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Guyana: The Hidden Corner of South America

Recently, I was lucky enough to be part of a group who set out to experience the natural wonders of Guyana and to learn more about its huge variety of wildlife, its enchanting landscapes and its brand of community-based ecotourism.

As anyone would be, I was both excited and slightly apprehensive before heading off to Guyana. Yet, I seem to remember in the weeks before I left I spent much of my time pointing out to family and friends exactly where the country was. When trying to find Guyana many would start looking in Africa before realising that it was actually on the other side of the South Atlantic Ocean tucked away in the northeast corner of South America.

It’s safe to say that Guyana really is the undiscovered gem of the South American continent; its borders hide vast swathes of untouched habitats and a diversity of wildlife that any nature enthusiast would find difficult to match anywhere else in the world. The country is hardly a regular stop on the main tourist trail and it is estimated that Guyana only has 3000 visitors each year, which is less than the number of tourists visiting the Sugarloaf Mountain in neighbouring Brazil every day. 

However, these low tourist numbers only add to the sense of adventure and exploration in Guyana. Based on personal experience you can spend days without seeing another tourist when travelling around. This is extremely refreshing when you consider that some of the world’s best destinations are becoming increasingly busy and overcrowded – Machu Pichu for instance.

The vast majority of the country’s population live on the coastal plains, which means the rest is relatively unpopulated. In fact, around 80% of Guyana is covered in unbroken rainforest. Yet, there was more than jungle for us to explore during our travels. Substantial areas of the country’s southern regions are covered in savannah. These grasslands are parched during the dry season, and then, they are completely transformed in the wet season when the rains arrive creating a flooded landscape.

Each destination we visited in Guyana offered something completely different. This meant that each morning there was a sense of anticipation for what the day would hold. It’s difficult to put down everything that happened into words, but there are a few experiences that really stood out from my time in Guyana.

From watching the flowers of the Victoria Amazonica waterlily open in the dusky evening light whilst sampling some of Guyana’s finest rum punch at Karanambu; to being stunned on the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway when a harpy eagle burst through the trees and proceeded to perch on a nearby branch for five minutes or so.  

From craning our necks back on the Rewa River to watch pairs of blue-and-yellow macaws fly over our boat in the fading sunlight; to admiring the sheer scale of the rainforest from the top of Turtle Mountain in Iwokrama only to be distracted by our guide pointing out black spider and red howler monkeys.

From rummaging in old palm leaves in search of poison dart frogs on the Panorama Trail of Rock View Lodge in Annai; to paddling along the Burro Burro River close to Surama with just the sounds of the rainforest to keep us company.

And I can’t forget our ride across the savannah in an old land rover and seeing a giant anteater bustling through the grass just after sun rise or the immense force of the water tumbling down the face of Kaieteur Falls, the longest single drop of any waterfall in the world.

For a country so small, Guyana is brimming with incredible things to do and see, and the ridiculous thing is that we barely scratched the surface of what it has to offer. Of course the accommodation is rustic and you may get a few visits from the local wildlife in your room, but the lodges are also unique, unpretentious and authentic. Honestly, if the accommodation was all 4-star and 5-star hotels, then the Guyana experience would be nowhere near as exciting or captivating.   

Some locations in Guyana are about as far-flung and remote as you can be, and at times, it feels like you are the first person to set eyes on a patch of rainforest or a secluded jungle stream. The savannahs and the rainforest have been left untouched by human development and this has allowed wildlife to flourish. So, if you are looking for a journey of a lifetime and an enthralling wildlife experience, then there’s nowhere better in the world than Guyana. 

Take a look at the trips we offer in Guyana or give us a call if you'd like to chat to Chris about this fascinating wildlife destination.