘discovered’ them. He then proclaimed Kerepakupai-Meru should be the name. Because the Pemon Indians saw the falls first, so their name should be the one to use. His idea is similar to aboriginal name Uluru, originally named Ayres rock in Australia. Renamed it in 2002 as Uluru.
One word of warning - to do justice to this trip it is essential that you are physically fit as there is quite a lot of climbing involved.
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