Mount Roraima Hike: 10-Day Makunaima Expedition
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TripsBrazilMount Roraima

Mount Roraima Hike: 10-Day Makunaima Expedition

Brazil
9 Nights·10 Days
Mount RoraimaHiking & TrekkingCamping & Wild Camping

Overview

The Mount Roraima hike is a 10-day expedition onto the summit of the Roraima tepui, a tabletop mountain of 2,800 m that has been standing for close to 2 billion years. You start in Boa Vista, cross into Venezuela at Santa Elena de Uairén, walk in from the Gran Sabana, and spend 5 nights camping on the summit.

The route covers roughly 90 km on foot and leaves time to reach the places shorter routes skip: Lake Gladys, the largest body of water on the plateau, at the end of a 3-hour walk each way; the Valley of Crystals and its exposed quartz; the triple border point where Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana meet; Coati camp, wedged between two enormous rocks with a hall open to the sky; and Maverick Rock, the Mount Roraima summit’s highest point at 2,875 m.

The trek is fully guided. Throughout the journey, you are accompanied by Pémon indigenous guides, who know, appreciate, and respect the tepui like no one else. You couldn’t ask for better company.

  • Full itinerary: Gran Sabana crossing, La Rampa ascent, 5 nights camping on the plateau, Valley of Crystals, triple border point, Coati camp, Lake Gladys, El Foso, Jacuzzi Pools, La Ventana lookout, and Maverick Rock.
  • 5 nights on the summit at around 2,800 m, sleeping in the natural rock shelters, with two full days that use nothing but a daypack.
  • Lake Gladys, the largest body of water on the plateau and one of the hardest places to reach up there (a full day out-and-back of about 3 hours each way).
  • The triple border point, a white pyramid marking where Brazil, Venezuela, and Guyana meet, plus Maverick Rock at 2,875 m and the La Ventana lookout facing Mount Kukenan.
  • The Valley of Crystals, a field of quartz outcrops lying exposed on the rock, and El Foso, a deep sunken shaft in the plateau.
  • Activities guided by Indigenous Pemón experts from the Paraitepuy community, with Spanish, English, or German-speaking guides (available on request).
  • All-inclusive experience: round-trip land transfer from Boa Vista, full board from Santa Elena de Uairén onwards, collective Mount Roraima camping equipment, porters, and the guiding and logistics team.

  • Please note: the following itinerary is an example. The schedule may be modified by the guides depending on the weather, river conditions, and the group’s pace. A valid passport is required for travelers of all nationalities to cross the border between Brazil and Venezuela.

Itinerary

Day 1

Boa Vista / Briefing / Road to Santa Elena de Uairén

  • Briefing· Hotel in Boa Vista · 8:30 a.m.
  • Road transfer· BR-174 to the Venezuelan border · 220 km · ~3 hrs
  • Conditions· ~25°C (77°F) · +815 m

The trip starts at 8:30 AM at a hotel in Boa Vista, capital of Roraima state, with a briefing where you meet the group and go through the essentials. From there, take the BR-174 north, clear Brazilian formalities at Pacaraima, cross into Venezuela, and continue to Santa Elena de Uairén.

Sleep in a double room tonight (the only bed of the trip). The guiding team runs a final gear check.

Meals included: Dinner

Aerial view of a Brazilian city at sunset, with a modernist glass-and-concrete civic building surrounded by green lawns and wide avenues, a glowing orange sun sinking toward the flat horizon — the gateway city for a Mount Roraima hike

Day 2

Gran Sabana Crossing / Paraitepuy / Trek to the Kukenan River Camp

  • 4x4 to Paraitepuy· 100 km on unpaved road
  • Trek to camp· 15 km · 4–5 hrs
  • Camp· Kukenan River · ~25°C · +500 m

Cross the Gran Sabana by 4×4 to the Indigenous community of Paraitepuy, the official start of the Mount Roraima hike and the point where the porters take on the collective gear.

The first leg on foot runs 15 km over open savannah to a campsite on the bank of the Kukenan River. This is the first of eight nights in a tent, with the tepui sitting on the horizon the entire way.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A lone backpacker walks a dirt trail through vast golden and green grasslands on the Mount Roraima hike, with the flat-topped tepui massif rising dramatically under billowing cumulus clouds
View through a 4x4 vehicle window of the vast Gran Sabana savanna with flat-topped tepui mountains on the horizon, framed by the wing mirror and a dusty dirt track — the approach to the Mount Roraima hike
A shallow rocky river flows toward a flat-topped tepui rising above golden savanna grasslands under a dramatic cloudy sky on the Mount Roraima hike
Green dome tents and thatched-roof shelters lit up at night on the Mount Roraima hike, with the Milky Way stretching across a dark sky above

Day 3

Trek to the Base of the Tepui

  • Trek to base camp· 8 km · ~5 hrs · mostly uphill
  • Conditions· ~20°C (68°F) · +750 m

Short in distance, almost entirely uphill. Reach base camp in the afternoon, directly under the wall of the tepui. The rest of the day is spent at the foot of the cliff.

