GUYANA IN DEPTH

Day 1 Georgetown, Guyana

Overview:

Welcome to Georgetown-a relaxed Caribbean town filled with unique architecture and markets making for a great place to begin your culturally and environmentally immersive tour of Guyana. You will be picked up in Guyana’s capital with a private transfer taking you to your hotel. Once you have had a good night’s sleep the following morning it is time to fly to one of the world’s most impressive natural wonders. Your flight will take you over the Demerara and Essequibo Rivers and hundreds of miles of unbroken tropical rainforest to land at Kaieteur Falls, the world’s highest free-falling waterfall. At 228 metres, Kaieteur is nearly five times the height of Niagara Falls. There are no other falls in the world with the magnitude of the sheer drop existing at Kaieteur. The waterfall supports a unique micro environment with Tank Bromeliads, the largest in the world, in which the tiny Golden frog spends its entire life and the rarely seen Guiana Cock- of-the-Rock nesting close by. The lucky visitor may also see the famous flights of the Kaieteur Swifts or Makonaima Birds which nest under the vast shelf of rock carved by the centuries of water, hidden behind the eternal curtain of falling water.

Day 3-4 Iwokrama Rainforest, Guyana

Overview:

Begin your journey to the Iwokrama River Lodge by boarding a flight in Georgetown travelling to Rupununi where you will transfer by 4×4 to the lodge. The Iwokrama Rainforest is a vast wilderness of one million acres. The Iwokrama Forest is in the heart of one of four last untouched tropical forests of the world – The Guiana Shield of North-Eastern South America. Explore the trails around your lodge with an Iwokrama Ranger who has the knowledge of the local bird species including Capunchinbird, Black Nunbird, Amazonian Antshrike, Spotted Puffbird and the Green Aracari. The forest is also home to many mammals and you may see Red-rumped Agouti and various species of monkey including Red Howler, Black Spider and Wedge-capped and Brown Capuchins. After dark you’ll set out on the river with the ranger, in hope of finding one of its four species of caiman, and listen for night birds such as Spectacled Owl, White-winged Potoo, Rufous Potoo, Long-tailed Potoo, Zigzag Heron or Blackish Nightjar.

Making an early start, you’ll embark on the Essequibo and circumnavigate nearby Indian House Island, before returning to the River Lodge for breakfast. When you’re ready leave the lodge by boat, bird watching along the way, for a hike to Turtle Mountain. A well maintained trail winds through the forest before an exhilarating climb up the mountain to its summit (approximately 360m). It takes almost 2 hours to walk up the mountain, but the effort is more than worth it for the breath taking views over the forest canopy when you get there. This trail is also a great location for seeing Black Spider and Red Howler Monkey’s and if you are very lucky even a Jaguar. If you think this hike may be too strenuous you can take an alternative boat trip to Stanley Lake to search for Giant River Otters and Black Caiman. As the afternoon cools you set out on a boat trip to visit Kurupukari Falls to see the Amerindian petroglyphs (dependent on the water level).

Day 5-6 Atta Rainforest, Guyana

Overview:

Explore some more trails around the lodge with an Iwokrama Ranger before transferring by 4 x 4 along a trail that is one of the best places to see the elusive Jaguar. The Iwokrama forest is rapidly gaining an international reputation for its healthy jaguar populations that seem not to be troubled by the appearance of curious humans. Along the road, we will watch for the myriad of bird species that frequent the forest edge, including Crimson and Purple-necked Fruit-crow, Crimson Topaz, Green Oropendula and Spotted and Guianan Puffbirds. Stop to enjoy the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway which is situated at Mauisparu, near the southern boundary of the Iwokrama Reserve in central Guyana. The walkway has four suspension bridges leading to three platforms, the highest of which is over 30 metres above the ground, and these will allow great looks at a range of canopy species, many of which you would struggle to see well from the forest floor. The walkway is also an excellent place to look for various species of cotinga including the poorly known and range-restricted Dusky Purpletuft.

Before dawn you will return to the canopy where you can easily birdwatch and you may see Rufousthroated Sapphire, Green Aracari, Pygmy Antwren and Guianan Streaked-Antwren. From this tree top vantage you can sometimes see Red Howler Monkeys and Black Spider Monkeys. Apart from the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway itself you can enjoy wildlife and bird watching walks on the trails around the area. For those interested in botany many of the trails have the key trees species marked. Many bird species, stunning insects, noisy amphibians, and playful primates make the surrounding forest their home and you can be fairly certain to spot some extraordinary wildlife without trying too hard. Serious birders will want to search the undergrowth for the rarely seen Rufouswinged Ground-cuckoo. Night walks are also possible and something interesting or new always seems to pop on to the scene.

