Mount Roraima - the lost world of the gods. Why the lost world? Because in the 18th century it was assumed that relict life forms, including dinosaurs, could survive on the tops of such mesas. Why the world of the gods? Because Roraima is actually not just a mountain. In general, these are several dozen mountains called tepuis Roraima. And in the Indian language, “tepui” means “house of the gods.”
Mount Roraima - the lost world of the gods - is a mountain with peculiar interesting vertical slopes and flat peaks - one of the most ancient in the world. Representing the remains of a long-destroyed plateau, it is made of very hard sandstone. These inaccessible, distant cliffs rise above the surface, forming bizarre, unearthly shapes.
Bizarre rocks of Roraima
The highest tepuis in Venezuela is Mount Roraima (2810 m), which is also called the “big blue-green mountain.” At its top there is a plateau with an area of about 30 km2.
The legend of Mount Roraima has existed for a long time. It talks about Roraima - Mother of the Great Waters, a fabulous mountain plateau in the forest wilds north of Mato Grosso and west of Guyana.
A large cloud constantly hangs over Roraima: fog is a frequent visitor here, and in its gloomy darkness the unearthly shapes of the cliffs seem like a cosmic landscape.
If from below it seems that the plateau above is absolutely flat, then in fact it is full of chaotic piles of stone placers, canyons and steep hills. The layers of sandstone that make up the mountain are destroyed differently, forming bizarre rocks, some of which look like giant chess pieces, others like huge mushrooms, and others like fairy-tale castles.
And Roraima is a collection of amazingly beautiful landscapes: mountains, rivers, savannas and jungles are beautiful individually, but to see them all together!.. It seems that even the very air of this extraordinary corner of the Earth is saturated with mystery and mysticism... Roraima, like said one of the happy eyewitnesses, “this is an exclamation point at the end of a sentence”...
On the plateau of Mount Roraima
The most impressive place on Roraima is its northern tip, which is called the Bow of the Ship. It is a sharp ledge, on both sides of which eight-hundred-meter sheer cliffs go down. Standing here, in the middle of torn clouds flying towards you, you get an unforgettable feeling.
Thus, Mount Roraima is the lost world of the gods, which you want to find - at least for the sake of a small inspection :)
Mount Roraima is the most famous and also the highest Venezuelan tepui (table mountain), reaching a height of 2810 meters. Local Indians call it the “navel of the earth” and believe that the goddess Queen, the ancestor of all people, lives at the very top of the mountain. Despite the fact that all tepuis are houses of the gods, it is Roraima that is considered a holy place. It is almost always surrounded by whitish clouds, giving it a mysterious quality that cannot but attract adventurers and admirers of beauty. For a long time beautiful mountain South America remained inaccessible and unexplored. Only the bravest Indians overcame the difficult path to the lands enchanted, according to their beliefs, through almost impassable swamps and forests.
The first European explorer to explore this area in 1835 was the German scientist Robert Schomburg. He was amazed by the majestic mountains with a unique ecosystem, but attempts to climb one of them were unsuccessful. Half a century later, in 1884, this was accomplished by two British scientists Everard Im Thurn and Harry Perkins, who conquered the top of Mount Roraima and revealed to the world all the secrets of this mysterious area. It is along this route that modern travelers ascend to the plateau of the famous Venezuelan tepuya. The report written by the discoverers about wondrous journeys into unknown lands inspired the famous writer Arthur Conan Doyle to create the science fiction novel “The Lost World” about the discovery of a plateau inhabited by prehistoric species of plants and animals.
The constant cloudiness around the mountain is associated with the fact that the Amazon, Orinoco and Essequibo rivers originate at the foot of Roraima.
The surrounding landscapes are really very similar to fantasy world with black rocks hung with threads of waterfalls, colorful ponds, strange vegetation and rare animals.
Almost the entire surface of the mountain plateau is black from the “desert tan” and microscopic algae inhabiting the upper layer of the stone.
There are also “jacuzzis” - oval bathtubs with a crystal bottom, as if specially created for bathing. Guides actually swim in them, but most tourists find the water too cold.
The most colorful corners of the plateau are peat bogs- beautiful flowers grow there
Outlandish insectivorous plants
Multi-colored carpets of mosses and mosses are dazzling.
The most amazing representatives of the plateau fauna are miniature, about a centimeter in size, black toads, which tend to whistle before the rain. Each large tepui has its own special type of these frogs.
Mount Roraima has another unusual feature: it attracts numerous lightning strikes, which almost every day strike the surface of its peak and it is already very difficult to find a tree here that has not been damaged by thunderstorm activity. The unearthly landscapes of Venezuelan tepuis inspired not only the writing of science fiction novels, but also the creation of feature films, documentaries and even animated films.
In 1993, the valley at the foot of Mount Roraima served as the location for the filming of the famous science fiction film "The Park Jurassic", directed by Steven Spielberg.
In 2008, Griffin Productions released an educational documentary film, “The Real Lost World,” dedicated to Mount Roraima. It describes the fascinating adventures of a modern team of explorers who followed in the footsteps of the first conquerors of the summit, Ima Thurn and Harry Perkins.
The creators of the cartoons also paid attention to the famous Venezuelan mountain. In 2009, the Disney/Pixar film studio released the cartoon “Up,” in which the action takes place on Roraima. The film also includes a short film, "Adventures Out There," which follows the Pixar team's journey to Roraima in search of creative ideas and inspiration for the animated film "Up."
Today, several dozen people climb Mount Roraima every day. Climbing is usually done from the Venezuelan side, which owns three-quarters of the mountain, as this side has the gentlest slope. The Venezuelan town from which the path to Roraima begins is called Santa Elena de Uairen and lies near the Brazilian border. To get there, you will first have to buy air tickets to Caracas (the capital of Venezuela) from Moscow with about an hour and a half transfers in Paris, Madrid or Rome. And from Caracas there are regular buses in the direction of Santa Elena de Uairen. Alternatively, this town can be reached by bus from Ciudad Bolivar.
On the Roraima plateau. Photo
THE MYSTERIOUS WORLD OF RORAIMA
Relatively reliable information about the Roraima mesa was obtained only almost a hundred years later thanks to the Venezuelan pilot Juan Angel. The story of his arrival at Roraima is very reminiscent of an adventure novel. One day in 1935, flying over the Orinoco River basin, he lost his course and, after wandering for some time over the impenetrable jungle, ended up over a small river not marked on any map of this region.
Deciding that the river would sooner or later lead him out of the jungle, the pilot continued his flight along its bed. However, he soon noticed that he was no longer flying over the jungle, but between two mountains. Having gained altitude with difficulty, Angel was still able to land on a plateau, which turned out to be the top of Roraima. But even here trouble awaited him: the plane was able to slow down and stop only in a swamp, from which the pilot was no longer able to roll out the heavy machine on his own.
Angel descended from the mountain for more than two weeks, and when he got home, he wrote a story about amazing flora and the fauna of the mysterious peak.
