Guyana
Rainforests, savannahs and wetlands

Wednesday 10 - Tuesday 23 October 2012 (14 days)

Guyana is a tiny country containing pristine rainforest, wonderful waterfalls, freshwater marshes teeming with birds and mammals, and lekking sites for the spectacular Cock-of-the-Rock. It makes a perfect introduction to birdwatching on the South American continent.

Formerly the colony of British Guiana (with English its first language), its stability, positive attitude to wildlife tourism and friendly people make Guyana the perfect destination for an introduction to South American birdwatching. Our tour visits the coastal plain, rare sand-belt forest habitats, seemingly limitless rainforests of the interior and the Rupununi savannah close to the Brazilian border. It includes travel on a number of small watercourses and two great rivers, the Demerara and the Essequibo. At the spectacular Kaieteur Falls, with their 700ft sheer drop putting them among the world's most imposing scenic wonders, we will search the forest for gatherings of male Guianan Cocks-of-the-Rock. We will watch birds in the tree-tops from a canopy walkway which brings us close to species normally associated with stiff necks. Travel will be in four-wheel drive vehicles on forest tracks when we are not sitting in motorised dug-outs spotting birds and mammals as we pass along miles of waterways. Indeed, our journey to the airport at the end of the tour will be largely in such boats, a brilliant way to leap from pristine rainforest to modern civilisation.

Accommodation will be as outlined above with all rooms en suite. Atta Rainforest Lodge has simpler accommodation: a few simple clean comfortable cabin bedrooms sharing four shower-rooms (they are converting to en suite and this should be completed by November 2011). It is right at the Canopy Walkway, so we can visit early morning.

Guyana map

Price: £ 5,295

Single supp.*: £ 495

Deposit: £ 500 per person

The price is per person and includes scheduled return flights London /Georgetown, internal flights as described, airport taxes, ground and boat transportation as described, accommodation on a full-board basis, local taxes, incidental tips, and the services of the leaders.

The price excludes holiday insurance, optional tips to local drivers/guides, drinks and other personal expenses.

*Single rooms may not be available throughout in Guyana. If we can't get a single, we'll refund a proportion of the supplement.

Leaders: Richard Thaxton and local guides

Numbers: Max. 12 clients

For details of the 2011 tour please click here

2012 Itinerary
Day 1We catch a scheduled flight to Georgetown, Guyana, arriving late afternoon. We stay in a comfortable lodge close to the Botanic Gardens. Overnight Georgetown
Day 2Morning walk through the nearby beautiful Botanic Gardens. Later we travel eastward from Georgetown to an area of mangrove. Overnight Georgetown
Day 3We fly to Karanambu Ranch. This is the home of Diane McTurk, famous for her work in rehabilitating orphaned Giant River Otters to the wild. Overnight Karanambu Ranch
Days 4-5We explore Karanambu and its varied habitats, travelling by boat and Land Rover. Two nights Karanambu Ranch
Day 6After breakfast we travel by boat on the Rupununi River to Ginep Landing, and drive to Surama. The village is set in five square miles of savannah and surrounded by the densely forested Pakaraima Mountains. Overnight Surama Eco-Lodge
Day 7This morning we will rise before dawn for a walk across the savannah and through the rainforest to the Burro Burro River where local guides paddle us by canoe for possible opportunities to observe Giant River Otter and a wealth of birds. Overnight Surama Eco-Lodge
Day 8We leave Surama after breakfast. The road through the Iwokrama Forest offers excellent birdwatching, including a locality known as Mori Scrub, characterized by an unusual low, sandy forest. Overnight Iwokrama River Lodge
Day 9 Making an early start, we will circumnavigate Indian House Island on the Essequibo River before returning to the field station for breakfast. We then climb to an elevation of 900 feet for a view of the forest canopy below. Overnight Iwokrama River Lodge
Day 10This morning we will go birdwatching close to the Iwokrama Field Station. We drive to the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway where we have lunch. As dark falls, we look for White-winged Potoo and the unusually timid Black Curassow. Overnight Atta Rainforest Lodge
Day 11We witness the dawn chorus from the canopy walkway. After breakfast we catch a flight across miles of unbroken tropical rainforest to Kaieteur, the world's highest free-falling waterfall. After two hours or so at the falls, we take a flight back to Georgetown, from where we make our way slowly up the mighty Demerara and 'black water' tributaries. Overnight Arrowpoint Nature Resort
Day 12This morning we will take canoes out onto the creek. Our final dinner will be under the stars reminiscing about the wonders we will have seen and experienced on this amazing trip. Overnight Arrowpoint Nature Resort
Day 13We travel first by motorised canoe and then by vehicle to the airport for the flight home, arriving on Day 14.

Click here for a full, printable itinerary