What is a waterfall? It is flowing from a high steep cliff that crosses the riverbed, forming a sharp drop in height, water flows. Such a spectacle captivates with unprecedented beauty when a falling avalanche breaks into small streams and water dust. And the higher the cliff, the more beautiful the view of the sparkling mass rushing down. We will tell you about the highest waterfall in the world and where it is located in this article.
A bit of history
For the first time, a very high waterfall was spotted by pioneer from Spain Ernesto Sanchez la Cruz in the early twentieth century. However, this miracle of nature is named after the American gold digger J.K. Angel, whose plane crashed nearby a falling water stream in 1935. Assuming that there are large deposits of diamonds in this area, he and his three companions visited these lands. But during the landing, the chassis burst, and there were no minerals except quartz.
Travelers, having spent eleven days on the return trip, went through the dangerous jungle on foot. After their return, the pilot told about a huge waterfall, which was named after him - Angel (Spanish Salto Angel).
Geographic information
Where is the highest waterfall in the world, whose height is nine hundred seventy nine meters? Angel, and its full name is Salto Angel, is located in the rainforests of Venezuela, Canaima National Park. During the expedition of the National Geographic Society of the United States in 1949, its height was calculated. And also it was included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites as the highest in the world. Due to the small width of one hundred and seven meters, the stream does not seem massive, the falling water scatters around the neighborhood, turning into a dense fog that disperses several kilometers. The waterfall is fed from the Churuni River, which flows along Mount Auyan-Tepui. A falling avalanche falls into the river Kerep.
Mount Auyan-Tepui
What is the highest waterfall in the world? Of course, this is Angel. It is located in Venezuela, which is famous for its table mountains. The huge plateau, rising above the surface of the earth, is not much like the usual mountains. There are rivers on its surface, one of them - Churun - and gives rise to a waterfall. It descends from the highest mountain with flat peaks, or tepui in another way, as the locals used to call them.
“Devil’s Mountain” - this is how Auyan-Tepui is translated. In the southeast of Venezuela there are about a hundred similar hills. They are distinguished by their enormous height, horizontal slopes and very flat peaks; it is not for nothing that they are called table mountains. Their formation came from sandstones several billion years ago. Under the influence of constant rains there is a continuous destruction of the slopes.
Angel Falls
If you are at the foot of the mountain and look upward at the brilliant stream of the famous Angel, which is the highest waterfall in the world, it seems that it is a continuous avalanche. In fact, part of the waters of the Churun River falls from above, and the other seeped into the thickness of the rock a hundred meters lower, and only then they come together and rush down, making a total length of almost a kilometer.
The width of the waterfall depends on weather conditions. In the period of tropical showers, which prevail in the summer and autumn months, it reaches one hundred meters, in the dry season it consists of two insignificant streams, and in drought it is generally a thin stream. Angel is located among impenetrable rainforests, where there are not even paths, so tourists cannot enjoy the pristine beauty nearby. But then rare animals and amazing vegetation live here. Indigenous people - Indians are engaged in the service of tourists who arrive in these places by canoe or small planes.
Which river has the highest waterfall in the world?
This river is called Churun. She became famous for giving rise to the highest Angel Falls in the world. Churun is one of the many mountain streams originating on one of the slopes of the Guiana plateau. Being a tributary of the Caroni, winding along the faults of the plateau, it reaches the peak of Auyan-Tepui with an area of up to 700 square kilometers and, reaching the northern side of its edge, falls down. Its speed increases sharply, and an avalanche of water rushing into the abyss with a noisy thunder.
If you observe from afar, a narrow shiny strip of water is visible, which begins at the very edge of the cliff, and then gradually increases to a sparkling column of spray, and then turns into fog. During rains, this highest waterfall in the world on the Churun River is complemented by a large number of streams that flow from the cracks of the highlands. Streams of water, rushing from a huge height, are divided into small particles, hovering above green vegetation. All the water that reaches the earth ends up in the Kerep River.
Tourism
The highest waterfall, which is located in Venezuela, is not very popular and famous. Much more famous are Niagara - in North America, and Victoria - in Africa. This is due to the not very successful location of Angel. It is surrounded on all sides by impassable rainforests. Arriving at the place where the highest waterfall in the world is possible is only by the river Kerep and by helicopter or a small plane. Tourist routes to the waterfall are carried out from Caracas - the capital of the country and the city of Ciudad Bolivar, which is located six hundred kilometers north of Angel Falls.
And the nearest settlement of Canaima is located 50 km from the attraction. It has comfortable hotels, tourist entertainment centers and shops. In favorable weather, from November to May, excursions are carried out by plane to the surroundings of the waterfall, and at its foot you can swim in a canoe with a motor or admire the beauties by walking through the jungle on foot.
Curious facts
What is the highest waterfall in the world about which there are many interesting facts? Of course, this is Angel:
It is formed by the Churun River, the waters of which fall from a huge mountain. It is twenty times the height of the famous and famous Niagara Falls.
- Angel is surrounded by wild forests, and for many millennia only local Indians from the tribe Pemon knew about it. They believed that the evil spirits that badly relate to ordinary people live upstairs.
- The discoverer Angel spent the end of his life in Venezuela, he died in 1956. He bequeathed his ashes to the raging waterfall, which was later done.
Useful information
Many people, having learned what is the highest waterfall in the world, will want to go on a trip to look at the pristine beauty of these places. A visit to the waterfall is an excursion that requires special preparation. Travel agencies have fatal stories. To avoid trouble, you must follow these simple rules:
- Follow the instructions that are given when visiting excursions.
- Do not go beyond the existing fences, they do not allow an accidental fall.
- Take care of comfortable shoes so as not to restrict freedom of movement.
- Stock up on waterproof wraps so that splashes do not soak clothing and equipment.
To take pictures of water in motion in pictures, you must:
- Use a short shutter speed, while the flow and spray will freeze in time and space.
- Apply a slow shutter speed - the appearance of water movement will remain, but objects will be slightly blurred.
- Important - do not shoot against the sun.
