Angel Falls: When is the best time to visit?

When is the best time to visit

The "wet" season is typically from June to November (though rain tends to be most frequent from June to September and more intermittent from September through December). Under these conditions, obviously Angel Falls tends to have the heaviest flow. However, this is also the time when rain-bearing clouds shroud the Auyantepuy (and consequently Angel Falls) often obscuring your view of the waterfall. This is also the time overflights (sobrevuelos) of Angel Falls are more likely to be grounded because of the likelihood of poor visibility. On the flip side, if you're doing the overnight river trip, the long ride is more likely to be smoother due to the swollen rivers (and hence fewer exposed rocks and the need to portage).

The "dry" season is typically from January through May. During this time, rain is less frequent, Angel Falls has lighter flow, river travel becomes slower (or even impossible), and overflights are least likely to be grounded. The flow of the falls can degenerate into a wispy plume that disappears in the air before reappearing as lower cascades at the base. Naturally, river levels are low making the river trip slower or cancelled altogether. However, overflights are most possible because cloud cover is less frequent and thus visibility is much greater.

When it comes to temperature and humidity, this may be the more comfortable time of year to visit (though it's still humid year round), and mosquitoes and jejenes aren't as abundant as they are in the wet season.

We've been to Angel Falls in the last week of November in 2007. In our experience, the falls were flowing rather average on the day we arrived at the lookout to the falls (Mirador Laime or Mirador Salto Angel). However, the following day (after 8 consecutive hours of night time heavy rain), the falls were booming. The entire time we were at the falls, clouds always swirled around obscuring the attraction but then momentarily opening up to reveal the falls in its entirety. This attests to the fickle nature of tropical weather (especially around the equator).

So in the end, admittedly it's a roll of the dice what your viewing experience will be. However, you can't predict the future and a visit to the falls is special no matter how you experience it. Worrying about it before your trip isn't going to change anything.

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