Tres Piscinas

Also called Laja Azul — the Blue Slab — this is one of those places that doesn't appear in guidebooks but every local knows. Three natural pools sit in a broad exposure of blue-grey sandstone along one of the Gran Sabana's many rivers, somewhere along the Troncal 10 corridor. The name circulates on social media and in conversations with drivers and guides, not on official maps.

The Pools

The "tres piscinas" are three distinct basins carved into the rock by water erosion — natural swimming pools in a stepped or cascading arrangement. The rock here is Precambrian sandstone of the Roraima Group, the same ancient stone that forms the tepuis. Where river water has worn channels and depressions into exposed lajas (flat rock slabs), pools form — some shallow and sun-warmed, some deep enough to swim in.

The "azul" in the name comes from the stone itself. While most Gran Sabana rock exposures are red, orange, or black (iron-rich jasper and quartzite), some sandstone slabs have a distinctive blue-grey tone that gives the water above them a cool, slate-colored appearance.

What to Expect

• Finding it: Ask locally — drivers, posada owners, and guides in Santa Elena de Uairén or along the Troncal 10 know the spot. This is the kind of place where getting directions is part of the experience.
• The setting: Open savanna, exposed rock, wide sky. No facilities, no signs, no entrance fee. Bring water, food, and sun protection.
• Swimming: The pools are deep enough to swim in. The water is dark with tannins but clean. It will be cooler than you expect at 900 m.
• Respect: These rivers and rocks are part of the Pemón homeland within Canaima National Park. Leave nothing behind.

Gran Sabana Swimming

Tres Piscinas is one of many natural swimming spots along the Troncal 10. The documented ones include:

• Km 194: Salto Kawi — a deep pool below a waterfall
• Km 244: Balneario Soroape — natural pools in river stones
• Km 247: Cortinas del Río Yuruaní — wide cascades over dark rock
• Km 273: Quebrada de Jaspe — the famous red jasper creek (wading only, no swimming)

Each has its own character, but they share the same geology: ancient rock, tannin-dark water, and the open sky of the highland savanna.

Combine With

Tres Piscinas works as a quick stop on a day exploring the Troncal 10 corridor between Santa Elena de Uairén and the northern Gran Sabana. Pair it with Quebrada de Jaspe and the Yuruaní river cascades for a day of Gran Sabana water.