Akopán Tepui, Ancient Rock Art & Cave of Ghosts

VENEZUELA PLAN

A unique adventure to visit three little-known and under-explored sites to see an amazing range of plants, animals and scenic wonders!

(1) a climb up Akopán Tepui to see Heliamphora pulchella and the unnamed species H. sp. 'Akopán' - then trek as far as possible across the unexplored summit area connecting to the Chimantá Massif, where we may see H. exappendiculata, H. huberi or perhaps find new species.

(2) we then undertake a short lowland trek to see some recently discovered and little-documented ancient Amerindian rock art. The area is famous for poison arrow frogs and ancient Amerindian chippings and arrow heads.

(3) a trek to one of the most spectacular but least-visited sites in Venezuela, the Cave of Ghosts. This gigantic cavern was discovered in 2006 and has only ever been seen by a few people before. We'll trek into the giant cave and see the "ghostly" view of a giant waterfall in its entrance. This will be like seeing Angel Falls 50 years ago before it became touristic! The Cave of Ghosts is one of the great wonders of Venezuela.

ITINERARY

If participants arrive in Manaus before January 10th, the hotel "Go Inn" in is strongly recommended as a convenient, pleasant and cost effective place to stay.

January 10th - Journey to Santa Elena 7:00: early breakfast at hotel Go Inn, Manaus. 8:00: taxi from hotel Go Inn to Manaus airport. 9:00: check-in at Azul airlines flight Manaus / Boa Vista. 12:00: Azul airlines flight from Manaus to Boa Vista (1 hour). 13:00: arrival in Boa Vista, meeting with guides and lunch at restaurant. 14:00: van transfer Boa Vista to Santa Elena (2 1/2 hour). 16:30: arrival at border and passport stamp. 18:00: arrival in Venezuela and transfer to Santa Elena de Uairen. 19:30: dinner Posada Los Piños. Overnight Posada Los Piños in Santa Elena.

January 11th - Journey to Akopán Tepui 6:00: early start after breakfast in the Posada at Santa Elena. 8:00: charter flight on a Cessna 206 from Santa Elena to Yunek (45 min). 9:00: arrival at Yunek, a remote Pemón Amerindian village community, to meet with local guides and porters. 12:30: lunch and refreshments. 14:00: Expedition information meeting. 19:30: Dinner at Yunek. Overnight in tents or hammocks with mosquito nets. Possible visits to Pemón houses.

January 12th - Climb up Akopán Tepui 6:30: Early start after breakfast at campsite. 7:00: Arrangement of cargo for porters. 8:00: Hike to the first Akopán campsite "Piama-parú" (6 hrs). Lunch along the way. 19:00: Dinner at campsite. Overnight in tents. January 13th - Climb up Akopán Tepui 6:30: Early start after breakfast at campsite. 7:30: Hike trough the dense tepui forest on the slope of Akopán-tepui from "Piamá" river campsite to the "Inká" camp (4 hrs). Look for Heliamphora sp. 'Akopán'. Lunch along the way. 19:00: Dinner at "Kaivonok" campsite. Overnight in tents

January 14th - Climb up Akopán Tepui 6:00: Early start after breakfast at campsite. 7:30: Hike trough the Yunek river rocky bed from "Piamá-parú" to "Kaivonok camp - Estrella campsite" (5-6 hrs). Explore diverse populations of Heliamphora pulchella. Lunch at the tepui´s summit entrance. 19:00: Dinner at "Kaivonok" campsite. Overnight in tents.

January 15th - Explore the summit of Akopán Tepui Exploration of the tepui summit to observe flora and fauna. Trek across unexplored connecting area to the rest of the Chimantá Massif. Search for H. exappendiculata and H. huberi.

January 16th - Explore the summit of Akopán Tepui Exploration of the tepui summit to observe flora and fauna. Trek across unexplored connecting area to the rest of the Chimantá Massif. Search for H. exappendiculata and H. huberi.

