The Tepuis are table-like mountains found only in the Guiana highlands. These geological formations tend to be found as isolated entities rather than in mountain range fashion, which makes them the host of a unique array of endemic plant and animal species. Some of the most outstanding tepuis are Autana, Neblina (the highest one, on the Venezuelan-Brazil border), Auyantepui and Monte Roraima. They are typically composed of Precambriansandstone rocks, very hard to climb, that rise abruptly from the jungle, giving rise to spectacular natural scenery. Auyantepui in particular is the source of Angel Falls, the world's tallest waterfall.
Indeed, the tepuis consist of similar material to the cliffs and mesa-like mountains in the western Sahara.
Tepuis are true islands in time, some of the few places on Earth where the flora and fauna have grown for eons without outside influence.
When the peak of the Auyan tepui is wrapped in haze, the water appears to fall straight from the sky, releasing a cloud of mist and crashing thunderously on the rocks below.
They are the remains of a large, quartz sandstone plateau, that once covered the granite basement complex between the north border of the Amazon Basin and the Orinoco, between the Atlantic coast and the Rio Negro.
Throughout the course of the Earth's history the plateau was eroded, and the tepuis were formed from the remaining monadnocks.
The Tepuis are often referreed to as the Galápagos Islands of the mainland.
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