Guyana - South America's Last Adventure

The proximity to the Equator means that there are only two seasons in Guyana. The optimal travel time for Guyana are the months from September to November and from January to April. Near the coast, the dry season lasts from February to April and from August to October. Accordingly, there are two rainy seasons on the coast. The first lasts from November to January; the heavier one, from May to July. In the interior, heavy rainfall is frequent from May to August. Short and light rain showers may fall over a two-to-thre-week-long period towards the end of December. During the rainy season, there are definitely days when it remains dry, and even rainy days often have several hours of sunshine.

During the dry season, be prepared for higher temperatures around 32 degrees Celsius. The rainy season is slightly cooler, but more humid.

Since Guyana is located in the tropics, mosquitoes and other insects must be expected throughout the year. The best chance to see jaguars is during mating season, in May.

Welcome to Guyana! Today you will land at the international airport, Eugene Correia Airport. From there, you will transfer to your hotel in the capital, Georgetown.

Guyana is not only one of the smallest states in South America, but also the only English-speaking mainland on the continent due to the colonial rule of the British. However, most of the inhabitants speak English based creole. Moreover, the British not only had a great influence in terms of language, but also introduced left-hand traffic. The capital was named after British King George III. The Dutch, on the other hand, created a wide canal and sewer system in the city during their rule, which the British destroyed again about 100 years later. The culture is mainly influenced by Hinduism and other Indian traditions, as a large part of Guyanese originates from India. A fact that can also be traced back to the colonial rule of the British, since about 300 years ago the British Empire brought agricultural workers from their colony of India to Guyana.

Your hotel for the night is the Cara Lodge, which was built around 1840 and has a colorful history. The house has been visited by several notable people over the centuries, including Britain's King Edward VII, U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Prince Charles and Prince Andrew of the British Royal Family, as well as Mick Jagger.

Time spent traveling from the airport to the hotel: approx. 42 km / approx. 1 hour

1 night in the Cara Lodge*** with breakfast in standard room, Georgetown, Guyana

In the morning, you will be picked up at the Cara Lodge and get transferred to the airport. Inland you will fly from the coast over hundreds of kilometers of rainforest and the Demerara and Essequibo Rivers, finally landing at the Surama Airstrip. From there you will take a transfer to the Surama Eco Lodge.

The local Macushi tribe inhabits the heart of the interior - The village is located in the middle of the savannah and is surrounded by the Pakaraima mountain range. The tribe members have remained true to their traditions to this day. The difficult to access the mountain range has contributed to keep its nature inact. Enjoy the absolute tranquility and the harmonious relationship between people and nature here. The local guides know the area like the back of their hands. Almost all of them have spent their whole life in the country. Your personal guide will accompany you through the Surama Conservation Area. No lodging or otherwise commercial use of land is allowed in this area.

Upon arrival, you will be warmly welcomed and given a brief introduction to the days ahead. After lunch, you will embark on a home visit and learn how traditional cassava bread (cassava bread) is made.

In the afternoon, when it cools down a bit, your guide will take you on an exploration tour of the village. You will visit the school, the medical center, the church and some of the village houses. During and after dinner at the lodge, you will discuss the next day's itinerary in a convivial atmosphere.

Time spent flying from Georgetown to Surama: approx. 1.5 - 2 hours

Distance from the Surama Airstrip to the Lodge: approx. 10 minutes

1 night full board in a standard room at Surama Eco Lodge, Surama, Guyana

After breakfast, you will set out on an approximately 5.5 km hike through the savannahs and rainforests of the area. Your final destination is the Gilkes Landing camp on the Burro Burro River. You will help to set up the hammocks and tarps as well as the cooking station and the like - your accommodation for the next days.

You should not miss paddling in a dugout canoe in Guyana. It is one of the most relaxing yet efficient ways to explore the jungle. After lunch, your guide will show you how to handle a canoe and prepare you for the upcoming expedition trip. Every day you will be canoeing on the river for about 6 hours. The guides will of course help you with the paddling. You will also learn how to fish - you will be catching your own lunch for the next few days. But don't worry, if you are not so lucky with fishing, the guide will take care of the food. After dinner, you will again discuss the next day with the guide, a daily ritual that will stay with you until the end of the trip. You will spend the night in a hammock - all hammocks are equipped with a small mosquito net. You will sleep outdoors so you can fully enjoy the sounds of the jungle.

