Mantopai

Seven kilometers north of Kavanayén, where the Karuay River begins its descent from the highlands, Mantopai is a Pemón-run ecotourism camp at the foot of Sororopán-tepui. The name refers to the laja — a broad, flat rock exposure — that defines the site. This is the Gran Sabana stripped to essentials: exposed Precambrian stone, dark river water, and a wall of tepui rising behind you.

Getting There

Mantopai is reached from Kavanayén via a rough track heading north toward Sororopán-tepui. The 7 km drive requires a 4x4 and a local guide who knows the route. From Santa Elena de Uairén, first drive to Kavanayén (3 hours by 4x4 on the turnoff from km 147 on the Troncal 10), then continue north. The camp is run by the Pemón family of Henry Lanz, and visits should be arranged through them in Kavanayén.

The Karuay River

The camp sits directly on the Karuay River, which rises on the slopes of Sororopán-tepui and flows south through the highlands. The river here runs over bare sandstone slabs — the characteristic lajas of the Guiana Shield — creating natural features that make this a place to stay, not just pass through:

• Natural rock waterslide — 15 minutes from camp, a smooth channel in the stone where the river accelerates into a natural slide
• Swimming pools — rock-basin pools in the river with the tea-colored, tannin-rich water typical of the Gran Sabana
• Small waterfall — a cascade near camp where the river drops over a rock step

The larger Salto Karuay is accessible as a day hike or mountain bike ride from the Kavanayén area.

Sororopán-tepui

The camp lies directly at the foot of Sororopán-tepui, and the mountain dominates every view. Its 10 km forested ridge rises to 2,050 m, with a steep southern face that catches the afternoon light. The Pemón legend says the mountain is the body of Sororopachi, a woman whose form became the ridge — the profile is sometimes called "the reclining indigenous woman."

Behind Sororopán, Ptari-tepui (2,400 m) is accessible to trekkers who arrange multi-day expeditions from Kavanayén. Ptari's summit is one of the most botanically unique places on Earth — its isolation has produced endemic pitcher plants (Heliamphora), bromeliads, and orchids found nowhere else. At ground level, the trail to Mantopai passes through orchids and carnivorous plants — Brocchinia hechtioides, a bromeliad that traps insects in its tubular leaf bases, has been scientifically collected and documented from this exact site.

What to Expect

• Accommodation: The camp has 13 cabins built in traditional style — local stone with palm-thatched roofs and wooden balconies. Basic but sheltered. Bring your own food and gear.
• Cachiri at sunset: If the moment is right, the Lanz family may prepare cachiri — a traditional fermented drink made from bitter yuca, grated and boiled for a full day with a red root called cachiriyek. It's mildly intoxicating and shared at sunset gatherings. Sometimes, spontaneous traditional dances follow.
• Isolation: No cell signal. No shops. No other tourists, most likely. This is one of the least-visited accessible sites in the Gran Sabana.
• Community tourism: Your visit directly supports the Pemón family that manages the camp. The model here is community-based tourism at its most direct — no intermediaries, no agencies.
• Sounds: At night, the only sounds are the river and the forest. On clear evenings, the stars above the savanna are extraordinary.

Combine With

Mantopai is a natural extension of a stay in Kavanayén. Combine it with a visit to Chinak-Merú (Salto Aponwao), the mission buildings in Kavanayén, and the Soroape River bathing area. Together, these form a 3–4 day circuit in the northern Gran Sabana that very few visitors ever see.