The rise in recent years of community-driven lodges, especially around Iwokrama and Rupununi, now ensures easier access into the interior to enjoy Guyana’s stellar wildlife and rich Amerindian culture.
Guyana is a biological Eden. Its myriad habitats support 8,000 plant species and nearly 2,000 types of birds, reptiles, and mammals. The rise in recent years of community-driven lodges, especially around Iwokrama and Rupununi, now ensures easier access into the interior to enjoy Guyana’s stellar wildlife and rich Amerindian culture.
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At the heart of this million-acre rainforest is a research centre which promotes sustainable ecotourism and forestry to create local economic self-sufficiency. The pristine rainforest accounts for 2% of Guyanese territory, which matches the biodiversity of the Amazon and Congo Basins. Amerindian people have lived within this region for 4,000 years. It’s pretty special.
Even those prone to vertigo should put aside their wobbles and enjoy the billowing canopies and birdlife of one of Guyana’s top attractions. Iwokrama’s canopy walkway is easily reached from Atta Rainforest Lodge, facilitating an early morning start when birdsong is most redolent. 30 metres above the rainforest floor, toucans, parrots, and hummingbirds create a carnival of song along the suspension bridges and keep your eyes peeled for the bright plumages of endemics like the Guianan red cotinga and puffbirds. Likewise, primates are thoroughly at home on this aerial trapeze, especially the dextrous black spider and squirrel monkeys.
If you go down to these woods today there certainly won’t be any big surprise other than a hatful of wildlife, especially birds. It’s also a rewarding opportunity to meet the adaptive Makushi Amerindian people who sustainably manage the local environment. During a forest walk from Surama village, with an entertaining indigenous guide called Gary Sway, I learned about the medicinal usage of the rainforest plants and how they harvest materials for their handiwork. “Paying guests have brought us better education and salaries plus spin-offs for craftspeople and food suppliers,” said Gary.
Having long abandoned hope of ever seeing a jaguar after years of failures, at Iwokrama I did achieve another long-held dream of seeing a harpy eagle. Scanning the canopy with binoculars during a rainforest trek I saw one staring back at me and was struck by how much its feathery head resembled Big Bird from the Muppets. It stood atop a ginormous tree on a large-looking nest. Later, during a remarkable day, I was shown the courtship area, or lek, of Guyana’s most fabulous bird, the endemic Guianan cock-of-the-rock. The sun was setting when a magnificent gaudy orange male hopped into view and my jaguar fixation was completely forgotten.
Staffed by Makushi from Surama village, this rainforest immersed lodge offers comfortable brick bungalows in flower gardens fussed over by exotically bright hummingbirds. Besides forest trails to spot wildlife, the Iwokrama canopy walkway is a close stroll nearby.
Sublimely located at the confluence of two sediment-filled rivers, this remote community-owned lodge of thatched cabins is helping the Makushi fund a traditional lifestyle harmonious with nature. They will show you huge arapaima fish whilst harpy eagles are found nearby.
This immersive rainforest offering by the Essequibo River features eight timber and thatched lodges. On offer are excursions to see ancient Amerindian petroglyphs and a hike to Turtle Mountain for summit views of the surrounding rainforest and noisy encounters with red howler monkeys.
South of Iwokrama lies the expansive Rupununi savanna. Despite a history of cattle-ranching, Rupununi embraces a diverse mosaic of habitats stretching 13,000 km2 towards Northern Brazil. Its biodiversity is enhanced by its proximity to the Amazon and is increasingly diversifying away from livestock rearing to ecotourism.
The best opportunities to view mammals is in Northern Rupununi during guided activities out of lodges, whether on foot, by river, or on horseback. I’ve seen giant otters and caiman around Karanambu Lodge but perhaps the most iconic sightings are giant anteaters, who can stretch two meters in length. That’s a lot of ants. Given their hulking presence their heads are minute, tapering like icing-sugar piping bags and disproportionately small compared to a tail resembling a feathery wing. As I discovered, they hurry across the savanna at a fair lick of pace.
Whilst not approaching the awesome power of Guyana’s jaw-dropping Kaieteur Falls (which every traveller to Guyana should visit) this is a beautiful cascade of falls, 30 minutes drive from Lethem. Emanating from the Kanuku Mountains, the falls offer refreshing forest shade and dips in rockpools fizzing like Jacuzzis. Visits can easily be arranged from Waikin Ranch.
Village visits have become a staple of local community tourism offering the experience to meet Rupununi’s three main Amerindian groups: the Makushi, Wai Wai, and Wapishana. Meeting them is a direct way to support their local economies. You might try Konashen village, home to the Wai Wai, who will explain their culture of hunting as well as past animist beliefs. Surama is well developed in northern Rupununi with its own eco-lodge, whilst Yupukari village has a field station working to conserve endangered black caimans.
On a working cattle-ranch in South Rupununi, handsome stilted wooden guesthouses are set among the bustle of cowboy vaqueros. You can wild swim, horseride, and take guided hikes to seek anteaters, and then at sunset enjoy simmering views across the distant plains from your veranda.
Close by Brazil’s border, this 33,000 acre cattle ranch delivers local sightings of anaconda, deer, and some 200 bird species in the vicinity of their modern brick cabins. They specialise in horseback safaris although do take the chance for an evening drive and sundowner on the savanna.
This legendary riverside lodge is best known as the home of late conservationist, Diane McTurk, known for her work with giant river otters. On the Rupununi River, it offers palm-thatched cabanas and great hospitality. Birders will be aflutter amid some 600 locally recorded species.
Start planning your dream visit to Guyana now by heading over to the official website. And be sure to search #DiscoverGuyana on social to find heaps more inspiration.
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