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Kurutuik Falls

WorldBlue  In short

In a little visited area on the border of Brazil and Guyana, near Roraima Plateau, are located several impressive waterfalls. One of the most impressive is Kurutuwu Mehru what could be translated from Carib language as Great Snail Falls.

4.1 out of 10 stars 41.3%

GPS coordinates
5.0833 N 59.9867 W
Location, address
South America, Guyana, Potaro-Siparuni and Brazil, Roraima, on Ireng River, some 2 km before the confluence with Socobi (Sukabi) River, 6 km upstreams from Kaibarupai
Alternate names
Cachoeira do Grande Caracol, Cachoeira Curutique (Portuguese), Great Snail Falls (English)
Height
Approximately 100 m
Width
Very roughly: 20 – 30 m

Map of the site

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WorldYellow In detail

This waterfall has formed on Ireng River (Maú River), in pristine rainforest some 90 km west from Roraima plateau.

Waterfall has two major cascades. The upper cascade falls over an overhang, but the lower one has multiple smaller steps. It falls over pink sandstone, which has formed more than 1 billion years ago, in the Stenian period. Waterfall, of course, is much younger.

Ireng River is the northernmost large river of the Amazonian basin and on this river have formed several beautiful waterfalls, including the Orinduik Falls – approximately 25 m tall falls over pure jasper.

On Socobi (Sukabi) River in the same distance from the confluence with Ireng have formed somewhat less tall waterfalls (Ando Falls?).

This area is sparsely inhabited by Patamona people. The nearest village – Kaibarupai – is located 6 km downstream and is rather isolated from any other society.

There is another, much better known waterfall in Brazil with similar Portuguese name – the beautiful Cascata do Caracol.

References

  1. Reinaldo Imbrozio Barbosa, Sebastião Pereira do Nascimento, Ari Alfredo Weiduschat, Fábio Bonatto, Notes on an Expedition to the Headwaters of the Maú (Ireng) River, Roraima, Brazil, Accessed on 1 April 2012

Images

Images of this remote area are rare.

  1. Living Sculpture by Bruce J. Morgan, General view, Accessed on 1 April 2012
  2. Terry Henkel Expedition, Lower cascade, Accessed on 1 April 2012
  3. Terry Henkel Expedition, Sight from the upper rim, Accessed on 1 April 2012

Kurutuik Falls are included in the following articles:

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