Travel Guide Parque Nacional Tuparro

Created in 1970, the Tuparro National Natural Park (548,000 hectares) was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1982. It is a place of great beauty, with the magnificent landscapes of the Escudo Guayanés (Guyana Plateau): flooded savannahs, forests, large rocky hills and the Orinoco River with its impressive rapids. These rapids, called Maipures rapids, are among the most powerful on the planet (36,000 m³ per second, the third highest flow in the world after the Amazon and the Congo). The famous naturalist Alexander von Humbolt even called them the eighth wonder of the world when he visited in 1800. The Orinoco is also one of the longest rivers in South America. It is the territory of the Sikuanis, Curripaco and Mapayerri Indians, among others. In terms of fauna, the park is home to 320 species of birds, 17 species of reptiles, 26 species of fish and 5 species of primates. Among the mammals, white-tailed deer, giant armadillos and tapirs occupy the savannahs, while peccaries, pumas and jaguars hide in the forests.