In the middle of the Gran Sabana, perched on a small plateau is the tiny but pretty village with Indian origins called Kavanayén. Surrounded by tepuis or Table Mountains, at least six of them, the village provides some great views of these natural peaks including the unique cone-shaped Wei Tepui or the Mountain of the Sun.

History and Culture
The Capuchin mission founded the village about five decades ago. The missionaries constructed huge stone buildings for themselves and were apparently under the impression that the Indians also wanted to live in such structures. That is why, almost all the homes in the village are constructed using heavy stone, which is a striking contrast to the thatched homes or churuatas you will see around the rest of the region.

Sightseeing
Karuai-Meru is a nice waterfall at the base of the mountain Ptari, 20km away from Kavanayén. Despite the fact that the road is rough you will be able to enjoy the spectacular scenery, you can even walk to the waterfall but it will take you about 10 hours for a roundtrip.

Getting there
This village is accessible by a dirt road off the highway and is about 70km west of Gran Sabana.