Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana
Tailor-Made Tours
Introduction
On the north-eastern coast of South America and one of the few Caribbean countries that is not an island, Guyana has preserved the vast majority of its rainforest in pristine form, replete with all the creatures, big and small, who call it home. This presents an opportunity for firsthand exploration found in few other places on earth. No touts, no tour bus traffic jams, even postcards and souvenirs are in short supply. When you visit Guyana, you encounter something that’s hard to find these days: a magnificent, untrammelled place.
As South America’s only English-speaking country, Guyana also offers something less dramatic but equally valuable to the curious traveller – opportunities to engage directly with the people. A private tailor-made tour combining Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana can be arranged by our experts; where you’ll be speaking English, Spanish and French.
HIGHLIGHTS
OVERVIEW:
Kaieteur Falls is the world’s highest single drop waterfall, located on the Potaro River in the Kaieteur National Park, Guyana. Its first, single drop, is 226 metres high. It then flows over a series of steep cascades that bring the total height to 251 metres. Kaieteur is among the most powerful waterfalls in the world with an average flow rate of 663 cubic metres per second.
For comparison, Kaieteur Falls is about four times higher than the Niagara Falls Canada, and about twice the height of the Victoria Falls, on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
OVERVIEW:
The Iwokrama Forest is a vast wilderness of nearly one million acres – a protected area and homeland of the Makushi people. A unique blend of technology, ancient culture, and traditional knowledge, Iwokrama fulfils its mandate and promise to the world.
From the Iwokrama Lodge you can retrace the footsteps of the Makushi people, wander extensive trails and discover the flora, fauna and Amerindian history so special to this tropical region. With an unparalleled abundance of wildlife, the Iwokrama Forest is an extraordinary destination for naturalists, birders and for those seeking an authentic retreat to the rainforest.
OVERVIEW:
Guyana, one of the last largely unexplored frontiers in South America, is a land where everything is on a supersized scale; aside from its giant trees and epic waterfalls, it is home to many of the continent’s – and often the world’s – biggest creatures. Among them are the Giant River Otter, one of the largest otters of the world’s 13 otter species, which used to range throughout South America’s tropical lowland rainforests and wetlands but is now endangered; Giant Anteater that can grow to more than 2m long and, when cornered, able to fight off a puma or jaguar; Arapaima, at more than 3m long and weighing up to 180kg, one of the world’s largest freshwater fish; Harpy Eagle, the biggest and most powerful raptor in the Americas; and Anacondas and Jaguars, respectively the largest reptile and feline in the western hemisphere.
Giant flora are well represented by Guyana’s many huge trees, as well as by the Victoria Amazonica lily that is featured on the country’s coat of arms, with leaves 3m across and a submerged stalk 7-8m long.
OVERVIEW:
Georgetown, the capital of Guyana is a fantastic addition to any Guiana region itinerary, with this Dutch colonial and Victorian architecture reminiscent of the days that it was once a Dutch and English colony. Lying below the high-tide level, Georgetown has a crisscross of canals throughout the city and is protected by a seawall. Main points of interests could be considered as St. Georges Cathedral, arguably one of the worlds highest wooden buildings reaching over 40 metres, the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology, the Museum of Guyana, the Botanic Gardens and the Liberation Monument to name a few.
SAMPLE ITINERARIES
Planning Your Trip
The Booking Process
South America Travel Centre can look after all aspects of your holiday, including flights and travel insurance.
We start by asking you what your interests are and where you are interested in, when, for how long, what standard and style of accommodation. Once we have a good understanding of just what you’re looking for, we can begin to create a holiday to meet your time and budget requirements and, most importantly, that will deliver interest and enjoyment in an experience to exceed your expectations.
Please book early. Many of the hotels and lodges we recommend are relatively small. This exclusivity combined with high demand means they can be booked out up to 6-8 months in advance.
If you’re thinking of travelling during any major holidays like Christmas, New Year and Easter, or during any festivals, our advice is simply to book as early as you can, even 12 months or more, and we can add flights as soon as they become available.
Visa and Health Information
Australian citizens do not require a visa to enter Guyana You will need to hold a valid passport and have a return ticket when you arrival.
It is strongly recommended that all travellers to Guyana be vaccinated for yellow fever before commencing their trip.
Vaccinations are advised for common diseases like Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid as well as Influenza. There are no compulsory vaccinations.
We advise you to consult a Travel Doctor specialist prior to departure to assess any health risks in relation to your medical history and travel plans.
Flight Information
We have access to a wide range of airfares and have excellent relationships with our key airline partners. Our two main airline partners in Latin America are LATAM Airlines, QANTAS Airlines and Air New Zealand. We can also arrange internal flights for you within Latin America.
Irrespective of whether you book directly with us or with your preferred travel agent, we’ll request the details of all of your fights to ensure if there are any changes your transfers and other arrangements are adjusted accordingly.
The Best Time to Go
Because of its close proximity to the Equator, Guyana shows two distinct seasons: rainy and dry.
On the Coast: The rainy season is from May to mid-July and mid-November to mid-January.
Guyana’s interior: The rainy season occurs during May to August. Heavy rains come down and some rivers can rise over 9 metres above their recorded dry season height. Late December the interior also experiences some more light rains.
Because Guyana is mainly tropical rain-forest you can expect some rain all year round. Often it is welcomed respite from the hot and humid temperatures.
Client Reviews
Now back in Sydney after a wonderful holiday. The EcoCamp was also fantastic! The whole holiday was co-ordinated beautifully – everything just flowed from one adventure to the next without a single problem. We now have 100’s and 100’s of absolutely spectacular photos to sort through. Interestedly we had 8 different flights whilst we were away and each one of them was either full or nearly full – people are obviously travelling again. Thank you so much for all your assistance in co-ordinating our Patagonia experience. With Kindest regards Joe & Judy
Now back in Sydney after a wonderful holiday. The EcoCamp was also fantastic! The whole holiday was co-ordinated beautifully – everything just flowed from one adventure to the next without a single problem. We now have 100’s and 100’s of absolutely spectacular photos to sort through. Interestedly we had 8 different flights whilst we were away and each one of them was either full or nearly full – people are obviously travelling again. Thank you so much for all your assistance in co-ordinating our Patagonia experience. With Kindest regards, Joe & Judy
We cannot recommend Hayley from South America Travel Centre (SATC) more highly. Our entire trip was planned perfectly from the second we left Sydney. Not only did she incorporate all of our preferred destinations, Hayley also made suggestions on additional places based on our preferences and some of these turned out to be the highlights of our trip! We tend to be more independent travellers and Hayley was able to create the perfect mix of seamless travel with the flexibility for us throughout the journey to take advantage of any unexpected opportunities that arose. The guides at every location were extremely knowledgeable and offered excellent suggestions on everything from safety through to restaurants and laundry locations. I absolutely cannot fault the services provided both locally and in Australia from the SATC team.