Mount Roraima

By Martin Li

Mount Roraima is one of the most majestic of the ancient and mysterious tepui (tabletop) mountains that dot Venezuela’s Gran Sabana. These massive, flat-topped mountains rise almost vertically from the remote savannah, forming surreal “islands in time”. Roraima’s summit is guarded by walls so immense and steep it was long believed to be unscalable, and possibly the last refuge of lost species. Tales of dinosaurs and the dramatic reports of the first ascent inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic adventure novel The Lost World.

Nothing on the climb prepares you for the eerie landscape on the summit plateau, where fantasy meets reality. As far as you can see, a labyrinth of massive dark rocks, gorges and fissures, extends across a desolate plateau, with many rocks balanced crazily and seemingly impossibly on top of each other. One wrong turn in the rocky labyrinth and you could be lost for hours, if not worse.

Some rock formations resemble giant animals—guardians of this prehistoric domain frozen in time. Exploring further, you reach surprisingly lush valleys, plains of sparkling quartz crystals and enchanting natural pools, some sunken in caverns beneath the ground.

Despite the setting and the legends, there are no dinosaurs on Roraima’s summit. The only endemic beast is a tiny black toad with a distinctive yellow marking on its back. Having evolved unthreatened in its habitat, it is blind, unable to swim and can only move at a very sluggish pace. Over half of the bizarre vegetation on Roraima’s summit is unique to tepuis or Roraima alone, including orchids and carnivorous plants.

The ascent of Roraima involves a tough but enjoyable trek. From the Pemón village of Peraitepui, you walk for two days across the Gran Sabana, towards the massive bulks of Roraima and the neighbouring tepui of Kukenán. You ford two rivers, and might need ropes if the water is high. You follow a narrow path through lush cloud forest, waterfalls and strange rock formations, hauling yourself up with the help of roots and branches, and scrambling over large rocks. Occasionally where the vegetation thins out, you glimpse magnificent views of Roraima’s face and the huge expanse of the Gran Sabana far below.