Two Week Wildlife & Discovery Tour In Guyana

Arrive Georgetown and check-in at hotel. After a welcome meeting with our tour leader, we’ll set out to explore the capital Georgetown, the chief port, capital and largest city in Guyana, situated on the right bank of the Demerara River Estuary. It was chosen as a site for a fort to guard the early Dutch settlements of the Demerara River. 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. We plan to visit the cities colourful markets as well as the botanical gardens. This evening you can take an optional trip to visit the home of Roy Geddes for a cultural evening and local dinner. Roy is Guyana’s most famous steel pan player and maker. He will demonstrate how steel pans are made and discuss their history and a rendition of pop, rock, soca, classical and jazz numbers on the pans.

Overnight Standard Hotel

Today we travel by private bus through the rainforest into the heart of Guyana to Kurupakari. From here we take a boat to the Iwokrama River Lodge.The Iwokrama Rainforest is a vast wilderness of one million acres. This protected area was established in 1996 as the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development. 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. Iwokrama was established as a living laboratory for tropical forest management because the unsustainable utilisation of these forests will result in the extinction of half the world's plant and animal species and unknown changes to global climate. This is a protected area with a difference - the full involvement of people. Iwokrama is exceptional among conservation organizations because it joins with local people in every aspect of its work. From research to business, Iwokrama ensures local economic and social benefits from forest use and conservation. The Forest is in the homeland of the Makushi people, who have lived here and used the forest for thousands of years. People are a vertical part of the ecosystem. The success of Iwokrama relies on the ownership of local people and the combined skills of specialists and communities. Iwokrama does what so many International conventions have acknowledged as best practice. It has begun conservation locally and integrated conservation into national development. In the afternoon explore the trails around the River Lodge with an Iwokrama Ranger. The Trails close to the Iwokrama Field Station may reveal Quill rattling by Spix’s Guan or Crestless Curassow. Species noted are Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Eastern Slaty-Antshrike, Sooty-headed Tyrannulet and Tiny Tyrant Manakin. In the late afternoon we will take a short boat trip to Michelle’s Island overlooking Kurupakari Falls, where you can enjoy a drink at Michelle’s bar (at own expense). After dark we’ll leave Michelle’s Island and head out on the river with hopes of finding one or another of its four species of caiman and listen for night birds such as the Spectacled Owl, Long tailed Potoo, Zigzag Heron, Blackish Nightjar and other nocturnal wildlife. This trip often reveals snakes in the trees overhanging the river. 2 nights at Iwokrama River Lodge

Overnight Standard Lodge Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

At dawn we will embark on the Essequibo and circumnavigate Indian House Island giving us a chance for dawn song on the river including five species of Tinamou, Marbled Wood-Quail, Band-rumped Swift, White-banded and Black-collared Swallows, and Guianan Streaked-Antwren before returning to the River Lodge for breakfast. After breakfast, you will leave the field station for the journey to Turtle Mountain, and a climb up the mountain to its summit at 935ft (approx. 360m). It takes 1¾ hours to walk up the mountain, but the effort is more than worth it for the breathtaking views over the forest canopy when you get there with chances of Green Aracari, White Bellbird or a fly-by of one of five types of Eagles. This trail is also a great location for seeing Black Spider Monkey and Red Howler Monkey and if we are very lucky even a Jaguar. This pristine forest offers huge buttress trees and the endemic Greenheart, a highly sought after hardwood. Enjoy a packed lunch in the forest. On the return trip visit the small Amerindian village of Fair View where you may experience the process and use of cassava (once there are materials available), the staple of the Amerindian diet. Then visit the Butterfly Farm where butterflies are breed for export. Then continue on for a late afternoon (approx 1630hrs) drive to a place known as 27 Mile. This location offers good views down the road and Jaguar are often sighted in the area. We will spend an hour or two here. After dark we will spotlight along the road for not only Jaguar but other wildlife and night bird opportunities. Transfer back to the field station for dinner.

