Mirador Laime is the small forested viewpoint directly opposite Angel Falls, reached by a steep 45- to 60-minute walk uphill from the base camp at Isla Ratoncito. It is the closest legal viewpoint to the falls and the standard photo stop on the two-day Canaima trip.
The hike is hot and humid and rises through dense rainforest on roots and rocks. The reward is the only view of Angel Falls from the same height — water dropping past your eye line, the canyon hung with vapour, often interrupted by drifting cloud. Many groups continue down to a pool at the base where a swim in the cold mist is something close to a rite of passage.