However, this time too the public mistook the story about the life of a mountain plateau as a pilot’s fantasy. Only in the late 1960s was the son of the pilot Rolland able to equip a full-scale expedition to Roraima.
EXPEDITION TO THE LOST WORLD
During his research, Rolland found out that the Indians who considered Roraima damn place, are not far from the truth. We can say that the mountain is cursed by the gods, as lightning constantly strikes it. On a plateau with an area of almost 34 square kilometers, there is not a single meter of land that has never been struck by lightning. But this is just the beginning of the wonderful anomalies.
On an amazing plateau, travelers discovered the largest waterfall in the world! Moreover, if usually a waterfall is the end of a river, then it was the other way around: the falling stream of water itself was the source of the river.
The highest point of the plateau is a mountain 2,810 meters high. Huge cracks radiate from it, which are simply impossible to overcome without special bridges.
Amazingly, the prehistoric animals that lived in Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World also turned out to be real. At first, the travelers did not encounter anything unusual. What appeared before their eyes were opossums, lizards, frogs for some reason black in color, spiders and snakes. Species of butterflies unknown to science looked unusual. Only after a few days on the plateau, the researchers encountered the first amazing animal that could easily live on the pages of The Lost World.
It turned out to be a fifteen-meter snake with a strangely shaped head and unusual bulges on its back. Following the snake, the travelers saw giant ants more than five centimeters long, as well as frogs, like birds, hatching eggs. Fortunately for the researchers, they never encountered any dinosaurs.
But they found numerous remains of prehistoric animals that seemed to have died quite recently. To top off all the wonders, the expedition, not far from the waterfall, accidentally stumbled upon a perfectly round area, completely devoid of vegetation, sprinkled with a strange silver-colored metal powder. Subsequent chemical analysis showed that such a powder could not be obtained under terrestrial conditions. It would seem that there are not many sensations for just one mountain?
HIGH ALTITUDE SPACE PORT?
It turned out not! In the legends of local residents, Roraima has always been connected in one way or another with heavenly guests. In the mythology of the aborigines - the Pemon Indians, Capons and other inhabitants of Gran Sabana - Roraima has always played important role, present in a number of cosmogonic myths. This mountain, according to the aborigines, is a stump left from a mighty tree on which all the fruits and tubers of the world grew. It was cut down by Makunaima, the hero of legends. The trunk fell to the ground and caused a monstrous flood.
It is possible that such a legend may describe some guests from the sky, whose actions caused a major natural disaster.
In the 2000s, it was discovered on the mountain largest system quartz caves in the world - Cueva Ojos De Cristal, which translated means “Cave of Crystal Eyes”. The cave extends for almost 11 kilometers in length, descending to a depth of 72 meters from the surface. It is also unique in that it has 18 outputs. In the cave, scientists discovered rock paintings depicting unusual animals and humanoids that only vaguely resemble humans.
Today, despite the dangerous rise and a large number of poisonous snakes at its peak, Roraima is constantly visited by tourists and expeditions, almost each of which reveals another previously unknown secret of this amazing place.
Peter Pohl, a popular German researcher, author of the theory of the hollow Earth, believes that Roraima is not a mountain at all, but an artificially created pyramid. In an interview with Igor Strizhenov, he explained in detail why.
– Peter, why did Mount Roraima attract your attention?
– First of all, the mountain is interesting for its shape.
It looks like it was carved out of a single, monolithic rock formation.
If you pay attention to its vertical walls, which have smooth surfaces, you can see how straight vertical lines are formed at the junction of the sides.
The height of the upper vertical wall reaches 400 meters. The angled bevel creates fairly crisp top and bottom lines all the way around. The height of the ledge reaches 170 meters.
On one of the vertical sides, 230 meters high, located below the upper ledge, there are two identical oval symmetrical recesses. Their symmetry speaks in favor of artificial processing of these surfaces.
The mountain at its base has a lower corner symmetrical protrusion along its entire perimeter with a height of about 350 meters.
Thus, the total height of the pyramid reaches 1150 meters from its base.
Judging by the condition of the surfaces and deposits on the upper and lower corner ledges, the age of this formation is very significant. If you carry out a partial reconstruction of one of its sides, you can build a model of the original shape of the mountain facade.
And here there is no doubt: we are dealing with a monumental structure, which was once a huge pyramid of an unusual shape.
– Do you plan to somehow test the guess about the man-made origin of the mountain? – Yes, I am sure that under the layer of numerous sediments it will be possible to discover well-preserved artificially processed surfaces, as well as artifacts that can confirm the man-made origin of this grandiose structure.
Secrets of the “great mountain”
– If the mountain really is of artificial origin, then for what purposes and by whom was it created?
– I do not rule out that its creators undoubtedly belonged to a highly developed civilization. This is evidenced by the myths of the Indians, for whom Mount Roraima is associated with the existence of the gods.
In fact, the pyramid could have had several plausible purposes. For example, this is an isolated landing area aircraft, connected by tunnels with others similar formations and other parts of the continent.
It may also have been conceived as a huge special building with interior spaces.
In the language of the Pemon Indians, roroi means “blue-green”, and ma means “great”, “big”.
Thus, the name "Roraima" translated from the local dialect means "big blue-green mountain".
In the mythology of the Pemons, Capons and other representatives of the indigenous population of South America, Roraima played an important cosmogonic role. According to the aborigines, this is a stump left from a mighty tree on which all the fruits and vegetables of the world grew. It was cut down by the legendary hero Macunaima, after which the trunk fell to the ground and caused a monstrous flood...
– Have you explored Roraima to the end? – Its rocks, of course, were studied by climbers, but not completely. Theoretically, you can climb to the top along a mountain path; it will take about two days. However, during the ascent, the traveler risks getting into a cloud of dense fog, so you need to be especially careful.
At the top of the mountain there is a stone labyrinth into which several rivers flow. People often disappear there. Therefore, local guides do not go there and discourage tourists from taking a dangerous walk.
Perhaps it is in this place that there is a descent into the depths that hide the mysteries of Roraima.
For a long time, scientists were convinced that caves could not exist here. However, in 2009, the world's largest quartz cave system was discovered in these places. It was named Cueva Ojos de Cristal, which translated from Spanish means “cave of crystal eyes.”
The system is located on the Venezuelan part of the mountain, within the Canaima National Park. It extends almost 11 kilometers in length and descends to a depth of 72 meters from the surface.
The cave system is also unique in that it has 18 exits.
Source of diamonds and home of evil spirits
– You think that the mountain is of artificial origin. However, in this case, local peoples legends about the true builders of the pyramid should have been preserved.
- Undoubtedly! Legends tell about Roraima - the Mother of the Great Waters, a fabulous plateau.
This mountain is considered the source of all diamonds mined in the area, but the Indians do not approach it, fearing evil spirits. It is characteristic that the plateau local residents called the “lost world of the gods.”
