Cuquenan Falls, Venezuela

The mesmerizingly awe-inspiring waterfall, draws collective attention and admiration? Why do travelers cross the world in search of them? May be aesthetic beauty invokes a sense of calm, or the sheer power and magnitude awakens inquisitive nature, however, humans associate waterfalls with clean, fresh water and, as such, with life.

Well, Cuquenan Falls is also called, Salto Kukenan, Kukenaam, is the second tallest major waterfall in Venezuela after Angel Falls. It is also the second tallest free-leaping waterfall in the world. The waterfall usually cited as the 11th highest waterfall in the world. The Cuquenan Falls drop in a single leap of around 2,211 feet and the final portion of the falls trickles down towards the base of the Kukenan Tepui. The Kukenan Tepui is located nearby Mount Roraima, serves as the geographical marker of the border between Brazil, Venezuela, and Guyana. Cuquenan Falls, which similar to Yumbilla, is known for being tall, but not powerful, however can be difficult to access due to its isolation, but is best viewed from a distance.

Mount Roraima also hosts its own waterfall, usually referred to as Roraima Falls, leaps off the tepui in four tiered leaps. The height is estimated at approximately 2,000 feet. There has been some disagreement over the years about the overall ranking of “Cuquenan Falls” among the world's tallest waterfalls. Therefore, the falls has been listed anywhere from 2nd to 20th in various publications and Internet sites. Thus, these discrepancies perhaps arise because most official measurements of the falls take into consideration only the free-leaping portion, omitting the bottom part that cascades along the tepui. Moreover, some published listings incorporate the free-falling measurements only when arguing that its height is not ample for the top 10 tallest waterfalls.