The procedure this morning was the same as 2 month ago. The petrol truck was still working to fill up the petrol tanks of the gas station while the first cars arrived and queued up. Cars with the lid on the right side had to enter the que to the left and vice versa. Everybody was patiently waiting for the petrol truck to finish his work and for the gas station to open. The sergeant pointed to me to move forward and it was my turn. I filled up myself up to the lid entrance. I went to the restaurant to say good bye to the waiter and drove slowly towards San Francisco de Yuruani.
Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.
I stopped for the first time at the recreation area Kama Meru, parked the car and walked to the river. Getting closer to the river I started hearing the noise of a waterfall and when I arrived at the riverbed the edge of the waterfall was just a few meters away. I walked on the big stones that were in the river as close as possible to the edge but could not see the real depth of the waterfall. I was curious, a path brought me first slightly up a hill then around some rocks and within a second I could see the waterfall. The water had found its way through several cascades and the depth was definitely more than I had expected, altogether a good start for my first impressions of the National Park Canaima.
I arrived at Kumarakapay and went to the snack bar to have a drink and a Pastel. Kumarakapay was an indigenous village, clean, organized, and simple, with a police station and First aid center. I sat down at the table with three more indigenous and started my inquiry. Most of the indigenous of the area are working for the tour operators as carriers and a handful as guides. The operator earns most of the asking price of 150.000 Bolivares, 900 Brazilian Reales or 225 Euros second the guide and last the carrier. The operators do not negotiate and you had to look for private guides and carriers and then decide how much comfort you want. You could put together your own small group and lower the individual price. The guide wants around 75.000 Bolivares regardless how many people are in the group. The carrier wants around 30.000 Bolivares and can be contracted directly. This was as far as I could get in my first conversation.
Horacio, my conversation partner was a carrier and wanted to go to Pacaraima for an indigenous friendly football match between Venezuela and Brazil. I offered to take him to Santa Elena de Uairen. This way I could continue the conversation and ask for his personal details and have my first real option. He was not available right now as he had a tour already confirmed for tomorrow, six days, three days to go up, one day on the top and two days to go back. I had enough information.
Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.
We arrived at the military post and I met the same sergeant from 2 month ago. His job did not permit him to smile but I could see in his eyes that he was smiling to see the crazy German again. I had been signed in into their big book and now I had to be signed out again. No excessive inspection of me or the car.
We arrived in Santa Elena de Uairen and I dropped Horacio off and went straight to the house of Luis, who had been recommended from my Czech and Slovakian friends. Luis was a guide and he would want the amount mentioned above and hopefully would be looking for more backpackers to join my group. For tonight my group was just me.
Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.
For a small understanding of the days travel, I have included a Google Earth map. The red pins mark the locations I have stopped and taken pictures. At the bottom of the page you will find a link for all the pictures I have taken. The link will open in a Google+ Album.
Please click on map to enlarge!!!
See map and distances / Siehe Karte und Entfernungen / Ver mapa e distâncias / Ver mapa y distancias
0 km Kamoiran
75 km San Francisco
145 km Santa Elena de Uairen
Please click on “View Album” to see pictures in a Google+ Album.