– Is there a practical explanation for this? – Only after thorough research will it be possible to answer many questions regarding the depths of the mountain. An analogy can be drawn with the giant formations discovered on Mars. However, I still assume that pyramid mountain had technical purpose.
Two symmetrical oval formations may turn out to be concave mirror-emitters directed parallel to the Earth.
In addition, I have some confidence that the caves and tunnels of Roraima are connected to a global system of tunnels that stretches under the entire South American continent.
I hope that answers to all questions will be received during the expedition of the National Geographical Society Russia, planned for the summer of 2013.
Roraima (Roraima listen)) is a sandstone mesa (tepui) in South America. Located at the junction Brazil(state Roraima), Venezuela (National Park Canaima) And Guyana(the highest point in the country). The height at the junction point of the boundaries (triple point) is 2772 meters ( 9 100 ft) above sea level. The summit of Roraima is a plateau with an area of about 34 km².
Word " tepui» in the language of the Pemon Indians inhabiting the area Gran Sabana (GranSabana), means " house of the gods" Tepuis for the most part stand isolated from each other, rising above the jungle with inaccessible cliffs. Many tepuis are located in the Venezuelan Canaima National Park, which has the status of a World Heritage UNESCO. 
Tepuis are the remains of a vast plateau that once extended from the coast Atlantic Ocean and the border of river basins Amazon, Orinoco And Rio Negro. The plateau was formed on the site of the lake about 200,000,000 years ago, when South America and Africa still formed a single continent. The plateau consisted of sandstone and was located on a granite base; Over time, erosion turned the plateau into several monadnocks, from which tepuis were formed, covered with erosion-resistant rocks. The term " monadnock", means a remnant hill composed of solid rocks, standing out sharply among the leveled surface. The name of the term comes from Mount Monadnock ( Monadnock) in the USA. Typically, tepuis are composed of a single block of Precambrian sandstone or quartzite that rises sharply above the surrounding jungle to heights of over 2,000 meters.
The rivers of the basins originate in the Roraima area Orinoco, Amazons And Essequibo.
There is always a large cloud hanging over Roraima.
History of the study
German explorer Robert Schomburgk visited the area in 1835
year. He was amazed by the table mountains, but attempts to climb one of them were unsuccessful.
Despite the steep slopes of the plateau, Roraima was the first of the tepuis that man could climb. Sir Everard im Tern (Sir Everard im Thurn) together with Harry Perkins (HarryPerkins) December 1884
years climbed the slope, which was covered with forests, and reached the top of the mountain. However, it was the report on Robert Schomburgk’s expedition to the tepui area that inspired the writer Arthur Conan Doyle to write a novel "Lost World" V 1912
year, about the discovery of a plateau inhabited by prehistoric species of animals and plants. 
Alas, no ancient monsters live on Roraima, only Guiana harlequins (Oreophrynella quelchii
) - very small toads, black in color. The peaks of the mesas are like islands in the sky, where flora and fauna have evolved in isolation over millions of years. The nature of these cold “islands” is completely different from the tropical forests and savannas at the foot of the mountains.
After returning from the expedition, Sir Everard im Thurn, together with Robert Schomburgk, published a report on his journey in one of the German academic journals. However, at that time it seemed to everyone, to put it mildly, implausible. And rightly so, no one has yet seen rivers with colored water, living animals and birds that lived on our planet in the distant past, or found a large number of plants unknown to science. According to their stories, the microclimate of the upland was also unusual: constant summer with a wonderful change of day and night. Either it would be a bright sunny day on the plateau for several days, then suddenly there would be pitch darkness for several hours. In a word, time flowed in this place according to its own laws, not obeying earthly ones.
For approximately 100 years, no explorer has visited this place - and this is understandable. The road here is extremely difficult: the Guiana Highlands crossed by gorges and the dense thickets of the equatorial forest that frame the Roraima plateau have made it almost impregnable.
One of the largest “tables” - Roraima, near the Venezuela-Brazil border, was inaccessible to people for a long time. Only brave men from Indian tribes from time to time made their way to the enchanted land, according to their beliefs, then telling their fellow tribesmen about an amazing plateau with steep walls, cascades of waterfalls and magical rivers with red and black waters...
A fresh word in the study of this area belongs to a Venezuelan pilot Juan Angel. IN 1937
year, flying over the Orinoco River basin and lost his way, he noticed a river that was not marked on any map. Adhering to its current, Angel suddenly discovered that he was no longer flying over the plain, but into a gorge. It was surrounded by mountains on both sides, and there was no way to turn the plane and follow its previous course. In the end, the pilot, with incredible difficulty, was lucky enough to land on the plateau. She came out unlucky: the plane got stuck in a swampy place, and Angel then fought his way from this enchanted paradise to the nearest Indian settlement for two weeks. He later described his personal memories in a book, which local scientists immediately classified as fiction.
Juan Angel died in 1956 year during a plane crash, but only 10 years later his son Rolland, who believed every word written by the pope in the book, managed to form a large expedition to those parts.
It turned out that it was not for nothing that the Indians considered these regions a disastrous area: the mountain island is one of the areas of thunderstorms and lightning. They strike the plateau almost every day, and there is not a single tree that is not damaged by lightning. In this place, by the way, the expedition discovered the greatest waterfall globe, named after Juan Angel. It differs in one more original characteristic feature: Traditionally, waterfalls originate on rivers, but Angel Falls itself gives rise to a river!
The colorful fauna also turned out to be extraordinary: in addition to the possums, lizards, black toads and frogs already known to science, snakes, spiders and a large number of unusual species of butterflies, the researchers managed to find an unusual animal here, which they dubbed the Cadboro-saurus. It looks like a huge snake with a horse's head and humps on its back. The length of his body is approximately 15 meters. At this place, small frogs were also discovered, which, like birds, hatch eggs, bats, blood-sucking insects, which are not affected by practically any chemical means of protection, highly hostile and unsafe not only for animals, but also for people, ants - Gullivers are more than 5 cm long and can bite through small branches with their steel jaws. 
But greatest discovery became the remains of ancient animals that lived here quite recently. It is not clear why they died. Maybe they were experimented on by the ubiquitous aliens. This guess is not without foundation! Since not far from the waterfall the expedition found a large round area, completely devoid of vegetation and as if sprinkled with some kind of silver powder ( laboratory research Then they discovered that it is an alloy of very rare metals, which is impossible to obtain under terrestrial conditions).
Surveys of local caves also gave scientists many mysteries. They discovered a lot of rock paintings that professionally depicted extraordinary animals and creatures that vaguely resembled people. Scientists also discovered a number of crypts in which fog seemed to thicken and a sweet smell was flying. Several members of the expedition, having inhaled this aroma, remained in a coma for several days, later telling their colleagues about amazing visions and journeys to other worlds. In the end, it was decided to return back, and then a new surprise awaited the brave explorers: they in no way had the opportunity to get out of this lost world. The radios had broken down a long time ago, the landscape, the map of which the travelers had drawn up, seemed to have changed its outlines and cardinal directions... Roraima did not let go of those who learned its secrets.
