Natural Wonders of Guyana

Arrive in Georgetown, Guyana's capital city and by far its largest settlement. Originally chosen as a site to guard the early Dutch settlements of the Demerara River, the city has a largely Dutch design, and is laid out in a rectangular pattern with wide tree lined avenues and irrigation canals that criss-cross the city.



For those arriving on time, our Leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 7.30pm for the welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Georgetown at any time. If you would like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into either the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (code: GEO) or the Eugene F. Correira Airport (code: OGL), a 1hr15 minute drive or 15 minute drive respectively from our hotel. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your Leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up.

The early part of the morning is the best time to visit Georgetown's markets, and today we'll do just that. Bourda Market is Georgetown's largest, and is stuffed with local produce from tamarind balls to cassava bread, with fish, meat, vegetables and everything in between. There are the bush medicine stalls that sell concoctions for every ailment, and haberdashery sections with all kinds of fabrics including beautiful African prints. At the market we'll meet the local chef Delvin Adams, who will take us first for a breakfast at one of the local stands. He'll then guide us around the market and introduce us to all of the different foods that Guyana has in spades - from seaside grapes and large red bananas to fiery chillies!



Delvin will purchase our lunch ingredients with us at the market, and then depart to start preparing while we continue with a local guide. We'll visit some of Georgetown's key sites, including the beautiful and impressive wooden cathedral, one of the tallest wooden churches in the world at a height of 43.5 metres. We'll also visit the National Museum and the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology, as well as Georgetown's Botanical Gardens, home to an extensive collection of tropical flora. Depending on timings, we may visit the gardens after lunch.



We will reunite with our chef for lunch, at his 'Backyard Cafe' restaurant, which is a little hidden Georgetown gem that Delvin has created in his own backyard. Our meal will be proper Guyanese fare, made from ingredients that we've picked up this morning at Bourda Market. It might vary depending on the tastes in the group and what produce is in season, but it's all guaranteed to be fresh and delicious.



The rest of the day is free to enjoy Georgetown.

An exciting day lies ahead as we travel to the domestic airport this morning for our flight on light aircraft to the majestic Kaieteur Falls. This long-drop waterfall, first seen by a European on April 29, 1870, is the world's highest single-drop falls, and is situated in the heart of Guyana on the Potaro River. The water of Kaieteur, one of the world's natural wonders, flows over a sandstone conglomerate tableland into a deep gorge - a drop of 822 feet or 5 times the height of Niagara Falls. The flight takes about an hour, passing for 10 minutes through inhabited areas before the landscape turns into thick rainforest, as far as the eye can see. The pilot will normally fly over the falls, giving us a spectacular aerial view, before landing at the airstrip.



On the ground, there is an easy walk through bromeliad-covered forest to a variety of viewpoints where we'll take in the sheer power of the waterfalls from different angles. The third viewpoint takes us to the edge of the falls, where intrepid travellers might like to inch forwards on their bellies to look over the lip into the falls below. After the rainy season there is sometimes so much water, hitting the floor with such force, that the amount of spray in the air makes it impossible to see the valley floor. A lucky visitor may also see the famous Kaieteur Swifts, or Makonaima Birds, which nest under the vast shelf of rock behind the falls.



After around two hours on the ground, we return to Georgetown.

It's an early departure from Georgetown today, as we drive through the Bauxite Mining township of Linden and into the rainforest. The laterite road is easy traveling to Mabura Hill and then it becomes an adventurous drive on rainforest trails to the Essequibo River, which we will cross on pontoon. Just at the other side of the river we find the Iwokrama River Lodge, our base for the night.



It will take around seven to ten hours to reach Iwokrama along the interior road; this road is the only north-south access in Guyana and links the country to Brazil. If we take our time, the road offers excellent opportunities to spot a host of birds, flowers, and perhaps even sloths residing high up in the trees. We'll explore both from the vehicle and on foot.



