An Enchanting Experience
By Omari Joesph
Kopinang Falls is an experience worth having in every lifetime. You can find this gem nestled in the mountains of the Potaro-Siparuni region, just like Kaieteur, its more renowned counterpart. With less than 50km between them, you could consider the two falls a stone’s throw apart. That’s if you were a giant and the stones were the massive Pakaraima tepuis that separate them. However, despite the shared geography, Kopinang provides an entirely different experience: three waterfalls, three days, two nights and a feeling of utter amazement.
Flying from the coast to Kopinang Mission (the village from which the waterfall gets its name) is the first part of the experience. My journey to Kopinang was a gradual ease into the adventure, with each stop being more rustic than the last. It began at 09:00hrs with a forty-five-minute flight from Eugene F. Correia Airport in Ogle to Mahdia, the capital of the Potaro-Siparuni region. Heavy rainfall had delayed take-off from Ogle, and it remained a concern for the second flight from Mahdia to Kopinang. During the short layover, the facilities previewed what was to come. I waited with the other passengers under a makeshift tent, a far cry from the air-conditioned lounge at Ogle. Just over an hour later, we departed the Mahdia airstrip.
After take-off, a mosaic of mining pits quickly replaced the red-clay-stained buildings of Mahdia. The scenery soon changed from exposed earth to the lush green carpet of forest covering the imposing Pakaraima mountains. Along the way, I was fortunate to see Kaieteur from the air, thanks to the pilot choosing to fly that route. Just a few minutes later, we were descending to our destination. From the plane, I could only see sparse patches of grass and a handful of houses scattered among the clearings. When I saw the runway, it became clear why weather conditions could decide whether or not a plane could land. During the descent, I saw a small playfield next to a short grass runway cut into what seemed like the only flat piece of land they could find. The bumpy landing was enough evidence that the runway was anything but level.
Stepping out of the plane felt like stepping into another worldÑno more bird’s eye view. I had become an ant surrounded by mountains. After the plane departed, the silence made the scenery more explicit. It was noon. The backdrop before me was a tepui, a giant rocky table topped with misty grey clouds as the tablecloth and a few white waterfalls billowing off the edge like tassels. I was lost in Wonderland until another traveller reminded me that the group was moving. When my eyes returned to ground level, I saw a sign
“WELCOME TO KOPINANG REGION #8.” I followed the group across the playfield to a small wooden pavilion with bleachers, where we met our guides and received our briefing for the day over a hearty Guyanese lunch.
After lunch, the hike to Wailang Palu, the first waterfall, began. Our path took us through the central part of the village, over a quaint wooden bridge and up a small hill. Along the way, we passed a few quaint wooden houses before we ended up at the community school on the hilltop. From this vantage point, we could see houses scattered across the landscape and a rusty brown dirt road which disappeared into the trees at the foot of the mountain. That road was the path to our first stop.
The hike along the road was easy, passing through a savannah we were between a giant rock wall and the water. The waterfall was on the other side. The guides said we were close, but the water’s sound was muffled. As we got around the wall, I realised why.
Pelu Palu was now in view. It was a torrent of water plunging into a rocky pool surrounded by giant sandstone walls. The only way in or out was to follow the creek. I felt trapped in a massive room with a thundering waterfall, but didn’t want to leave. I could hardly hear myself think, but I felt at peace. Pelu Palu’s pulsing mist called me into the water. Gazing at it, I felt a humbling awe and quiet excitement. Those feelings lingered on the way back to the main trail.
Back at the fork, the most challenging phase of the hike awaited us. It was a gruelling march up the steep mountainside. Periodically, I had to drag myself up on my hands and knees. After twenty-five minutes of hard work, we made it to the top.
The biome changed again. We were in another savannah. This time, the grass was thinner and giant bromeliads littered the landscape, indicative of the altitude. We followed the trail to a clump of forest where the trees were much taller than further down the mountain. It wasn’t long before we heard Kopinang Falls. One of the guides took us onto a smaller trail, which led through thick brush to a cliff edge. This vantage point was our first glimpse of Kopinang Falls. With trees blocking the view of the gorge, only the peak of the waterfall was visible. The loud hiss of the white water plunging over the edge filled the air. Sunlight cutting through the spray made a beautiful little rainbow. It was just after noon, so we followed the guides along the small trail to the camp, where lunch was waiting for us.