January 17th - Climb down Akopán Tepui 6:00: Early start after breakfast at campsite. 7:30: Descend hike from "Kaivonok" camp (tepui summit) to "Inká" camp (4 hrs). Lunch along the way. 19:00: Dinner at "Inká" campsite. Overnight in tents.

January 18th - Climb down Akopán Tepui 6:00: Early start after breakfast at campsite. 7:30: Descend hike from "Inká" camp to "Surupán" river (savannah edge). Lunch and bathing at "Surupán" camp. 19:00: Dinner at "Surupán" camp. Overnight in tents.

January 19th - Pictograms (ancient rock paintings) 6:00: Early start after breakfast at campsite. 7:30: Hike from "Surupán" river camp to pictograms located at base of Upuigma tepui (5 hrs). Lunch at Arawac river. Look for poison arrow frogs. 19:00: Dinner at Pictograms rock boulder with pictograms. Overnight in tents.

January 20th - Journey to Cave of Ghosts 6:00: Early start after breakfast at campsite. 7:30. Return hike from Pictograms camp to Yunek (4 hrs). Lunch and bathing at Yunek community. 13:00: panoramic charter flight in cessna from Yunek to Purpurken. 13:30: arrival to Purpurken and meeting with the community. 19:00: dinner at Purpurken community. Overnight in hammocks with mosquito nets or tents. Possible visits to Pemón houses. January 21st - Trek to Cave of Ghosts 6:30: early start hike after breakfast to first campsite "Tök Prada" (8 hours) Lunch along the way at river Aprada. Overnight in tents at "Tök Prada".

January 22nd - Explore Cave of Ghosts 6:30: early start hike after breakfast from "Tök Prada" campsite to "Salto Kavanarú-pa" (4 hours). Lunch at rest at "Salto Kavanarú-pa". 14:00 Hike "Salto Kavanarú-pa" to "Cueva del Fantasma" (3 hours). 17:00: "Cueva del Fantasma" exploration. 19:00 Return from "Cueva del Fantasma" to "Tarai campsite". Overnight in "Tarai" campsite.

January 23rd - Return to Purpurken and then to Santa Elena 6:30: early start hike after breakfast from "Tarai campsite" to "Purpurken" community (8 hours). Lunch at Aprada river. 13:30: arrival at Purpurken. 14:30: charter flight Cessna 206 PUR / Santa Elena 15:30: arrival in Santa Elena 16:30: passport stamp at border Brazil/Venezuela Car transfer Pakaraima / Boa Vista (2 1/2 hours). 20:00: night bus BVA / Manaus (10 hours).

January 24th - Return to Manaus 6:00: arrival in Manaus, in time for departing flights.

OPTIONAL ADD-ON: For those that want to, an extra add-on day can be added (on January 24th) to visit the lowland population of Heliamphora heterodoxa, the Jasper Creek and waterfalls in the lowlands of the Gran Sabana. Those that wish to do this would arrive in Manaus on the morning of January 26th at 6:00 am in time for departing flights. Cost will be established on confirmation of the number of people wanting to do this, but the add-on will not be expensive.

END OF SERVICE

INCLUDES: All ground transportation All domestic and charter flights All meals Money exchange service All hotels and posadas First class stove and cooking gear Experienced guides (Stewart McPherson and Emilio Perez). Cook and porters for all group camping gear Sat phone and radio for emergencies First aid kit

NOT INCLUDED: Personal porter for Akopán, pictogram or Cave of Ghosts trek - 15 kg max 20 euros/day. TEAM

Key personnel:

Stewart McPherson: Stewart has been visiting Venezuela for over a decade and has explored over 35 Tepuyes in order to write 7 books exploring the history and wildlife of the Gran Sabana. His titles include Lost Worlds, which focuses specifically on the Tepuyes, and six other books that explore the carnivorous plants of the region. He has filmed several times in Venezuela.

