Mount Roraima: Practical Travel Guide

Where to base yourself

Georgetown

Where expeditions begin and end, and where equipment and food are bought. Allow buffer nights on both sides.

Upper Mazaruni villages

Basic guesthouses or space to hang a hammock, by arrangement with the village council. No shops to rely on.

Forest camps

Hammocks with mosquito nets and rain flies, set up each night by the crew.

Food & drink

Everything is carried in: rice, beans, tinned food, farine and whatever fish is caught on the way. Villages may offer cassava bread and tuma, a peppery fish broth. Take water purification and your own high-energy snacks.

Tips: saving money and staying safe

• This is for fit, experienced trekkers who are comfortable being many days from medical help.
• Use an operator who has actually run the route, and ask for references.
• Arrange evacuation insurance and carry a satellite communicator.
• Expect rain every day: waterproof everything, and bring two pairs of footwear.
• Nights near the mountain are cold; pack a warm layer and a light sleeping bag.
• Respect village rules and beliefs about the mountain, and photograph people only with consent.

Sample plans

Expedition outline (about 12 days)

• Days 1–2: Georgetown; fly to the upper Mazaruni; meet guides and village council.
• Days 3–4: by boat upriver; first camp.
• Days 5–8: trek to ridges facing the northern cliffs; a spare day for cloud.
• Days 9–11: return on foot and by river.
• Day 12: fly to Georgetown.

The easy alternative

• A morning charter flight over the Pakaraimas, with Kaieteur Falls on the way back.

Where to stay: Mount Roraima