1 night at Camp Gilkes Landing with full board in a tent with hammocks, Burro Burro River, Guyana.

In the morning, you will stow your equipment in the canoes, which you will get into after breakfast. The trip on the river takes about 3 to 4 hours. Enjoy the wonders of nature from your little boat. Along the way, you will stop occasionally to fish, hike, cool off a bit from the sun, or build baskets on the riverbank. With a little luck, you will spot giant otters, caimans, colorful macaws and other wildlife. Upon arrival at Kawan Paru Camp, you and your fellow travelers may help set up the hammocks and tarps. At noon, you will embark on a short hike to learn about the flora and fauna of the area. Your guide will explain the benefits some plants have for the locals. If you feel like it, you can try your luck at fishing. Be careful - the river is home to five different species of piranha, two of which feed aren’t carnivores. Should you actually hook one of the predators, your guide will be happy to help you. You will then return to camp where you will prepare for the night and discuss the plan for the day ahead.

2 nights full board accommodation at Kawan Paru Camp in a tent with hammocks, Burro Burro River, Guyana.

After an early breakfast, you will set off again through the jungle - by boat, of course. This part of the jungle is deserted and shows no signs of modern civilization. Only old stone drawings, so-called petroglyphs, testify to earlier human life. See them for yourself after a short hike along the Kawan Paru stream. On the way there, you will have the opportunity to swim in the clear water of the creek - but always be careful and look out for the poisonous poison dart frog and the poison dart frog. Along the way, your guide will show you plants that the locals use for medicinal purposes. You will return to your camp for dinner.

Instead of roosters, you may wake up to the screams of howler monkeys. After an early breakfast, your journey continues through the dense jungle. You will leave the Kawan Paru Camp and travel in your canoe to the Constable Landing Camp. The journey will be downstream - easier to paddle. This gives you the opportunity to observe the exotic birds on the shore. You are sure to see the giant otter or the rare South American otter a time or two today as well. The rare species usually travels alone. The giant otter, on the other hand, usually appears in a group of up to twelve animals.

Upon arrival at the camp, you will have time to relax or assist your guide in setting up the camp, and your guide will invite you for a round of fishing. The catch will be eaten for dinner. Later in the evening, you will have the opportunity to go on a night canoe trip. The nocturnal caimans and the boa constrictors can be observed best in the dark. Discuss your program for the next day with your guide.

1 night at the Constable Landing Camp with full board in a tent with hammocks, Burro Burro River, Guyana.

After breakfast, you will make your way to the Rain Camp. The jungle still has some surprises in store for you today. Out of the six different howler monkey species in the country, how many have you spotted so far? Your guide has a practiced eye and will make sure you don't miss any animal. Rain Camp is a fixed camp consisting of a few huts, called benabs, surrounded by banana and other fruit trees.

In the evening, you will have another opportunity to go on expedition in a canoe or you can decide to relax at the camp - the choice is yours.

1 night full board at Rain Camp in Benab, Burro Burro River Rainforest, Guyana.

Once again it is time to get up early. Today we will continue to the Karaha Landing Camp, which is located upstream. For lunch, you will stop at a sandbank in the middle of the river. If the water level is too high, you will attach the canoes to the river bank and enjoy a picnic in the rainforest. After that, the journey continues to the camp. From the shore, it's either a longer hike or a short jeep ride to camp - the choice is yours. Either way, be on the lookout for the red banana trees that grow everywhere here. Spend the afternoon as you wish. Take the time to relax a bit or look around. After dinner, you can attend a show where members of the different Surama groups perform songs and dances in traditional costumes. Enjor your last meal here and say goodbye to your guide and other helpers.

1 night with full board accommodation in a tent with hammocks at Karaha Landing Camp, Burro Burro River, Guyana.

Your last day in the rainforest has begun. Today you will have another opportunity to talk about your experiences from the past few days with your fellow travelers. Afterwards, you will take the plane to Georgetown and then continue to Cara Lodge.