Only a few months later, exhausted from searching for a way out, people managed to return home. In their words: “... some unknown force, like a whirlwind, picked us up and slowly dropped us on the central square of one of the Indian settlements.” By that time, the members of the expedition had run out of food, their clothes had become unusable, and almost everyone was on the verge of nervous exhaustion.
When the travelers finally managed to reach civilization, it was discovered that their families had buried them long ago: after all, the expedition did not return after the planned several months of work and, according to earthly time, had been absent for 4 years!
More official expeditions to this region not equipped. However, from time to time brave men try to get into this lost world, where, as a rule, they meet their death: Plateau does not like to let go of its victims.
Climbing Roraima
Today, Mount Roraima attracts tourists from all over the world. Almost everyone who wants to visit this placemust enter from the direction of Venezuela. This is part of a national park and climbing is only permitted with a guide. These days, several dozen people climb Roraima every day.
Although the plateau can be reached via a paved trail, it is very easy to get lost at the top of Roraima due to the constant cloud cover.
The heroes of The Lost World reached the summit plateau, climbing a separate cliff and cutting down a big tree, which served as a bridge. There is indeed a “suitable” cliff on Roraima, but the gap between it and the plateau is too wide, and there are no large trees at such a height.
If you follow the Paratepui route, you can climb to the top of the mountain without additional technical equipment. To take the other path, you must use climbing equipment. We managed to climb the mountain only a few times from Guyana and Brazil. This path is very difficult and dangerous, since the mountain on these two sides is completely surrounded, mainly by huge sheer cliffs. But in addition to technical equipment, it is also necessary to obtain a special permit that will allow you to enter the territory of the national park in Guyana and Brazil. As of 2009, climbing from the Brazilian side is very problematic, since the path lies through an Indian reserve Raposa-Serra do Sol Amerindian reserve where they often happen armed conflicts between the indigenous population and the authorities.
Most tourists hire a tribal Indian as a guide. pemon who lives in the village Paraitepui (Paraitepui ). You can get to the village by quad bike, it will be a little more difficult by car, but provided that the dirt roads are not washed out, and you can reach it on foot in a day. To find it, you need to turn off the main road Gran Sabana (Gran Sabana ) to the dirt road, which is located in the middle of the 88th kilometer and Santa Elena de Uairen.
Porters carry food and tents, prepare food and carry down tourists who are sick or injured (which happens quite often). They are usually fluent in Spanish, but if an English-speaking guide is needed, this must be arranged in advance. Everyone carries their own personal equipment. Like most Indians of the selva, the Pemon are calm, friendly, very pleasant people to talk to. Male porters carry 50 kg of load, women - 40. Children begin to help their parents from about six years old. 
The trail to Roraima begins in the Indian village of Paraitepui. On the first day, we walk about 20 km through the mountain steppes, with two fords across rivers (after heavy rain, the fords can be somewhat difficult for inexperienced travelers). There are three campsites along the trail. Sunscreen and midge repellent will come in handy in this area.
It still takes a whole day to get to " La Rampa» ( La Rampa) – the path that leads to the top. The trail climbs to the foot of the rock walls of Roraima. The so-called cloud forests grow here - dense thickets low-growing trees, completely overgrown with moss, ferns and epiphytic plants.
There are many in the cloud forests beautiful birds, including hummingbirds and bright orange cock-of-the-rocks. Along the path grow tree ferns and gunners - something like burdocks with three-meter leaves.
The ascent itself takes the entire third day. The trail is almost vertical in places and very slippery - you will need reliable shoes. In some places you have to go through waterfalls.
The higher you go, the colder and wetter the air becomes. On the plateau itself, it can rain for several days in a row, and the sun sometimes does not appear through the fog for months. In the morning the temperature drops to almost zero. During the rainy season (May-October) there is a risk of not seeing anything at all except fog, but at this time less people and many more flowers, especially orchids. 
Many birds nest in the niches and cracks of the cliffs. Every morning, thousands of swifts and tiny parrots fly through the surrounding forests. As night falls, strange night birds fly out of the caves.
The trail reaches the edge of the plateau just half an hour from a large pile of boulders at the very edge of the cliff. This highest point Roraima.
Here you can sit alone for hours, dangling your feet into the abyss and watching the clouds rise from the warm plains. When the wind blows clouds of fog into your face, it feels like you're flying through the clouds. Occasionally the fog clears and the rolling plains of the neighboring Kukenan-tepui in stripes of waterfalls and rectangular silhouettes of other tepuis on the horizon. And behind us lies a plateau - one of the most fantastic places in the world. 
From below it seems that it is completely flat. In fact, it is a chaotic jumble of rocks, canyons, steep hills and rocky outcrops. Almost the entire surface of the plateau is completely black from the “desert tan” and microscopic algae living in the upper layer of the stone.
Only where the sandstone is protected from rain and sun or is constantly eroded by water, its true color, usually bright pink, is visible.
Different layers of sandstone are destroyed with at different speeds, therefore, thousands of bizarre rocks formed on the plateau - thickets of giant “mushrooms”, palisades of five-meter stone phalluses, fairy-tale castles, endless fields of “chess pieces”. There are so many of them that it is impossible to use them as signs or landmarks. 
In the northwestern part there is the so-called Labyrinth, where even the guides are afraid to go. In some places the stone is split by giant cracks - rivers disappear into them, only to then burst out as a waterfall from the rocks hundreds of meters below the edge of the plateau.
About a fifth of the plateau is covered with water. Bright pink puddles, peat bogs, the cleanest lakes in the world, fast rivers... You have to get used to wet feet up to your knees. The beds of some rivers are lined with rock crystal crystals for hundreds of meters.
There are also “jacuzzis” - oval bathtubs with a crystal bottom, as if specially created for bathing. Guides actually swim in them, but most tourists find the water too cold. 
Peat bogs are especially interesting. These are the brightest corners of the plateau - there is an amazing number of beautiful flowers, colorful carpets of mosses and mosses, dense thickets of insectivorous plants and orchids.
But there are few animals there. The largest are funny noses, related to raccoons. Almost all small fauna are endemic, found only on the tops of tepuis or generally only on Roraima.
Many are painted black, even butterflies and dragonflies. There are also mice, several species of birds, lizards, millipedes, spiders, scorpions and predatory leeches on the plateau, but there are no fish, snakes, mosquitoes or midges. 
And the most interesting inhabitants of the plateau are tiny, fingernail-sized black toads. They live on flat rocks and whistle funny before the rain. Each large tepui has its own special species of these toads. They are very ancient (the guidebooks even say that they older than dinosaurs, but this is, to put it mildly, an exaggeration).
Tourist groups spend the night in so-called “hotels” - on narrow platforms protected from rain under overhanging rocks.
The standard seven-day tour covers only the southwest of the plateau. Other parts can be reached either with a ten-day tour (but these are rare) or on your own. Climbing on your own is not only illegal, but also very risky: people disappear on Roraima every year. 
