Eastern Tepuis


The Eastern Tepuis, also known as the Roraima–Ilú range, is a mountain chain stretching for some along the border between Guyana, Venezuela and, to a small extent, Brazil. It runs in a northwesterly direction from the tripoint of these countries, closely following the Guyana–Venezuela border, with a single major peak to the south, on the Brazil–Venezuela border. Moving northwest from Uei-tepui, the main summits of this chain are Roraima-tepui, Kukenán-tepui, Yuruaní-tepui, Wadakapiapué-tepui, Karaurín-tepui, Ilú-tepui, and Tramen-tepui. The minor peak of Wei-Assipu-tepui lies entirely outside Venezuela, on the border between Brazil and Guyana. Additionally, there are a number of minor plateaus which form a chain between Uei-tepui and Roraima-tepui. Ilú- and Tramen-tepuis are often treated together since they are joined by a common base.
The Eastern Tepuis chain has a total summit area of about and an estimated slope area of. It includes some of the best known and most widely visited tepuis, particularly Roraima and nearby Kukenán.
File:Kukenan Roraima GS.jpg|thumb|1200px|center|Kukenán-tepui and Roraima-tepui, the two most visited of the Eastern Tepuis. The Tëk River and the relatively dry grasslands of the Gran Sabana are visible in the foreground.
File:Eastern tepuis chain - Gran Sabana.jpg|thumb|center|1200px|Panoramic view of the Eastern Tepuis chain. From left to right: Tramen-tepui, Ilú-tepui, Karaurín-tepui, Wadakapiapué-tepui, Yuruaní-tepui, Kukenán-tepui, and Roraima-tepui.