Thursday, September 26, 2013
The Tallest Waterfall in the World
Seen here from below is Angel Falls (Salto Ángel or Kerepakupai Vená) in Canaima National Park, Venezuela. It is the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall with a height of 979 m (3,212 ft) and a plunge of 807 m (2,648 ft).
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the height figure 979 m (3,212 ft) mostly consists of the main plunge but also includes about 400 m (0.25 mi) of sloped cascades and rapids below the drop and a 30-metre (98 ft) high plunge downstream.
According to a CNN article,
“Angel Falls is so high that some of the water evaporates before it even reaches the pool below. Unlike most falls, this one isn’t fed by snowmelt, a lake or a river, but by rainfall from the tropical clouds.”
While the falls are one of Venezuela’s top tourist attractions, they can be hard to reach due to their location in an isolated jungle. A flight from Puerto Ordaz or Ciudad Bolívar is required to reach Canaima camp, the starting point for river trips to the base of the falls.