Although the area of the plateau is small, it is not easy to completely walk around it in a week. Long-distance tourist routes end at the “triple point” - at a stone pyramid marking the junction of the borders of three countries. If you manage to go even further, you can see the lake Gladys, the largest on the plateau (about a hundred meters long), named after the plesiosaur lake from The Lost World.
Lake Gladys is half overgrown with sedge and is not worth the risky hike on your own. But another kilometer or two, and here it is - an absolutely amazing place called Bow of the Ship. This is the northern tip of Roraima, where the plateau ends in a narrow, very sharp ledge, on both sides of which there are eight-hundred-meter cliffs. A few minutes spent on the Nose among the torn clouds flying towards you is perhaps one of the most powerful sensations available to the inhabitants of our planet. 
The descent from the mountain lasts about two days. Many tourists choose to stay overnight at the top. To visit northern part tepui with little-studied but intriguing species, a longer and more dangerous path must be taken. You can also get to the mountain by helicopter, but in good weather. The tour can be booked in the city Santa Helena de Uairen (Santa Elena de Uairen). Almost all tourists buy organized tours lasting five or seven days (the second option is much better - participants in five-day tours can spend only a couple of hours on the plateau).
Flora and fauna
The Roraima plateau is exposed rock, highly oxidized, poor in minerals, especially phosphorus, calcium and nitrogen, which are essential for plants. The scanty fertile layer is quickly washed away by sediments, forming rivers that fall from the steep walls of the mountain with many waterfalls.
The plants at the top of Roraima are forced to adapt to a specific “diet”, loss of water due to the powerful solar radiation, as well as form adaptations that allow them to gain a foothold in the poor soil of rocks. But the harsh world of tepui is ideal for algae. A large number of endemic species have been found here.
It’s hard for the few animals that have extremely limited food and live in a damp, cold climate with a high degree of solar activity. Small rodents live here. For example, Roraima hamster (Podoxymys roraimae
) is a very rare species, endemic. Prefers to live in thickets Bonetii. Unfortunately, bush thickets have been cut down by tourists for many years, using the woody parts for fires. Thus, the hamster's natural habitat is reduced. While trekking, you can meet another representative of the same group - the climbing hamster McConnell (Rhipidomys macconnelli
). The species is widespread and is found in the Orinoco. 
To such extreme conditions Carnivorous plants are remarkably adapted; some of the group are endemic to Roraima.
Sundew (Drosera Roraimae
) is an insectivorous plant. The sticky substance produced by the leaves contains the alkaloid coniine, which has a paralytic effect on insects, and digestive enzymes. Once the insect is caught, the edges of the leaf close, enveloping it entirely. This method of feeding the plant allows, in conditions of depleted soils, to absorb from the insect during its digestion such substances as are useful for the plant, such as salts of sodium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and nitrogen. After the insect has digested (usually taking several days), the leaf opens again. 
Heliamphora (Heliamphora nutans
) - Very beautiful plant, native to the northern tepuis of Guyana, Venezuela and Brazil. The first representative of the species was discovered on Roraima, by German botanists - brothers Robert And Richard Schomburgkami, V 1839
year. The plant forms extensive carpet thickets in mountain swamps, formed by trapping devices 10-15 cm in height.
Brocchinia (Brocchinia reducta
) is one of the few carnivorous plants among the bromeliads. Not endemic to Roraima. The species is common in southern Venezuela, Brazil and Guyana, found in areas where soils are poor in nutrients. Brocchinia, like many other bromeliads, forms a rosette of leaves filled with water. The leaves are covered with reflective scales. The water emits a pleasant aroma. All this attracts insects and at the same time forms a trap. Sitting down on a leaf, the victim rolls into the bell and drowns in the water, turning into a solution of nutrients. 
However, there are a number of plants that are not known to be bloodthirsty. For example, endemic to Roraima, the dominant plant stegolepis (Stegolepis guianensis
). The genus grows only on tepuis, and members of the family are found in Africa. The dispersal of the plant's ancestors occurred when the supercontinent Gondwana existed on earth.
Bonetia (Bonetias roraimae
) - low bushes that form thickets, endemic to Roraima.
Afanocarpus (Aphanocarpus steyermarkii ) is the only representative of the genus, endemic to Roraima.
Roraima is home to a large number of orchid species, including 30 endemics. Orchid Epidendrum secundum
can be found not only on tepuis, but also in the Andes, but it is worth mentioning because it is one of the most common species growing in Roraima. By the way, the unofficial name of the flower is Viña Vajna orchid. Viña Vaina– a mountain that is part of the complex Machu Picchu in Peru. 
The mountain is home to 140 bird species, some of which are also endemic to Roraima. For example, here you can find forest filidors (Automolus roraimae
) – belong to passerines; Guajaro (Guácharo roraime
).
On the flat top, here and there, strange, mushroom-like rock growths rise as a result of the weathering of the rock, and between them one can see round depressions filled with water.
Roraima is abundant in quartz, the deposits of which are under special control, so open deposits of crystals have remained untouched to this day.
In the next part of the article another one awaits you. interesting story travelers and an interview with a famous scientist about the sensational discoveries made on the plateau.
MYSTERIES OF THE RORAIMA PLATEAU.
Roraima, one of the most inaccessible mountains of the Guiana Plateau. IN early XIX centuries, a rare local resident, not to mention foreigners, has been to its summit.
Smooth steep walls, a wide plateau at the top, and most importantly, a constant dense fog that hides the top of the mountain from the casual observer at its foot... Similar mountains are called ambas in Ethiopia, and mesas in Venezuela. In everyday life, these mountains are called table mountains based on the shape of their peaks.
The first Europeans to discover and describe the largest table mountain in South America, Roraima, in the 40s of the 19th century, were the German explorer Robert Schomburg and the English botanist Yves Serne. True, their report turned out to be somewhat... fantastic. It featured rivers with colorful water, as well as animals and birds that lived on Earth in prehistoric times.
Relatively reliable information about the Roraima mesa was obtained only almost a hundred years later thanks to the Venezuelan pilot Juan Angel. The story of his arrival at Roraima is very reminiscent of an adventure novel. One day in 1935, flying over the Orinoco River basin, he lost his course and, after wandering for some time over the impenetrable jungle, ended up over a small river not marked on any map of this region.
Deciding that the river would sooner or later lead him out of the jungle, the pilot continued his flight along its bed. However, he soon noticed that he was no longer flying over the jungle, but between two mountains. Having gained altitude with difficulty, Angel was still able to land on a plateau, which turned out to be the top of Roraima. But even here trouble awaited him: the plane was able to slow down and stop only in a swamp, from which the pilot was no longer able to roll out the heavy machine on his own.
Angel descended from the mountain for more than two weeks, and when he got home, he wrote a story about the amazing flora and fauna of the mysterious peak.
