Fancy a trip to the land which inspired Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous book The Lost World?

The Guiana Highlands is a remote part of the world predominantly in Venezuela but stretching into Brazil and Guyana as well. It is an area of rainforest and savannah but dominated by over 100 immense sandstone plateaus.  These plateaus, locally called tepuis, are extremely difficult to reach.  Some are bounded by cliff faces up to 1,000 metres high. It is this isolation which has put them into evolutionary bubbles and lead to the creation of some amazing plants and animals.  Up to 65% of all plant life on top of these plateaus is endemic to the region.  More amazingly up to 33% of plant species on each plateau is endemic only to that plateau.

The plateaus are rich in bromeliads and orchids of all shapes, colours and sizes.

There are also fascinating geographical wonders like the red Jasper Creek (below) and barely explored caves of crystals.

Many of the plateaus have nutrient starved soils as the high rainfall literally washes it off the plateau edges.  As a result carnivorous plants have evolved in high numbers relying on trapped insects for their nutrients. There are even carnivorous bromeliads to be found here.

As remote as these plateaus are (most can only be reached by helicopter) there is still research being done.  The potential to learn from this untouched world is enormous and one day if we’re lucky we’ll have access to grow some of these amazing plants in our gardens. 

Ibex Earth is a not-for-profit organisation which assists with research in this area and is running a Lost World Expeditions this April.  A good friend of mine has just booked to go on the 10 day adventure and seriously can’t stop talking about it.  I am very envious!  There are still spots available so visit their website if you’re interested – just don’t brag about it too much when you return.  As for me I’m thinking 2012 will  be my turn to do it.

PS Don’t forget to check out The Plant Addict Shop while you’re here. 

You’ll find great gift ideas for garden lovers and fellow plant addicts!