Time spent traveling from the airport to the hotel: approx. 42 km / approx. 1 hour

2 nights at Cara Lodge*** with full board and breakfast only (day 10) in a standard room, Georgetown, Guyana

Today you will experience an essential highlight on any Guyana trip. You will fly to one of the world's largest free-standing waterfalls, the Kaieteur Falls. The Kaieteur Falls are the landmark of Guyana. From the international airport in Georgetown, you will fly over seemingly endless parts of the rainforest to the falls. After just an hour of flying, you will be rewarded with a magical view as the falls appear in the lush jungle. From the airstrip, you will walk for about 15 minutes until the imposing falls.

The Kaieteur Falls were discovered by a European on April 29, 1870. The region looks like it did back then, its natural beauty untarnished by man. The falls are located in the heart of the country on the Potaro River. The water plunges 247 meters at this point (about five times as deep as Niagara Falls). This natural wonder simply will render you speechless. The biosphere of the falls creates a unique habitat, for example, for the rare golden frogs that often hide in the bromeliads along the trail. Don't forget to look out the window on your return flight: You may be treated to an even more impressive view than on the outbound flight.

Flight duration from Georgetown to Kaieteur: approx. 1 hour

It's time to say goodbye - for now. If you would like to also discover the neighboring country of Suriname or make a detour to French Guyana, please contact our experts. They will be happy to help you and also adapt the itinerary to your individual wishes.

itravel - for that moment

Cara Lodge, Georgetown, Guyana (2 nights)

The house welcomes you in colonial style. Numerous celebrities have visited the hotel over the years. You have access to free Wi-Fi in the lobby. Rooms are comfortably decorated and feature a flat-screen TV, private bathroom, minibar and toiletries.

Surama Eco Lodge, Surama, Guyana (1 night)

The hotel is made up of open huts that have thatched roofs for protection from the rain and the sun. Some of the rooms have private bathrooms, but all have a bed with a mosquito net, towels and a water tank tempered by the sun. Please note that there is electricity only for a few hours a day.

Camp Gilkes Landing, Burro Burro River, Guyana (1 night)

Temporary camp, tents, hammocks, cooking station and the like are set up independently.

Kawan Paru Camp, Burro Burro River, Guyana (2 nights)

Temporary camp, tents, hammocks, cooking station and the like will be set up independently.

Constable Landing Camp, Burro Burro River, Guyana (1 night)

Temporary camp, tents, hammocks, cooking station etc. will be set up independently.

Rain Camp, Burro Burro River, Guyana (1 night)

Temporary camp, tents, hammocks, cooking station etc. will be set up independently.

Karaha Landing Camp, Burro Burro River, Guyana (1 night)

Temporary camp, tents, hammocks, cooking station, etc. will be set up independently.

Closest city: Georgetown

Closest airport: Eugene F. Correira International Airport

Duration of the trip: 10 days / 9 nights

Included

• 10 nights in double room or in camp according to itinerary
• Meals according to itinerary
• All airport, river and road transfers
• Domestic flights
• Experiences and activities according to the itinerary
• English-speaking guide
• The starting price is valid in the travel period 01.01. - 31.12.2019

Not included

• International flights
• Alcoholic beverages
• Meals not mentioned in the scope of services
• Exit tax
• Optional excursions
• Personal expenses such as tips
• Visa, if required

Services & Notes

• The currency in Guyana is the Guyana dollar. ATMs do not accept foreign credit cards, so you will need to withdraw cash from a Bank of Novia Scotia during business hours. Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted.
• Guyana has a left-hand traffic system. The road network is only partially developed. Many roads are narrow and very winding. Due to the many sandy roads, potholes, stray animals and an unconventional driving style of the locals, caution is advised in road traffic.
• The driving times depend on the road and weather conditions. They are approximate.
• Cell phones work only in the cities; outside satellite phones are used often. We recommend bringing a SIM lock free quadband cell phone and buying a PrePaid SIM card locally.
• Please note:

  • hotels and guesthouses usually have just cold water available.

  • most lodges offer internet only from 11pm - 5am.

  • some of the lodges and hotels have electricity only for a few hours in the evening.

  • no animal sightings can be guaranteed.

Please bring

• an appropriate mosquito repellent as well as long and light clothing.
• a sun hat and sunscreen with SPF 50.