Before you go

Your trip to Santa Elena de Uairén.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Santa Elena de Uairén – Bolívar

How to get there

Aeropuerto de Santa Elena de Uairén (SNV) 6 km
Aeroporto Internacional de Boa Vista (BVB) Boa Vista (Brasil) · 230 km
Terminal de Pasajeros de Santa Elena de Uairén 3 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

Confirm before booking. By land, from Boa Vista it’s about 230 km via BR-174, crossing the border at Pacaraima with immigration control; check the rules beforehand. The town has an airport with regional flights and a bus terminal for northern Venezuela.

How many days

Two or three days for the waterfalls on Troncal 10 and Salto Aponwao. For Monte Roraima, allow about six days on the trail, plus a day in Santa Elena before and after.

When to go

From December to April, in the dry season, the sky is usually clearer and the trails are better. From May to November, in the rainy season, the waterfalls tend to be fuller. Days are mild and nights cool. The town has the same time as Boa Vista.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

For the town, no. For the waterfalls on Troncal 10, yes — or an organized tour by Santa Elena agencies — because public transport on the road is scarce. For Salto Aponwao, the dirt road requires a high‑clearance or four‑wheel‑drive vehicle in wet conditions.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Santa Elena de Uairén

Morning
Quebrada de Jaspe
Follow Troncal 10 to Quebrada de Jaspe to see the red riverbed beneath the shallow water.
Afternoon
Quebrada Pacheco
Continue north to Quebrada Pacheco and bathe in the natural pools of the waterfall.
Late afternoon
Savannas and tepuis
Return slowly along the road, stopping at viewpoints over the savanna and the tepuis.
Evening
Santa Elena
Dine in Santa Elena and try the arepas and carne en vara, common in the Gran Sabana.

2 days in Santa Elena de Uairén

Day 1

Morning
Quebrada de Jaspe
Red riverbed and low waterfalls.
Afternoon
Quebrada Pacheco
Bathing in the natural pools.
Late afternoon
Salto Kamá
Go to Salto Kamá and view the drop from the lookout, in the late‑afternoon light.
Evening
Kamá
Sleep in one of Kamá’s rustic lodgings or return to Santa Elena.

Day 2

Morning
Salto Aponwao
Take the dirt track to the community of Iboribó and cross the river by canoe to reach the trail to Salto Aponwao.
Afternoon
Return along the Troncal
Return south along the Troncal 10, with a stop in San Francisco de Yuruaní for pemón handicrafts.
Late afternoon
Roraima lookout
On the road, you'll see Roraima and Kukenán on the horizon if the weather is clear.
Evening
Santa Elena
Dinner in Santa Elena.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

Is Santa Elena far from Boa Vista?

About 230 km by road along the BR-174, passing through Pacaraima. The border has immigration control on both sides.

How do I arrange a climb up Roraima?

Through agencies in Santa Elena, which organize transport to Paraitepui, the pemón guides and the equipment. Confirm park rules beforehand.

Which waterfalls can you see in one day?

Quebrada de Jaspe and Quebrada Pacheco are north of town along the Troncal 10 and can be done in a day. Salto Kamá and Salto Aponwao are farther away.

What language is spoken in Santa Elena?

Spanish, plus pemón in indigenous communities. Because of the border, many people usually understand Portuguese.

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