A Day-Trip to Kavak

Upon entering the village a visitor will walk along a trail through the rain forest. Following the river, the visitor sees small falls, swims beneath falls, swims from one side of the trail to the other side of the river to pick up the trail on the opposite shore. They will enter a grotto through a cave-like opening.

Quick Tips:

Be in fairly good physical condition to take this trip. Wear an old pair of tennis shoes, some that you could leave behind if needed. Bring plenty of suntan lotion, insect repellant, and dry clothes.

Best Way To Get Around:

This trip is a walking and swimming trip. There are no luxuries to be found. You will fly into the village in a small Cessna.

It is difficult to describe the majesty of the highest single fall waterfalls in the world. The only way that I can really give a true impression is to say, "Spectacular!!" Beginning atop "Auyan-Tepui", this waterfall falls 1001 meters (more than 3000 feet) in a single drop and is revered by the indigenous people and by visitors alike. My wife and I took a day-trip to Kavak, and we were privileged to fly past this marvelous sight. Our group flew in a sixteen passenger Cessna and passed through the valley that holds the awesome waterfalls. We took the time to take as many photographs of the waterfalls as we could in the limited time available.

One source of pride for me from this trip is that my wife and I are in exclusive company. Less than one million people in history have viewed the wonder of Salto Angel. Those who have the time and the energy can hire a guide can in the village of Canaima. This person will give you an opportunity to get closer to the falls by traveling in a dugout canoe and hiking. My wife and I were able to make even more spectacular photos when we took this additional trip to the waterfalls.

Either from the air or from the ground, Angel Falls is one of the eight natural wonders of the world. I will highly recommend that every visitor to Venezuela find some way to visit this awesome sight.

Kavak is a village in Venezuela that has about 45 - 50 residents. It is located along a clearing in the jungle inside of Parque Nacional Canaima. The villagers of Kavak are "indigenos," who live in huts constructed of poles cut from the local trees and covered with straw to protect from the elements. Very few visitors ever come to this area of the country. In fact, outsiders arrive only 2 or 3 times per month. The most effective way to get to Kavak is to fly in on a small airplane from either Caracas or fro Ciudad Bolivar.

The trip in to Kavak is almost as exciting as walking around the village itself. The flight in takes the visitor over an area covered by jungle. The flat-topped mountains, called tepuis, can be seen throughout the region in which the park is located. If one has clear weather and sufficient rain, most pilots will fly the planes through the valley in which Angel Falls is located. Those who see this beautiful sight can consider themselves extremely privileged.

The normal tourist that comes to Kavak will be part of a guided tour that takes the walking/swimming tour through the jungle from the village to Kavak cave. This tour usually takes about four hours. When the group returns from the tour, they are served a meal of chicken and potatoes that has been provided by the tour company (but cooked by the villagers). After the meal, visitors may purchase crafts made by the residents. Any person that wants to see an area that time has passed should visit this village. It is one of the most beautiful areas in the country of Venezuela.

Throughout history, man has always become excited watching water tumble down from above. Many of the early human religious sites were located among areas with waterfalls. Thus, it should be no surprise that much of modern travel centers around these areas, as well. The main purpose of a journey to Kavak is to view a cave, or grotto, that can be found after walking through the jungle.

My wife and I were among the few visitors that come to the village of Kavak. We were told that only 25 – 30 people per month were permitted to travel to this area. The residents (about forty indigenous people) of the village were standing along the side of the small airstrip that had been cleared from the brush to greet us. It was with a strong feeling of pride that I realized that less than 5000 other people in history had ever visited this village. For me, being part of a unique group is something to be desired.

While we were in the village, one of the difficulties for us to understand was the apparent poverty of the village. No electricity was available for any purpose. Even the radio used for communications (in the main cabin of the village) was run using a large battery. All of the activities in the village were done using manual labor. Yet, the people were warm-hearted and were able to function as well as those of us in the "modern" world.

Eventually, two of the men in the village joined our small group (there were 10 of us) as guides for a three-hour journey traversing a path through the growth in the region to a cave. After swimming through the opening of the cave, visitors pass into an open area that contains a waterfall of 100+ meters. The unexpected site is nature at its most beautiful. Our group spent time walking under the falls, taking pictures, and enjoying the splendor of the sight. Still, we needed enough energy for the return trip to the village, where a luncheon feast had been prepared. I hope to have another opportunity to visit this cave.

Guides will lead the visitor along a trail which winds through the rain forest along several rivers (streams). A person will have the opportunity to swim beneath a 70 meter waterfall, wade through a river, and walk the trail. Abruptly the trail ends. At this point one must dive into the river and swim about 1/2 kilometer upstream to reach a position on the opposite shore in which they can continue travelling. Soon, the trail ends (again).

One must swim to the entrance of a cave. The guides will help the visitor to swim through the cave, which opens into a grotto. The grotto has another waterfall, almost 100+ meters. The return trip takes one a slightly different route. After returning to the village a meal is presented in one of the native huts.

Kavak is a village of indigenous people in the jungles of Venezuela. It is located within Canaima National Park (Parque Nacional Canaima). Those who live in the village of Kavak are descended from the Pemon tribe. At one time, the Pemones were a very strong group of people, and had a population during the 1500's of about two million people. Within a period of less than 100 years the population of the tribe declined to less than 50,000 people. This was due to the conquest by the Spanish. Many dies of disease and genocide. Others left the villages to intermarry with other the cultures in the country. Now, many of those who are raised in the villages seek to make more money by moving to the larger cities and mixing with the remainder of modern society.

I have had the honor to visit Kavak on two occasions. During both of these visits I was treated very kindly. The forty villagers that remain in Kavak maintain the traditional customs of the Pemon people. They obtain most of their food by what many anthropologists call "hunting and gathering." A small amount of fruit and produce are grown in a garden plot on the outskirts of the village, but it is not sufficient to meet the needs of the tribe.

Since 1995, the village of Kavak has become a site for tourists to make a "day trip." Most of these trips originate from either Isla de Margarita or from Ciudad Bolivar. Normally, there are only two or three trips per month that are permitted into the village, each with between eight and fifteen people. This is a perfect opportunity for those adventure-prone individuals that like to visit places that are "off the beaten path."

Access to the village is by a Cessna, which will land on the small grass and dirt strip that was beside the village. The villagers line the sides of the airstrip as the plane taxis in during its landing. Other than these few trips by tourists, there is no other contact between these indigenous people and civilization. When one steps into the village, they are in a unique position. Consider that there have been about 10 billion people who have lived in all of history. Of those, less than 3000 have visited the village of Kavak. For the adventure-prone, being a part of such a select group is important.

I want to encourage the readers of this journal to consider a trip to Kavak. This will be an experience that takes you to the edge of civilization and allows you to see the natural beauty of Venezuela.