Our base at Iwokrama is located in a vast wilderness of one million acres. This protected area was established in 1996 as the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development, and the forest is in the heart of one of four last untouched tropical forests of the world - The Guiana Shield of North-Eastern South America. Iwokrama was established as a living laboratory for tropical forest management. The forest is in the homeland of the Makushi people, who have lived here and used the forest for thousands of years.



Our hotel has a beautiful location overlooking the Essequibo River. With wooden en suite cabins, each one with their own veranda, the rooms are comfortable and charming. Electricity is run by generator (both solar and diesel), and there is limited wifi in the main building.

For those who wish, there's the opportunity (at an additional cost) to take a pre-dawn boat trip around the nearby Indian House Island. It takes around one hour to circumnavigate the island, and with your wildlife-spotting driver, you'll look for butterflies, snakes, howler monkey and macaws by the water's edge before going back to the lodge for breakfast.



Reuniting with those who've enjoyed a longer sleep, we take a small motorboat after breakfast to the Turtle Mountain trailhead, birdwatching along the way. The walk starts off steadily winding its way through forest on a well-maintained trail, before ending with a short and steep climb to the summit at 360 metres. A good level of fitness is required for the hike, but the effort is more than worth it for the incredible panoramic views over the forest canopy, and the chances of spotting green aracari, white bellbird or even one of five different types of eagle. If the hike is too strenuous, there is an alternative boat trip available to nearby Stanley Lake or you can simply remain at the lodge and enjoy the sounds of the forest.



In the afternoon we'll explore the trails around the lodge with an Iwokrama Ranger, spotting myriad birdlife along the way.



There is the option this evening of a night time boat trip, spotting caiman and listening for night birds such as the spectacled owl and blackish nightjar. We'll also search for amphibians and snakes among the river edge.

After a morning walk at Iwokrama, we set out in our vehicle along a forest trail that is one of the best places to catch a glimpse of the elusive jaguar. Of course, there's no guarantee of spotting these enormous cats, but occasionally they do make their way down to the interior access road. We'll be watching for myriad bird species en route.



The journey takes us to the southern boundary of the Iwokrama Reserve, to Atta Rainforest Lodge; home of the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway. This series of four suspension bridges leads to observation decks of up to 30 metres in height. The state-of-the-art construction allows trees to grow normally by using adjustable cables and braces throughout the support structure. From the vantage points on the decks, you can comfortably gaze over the mid- and upper-level forest canopy, without intruding on the wildlife. We'll be looking for a procession of striking, canopy-dwelling birds such as screaming piha, caica parrot, white-throated trogon, Guianan toucanet and many more. If we are lucky we may even see the stunning and highly sought-after pompadour cotinga. Families of spider and howler monkeys are sometimes seen here, feeding on the fruits of nearby trees. Every day brings a new surprise to explorers on the canopy.



Our simple lodge for this evening offers private rooms, ensuite bathrooms and traditional Amerindian hospitality. There is a communal building that houses the bar and dining area, and its open-sided construction gives out views over the flower garden and the forest, which completely surrounds the lodge. Watch out for hummingbirds that come to feed in the heliconias.

Today will be fairly relaxed. We may head out before dawn to the canopy, where we can bird-watch more easily. Howler monkeys are also spotted more frequently at this time in the morning.



The rest of the day will be spent at the lodge and will be very flexible to explore either with or without the guide, as you wish. There are many bird species, insects, noisy amphibians and playful primates that make the surrounding forest their home. Deer, tapir and agouti (similar to a capybara) also visit the lodge occasionally. Walks around the access trail bring something different every time, and as darkness falls on the canopy walkway we may catch a glimpse of the white-winged potoo.



Night walks are possible from the lodge with our Tour Leader, and something interesting or new always seems to appear. There is also the option (at an additional cost) to travel out in a vehicle this evening, moving slowly along the access road southwards, in an attempt to spot jaguar. Sometimes other animals like tapir, pacas and agouti are also spotted, but the excitement is really in the search, being completely surrounded by the noise of the forest. The lodge also operates their own camera trips, and it's often possible for the staff here to show travellers what animals have been captured on film, roaming just a short distance away from where we're sleeping.

