Mount Roraima

Roraima (border with Venezuela), Brazil

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Mount Roraima is a majestic and enigmatic tabletop mountain that straddles the borders of Brazil, Venezuela, and Guyana, with its highest point located in Venezuela. Rising to an elevation of 2,810 meters, it is the tallest of the Pakaraima chain of tepuis and one of the most iconic geological formations in South America. The Brazilian portion lies within the state of Roraima and accounts for about 5% of the mountain’s area, while the majority lies in Venezuela, with a smaller section in Guyana.

The mountain’s flat summit, often shrouded in mist and clouds, is surrounded by sheer cliffs that rise up to 1,000 meters, creating a natural fortress that has inspired myths, legends, and literary works — most famously Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Lost World. The name “Roraima” comes from the Pemon language, where “roroi” means blue-green and “ma” means great, a fitting tribute to the mountain’s imposing presence and verdant hues.

Mount Roraima’s summit is a surreal landscape of rock labyrinths, crystal-clear pools, and endemic flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth. The constant rainfall and leaching have sculpted its surface into bizarre formations, while its isolation has fostered the evolution of unique species, including carnivorous plants and rare amphibians.

Access from the Brazilian side is challenging and requires multi-day treks through dense rainforest, preserving the mountain’s remote and untouched character.