Our Camp was in a clearing at the top of Kopinang Falls. Fallen leaves and sparse patches of moss carpeted the clearing. In the centre, a massive black tarp was spread over a wooden frame and secured to stakes driven into the ground. Ten hammocks hung underneath. Lunch was cooking over a small open fire nearby. This would be home for the second night. Less than thirty meters away from the far end of the tent was the river flowing into the first drop of the falls. One of the guides took us across the shallow water and showed us another lookout point, from where we saw the pavilion and airstrip like miniature toys in the distance. After a few minutes of admiring the view, we headed back to the camp. We had our lunch and prepared for the hike down to the base of Kopinang Falls.
The way down to the falls was near the first lookout point. It was muddy, steep and slippery. Thick vegetation obscured the view of the waterfall. Light mist and the sound of crashing water filled the air. The guides tied ropes to trees to help manage our descent. I was almost seated in the steepest sections, using my hands to creep down. There was a plateau halfway down the slope where the trees disappeared, and Kopinang Falls came into view. I paused to gaze at the sheer white water curtain draped over the sandstone staircase. At the base, its beauty became more imposing. I was an ant again, feeling the chilly spray pushing me away. The water’s constant hush beckoned me under the cascade to feel its embrace. The cold water relaxed away the fatigue of the gruelling hike, gradually replacing it with a sense of satisfaction. I felt like a champion enjoying their prize after a long battle. This was the Kopinang adventure’s crescendo.
The climb back to camp was challenging, but it felt much shorter than the descent. Maybe it was. The ropes were invaluable because some sections were too slippery to find sure footing. As I followed the group back to camp, I could feel the end of the journey nearing. The golden sunset signalled the start of the last night in Kopinang.
Night at the camp was an otherworldly experience. While sitting at the camp lookout point, no light pollution meant a vivid moon and stars painted in the sky like a perfect star map. Night-scented orchids gave the air a slight vanilla perfume. The loudest noise was the waterfall. I was experiencing a scene better than anything I’d ever read in a storybook. A thick fog soon covered the view and the mountainside, forcing me back to the camp. The wind chill made me shiver under two layers of clothes, so I joined the group around the fire for dinner.
Everyone shared stories around the campfire, a fitting way to end an eventful day. I could see my breath joining the fog around us as I talked. Sleepiness inevitably sent everyone to their hammocks. Kopinang Falls’ constant hush made falling asleep easy.
Sunrise at the campsite was almost as magical as the night. The remnants of the fog lingered among the trees. The birds and insects returned life to the forest soundscape. It felt like farewell music as we packed up our things to leave. We had our breakfast and started the long journey back to the village. I was headed home, and my heart was heavy. I wasn’t homesick. Instead, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. All I could think of was the spectrum of emotions the adventure made me feel. One word can’t describe my experience at Kopinang. Nevertheless, the best I could come up with was “absolute enchantment.”
before heading into the forest. A few minutes into the forest, we reached a small clearing from where we saw a part of the falls over the treetops in the distance. Soon, the path met a broad, shallow stream full of smooth rocks. We followed the stream to its source, stepping over mossy branches and fallen tree trunks. The stream’s moderate flow suggested a calm waterfall. However, as the waterfall came into view, the thumping whoosh and light mist proved otherwise.
We had arrived at Wailang Palu. A constant stream of white water flowed down dark sandstone steps. Lush green vegetation bordered the waterfall. Branches reached over the water, hiding more and more of the falls at the higher levels. From the base, I saw that these steps went well up the mountainside. The pool at the bottom was too rocky to enjoy, so the guides helped us climb along the fringes of the waterfall to a higher platform. The cold water rushing over my shoulders felt therapeutic. The soft light leaking through the canopy made photos obligatory. That light wouldn’t last forever, so we got ready and returned to the village for dinner and rest.
The first night was cold and foggy. A blanket and warm clothes were enough to keep me comfortable. The entire group slept in hammocks slung inside the pavilion. Falling asleep was easy despite the expectation and excitement of the first day’s activities.
Morning came quietly. The sunlight cut the fog and warmed the air. Birds, insects and people were much livelier after the sky cleared up. After the group ate breakfast brought by the guides, we spent the next half hour packing our things to prepare for a full day of hiking. We had two more falls to see and one night of camping in the mountains.
The second hike was more challenging from the start. After leaving the savannah, we passed through village farmland and crossed a few streams in the forest. All the while, we had been climbing the mountain at a gentle incline. We walked until we came to a fork in the path. Straight ahead was the way to Kopinang Falls, and to the right, a detour to Pelu Palu, the second waterfall. We continued along the detour until we came to a stream similar to the one leading to Wailang Palu. We left most of our things in a small thatch shed near the water’s edge and walked along the bank toward the source. Soon,
