The mysterious, mist-shrouded tepuis, or tabletop mountains, that inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, at the turn-of-the-century, to write The Lost World, are some of the oldest and most impressive rock formations on earth. Estimated to be 1.8 billion years old, the near vertical, rose-colored cliffs of these mesas tower several thousand feet above the surrounding plains of the Gran Sabana in southeastern Venezuela. Sparkling waterfalls plunging into the dense ring of tropical forest at the base of these plateaus are a dramatic and inspiring sight. Isolated from each other and the savannah below, the summits of these fascinating mesas, some of which are several hundred square miles in area, are biological wonders. Each has developed its own unique flora and fauna, many species existing nowhere else in the world, causing some to refer to them as Islands in the Sky.

Following an overnight stay in Caracas, we catch an early flight to Puerto Ordaz and begin our overland journey. We drive through rolling countryside north of the Guianan Shield until, upon leaving the forest, the tepui-dotted plains of the Gran Sabana open up before us. Our drive takes two days, allowing us to visit exotic falls such as Kama Merú and to briefly explore the Canay and Suruape rivers along the way. From the Pemón Indian village of Perai-tepui, we hike through scattered forests and rolling savannah, gradually gaining elevation on the way to Roraima's base. Then, ascending a steep, natural ramp through the mountain's ring of dense epiphyte-draped cloud forest, we reach the summit. After 2-days to explore the bizarre terrain of arches, caves and labyrinths on top, including the Valle de los Cristales and the Triple Point where Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela meet, we retrace our route to Perai-tepui and drive to Santa Elena. The next day, we take a chartered flight to Canaima and fly over Angel Falls before continuing to Ciudad Bolívar and then Caracas.