Angel Falls was accidentally discovered by American pilot Jimmie Angel who landed on the top of the tepuy in 1937 in his light airplane in search of gold. His plane got stuck in the marshes and couldn't take off again so he was forced to trek through the rough terrain and descend a kilometre of almost vertical cliff. It took him 11 days to reach civilisation.
After nearly two hours of fairly strenuous walking I reach the lookout point. Although the cascade from the top of Auyún tepuy is elegantly slim, it's still breathtaking as it tumbles nearly 1km into the pool beneath known as the Cañon del Diablo (Devil's Canyon). Angel Falls is the world's greatest uninterrupted drop, 16 times the height of Niagara Falls. I lie on a rock staring upwards. I could stay here watching for hours but unfortunately we need to hike back and start our long journey back down the river.
The fact that Angel Falls is so remote and not easy to reach (a minimum of six hours by canoe plus a two hour hike) makes it that little bit magical.
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