However, this time too the public mistook the story about the life of a mountain plateau as a pilot’s fantasy. Only in the late 1960s was the son of the pilot Rolland able to equip a full-scale expedition to Roraima.
During his research, Rolland found out that the Indians who considered Roraima a cursed place were not far from the truth. We can say that the mountain is cursed by the gods, as lightning constantly strikes it. On a plateau with an area of almost 34 square kilometers, there is not a single meter of land that has never been struck by lightning. But this is just the beginning of the wonderful anomalies.
On an amazing plateau, travelers discovered the largest waterfall in the world! Moreover, if usually a waterfall is the end of a river, then it was the other way around: the falling stream of water itself was the source of the river.
The highest point of the plateau is a mountain 2,810 meters high. Huge cracks radiate from it, which are simply impossible to overcome without special bridges.
Amazingly, the prehistoric animals that lived in Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World also turned out to be real. At first, the travelers did not encounter anything unusual. What appeared before their eyes were opossums, lizards, frogs for some reason black in color, spiders and snakes. Species of butterflies unknown to science looked unusual. Only after a few days on the plateau, the researchers encountered the first amazing animal that could easily live on the pages of The Lost World.
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Mysterious world Roraima |
It turned out to be a fifteen-meter snake with a strangely shaped head and unusual bulges on its back. Following the snake, the travelers saw giant ants more than five centimeters long, as well as frogs, like birds, hatching eggs. Fortunately for the researchers, they never encountered any dinosaurs.
But they found numerous remains of prehistoric animals that seemed to have died quite recently. To top off all the wonders, the expedition, not far from the waterfall, accidentally stumbled upon a perfectly round area, completely devoid of vegetation, sprinkled with a strange silver-colored metal powder. Subsequent chemical analysis showed that such a powder could not be obtained under terrestrial conditions. It would seem that there are not many sensations for just one mountain?
It turned out not! In the legends of local residents, Roraima has always been connected in one way or another with heavenly guests. In the mythology of the aborigines - the Pemon Indians, Capons and other inhabitants of Gran Sabana - Roraima has always played an important role, being present in a number of cosmogonic myths. This mountain, according to the aborigines, is a stump left from a mighty tree on which all the fruits and tubers of the world grew. It was cut down by Makunaima, the hero of legends. The trunk fell to the ground and caused a monstrous flood.
It is possible that such a legend may describe some guests from the sky, whose actions caused a major natural disaster.
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Caves of Roraima. Photo by Marek Audi |
In the 2000s, the largest quartz cave system in the world was discovered on the mountain - Cueva Ojos De Cristal, which means “Cave of Crystal Eyes”. The cave extends for almost 11 kilometers in length, descending to a depth of 72 meters from the surface. It is also unique in that it has 18 outputs. In the cave, scientists discovered rock paintings depicting unusual animals and humanoids that only vaguely resemble humans.
Today, despite the dangerous climb and a large number of poisonous snakes on its top, Roraima is constantly visited by tourists and expeditions, almost each of which reveals another previously unknown secret of this amazing place.
Peter Pohl, a popular German researcher, author of the theory of the hollow Earth, believes that Roraima is not a mountain at all, but an artificially created pyramid. In an interview with Igor Strizhenov, he explained in detail why.
Peter, why did Mount Roraima attract your attention?
- First of all, the mountain is interesting for its shape. It looks like it was carved out of a single, monolithic rock formation. If you pay attention to its vertical walls, which have smooth surfaces, you can see how smooth vertical lines are formed at the junction of the sides. The height of the upper vertical wall reaches 400 meters. The angled bevel creates fairly crisp top and bottom lines all the way around. The height of the ledge reaches 170 meters.
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Caves of Roraima. |
On one of the vertical sides, 230 meters high, located below the upper ledge, there are two identical oval symmetrical recesses. Their symmetry speaks in favor of artificial processing of these surfaces. The mountain at its base has a lower corner symmetrical protrusion along its entire perimeter with a height of about 350 meters. Thus, the total height of the pyramid reaches 1150 meters from its base. Judging by the condition of the surfaces and deposits on the upper and lower corner ledges, the age of this formation is very significant. If you carry out a partial reconstruction of one of its sides, you can build a model of the original shape of the mountain facade. And here there is no doubt: we are dealing with a monumental structure, which was once a huge pyramid of an unusual shape.
Do you plan to somehow test the guess about the man-made origin of the mountain?
Yes, I am sure that under the layer of numerous sediments it will be possible to discover well-preserved artificially processed surfaces, as well as artifacts that can confirm the man-made origin of this grandiose structure.
If the mountain is indeed of artificial origin, then for what purposes and by whom was it created?
I do not rule out that its creators undoubtedly belonged to a highly developed civilization. This is evidenced by the myths of the Indians, for whom Mount Roraima is associated with the existence of the gods. In fact, the pyramid could have had several plausible purposes. For example, this is an isolated landing site for aircraft, connected by tunnels to other similar formations and other parts of the continent. It may also have been conceived as a huge special building with interior spaces.
In the language of the Pemon Indians, roroi means “blue-green”, and ma means “great”, “big”. Thus, the name "Roraima" translated from the local dialect means "big blue-green mountain". In the mythology of the Pemons, Capons and other representatives of the indigenous population of South America, Roraima played an important cosmogonic role. According to the aborigines, this is a stump left from a mighty tree on which all the fruits and vegetables of the world grew. It was cut down by the legendary hero Macunaima, after which the trunk fell to the ground and caused a monstrous flood...
Has Roraima been explored to the end?
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Masterpieces of nature. Photos by ZdenoV |
Its rocks, of course, were studied by climbers, but not completely. Theoretically, you can climb to the top along a mountain path; it will take about two days. However, during the ascent, the traveler risks getting into a cloud of dense fog, so you need to be especially careful.
At the top of the mountain there is a stone labyrinth into which several rivers flow. People often disappear there. Therefore, local guides do not go there and discourage tourists from taking a dangerous walk. Perhaps it is in this place that there is a descent into the depths that hide the mysteries of Roraima.
For a long time, scientists were convinced that caves could not exist here. However, in 2009, the world's largest quartz cave system was discovered in these places. It was named Cueva Ojos de Cristal, which translated from Spanish means “cave of crystal eyes.” The system is located on the Venezuelan part of the mountain, within the Canaima National Park. It extends almost 11 kilometers in length and descends to a depth of 72 meters from the surface. The cave system is also unique in that it has 18 exits.
You think that the mountain is of artificial origin. However, in this case, local peoples should have preserved legends about the true builders of the pyramid.
Undoubtedly! Legends tell about Roraima - the Mother of the Great Waters, a fabulous plateau. This mountain is considered the source of all diamonds mined in the area, but the Indians do not approach it, fearing evil spirits. It is typical that local residents call the plateau “the lost world of the gods.”
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Hanging stone. Photo by Sergey Leontyev |
Is there a practical explanation for this?
