Cerro Sarisariñama
Kaushik Patowary. “The Sinkholes of Cerro Sarisarinama.” Amusingplanet.com, Blogger, 26 Feb. 2015, www.amusingplanet.com/2015/02/the-sinkholes-of-cerro-sarisarinama.html. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Information
Cerro Sarisariñama is located in the Bolívar state of Venezuela, which is on the Eastern side of Venezuela. It is a set of four sinkholes on a mountain. It is covered by a forest on top and has many endemic species, although the holes are clearly visible from high up. It is a “tepui”, an Indigenous name for a mountain with a flat top like Cerro Sarisariñama. The elevation of Cerro Sarisariñama varies from 980 feet to 7,710 feet. The summit area of the tepui is 546.88 square kilometers. Currently, the holes are only accessible for scientific research and are not accessible to tourists or locals. It is in the Jaua-Sarisariñama National Park, towards the south of the state of Bolívar. The name of the sinkhole originates from a story of the local Yekuana people about an evil spirit that devours human flesh with the sound, “sari, sari”.
“Sarisarinama.” Atlas Obscura, 5 Dec. 2011, www.atlasobscura.com/places/sarisarinama. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
A view from inside one of the sinkholes in the area. Venturing into them draws many tourists.
super/collider. “A Flat-Topped Mountain in Venezuela.” AnOther, AnOther Magazine, 30 July 2015, www.anothermag.com/design-living/7646/a-flat-topped-mountain-in-venezuela. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
There is not just one hole in the area; there are many sinkholes. The name "sarisariñama" comes from a local indigenous tale.