Auyán-tepui ( Spanish pronunciation: [awˈʝan teˈpuj] ), also spelled Ayan , is a tepui in Bolívar state, Venezuela . It is the most visited and one of the largest (but not the highest) tepuis in the Guiana Highlands , with a summit area of 666.9 km (257.5 sq mi) and an estimated slope area of 715 km (276 sq mi).
5-604: The unevenly heart-shaped summit plateau of Auyán-tepui is heavily inclined, rising from around 1,600 metres (5,200 ft) in the northwest to a maximum of 2,450 m (8,040 ft) in the southeast. It is incised from the north by a vast valley, the Cañón del Diablo (Devil's Canyon), formed by the Churún River . The larger western portion of the plateau is partially forested, whereas the eastern part comprises mostly bare rock with only patchy vegetation cover. The mountain hosts
10-471: A number of extensive cave systems . Auyán-tepui gives its name to the Auyán Massif , which also includes the tiny peaks of Cerro El Sol and Cerro La Luna to the north and the satellite mountain of Uaipán-tepui to the south. The massif has a total summit area of roughly 670 km (260 sq mi) and an estimated slope area of 795 km (307 sq mi). It is situated entirely within
15-427: The bounds of Canaima National Park . Auyán-tepui means "Devil's House" in the local Pemón language . Angel Falls , the tallest waterfall in the world, drops from a cleft near the summit. The falls are 979 meters (3,212 ft) high, with an uninterrupted descent of 807 meters (2,648 ft) — a drop nineteen times higher than that of Niagara Falls . Auyán-tepui achieved international fame in 1933 when Angel Falls
20-604: The summit plateau of Auyán-tepui, as well as numerous birds . Like many tepuis, the mountain hosts a rich assemblage of flora . Angel's Four by David Nott. An account of the first ascent of Angel Falls Chur%C3%BAn River The Churún River ( Spanish : Río Churún ) is a river in Venezuela , part of the Orinoco River basin. It is located in Canaima National Park and a tributary comes from
25-442: Was accidentally discovered by Jimmie Angel , a bush pilot searching for gold ore. Attempting to land on the heart-shaped mesa in 1937, Angel crashed his small Flamingo plane on top of Auyán-tepui and was forced to hike down the gradually sloping backside, a trip that took him and his crew 11 days to complete; he was immortalised when the waterfall was named after him. Around 25 species of amphibians and reptiles are known from
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