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One source of pride for me from this trip is that my wife and I are in exclusive company. Less than one million people in history have viewed the wonder of Salto Angel. Those who have the time and the energy can hire a guide can in the village of Canaima. This person will give you an opportunity to get closer to the falls by traveling in a dugout canoe and hiking. My wife and I were able to make even more spectacular photos when we took this additional trip to the waterfalls.

Either from the air or from the ground, Angel Falls is one of the eight natural wonders of the world. I will highly recommend that every visitor to Venezuela find some way to visit this awesome sight.

The trip in to Kavak is almost as exciting as walking around the village itself. The flight in takes the visitor over an area covered by jungle. The flat-topped mountains, called tepuis, can be seen throughout the region in which the park is located. If one has clear weather and sufficient rain, most pilots will fly the planes through the valley in which Angel Falls is located. Those who see this beautiful sight can consider themselves extremely privileged.

The normal tourist that comes to Kavak will be part of a guided tour that takes the walking/swimming tour through the jungle from the village to Kavak cave. This tour usually takes about four hours. When the group returns from the tour, they are served a meal of chicken and potatoes that has been provided by the tour company (but cooked by the villagers). After the meal, visitors may purchase crafts made by the residents. Any person that wants to see an area that time has passed should visit this village. It is one of the most beautiful areas in the country of Venezuela.

My wife and I were among the few visitors that come to the village of Kavak. We were told that only 25 – 30 people per month were permitted to travel to this area. The residents (about forty indigenous people) of the village were standing along the side of the small airstrip that had been cleared from the brush to greet us. It was with a strong feeling of pride that I realized that less than 5000 other people in history had ever visited this village. For me, being part of a unique group is something to be desired.

While we were in the village, one of the difficulties for us to understand was the apparent poverty of the village. No electricity was available for any purpose. Even the radio used for communications (in the main cabin of the village) was run using a large battery. All of the activities in the village were done using manual labor. Yet, the people were warm-hearted and were able to function as well as those of us in the "modern" world.

Eventually, two of the men in the village joined our small group (there were 10 of us) as guides for a three-hour journey traversing a path through the growth in the region to a cave. After swimming through the opening of the cave, visitors pass into an open area that contains a waterfall of 100+ meters. The unexpected site is nature at its most beautiful. Our group spent time walking under the falls, taking pictures, and enjoying the splendor of the sight. Still, we needed enough energy for the return trip to the village, where a luncheon feast had been prepared. I hope to have another opportunity to visit this cave.

One must swim to the entrance of a cave. The guides will help the visitor to swim through the cave, which opens into a grotto. The grotto has another waterfall, almost 100+ meters. The return trip takes one a slightly different route. After returning to the village a meal is presented in one of the native huts.

I have had the honor to visit Kavak on two occasions. During both of these visits I was treated very kindly. The forty villagers that remain in Kavak maintain the traditional customs of the Pemon people. They obtain most of their food by what many anthropologists call "hunting and gathering." A small amount of fruit and produce are grown in a garden plot on the outskirts of the village, but it is not sufficient to meet the needs of the tribe.

Since 1995, the village of Kavak has become a site for tourists to make a "day trip." Most of these trips originate from either Isla de Margarita or from Ciudad Bolivar. Normally, there are only two or three trips per month that are permitted into the village, each with between eight and fifteen people. This is a perfect opportunity for those adventure-prone individuals that like to visit places that are "off the beaten path."

Access to the village is by a Cessna, which will land on the small grass and dirt strip that was beside the village. The villagers line the sides of the airstrip as the plane taxis in during its landing. Other than these few trips by tourists, there is no other contact between these indigenous people and civilization. When one steps into the village, they are in a unique position. Consider that there have been about 10 billion people who have lived in all of history. Of those, less than 3000 have visited the village of Kavak. For the adventure-prone, being a part of such a select group is important.

I want to encourage the readers of this journal to consider a trip to Kavak. This will be an experience that takes you to the edge of civilization and allows you to see the natural beauty of Venezuela.