Emilio Perez: Emilio is one of the leading authorities on the Tepuyes, having personally authored numerous books, publications and maps on Mount Roraima, Auyan Tepui and the region. He has explored numerous Tepuyes for over a decade, personally guided and assisted Disney Pixar (for the 2009 movie UP) and guided countless documentary projects, including for the BBC, Marco Polo (Germany) and projects for Werner Herzog and Ray Mears. Emilio has excellent links with the German Embassy to facilitate visas and equipment import documents. A reference can be provided from Marco Polo (send an email for introduction to contact).

Stewart and Emilio have worked together numerous times and have an excellent team for organising all logistics and paperwork.

Javier Mesa, Antonio Hitcher and a medic (most likely Jose Faltrer) will be also participating as staff on this expedition. Climb up Akopán Tepui

After flying to the remote Amerindian village of Yunek, we will begin the climb up Akopán Tepui, passing spectacular scenery and views of Churi Tepui. We will see traditional Pemón Amerindian houses and could visit remote communities. With luck, we might see savannah anteaters shuffling through the Gran Sabana.

During the trek up Akopán, we will have good wildlife-spotting opportunities in lush montane forest rich with birdlife and mammals. Heliamphora on Akopán Tepui

Climbing up Akopán Tepui, we will find Heliamphora sp. 'Akopán'. A new species with a distinctive nectar spoon. It is related to H. heterodoxa, but differs in key respects. This plant has only ever been photographed on a few occasions previously.

We will also see extensive populations of Heliamphora pulchella on the summit of Akopán Tepui, as well as a wide range of Utricularia, Genlisea and Drosera. We will see several Brocchinia species, including the carnivorous B. hechtioides and B. reducta. There is also a giant Brocchinia species which may represent a new species.

Exploring Akopán Tepui towards Chimantá

We have two days on the summit of Akopán Tepui, and will attempt to trek as far into the Chimantá Massif as possible.

During previous trips to Akopán Tepui, a route towards the Chimantá Massif was been scouted and appears passable. Our team of guides and porters will machete a trail that we can follow and explore as far as possible. The linking area between Akopán Tepui and the Chimantá Massif is unexplored.

Nearby areas of the Chimantá Massif are home to Heliamphora exappendiculata and H. huberi. Neither species can be guaranteed, but there is a good chance that we may encounter both. There is a smaller possibility of seeing H. chimantensis and H. uncinata.

We may see the iridescent leaved fern Elaphoglossum wurdackii, and the iridescent leaved plant Stegolepis lingulata. Ancient Rock Art Pictograms

After our trek to Akopán Tepui, we will return to Yunek and trek to the side of the spectacular Upuigma Tepui to find ancient pictographs amongst giant boulders. The ancient art has only ever been seen on a few previous occasions and remains little documented. Ancient Amerindian stone chippings and arrowheads can also be found nearby. The poison arrow frog Dendrobates leucomelas is usually seen.

We can visit the fascinating Pemón villages to see their fast vanishing culture. If lucky, we may be able to try local Pemón foods and drinks, and discover their unique way of life amongst the Tepuyes. Cave of Ghosts

After visiting the ancient pictograms, we will transfer by cessna to the village of Purpurken to trek to the spectacular Cave of Ghosts - a monumental cavern (not a true cave) that was discovered only recently. So called because a gigantic waterfall cascades close to the entrance creating a ghost-like apparition near the entrance that blows in the wind. The size of the Cave of Ghosts is incredible. Check out the photo below and spot the helicopter!

This amazing natural wonder has only ever been seen a few times by a handful of previous visitors! It is like visiting Angel Falls 50 years ago! The area around the giant cave is little explored and virtually unbotanised!

OPTIONAL ADD-ON:

Day trip to visit Heliamphora heterodoxa population in the Gran Sabana, the blood-red jasper creek and several spectacular waterfalls in the Gran Sabana. Departing Santa Elena and returning to Santa Elena.