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OUTSIDE GUYANA - BORDER VENEZUELA
MOUNT RORAIMA |
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| REGION 1 Santa Rosa - Moruca Mabaruma & Shell Beach Port Kaituma REGION
2 REGION
3 REGION 7 |
Parapetui This is a small Amerindian village at the start of the walk. Porters can be arranged from here on a rota system worked out by the Captain (this is the only source of income for many of the villagers). Porters cost 15,000 Bolivars per day. Camping here costs 1000 Bolivars per night. There is access to water, but no food. Walkers have to register here at the Parc office and a list is made of all packaged food-stuff to be taken on the walk as all packets / bottles and toilet paper should be brought back down and taken from the village to be disposed of in San Francisco / Santa Elena. There are tight controls on items allowed on the mountain (no glass bottles for instance), and this has meant that the park is kept in a good condition.
Itinerary Day 1: Parapetui to Camp Militaire 6 hours flat walking (apart from a strong hill at the start) across the Savannah, watching Roraima in the distance. There are plenty of fresh water streams / rivers to fill up water bottles (take purification tablets for this stage). The sun can be very intense, but there is usually a savannah breeze to keep the temperature down. Alternative: walk another two hours to the Base camp at the foot of Roraima. Day 2: Camp Militaire to Roraima Top 2 hours walk uphill to the base, another 3 hours up the side of Roraima through forested slopes, and under a waterfall with towering tree ferns above. A strenuous scramble all the way - but the views and the amazing vegetation are well worth the effort! In the afternoon a short walk to the peak to look down at the savannah below. Day 3: On top of Roraima Various short walks can be made to the different sites, or a full day spent going to the triple-point, where the three countries meet. Day 4: Roraima top to Rio Tek 2 hours down the steep slopes to the base camp; 4 hours walk across the savannah to Rio Tek to swim and relax in the river. Day 5: Rio Tek to Parapetui 3 hour walk back to Parapetui, jeep to San Francisco. Alternative: the walk down from Roraima to Parapetui can
be done in one day.
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