We'll depart Atta Lodge this morning, travelling through the rainforest to a small place called Corkwood. Here we have a short trail through pristine rainforest, with the end goal of hopefully seeing the brilliant Guianan cock-of-the-rock. Along the way, the guides may explain how plants are used for medicine and other purposes.



After this short walk, we continue to Surama. This indigenous community is located right in the heart of the country, in the 'savannah' area that is ringed by the forest-covred Pakaraima Mountains. The villagers here are mainly from the Macushi indigenous trip, and our eco-lodge is owned and operated by the entire community. The Village Council decides, upon consultation with the villagers themselves, how to spend the profits from the tourism business so that it benefits the entire community.



We'll settle into the eco-lodge on arrival, and take a short walk on trails to observe the forest and bird life, as well as visiting the village as a whole. After dark, our Tour Leader will take us on an educational walk to experience the mysteries of the forest by night. Insects and amphibians come into their own at this time, and we'll catch some of them watching us, using our flashlights as a guide.

Today we rise before dawn for a nature walk across the savannah with our Tour Leader. This is a good time to observe birdlife along the trail. We'll return to the lodge for breakfast, and our Leader will give us the option to hike up the nearby Surama Mountain. The climb is not long but can be quite strenuous, particularly after rain. It's a steep hike straight up and straight down, which involves some hiking over rocks and boulders en route. You can remain at the lodge for the rest of the morning if you would prefer not to undertake the hike. The lodge is surrounded by nature, with hammocks available in communal areas to enjoy over a coffee.



We then return to the village for lunch and set out later in the afternoon to the Burro Burro River, from where the local guides will paddle us upstream in our indigenous dugout canoes for opportunities to observe birdlife and wildlife in their natural habitat, including plenty of kingfisher, ibis, and if we're lucky, giant river otters, before returning to the village. On the walk back, we'll see the forest through the eyes of our indigenous guide, learning about how medicinal plants are used in the Amerindian community to treat everything from upset stomachs to glaucoma.

Our final night in the interior is spent a 45 minute drive from Surama, at the Rock View Lodge in nearby Annai. This is where the foothills of the Pakaraima mountain range meets the tropical rainforest, and the transition zone between savannah and rainforest. We'll spend our day bird watching on nature trails, looking for vibrant macaws and impressive birds of prey, and attempting to spot some of the larger savannah mammals like anteaters, armadillows, sloth or even giant river otter. Nothing is guaranteed of course but our stay here offers a different glimpse of the biodiversity on offer in Guyana.

We'll have our final chance to watch dawn breaking across the interior this morning, opting to walk through the forest for another bird-watching session, or relaxing around the lodge before breakfast.



We will then drive for several hours south across the savannah to Lethem, a town close to the border with Brazil, where we pick up our flight back to Georgetown. What remains of the day is ours to spend as we choose in the city. We might like to head down to the seawall this evening - on a Sunday night there is a lively atmosphere with food and drink traders selling their wares to evening strollers.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Georgetown. For those who wish, there is the option to take a pre-dawn excursion up to the Mahaica River, one of the best places in Guyana to spot the country's national bird - the hoatzin. Driving out of Georgetown, the road to the river landing runs parallel to the river itself, and gives an introduction into the lives of the farming communities who cultivate rice and other crops in this area. Upon arrival at the river landing, you'll take a boat ride to explore the riverfront ecosystem, not only inhabited by the hoatzin, or Stinkbird, but also egret, heron, ibis and other various marsh birds.



Aside from the option to take a morning trip along the Mahaica River, which includes breakfast, there are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart from Georgetown at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer you need to depart today from either the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (code: GEO) or the Eugene F. Correira Airport (code: OGL), a 1hr15 minute drive or 15 minute drive respectively from our hotel.