Overnight Standard Lodge Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning you can birding along the trails behind the River Lodge to look for Swallowwinged Puffbird, Black-spotted Barbet, Golden-collared, Yellow-throated, Crimsoncrested and Red-necked Woodpeckers, Guianan Toucanet, Black-headed, Whitebrowed, Ferruginous-backed, Warbling, Scalebacked, White-plumed, and Rufous-throated Antbirds, Ringed Antpipit, Black-tailed Tityra and Thrush-like Schiffornis. After lunch we depart by Bedford truck for birding along the road through the heart of the Iwokrama Forest, where we may also 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. No promises, but many have been lucky! The road also offers excellent birding, including a locality known as Mori Scrub, characterized by an unusual low, sandy forest. This supports an interesting assemblage of bird species, among them Rufous-crowned Elaenia, Black Manakin and Red-shouldered Tanager. The journey continues onto the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway. Here we can bird watch from the vantage of 35 Metres up in the canopy. Caica Parrots, Painted Parakeets, Guianan Toucanet, Pompadour Cotinga, Plumbeous Pigeon, Red-and-green Macaw, Screaming Piha and a host of crown specialists come within our view. During our two night stay, another of our major targets will be the poorly known White-winged Potoo which, after dark, can be found both around the lodge and at the walkway. Locating this bird will be one of our major priorities on optional walks in the evenings from the lodge, however, we will need a bright moon-lit night to stand a reasonable chance of seeing it.

Overnight Simple Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Although the forest around Atta Lodge is excellent for birds, the major attraction here is a 154 metre long canopy walkway which is only 750m from the lodge. The walkway has four platforms, the highest of which is over 30 metres above the ground, and these will allow us to get great looks at a range of canopy species, many of which we would struggle to see well from the forest floor. Amongst the likely highlights are Painted, Brown-throated and Golden-winged Parakeets, Caica Parrot, Guianan Puffbird, Waved and Golden-collared Woodpeckers and Spot-tailed, Todd’s and Ash-winged Antwrens. The walkway is also an excellent place to look for various species of cotinga including the poorly known and range-restricted Dusky Purpletuft and if there are any suitable fruiting trees nearby, we stand a good chance of seeing this bird, as well as the more widespread Purple-breasted Cotinga. Another area where we will want to spend some time is the clearing around the lodge, as this is one of the best places to see another of Guyana’s “must see” birds, the Crimson Fruitcrow. This species is seen here on a reasonably regular basis, as it often comes to feed in some of the nearby trees. The clearing is also a reliable site for Black Curassow as there is a family party which has become habituated to people and regularly passes through the clearing. With reasonable luck, we should be able to add this bird to the impressive list of species we hope to see around the lodge and walkway. Other species we hope to encounter during our stay include Spix’s and Marail Guans, Grey-winged Trumpeter, Red-fan Parrot, Eastern Long-tailed Hermit, Crimson Topaz, Great and Paradise Jacamars, Guianan and Pied Puffbirds, Guianan Toucanet, Red-billed Woodcreeper, Black-throated Antshrike, Guianan Streaked Antwren, Guianan Warbling Antbird, Pompadour Cotinga, Purple-throated Fruitcrow, Tiny Tyrant-Manakin, Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant, Golden-sided Euphonia and both Red-and-Black and Yellow-green Grosbeaks.

Overnight Simple Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we will welcome the dawn chorus from the tree-tops on the canopy walkway. After breakfast we will travel by Bedford Truck to a rainforest trail to a special locality where Guianian Cock-of-the-rock are known to display and nest. If it is active, we may be able to visit a nearby Harpy Eagle nest. The nest itself is located in a huge emergent tree and if we are extremely fortunate, we may see one of the adult birds bringing a sloth or monkey to the nest to feed their chick. The trek into the nest site is about an hour each way on a reasonable trail. We will then continue on to the Amerindian community at Surama. The village of Surama is situated in a small savannah, deep in the rainforest and surrounded by forest clad hills. It was here that Charles Waterton passed through in 1812 in search of the secrets of the useful Wourali poison known as Curare. Waterton was so stunned by this spot that he wrote in his memoirs “The finest park that England boasts falls short of this delightful scene”. On arrival in Surama receive a welcome from a village counsellor and settle into your accommodation. This afternoon escorted tour of the village, visiting the local school, medical centre and church along with some of the village houses. Tonight enjoy an educational walk to observe wildlife and experience the mystique of the forest after dark.

