Santa Elena de Uairén is the only town in the southern Gran Sabana — a dusty grid of streets near the Brazilian border that serves as the base for almost every visitor. Tour operators here arrange the Roraima trek, jeep trips to the waterfalls, and overland border crossings to Boa Vista in Brazil.
The town itself is unremarkable but functional: cambios, fuel stations, posadas, simple restaurants, internet. There is a small Saturday market and a viewpoint over the Uairén valley. Most travellers spend one or two nights here at the start and end of their Gran Sabana trip, using the rest of their time on the plateau.