Venezuela’s Gran Sabana region is, according to the myths and legends of the native Pemon Indians, dotted with Gods, spirits and devils. Trekking through this wild, lush region is not for the faint of heart as the difficult hikes take you over some of the oldest rock formations in the world. You’ll happen upon some of the world’s rarest plant species (including some creepy carnivores) and will be entranced by the world’s highest waterfall. What a dream for any backpacker! Travel insurance of course goes without saying though, as you will want to make sure that you and your possessions are covered, whatever crazy adventures you get up to.
Let your imagination run wild as you immerse yourself in these glorious treasures of Venezuela’s lost world.
Mount Roraima: The Mother of all Waters
If you’re exploring the Gran Sabana region, you will straight away notice the huge table-top mountains that suddenly emerge from the jungle, across the landscape. These phenomenons are known as ‘tepui’ to the native Pemon Indians, roughly translated as ‘houses of the gods’. Quite majestic! They are made out of Precambrian quart arenite sandstone and are home to a vast range of diverse plant and animal species.
Mount Roraima is the highest of these tepuis, known locally as ‘The Mother of All Waters’. It takes around 4 days for a guided hike to the top and down again, but I’d recommend taking 5 days so you can spend time really taking in the breathtaking views from the summit plateau.
Angel Falls: Falling from the Devil Mountain
The world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall lives on another one of the tepuis: Auyan-tepui, or ‘Devil Mountain’. Its name sounds rather menacing but the Angel Falls are widely considered one of the world’s most incredible natural wonders. As you stand at the top of the mountain and take in the sight below, you’ll instantly understand why.
Kukenan: Enter the House of the Dead
In quite a contrast to the ‘house of the gods’, Kukenan is also known as Matawi-tepui, which translates to ‘house of the dead’. According to the legend of the Pemon Indians, this mountain is where the spirits of the deceased go to after death. This tepui is next to Roraima, but Kukenan, named after the river that tumbles over the south side of it, is much harder to hike up. It’s only safe for experienced climbers but those of you with the skill and daring should relish the challenge!
If you’re not satisfied just imagining these incredible places and want to see them for yourself, then book those tickets and pack the hiking boots. As experienced as you may be, backpacker travel insurance is always an absolute must for any type of activity. You can’t afford to get this wrong so make sure your travel insurance has your back all the way. When booking with Let’s Go Insure, our policies make it crystal clear what activities are and are not covered (do be aware that some adrenalin based activities may not be) so you’ll never be caught short.
Ethan Bailey is an experienced adventure traveller and insurance expert with the team at Let's Go Insure. Ethan’s passion is to inspire his clients to go just that little bit further, deeper and higher on their travels and his expertise in providing the ideal insurance cover allows them to do just that. If you're looking for the best backpacker travel insurance Let's Go works with the most experienced underwriters, intermediaries and insurers to offer a range of competitive insurance without compromising on cover.
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