This is the last night before the climb, in which the guides use the evening to brief the group on the ascent.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A heavily loaded porter walks a narrow trail across open savanna on the Mount Roraima hike, with the towering tepui escarpment rising dramatically across the horizon under a clear blue sky
A small group of hikers following a winding dirt trail across open savanna grassland on a Mount Roraima hike, with the towering ancient sandstone escarpment filling the horizon beneath a blue sky
A massive dark storm cloud spreads over the silhouette of a flat-topped tepui during a vivid orange and deep blue sunset on the Mount Roraima hike

Day 4

La Rampa Ascent / Arrival on the Summit

  • Ascent via La Rampa· 4.5 km · 4–5 hrs · +1,000 m · the steepest section
  • Summit· 10°C by day / 5°C at night, near 0°C in rain
  • Camp· first of 5 nights on the plateau

La Rampa is the natural ramp that cuts up the cliff face, known as the hardest part of climbing Mount Roraima. The trail changes character every few hundred meters: gardens of bromeliads and orchids, small birds, igarapés running off the rock, and the “Paso das Lágrimas” waterfall that soaks everyone who walks under it.

Near the top, pass the Makunaima Monument and the rock towers the guides call the “Guardians of the Mountain”. Tonight, sleep in one of the natural rock shelters—the best, most authentic way to spend the night at this portion of the Mount Roraima hike.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A hiker with an orange pack gazes up at a sheer sandstone cliff with a thin waterfall cascading down it during the Mount Roraima hike, with a vast savanna plain stretching to the horizon below
A hiker with a large orange backpack and trekking pole gazes up at a towering vertical tepui escarpment during the Mount Roraima hike, surrounded by bromeliads and ferns under a clear blue sky
A hiker with a full backpack scrambles on all fours up a steep rocky section during the Mount Roraima hike, wearing trail shoes and compression tights
A person in an orange long-sleeve top sits cross-legged on a rocky summit outcrop, arms raised toward a dense white fog, surrounded by high-altitude bromeliads and grasses during the Mount Roraima hike
Layered ancient sandstone rock formations rising through mist on the Mount Roraima hike, with sparse bromeliad vegetation clinging to the lower ledges
A lone hiker with a headlamp stands on the rocky summit plateau of a tepui at night, gazing toward a flat-topped cliff shrouded in mist beneath a vast star-filled sky on the Mount Roraima hike

Day 5

Valley of Crystals / Triple Border Point / Coati Camp

  • Trek across the plateau· 15 km · ~8 hrs
  • Valley of Crystals· Open quartz outcrops
  • Triple border point· Brazil, Venezuela and Guyana

Full immersion on the Mount Roraima summit starts here. Cross the Valley of Crystals, where quartz lies exposed across the ground, then reach the triple border point, a white pyramidal landmark marking the meeting of three countries.

The night is spent on the Brazilian side at Coati, a shelter wedged between two huge rocks with a hall open to the sky and a small lagoon.

At the end of the day, if you still have the energy, a walk of about 500 m leads to Paredão, where you can look out over the forest of the Raposa Serra do Sol Indigenous Reserve, home of the Ingarikó people.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Ancient black sandstone pillars and bromeliad-studded plateau on a Mount Roraima hike, shrouded in mist with two hikers visible among the weathered formations
A small clear quartz crystal point held between two fingers against a black background, found in the Valley of Crystals on the Mount Roraima hike
Six hikers in rain gear sitting on dark rocks beside a golden-grass meadow during a Mount Roraima hike, with ancient layered sandstone cliffs rising in the background
A dense field of stars fills the dark sky above the jagged silhouette of a rocky ridge on the Mount Roraima hike

Day 6

Lake Gladys

  • Day hike to Lake Gladys· 6 km · ~6 hrs · about 3 hrs each way
  • Daypack only· Same camp again tonight

Lake Gladys, which local lore has as a portal to another dimension, is the most hidden place on the plateau and the reason many people book the 10-day itinerary rather than the shorter one.

This is a full-day out-and-back carrying nothing but a daypack. Sleep at the same camp tonight.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A still blue lagoon reflects the sky on the ancient rocky summit plateau of the Mount Roraima hike, surrounded by dark weathered sandstone cliffs and golden-brown tepui vegetation
A group of trekkers in colorful rain gear crossing wet ancient tepui rock on a Mount Roraima hike, surrounded by towering dark sandstone canyon walls and sparse highland vegetation under an overcast sky
Layered sandstone rock formation rising from the wet tepui plateau on a Mount Roraima hike, with bromeliad rosettes scattered across the foreground and thick mist dissolving the horizon
Trekkers camped under a massive sandstone rock overhang at night during the Mount Roraima hike, a glowing yellow tent lit from within beside a group gathered around red lights beneath ancient tepui walls

Day 7

Back Towards the Mountain Entrance / El Foso

  • Trek· 15 km · ~8 hrs · Via the triple border point
  • El Foso· A deep sunken shaft in the plateau

Retrace part of the plateau with a short stop at the triple border point, then reach El Foso, a sunken shaft in the rock. By evening, the group reaches the camp near the entrance to the mountain, where you stay for two nights.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A woman wading waist-deep through a glowing amber pool inside an ancient sandstone cave chamber, lit by warm golden light filtering through eroded rock arches on the Mount Roraima hike

Day 8

Jacuzzi Pools / La Ventana / Maverick Rock

  • Maverick Rock· 2,875 m · the highest point
  • Jacuzzi Pools· Clear rock pools on the plateau
  • La Ventana· Lookout facing Mount Kukenan and its waterfalls

A lighter day (roughly 8 km with a daypack) built around the three best-known spots up top. Maverick Rock is the highest point of the mountain at about 2,875 m, with the Gran Sabana and the whole route you have walked laid out below it.