Overnight Simple Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Rising before dawn we walk across the savannah and then make the exhilarating ascent of Surama Mountain in the cool morning air. This is the best time to observe bird life along the trail. Breakfast will be served at a lookout point which affords incredible views across the village and savannah to the Pakaraima Mountains. Alternatively, if it is active, we may be able to visit a nearby Harpy Eagle nest. The nest itself is located in a huge emergent tree only a couple of miles from the village and if we are extremely fortunate, we may see one of the adult birds bringing a sloth or monkey to the nest to feed their chick. After walking back to the village, many might opt to rest and relax around the cabins. This afternoon a local guide will escort you for a short walk on trails to observe the forest and bird life and talk about medicinal plants. Whilst Neomorphus ground-cuckoos are undoubtedly amongst the toughest family of birds to locate anywhere in the Neotropics, Surama offers one of the best-known chances for seeing Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo and to maximise the odds of us finding one, we will use expert local guides to assist us. We will, however, still count ourselves as extremely fortunate if we succeed in getting a good look at this extremely elusive species.

Overnight Simple Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast we make the three mile walk across the savannah and through the rainforest to the Burro Burro River and Carahaa Lading. We take dugout canoes on the river and paddle on the river, fishing and looking for wildlife. Try your luck at catching the famous Haimara fish that is common to the Burro Burro waters. Tonight you will also have a go at smoking, boiling or barbequing your catch.

Overnight Simple Hammock Camp Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

At dawn our guides will paddle us along the Burro Burro River where we hope to observe Giant River Otters, Tapir, Tira, Spider Monkeys and many more species. Returning to Surama village, we depart by Bedford truck to Rock View Lodge at Annai. Rock View Lodge is located where the savannah meets the forest-covered foothills of the Pakaraima Mountains. With its tropical gardens and flowering trees, the lodge resembles an oasis in the savannah, and attracts many species of birds, particularly nectar feeders and frugivores. Nearby patches of light forest are home to certain ant birds and flycatchers, and of course the grasslands support an avifauna of their own. This afternoon we can relax and enjoy the lovely gardens and pool.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Before dawn we will travel the short distance to the foot of the Pakariama Mountains. Here the well maintained ‘Panorama Trail’ winds its way up the slope to a number of lookout points for great views across the savannah and several Amerindian villages and Rock View Lodge. We will enjoy coffee and snacks as we watch the sun rise over the savannah and watch the villages come to life. We then return to Rock View Lodge for breakfast. The morning is then at leisure until we we travel by Bedford truck to visit the village of Aranaputa to see their Peanut Butter Factory and a visit the local school for a short cultural presentation. Late in the afternoon we transfer to Bina Hill Institute, which is a focus of the area as it houses the local secondary school and radio station. We will visit the radio station to see how it operates and most likely be invited for an interview.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast you will be able to enjoy the spectacle of cashews being roasted in the local manner, have the chance to see a local vacquero making whips and/or an Amerindian woman making the hammocks and embroidery (when materials are available). This afternoon we take a flight back to Georgetown.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Today has been left free for you to explore more of Georgetown or take an optional trip to Kaieteur and Orinduik Falls. The Kaieteur Falls, first seen by a European on April 29, 1870, is situated in the heart of Guyana on the Potaro River, a tributary of the Essequibo. The water of Kaieteur, one of the world’s natural wonders, flows over a sandstone conglomerate tableland into a deep gorge - a drop of 822 feet or 5 times the height of Niagara Falls. The Orinduik Falls is where the Ireng River thunders over steps and terraces of solid jasper, a semi precious stone. With a backdrop of the rolling grass covered hills of the Pakaraima Mountains, this is truly one of the most beautiful locations in Guyana’s hinterland. The trip departs from Ogle Airstrip in Georgetown and lasts approximately 7 to 8 hours with two hours spent on the ground at each waterfall.

Overnight Standard Hotel Included meals: Breakfast

Included meals: Breakfast