Only after careful research will it be possible to answer many questions regarding the depths of the mountain. An analogy can be drawn with the giant formations discovered on Mars. However, I still assume that the pyramid mountain had a technical purpose. Two symmetrical oval formations may turn out to be concave mirror-emitters directed parallel to the Earth.
In addition, I have some confidence that the caves and tunnels of Roraima are connected to a global system of tunnels that stretches under the entire South American continent. I hope that answers to all questions will be received during the expedition of the National Geographic Society of Russia, planned for the summer of 2013.
Mount Roraima has another unusual feature: it attracts numerous lightning strikes, which almost every day strike the surface of its peak and it is already very difficult to find a tree here that has not been damaged by thunderstorm activity. The unearthly landscapes of Venezuelan tepuis inspired not only the writing of science fiction novels, but also the creation of feature films, documentaries and even animated films.In 1993, the valley at the foot of Mount Roraima served as the location for the filming of the famous science fiction film Jurassic Park, directed by Steven Spielberg.
In 2008, an educational documentary film “The Real Lost World” was created, dedicated to the Roraima plateau. It describes the fascinating adventures of a modern team of explorers who followed in the footsteps of the first conquerors of the summit, Ima Thurn and Harry Perkins.
The creators of the cartoons also paid attention to the famous Venezuelan mountain. In 2009, the Disney/Pixar film studio released the cartoon “Up,” in which the action takes place on Roraima. The film also includes a short film, "Adventures Out There," which follows the Pixar team's journey to Roraima in search of creative ideas and inspiration for the animated film "Up."
Local Indians call the mountain the “navel of the earth” and believe that the goddess Queen, the ancestor of all people, lives at the very top of the mountain. Despite the fact that all tepuis are houses of the gods, it is Roraima that is considered a holy place. It is almost always surrounded by whitish clouds, giving it a mysterious quality that cannot but attract adventurers and admirers of beauty. For a long time, the most beautiful mountain in South America remained inaccessible and unexplored. Only the bravest Indians overcame the difficult path to the lands enchanted, according to their beliefs, through almost impassable swamps and forests.
Where is Roraima
The natural attraction is located on the territory of three states at the same time. Most of it belongs to Venezuela. Other host countries of Roraima are Brazil and Guyana. Table Mountain is located in the southeastern point of Canaima National Park, which belongs to Venezuela.
Birth of a miracle of nature
Mountains with flat tops and almost vertical walls are called table mountains. This type of mountain emerged from a sandstone plateau located between the Rio Negro, Amazon, Orinoco rivers and the Atlantic Ocean. For a long time, the plateau was affected by erosion, which led to its destruction. As a result, mountains with flat tops, like the surface of a table, were formed. Roraima is called the highest tepuya in Venezuela. The most high part the mountain reaches 2810 m.
Climate, flora and fauna
In the lowlands of Roraima the climate is almost the same as on the top of the mesa. Dry seasons here alternate with rainy seasons. The higher you go up the mountain, the colder and more humid the air becomes. In the morning the temperature does not exceed 0 ºС. The rainy season lasts from May to October. During this period, fog falls on the plateau and does not dissipate for weeks. It is not recommended to visit Mount Roraima during the rainy season.
A fifth of the surface of the table mountain is occupied by bodies of water: rivers, small lakes and peat bogs. The most impressive place, called the “bow of the ship,” is considered to be the northern tip of Roraima. It is a sharp protrusion.
Many inhabitants of the animal and flora the peaks of Mount Roraima are endemic. This means that living beings are constantly located in a limited area and go through their own evolutionary path. One of prominent representatives Tepui is considered to be endemic to Oreophrynella Quelcha, a small black toad. The peculiarity of the amphibian is that, unlike its counterparts, it is not capable of swimming or jumping. If oreophrinella is threatened, it curls up into a ball and rolls into the space between the stones.
Expeditions that visited the plateau were able to describe about 230 plant species. Greatest variety represent the families Asteraceae, Centipedes and Orchids. Many plants were forced to adapt to local soil, which was lost due to constant rains a significant part of organic and mineral substances. Of particular interest are insectivorous plants: Roraima sundew, drooping helimamphora, and bladderwort.
Surrounded by legends
The word “tepui” (or “tepui”) is used by the Indians of the Pemon tribe living in the vicinity of Roraima not only to refer to table mountains. First of all, this is the name of the abode of the gods. One of the legends says that the goddess Quinn once lived on the mountain. She became the foremother of all people on Earth by analogy with the biblical Eve. According to another legend, Mount Roraima was part of the trunk giant tree, from which all the fruits of the planet originate. One day the tree was cut down by the hero of local legends - Makunaima. The remaining stump became known as Mount Roraima.
Local residents never go up to the “abode of the gods.” For them this place is cursed. A person who dares to climb to the top will be severely punished and pay with his life. Scientists believe that the legend is worth listening to. However, a trip to Roraima can end in tears not because of a curse: the top of the mountain often attracts lightning, which can kill a person.
Modern scientists have not been able to solve all the mysteries of Roraima. During one of the expeditions to the plateau, a round area was discovered on which there was no vegetation. To appear naturally such a site could not. Moreover, a silvery powder consisting of an alloy of rare metals was discovered on a strange part of the plateau. It was found that it is impossible to obtain such an alloy even using the latest equipment. Among scientists, a version has emerged that the mountain was repeatedly used by aliens as a cosmodrome.
Researchers also discovered a lot of unusual things in mountain caves, the walls of which were painted with images of animals and creatures that resembled people. Scientists have found strange skeletons. A sweetish aroma emanated from the bones. Inhaling an unfamiliar smell, some expedition members fell into a coma for several days. Having come to their senses, they told their colleagues about their strange visions and travels in other worlds.
One of the expeditions lost its bearings on the plateau. The researchers wandered for several months. At some point, according to the descriptions of the scientists themselves, they were picked up by a whirlwind and carried away from the top of the mountain. A few moments later, the expedition found itself in the center of an Indian settlement living near Roraima. The researchers were confident that they had only been gone for a couple of months. It turned out that the expedition dragged on for 4 years. According to scientists, staying on Roraima for such a long time was impossible. The supply of provisions was designed to last for several weeks. The travelers would have starved to death. Time flows differently on Tepui than elsewhere.
Research on Mount Roraima
The first descriptions of the mountain can be found in the works of Sir Walter Raleigh. An English explorer described Roraima in 1569. And the first Europeans to study the area around the mountain were the Englishman Yves Serne and the German Robert Schombrook. The scientists published a report on their expedition in one of the German magazines. Then a book was published in which Cern and Schombrook described in detail unusual flora and the fauna of the surroundings of the “abode of the gods”. Many fellow scientists did not believe them. The book, written by Cern and Schombrook, was classified as a fantasy genre.
It was only possible to climb to the top of the mountain in 1884. The ascent was made by members of the expedition led by Edward Im Thurn. The flora and fauna at the top of the tepui turned out to be even more amazing than the flora and fauna at the foot. For hundreds of years the plateau was isolated. No one climbed it, no one came down from it. Isolation from the outside world allowed Roraima to preserve unique species of plants and animals that had already become extinct or exterminated on the planet.