Day 7-8 Corkwood and Surama, Guyana

Overview:

Welcome the dawn chorus from the canopy walkway where Short-tailed Nighthawks settle in for the day, Swifts take to the sky, White throated and Channel-billed Toucans yodel, and Barred Forest Falcons call or choose to wander the trails around the lodge to soak up the incredible wildlife all around you. Transfer from Atta Rainforest Lodge by 4 x 4 through the rainforest to Corkwood in the Iwokrama Forest. Here there is a comparatively short trail to hopefully see the amazingly brilliant Guianian Cock-of-the-rock. This trail journeys through extremely interesting forest and the guides can show you the use of the local plants. The journey then continues to the community of Surama. The Amerindian community of Surama is located in the heart of Guyana. The village is set in thirteen square kilometres of savannah which is ringed by the forest covered Pakaraima Mountains. Surama’s inhabitants are mainly from the Macushi tribe and still observe many of the traditional practises of their forebears.

Rise before dawn for a walk across the savannah to then begin your ascent up Surama Mountain for incredible views across the village and savannah to the Pakaraima Mountains. This is not a technical climb but can be arduous, especially after rain, and not for everyone. Your guides will happily offer alternative activities if you would prefer not to do it. In the afternoon take a 4.8km walk across the savannah and through the rainforest to the Burro Burro River. Your guides will then paddle you down the River whilst you keep an eye out for Giant River Otters, Tapir, Tira, Spider Monkeys and many more species. Return to the village for beautiful sunset.

Day 9 Annai, Guyana

Overview:

Enjoy dawn breaking across the rainforest where you can choose from a forest walk to look for wildlife and birds or relax around the lodge before breakfast and your departure. When you are ready begin your transfer by 4×4 from Surama to Rock View Lodge at Annai. Here you will be able to see the way that cashews are roasted and the labour-intensive method of cracking open the roasted nuts along with the self-ignition of the nuts as the acid content burns off are a spectacular sight. You can then taste the delicious freshly roasted nuts. The locals have always made the items needed for their daily activities from material gathered in the forest. You will be able to see how the materials are plaited in various designs to form baskets, sifters and other utensils as well as the spinning of cotton and the working of leather to create whips, belts and other articles used by the local vacqueros.

Day 10-11 Pakaraima Mountains and Karanambu, Guyana

Overview:

At dawn take a hike in the foothills of the Pakaraima Mountains on the Panorama Trail where you will have the chance to see a wide variety of local birds. Once you reach the top, the views across the savannah and local villages as the sun rises are enough to take your breath away. After making your way back down the mountains, begin your journey to Karanambu via vehicle followed by a boat trip down the Rupununi River. Dependant on the river level, this trip offers an excellent opportunity to look for Giant Otters as there are several family groups which live along this stretch of the Rupununi River.

Karanambu encompasses savannah, marshy ponds, riparian forest, and a 48km stretch of the Rupununi River. The number of species found here is astounding considering its size. There are at least 600 species of fish, along with 600 species of bird, and over 200 species of mammals. You will be based right in the midst of this beautiful and fascinating biological hot spot where endangered species like the Giant Otter, Black Caiman, Jaguar, Giant Anteater, and Arapaima can be found. The seasonally flooded savannahs and forests also draw substantial fish migrations. At times there may be as many as 700 species of fish at Karanambu — more than anywhere on Earth. There are several different trips to choose to take part in during your time here and you are free to determine what you want to do based on your interests, the time of year and what the local expert guides recommend. Trips may be on the river by boat, on the savannahs by Land Rover or along forest trails on foot to the different ponds in the area. Enjoy a fascinating boat trip as dusk falls and view the spectacular Amazonia Regis water lily bloom.

Day 12 Yupukari Village, Guyana

Overview:

In the event you did not see a giant anteater the previous morning, take your chance again by travelling back out to the savannah or alternatively explore the Rupununi River again in search of wild Giant River Otters, Black Caiman and Arapaima. After finishing up your time in Karanambu transfer upriver by motorized boat to the nearby Amerindian village of Yupukari and vehicle transfer from the boat landing to Caiman House. You are invited to accompany the indigenous crew as they search for and capture Black Caiman on the river. Guests will observe the capture from a separate boat, but will be offered the opportunity to assist in data collection. Caiman are weighed, measured, sexed and tagged before being released back into the river. The research has already discovered interesting information on caimans’ nests that was previously unknown. Enjoy your time here learning and participating in the conservation of this fascinating endangered species.

Day 13-14 Georgetown, Guyana

Overview:

This morning you have the option between visiting Yupukari Village, to learn about their way of life or go birdwatching in search of the many interesting savannah, gallery forest and river-edge birds found in the Caiman House area. Vehicle transfer from Caiman House to the airstrip to board your scheduled flight over the Demerara and Essequibo Rivers and hundreds of miles of tropical rainforest to land in Georgetown.

Georgetown, the chief port, capital and largest city of Guyana is situated on the right Bank of the Demerara River Estuary. The city of Georgetown was designed largely by the Dutch and is laid out in a rectangular pattern with wide tree lined avenues and irrigation canals that criss cross the city. Most of the buildings in the city are wooden with unique architecture dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. During your visit to Georgetown there are a number of interesting sights that should not be missed, the most famous being St. George’s Cathedral. Enjoy a tour of Georgetown choosing sights that interest you the most, such as the Botanical Gardens and Zoo, The National Museum, the Coffey Monument, the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology and walking along the Avenues learning about the history, rumours and facts of Georgetown.  The following morning be picked up in Georgetown with your private transfer back to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport for your departing flight.