Caroni and Orinoco Rivers: Hopelessly together or eternally separated?

This is the love story of two rivers in Venezuela, Caroni and Orinoco.

The legend says that Orinoco and Caroni were humans, but they were part of different indigenous tribes. They felt deeply in love, but their tribes were at war with one another and the Gods were against their love. They decided to escape from their families and their fate to be together, so they sealed their love with a kiss and escaped through the endless sea.

Confluence of Orinoco and Caroni

One of the most famous river confluences takes place in Venezuela, at the Bolivar State. Where two rivers, Orinoco and Caroni, meet up without mixing with each other, noticeable because of its different colors and although I prefer the Indian legend, there is an explanation for this phenomenon.

This occurs because of the different composition each river has. Orinoco is brownish because of the sediments that it carries through its path, therefore has more density. Caroni has dark blue colors because of the organic acids from the wastes of the Amazonia and the Guyanese Shield, which increases its acidity levels. They both join in the city of Puerto Ordaz and they can be seen from the bridges around or as I did, from a boat.

They form a beautiful scenery worth of going to, and depending on the time of the day, the difference in temperatures can be noticed if you go for a swim, but watch out for piranhas!

Other beautiful river confluences around the world include:

1. BRAZIL: Rio Negro and the Rio Solimoes.

2. CHINA: Jialing and Yangtze rivers in Chongqing.

3. SWITZERLAND: Rhone and Arve rivers in Geneva.

4. INDIA: Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers.

5. USA: Green and Colorado Rivers at Canyonlands National Park, UT.