For over 40 years, José Miguel Pérez-Gómez has led extraordinary expeditions across Venezuela, venturing into some of the country’s most remote and uncharted regions. In 1984, he spearheaded pioneering underwater explorations of submerged cave systems, including the Cueva del Guácharo, Quijano, and Morocoima caves. He navigated the Caroní and Orinoco rivers and retraced Alexander von Humboldt’s historic route along the Casiquiare Canal to the Río Negro, delving deep into the Amazon basin. The expedition of the Serranía de la Neblina from 1983 to 1987 is recognized as one of the most significant natural science expeditions of its era. José Miguel Pérez-Gómez played a pivotal role in the expedition’s logistics and was actively involved in exploring previously uncharted areas within this remote mountain range. He collaborated in this expedition with esteemed scientists such as Dr. Charles Brewer-Carias from the “Fundación Para el Desarrollo de las Ciencias Fisicas, Matematicas y Naturales”, Dr. Julián Steyermark from the Missouri Botanical Garden, Dr. Jerome Rozen Jr. from the American Museum of Natural History, Dr. Andrew James Henderson from the New York Botanical Garden, and Dr. Alfred Gardner from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. He also contributed to the logistics of Dr. Napoleon Chagnon many expeditions to study the Yanomamö people in southern Venezuela. These contributions helped in the discovery of new species, the study of cultural groups and charting new territories, enhancing the understanding of the region’s biodiversity, cultural and ecological systems.

Jose Miguel’s expeditions to the Guiana Highlands and Mount Roraima are among his most notable feats. Between 1989 and 1999, he ascended Mount Roraima more than 29 times, exploring its summit in great detail. His discovery of the first quartzite cave on the mountain, later named the “Cueva de los Vencejos,” represents a major geographical find. He also scuba dived into the “El Foso” a water cave system on the top. His Expeditions also took him deep into the Auyantepui plateau totaling 8 times, where he explored vast networks of cracks, lost valleys, rivers and waterfalls, expanding the knowledge of these remote and uncharted plateaus. From the black waters of the Pasimoni and Baría rivers to the channels and jungles of Maturacá, and all the way to the Cerro de la Neblina, José Miguel’s expeditions have been driven by an insatiable desire to explore and document the unknown. His ventures into Venezuela’s most inaccessible mountain ranges, dense jungles, and remote rivers have resulted in significant geographical discoveries, from previously uncharted natural wonders to important archaeological sites. These explorations highlight his profound impact in the fields of exploration and archaeology, positioning him among the most accomplished explorers of Venezuela’s untamed wilderness. His contributions are defined by uncovering uncharted terrains and revealing archaeological treasures in some of the world’s most remote and unexplored landscapes.