From there, continue to the Jacuzzi Pools, clear pools worn into the rock, and the La Ventana lookout, a natural window in the cliff edge facing Mount Kukenan and its waterfalls.

The day also takes in Salto Catedral and Paso de Los Cristales before returning to the same camp. This is the last night of the Mount Roraima camping stretch on the plateau.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

A hiker stands on a rocky summit ledge of the Mount Roraima hike, gazing out over a vast billowing sea of clouds with dark tepui peaks rising through the white mass below
A tiny jet-black warty toadlet resting on a person's fingers during the Mount Roraima hike, its textured skin glistening in natural light
A woman in a teal swimsuit kneels meditatively in a shallow natural pool on the Mount Roraima hike, surrounded by rust-coloured layered rock and crystal-clear green water
Vivid green and amber-stained natural rock pools on the summit plateau of the Mount Roraima hike, with layered sandstone formations and low clouds rolling in overhead
A lone hiker with a backpack stands on the edge of an ancient sandstone rock pillar high above a sea of clouds on a Mount Roraima hike, with a massive tepui escarpment emerging from the mist in the distance
Layered black sandstone cliffs rise steeply on the Mount Roraima hike, with sparse endemic plants and reflective puddles on the dark rock foreground

Day 9

Descent from the Summit / Tek River Camp

  • Descent· Summit to base ~4 hrs, then ~3 hrs to camp
  • Conditions· ~25°C (77°F)
  • Camp· Tek River

The day you say goodbye to the House of Makunaima. Go back down La Rampa, roughly 4 hours to the base, where the group stops to rest and eat, and then walk another 3 hours to the Tek River camp.

Back below the cloud line, the air is warm again. This is usually the clearest night sky of the whole Mount Roraima hike.

Meals included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Trekkers in warm jackets watch a vivid orange and purple twilight sky from a remote campsite on the Mount Roraima hike, with orange dome tents glowing in the background
The flat-topped sandstone cliff of a tepui glows amber in warm light during the Mount Roraima hike, with low clouds wrapping its base and rolling green highlands stretching below under a violet-tinged sky

Day 10

Final Hike to Paraitepuy / Santa Elena / Return to Boa Vista

  • Final hike· 15 km · ~4 hrs to Paraitepuy
  • Return· 4x4 to Santa Elena, border formalities, road to Boa Vista
  • Arrival· Late afternoon or early evening

A last 15 km back across the savannah to Paraitepuy, where the 4×4 vehicles are waiting. From there, head to Santa Elena de Uairén, clear customs at the border, and take the BR-174 south.

The trip ends at the same Boa Vista hotel where it started, late afternoon or early evening.

Meals included: Breakfast and lunch on the trail

Dramatic sunset sky with orange and purple clouds billowing above a flat-topped tepui silhouette on the Mount Roraima hike, with a winding dirt track visible across the darkened valley below
View from inside a 4x4 vehicle following a motorcycle along a winding dirt road through open grassland on the Mount Roraima hike approach

What is Included

  • Round-trip transfer (Boa Vista ⇄ Paraitepuy Indigenous Community), by road on the BR-174 and by 4x4 on the unpaved sections
  • 1 night in a double room in Santa Elena de Uairén, plus 8 nights in shared tents at trail campsites and in natural rock shelters on the summit
  • Meals (full board) from Santa Elena de Uairén onwards: breakfast, lunch and dinner, prepared on-site by the expedition team
  • Collective camping equipment (tents shared between two people, kitchen equipment, cookware, plates, glasses and cutlery)
  • Indigenous porters and logistics staff to carry the collective equipment
  • First-aid kit carried by the team
  • Guided tours (La Rampa ascent, Valley of Crystals, triple border point, Coati, Lake Gladys, El Foso, Jacuzzi Pools, La Ventana lookout, and Maverick Rock)
  • Trail guide and logistics team, Portuguese-speaking as standard

Not included

  • Flight tickets
  • Accommodation in Boa Vista before and after the expedition
  • Meals in Boa Vista
  • Drinks beyond those served with the included meals
  • Travel insurance (mandatory for this expedition)
  • Bilingual guide upgrade (English, Spanish, or German), bookable at least 90 days before departure
  • Personal equipment such as sleeping bag, thermal insulation, a mat, and backpack (rentals are available)
  • Personal porters, bookable separately
  • In-and-out receptive services, gratuities and personal expenses
  • Any service not expressly listed above

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$ 1,500/ per person