Thanks to an expedition in the 2000s, the largest currently known quartz cave system in the world was found on Roraima. To get into the cave, you need to descend to a depth of 72 m. The uniqueness of the dungeon, which stretches over 11 km, is that it has 18 exits.
Roraima inspires
Mention of the legendary mountain can be found in fiction and cinema. “The Abode of the Gods” inspired the creativity of many artists.
- Mount Roraima became known to the general public thanks to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel The Lost World. English writer was inspired by the published reports of the expedition led by Edvard Im Tern. Conan Doyle “settled” dinosaurs on Roraima. According to the plot of the novel, they were able to maintain their population, being isolated from the outside world.
- In the early 90s of the last century, the famous Hollywood director Steven Spielberg chose the foot of the “abode of the gods” as a filming location for his science-fiction film “Jurassic Park”.
- The documentary film “The Real Lost World”, produced in 2008 by Griffin Productions, was dedicated to Roraima. The film follows the journey of a team of modern explorers who venture to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors.
- In 2009, the Pixar film studio created the animated film Up. Mount Roraima was chosen as the location.
How is the ascent going?
Thousands of tourists visit tepuis every year. The journey begins from the capital of Venezuela – Caracas. From here, adventurers head to the small town of Santa Elena de Uairen. You can get there from the capital by bus. You must purchase a tour to visit Roraima from local travel agencies.
Climbing the mountain on your own is prohibited for two reasons. First of all, it's too dangerous. Secondly, the “abode of the gods” is located on the territory of a national reserve. A traveler who has purchased a tour receives a guide at his disposal. This is usually a representative of the Pemon tribe, who knows Mount Roraima and its surroundings well. You can hire a whole team of guides. The Indians will carry the traveler's belongings and prepare food for him. Traveling with guide-porters will cost $250. If tourists prefer to cook and carry their things on their own, the excursion will cost no more than $150. You can also climb Roraima by helicopter. However, not many adventurers choose this method of conquering the plateau due to the high cost. In addition, the traveler will not be able to get to know the flora and fauna of the mountain well enough.
From the city of Santa Elena de Uairen, the expedition arrives in the village of Paratepui. Travelers are usually transported by jeep. The tour lasts from six to ten days. First, the guide leads his clients through the savannah to show the foothills of Roraima. On the third day the ascent begins. It is necessary to prepare for the hike in advance. To climb a mountain, a person must be in good health physical fitness. It is advisable to undergo a full medical examination before traveling. You only need to take the essentials for your trip: warm, waterproof clothing, mosquito repellent and a food supply for 6-10 days.
Amazing beauty unusual mountain Roraima is located at the junction of three countries, Brazil, Venezuela (part of the Canaima National Park) and Guyana.
This is the so-called tepui, or table mountain. Tepuis are the remains of a huge plateau that in prehistoric times stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the borders of the Amazon, Orinoco and Rio Negro river basins. The plateau itself, in turn, was formed on the site of a huge lake that existed about two hundred million years ago, back in the days when South America formed a single continent. Or maybe, somewhere at this time, Atlantis existed.
The very word “Telui” in the language of the Pemon Indian tribes means “House of the Gods.” And indeed, Roraima, like her sisters, floats among the clouds, and the gods feast on her top.
In fact, tepuis for the most part stand isolated from each other and rise above the surrounding jungle with sheer cliffs hundreds or even thousands of meters high, thus, due to their inaccessibility, they are carriers of unique endemic animals and plants.
One of the first explorers to visit the Telui area was the German explorer Robert Schomburgk in 1835. He was fascinated by the mesas, but all his attempts to climb one of them failed. Only half a century later, in 1884, the Englishman Edward Thurn was able to climb to the top of Mount Roraima. But still, it was Robert Schomburgk’s report on his journey to the country of Telui that inspired famous writer Arthur Conan Doyle to write his unforgettable novel The Lost World.
Not the tallest among her sisters. Its height is 2,810 m, making it the third highest among the Telui. But Roraima is definitely the most beautiful of all. The fact is that the mountain is almost always surrounded by clouds, and in fact constantly floats in the celestial ocean.
The plateau at the top of the mountain has a surface of about 34 square kilometers, which is home to many amazing animals. This and huge rats and miniature absolutely black frogs, a little more than a centimeter in size, and the vegetation includes strange flowers that feed on insects. In general, about 80% of all animals and plants on the Roraima plateau are endemic, that is, they are found only here and nowhere else on Earth.
The mesas of Canaima Park are considered to be some of the oldest geological formations on Earth, dating back around two billion years to the Precambrian era.
From below you get the feeling that the plateau above is absolutely flat. In fact, the top is full of chaotic stone scatterings and heaps, steep hills and canyons. The mountains are made of dense sandstone, which weathers and erodes unevenly, forming bizarre rocks that look like fairytale castles, weird plants and mushrooms or chess pieces.
Roraima has another interesting feature. The fact is that the mountain attracts thunderstorms. Almost every day lightning strikes the top of the mountain and in fact there is not a single tree on it that would not be damaged by a lightning strike. This feature of Roraima safely allows it to be included in another phenomenon of thunderstorms and lightning.
An interesting fact: in 1993, the valley at the foot of the mountain served as the filming location for Steven Spielberg’s famous science-fiction blockbuster “Jurassic Park.”
Climbing Roraima usually carried out from the side of Venezuela, which owns three-quarters of the mountain, since this side has the gentlest slope. On the Guyana and Brazil sides there are huge sheer cliffs that have areas with a strong negative slope, and although there have been several cases of ascent from these sides, these are very difficult routes for rock climbing.
At the top of the plateau, several rivers originate, which fall down from many meters (several hundred meters) in height in the form of some of the highest and most beautiful waterfalls in the world. By the way, Angel Falls (the world's highest waterfall) is located in similar table mountains 130 kilometers from Roraima.
According to the beliefs of the Pemon Indians, Roraima is the stump of a giant tree from which all the fruits and vegetables in the world originate. A tree cut down by one of the gods collapsed to the ground, causing a terrible flood. The word “roraima” itself means “big blue-green”. Simple and uncomplicated.
Almost every day the mountain is irrigated by rains, which wash away all the nutrients for plants from its surface, forming a unique sandy and rocky surface. Roraima is also home to stunning waterfalls (Angel Falls, considered the highest, is also located on a similar mountain). On the surface of the mountain there are several islands for the life of flora, thanks to which it lives unique look carnivorous plants.
By the way, interesting fact- precisely after the expedition to Mount Roraima, famous writer Arthur Conan Doyle decided to write his novel called The Lost World. The surrounding nature shocked this writer so much.
In 2008, the Discovery Channel, together with Animal Planet, released an educational adventure film, Animal Planet: The Real Lost Word, dedicated to the world of Mount Roraima, the landscapes and nature of which seem to have come straight from the pages of science fiction novels.
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