Canaima National Park - This park is located in the highlands of Guayana, covering an area of three million hectares. It is among the largest national parks in the world. Within the park is the Carrao river basin, the headquarters of the Caroni, the magnificent mountain scenery of Sierra de Lema, the immense rolling plains of Gran Sabana, waterfalls of great magnitude, like the Kukenan and the Angel Falls (pictured left); impenetrable forest, and the western slopes of the majestic mount Roraima.

Guayana's hydraulic resources are located within this park, like the Caroni river, which feeds the 'Raul Leoni' dam. Its climate is tropical, subject to frequent precipitations. The driest season is between December and April.

The most characteristic feature of this park is the abundance of beautiful waterfalls, like the above mentioned Kukenan and Angel Falls, and lesser ones, like Chinack-meru, Toron-meru, Ivarana-meru, Epopa, Apauren, Alcha-meru, and Techineck-meru. In the Pemon indians language, meru means "waterfall."

The territory has thick forests, with a great variety of trees, and over five hundred species of orchids. The fauna is constituted by a great variety of birds, lizards, snakes, and mammals. Among the latter, the following should be mentioned; giant anteater, giant armadillo, giant otter, Jaguar, ocelot, three-toed sloth, squirrel, spiny rat, agouti, paca, capybara, tree porcupine, crab-eating raccoon, bush dog, tayra, puma, tapir, peccary, red brocket, and several species of monkeys.

The Canaima Lake is the most visited spot by tourists, thanks to its excellent hotel facilities, and its airport, apt for commercial jet liners. The only way to reach the park is by air. Avensa offers scheduled flights. Nevertheless, the eastern part of the park may be reached by car, using the new El Dorado-Luepa Santa Elena de Uairen road, which goes all the way down the frontier with Brazil. This road has a branch leading to Kanavayen, a small village near which the Aponwao waterfalls is located. There are also several interesting tepuis -vertical sided mountains with a flat top, looking like gigantic green pillars.