Wild Guyana

Fly into Georgetown, the capital of Guyana and transfer to a hotel in the city for your first night.

Guyana’s capital, Georgetown sits alongside the Atlantic Coast and the Demerara River. Georgetown feels more Caribbean than South American with its mix of gently fading colonial architecture, temples, churches and mosques, plus rum shops, West Indian markets and a background of reggae music!

Begin the day with an early start then meet guide and chef Delvin Adams for a tour of Bourda Market - Georgetown’s largest market. Sample some of the food and visit interesting sections such as the bush medicine and haberdashery parts of the market. 

Late morning, travel to Georgetown airport and take a flight over the Demerara and Essequibo Rivers and miles and miles of unbroken rainforest to reach Kaieteur Falls. 

Kaieteur Falls is totally surrounded by pristine tropical rainforest. The Potaro River drops 741 feet (five times the height of Niagara!) off a sandstone tableland into a deep gorge. The environment around the falls is unique - here can be found a tiny golden frog found that exists nowhere else, the rare Guiana Cock-of-the-Rock and Kaieteur Swifts which nest behind the falls. 

Most travelers visit Kaieteur Falls on a day trip from Georgetown. However, this trip to Kaieteur Falls includes a night in the only accommodation option - a simple guesthouse with hammocks. By staying the night at the falls, there is a real sense of having the place to yourself - watch the swifts roost for the night behind the falls and feel completely surrounded by the rainforest.

Early morning mist at Kaieteur Falls gives a beautiful view and there will likely be almost no other visitors at this time. Search for the golden frog and cock-of-the-rock. 

Take a charter flight to Apoteri Village then travel by boat along the Rupununi River with the chance to spot giant river otters and black caiman along the way. Arrive to Rewa Village. Here the Rewa River enters the Rupununi. This area is tropical rainforest, mountains and oxbow lakes - full of wildlife. 

Short boat ride across the river and walk to an oxbow lake where there is a wooden deck giving close up views of Victoria Amazonica the world’s largest water lily which has leaves that can reach 3 meters in diameter. 

Stay at a community run ecolodge for two nights.

Travel by boat along the river, into and oxbow lake and then hike up Awarmie Mountain - steep in places but overall not too difficult. Look for birds and black spider monkeys along the way. From the top of the mountain, there are views across the untouched forest and river to distant mountains. 

Back to the lodge for lunch, then explore Rewa village where you can visit villager’s houses and observe activities such as grating cassava and basket making. Later in the day, visit Seawall - further upriver. Seawall is a rock formation where there is great fishing, beautiful sand banks and here giant river turtles come to lay eggs. On the way back to the lodge, just after dark search for wildlife by flashlight.

Head off from Rewa by boat along the Rupununi River to Kwatamang Landing then onwards to Atta Lodge at Iwokrama. 

Visit the Iwokrama canopy walkway which is at the southern end of the Iwokrama Reserve. Four suspension bridges connect three platforms reaching over 30 meters in height. The walkway is a great way to view species which are hard to see from the canopy floor. 

The clearing around the lodge is another great place for wildlife viewing, especially the crimson fruitcrow and black curassow.

Return to the canopy walkway pre-dawn to birdwatch and look for red howler and spider monkeys. Back at ground level, enjoy trails through the forest to observe birds, amphibians, deer, tapir, agouti and more. Night walks are possible too and occasionally jaguars have been sighted.

Leave Atta after breakfast and travel through the rainforest to Corkwood where there is a short trail where Guianan cock-of-the-rock can be seen with luck. Continue the journey to the indigenous community of Surama.

Surama village is surrounded by about five miles of savannah which is backed by the forested Pakaraima Mountains. The inhabitants are mostly from the Macushi tribe and follow many of their ancestors’ traditions. Take a short walk along trails to observe forest and bird life, and a tour of the village including the school, medical center and church. Stay two nights in Surama at a lodge owned and operated by the community.

Visit the home of two local inhabitants and learn about their lifestyle including their kitchen garden. Select items from the garden for lunch, either help prepare it or relax in a hammock. Demonstration of making handicrafts. 

Next is a three mile walk in the savannah and then into the rainforest to the Burro Burro River. Guides paddle a boat along the Burro Burro River to look for giant river otters, tayra, spider monkeys and more. Return to the lodge.

Travel from Surama to Annai where the savannah and forested foothills of the Pakaraima Mountains meet. See how cashew nuts are roasted and try making local handicrafts. Enjoy the pool at your lodge, surrounded by tropical gardens and flowering trees.

Dawn hike in the foothills of the Pakaraima Mountains with plenty of bird-spotting opportunities along the way and views over the savannah and villages as the sun rises. Breakfast back at the lodge.

Head south by road to Ginep Landing then continue by boat along the Rupunini River to Karanambu, stay two nights. If the river levels are favorable, this river trip gives good opportunities to see giant river otters. 

Karanambu is a former cattle ranch in the northern Rupununi. The late Diane McTurk, conservationist and expert on giant otters lived here. Karanambu includes areas of savannah, marsh, forest and river. Giant otter, black caiman, jaguar, giant anteater and arapaima are all present here. A choice of tours is available according to interests and the time of year.

Late afternoon boat trip in search of giant river otters and at dusk view giant water lilies in bloom before returning to the lodge for the night.

Early morning trip in the grasslands in search of giant anteaters. These creatures are six foot in length and can often be found digging their breakfast out of termite mounds. Middle of the day at leisure.

Evening river trip where giant river otters may be spotting or bird watching, then return to Karanambu Lodge for the evening.

Final chance to look for giant anteaters if not seen the previous day, or go out on the river to find giant river otters, black caiman and arapaima before breakfast.

Travel by boat up to the Amerindian village of Yupukari and Caiman House Field Station which is a combination of guest accommodation and research and conservation center.

Chance to support and participate in a field study of black caiman - an endangered species and the largest member of the alligator family. Accompany the team as they search for the caiman along the river. Observe from a separate boat and see how the caiman are weighed, measured and tagged before being returned to the river. Stay the night at Caiman House.

Following breakfast, travel by road from Caiman House to Waikin Ranch which is 30 minutes from the town of Lethem. Gain an insight into life in the savannahs. 

Prepare a meal with the kitchen staff, learning about the local cooking methods. Cook a meal such as boilee or pepperpot. Stay the night at Waikin Ranch.

Take a guided walk along trails. Look for local wildlife and take in the surroundings at your own pace. Lakes and ponds here make the area particularly rich in birdlife. Horse-riding is available at extra cost.

Afternoon transfer to the airstrip and fly back to Georgetown, transfer to hotel. Dinner at a local restaurant. Final night in Guyana.

Depending on flight departure time, there may be time for a tour to Georgetown’s Botanical Gardens today at extra cost.

Transfer to the airport and depart.