This Neotropical birding adventure makes use of the British Airways service to Georgetown to experience some of South Americas most stunning Amazonian birding. After an overnight in a magnificent colonial hotel we take a light aircraft to the incredible Kaieteur Falls, some five times higher than Niagara. Our journey takes us to one of four last untouched tropical rainforests in the World, home to the Makushi people and covering over a million acres and home to such special birds as Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock, Zigzag Heron, White-winged Potoo and Rufous-winged Ground-Cuckoo.
Iwokrama and it’s Canopy walkway put’s us at eye level with birds and mammals of the rainforest’s highest emergent trees, amid a true wilderness and with some fabulous birds on offer. Black Currassow, Green Aracari and the bizarre Capuchin bird can all be found and the mammal list includes great chances for Jaguar, as well as Tapir, Giant River Otter, Red Howley Monkey, Black Spider Monkey, Tayra, Manatee and Giant Anteater. Surama Eco Lodge puts us firmly in Harpy Eagle country and the top birds keep coming with Paradise Jacamar, Guianan Puffbird, Northern Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl and Guianan Warbling Antbird.
After crossing the rolling grasslands and savannah, home to a new suite of birds and home of the Giant Anteater, we return to Georgetown and take an afternoon river cruise to see some of the city sights, plus flocks of Scarlet Ibises with a sundowner before an overnight there in preparation for our direct flight back to the UK. Neil Glenn will lead this birding adventure, alongside local guides from our friends at Wilderness Explorers.
DAY ONE
Fly London to Georgetown with British Airways. Pickup and transfer from Cheddi Jagan International Airport to our overnight hotel. Cara Lodge was built in the 1840s. It has a long and romantic history and was the home of the first Lord Mayor of Georgetown. Over the years, the property has been visited by many dignitaries including King Edward VIll who stayed at the house in 1923. Other dignitaries have included President Jimmy Carter, HRH King Charles III and Mick Jagger. This magnificent wooden colonial home turned hotel offers the tradition and nostalgia of a bygone era.
DAY TWO
0545hrs pickup and transfer to the extensive and beautiful Georgetown Botanical Gardens where, if we are lucky, we will have views of the Blood-colored Woodpecker. This colorful Veniliornis is found only in the Guianas and even there almost wholly limited to the narrow coastal plain. The gardens host Snail Kite, Gray Hawk, Pearl Kite, Carib Grackle, Red-bellied and Red-shouldered Macaws and the rare Festive Amazon. We will walk on trails in the back of the gardens and may see Yellow-chinned Spinetail, Black-crested Antshrike, Silver-beaked Tanager, Buff-breasted Wren, Golden-spangled Piculet and Ashy-headed Greenlet. You may even want to take a break from birding to feed some manatees in one of the nearby ponds.
We then transfer to the airport and take a chartered flight over hundreds of miles of unbroken tropical rainforest to land at Kaieteur Falls, the world’s highest free-falling waterfall.
Kaieteur which was first seen by a European on April 29, 1870 is situated in the heart of Guyana. The water of Kaieteur flows over a sandstone conglomerate tableland into a deep gorge – a drop of 741 feet or 5 times the height of Niagara Falls.
There are no other falls in the world with the magnitude of the sheer drop existing at Kaieteur. Amerindian legend of the Patamona tribe has it that Kai, one of the tribe’s chiefs (after whom the falls is named), committed self-sacrifice by canoeing himself over the falls. It was believed this would encourage the Great Spirit Makonaima to save the tribe from being destroyed by the savage Caribishi.
Kaieteur supports a unique micro environment with Tank Bromeliads, the largest in the world, in which the tiny Golden frog spends its entire life and the rarely seen Guiana Cock- of-the-rock nesting close by. The lucky visitor may also see the famous Kaieteur Swifts or Makonaima Birds which nest under the vast shelf of rock carved over millions of years by the black water of the Potaro River.
Re-board aircraft for flight to Fair View airstrip, pick up from Fair View airstrip and transfer to 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.
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.
The Iwokrama River Lodge is set overlooking the Essequibo River. Accommodation is offered in eight spacious timber cabins with en suite and verandas overlooking the river. Electricity is provided by a combination of solar and diesel generator systems, and wireless internet access is provided for free in the main building. Meals are served buffet-style in the Fred Allicock dining hall.
After dark we’ll set out on the river, in hope of finding one or another of its four species of caiman, and listen for night birds such as Spectacled Owl, White-winged Potoo, Rufous Potoo, Long-tailed Potoo, Zigzag Heron or Blackish Nightjar. Using our flashlights, we will look for the eyeshine of snakes including Cox boa, tree frogs and if lucky maybe some mammals. Overnight at Iwokrama River Lodge.
DAY THREE
Making an early start, we’ll embark on the Essequibo and circumnavigate nearby Indian House Island, before returning to the River Lodge for breakfast.
Leave the lodge by boat, birdwatching along the way, for the hike to Turtle Mountain. A well-maintained trail winds through the forest before an exhilarating climb up the mountain to its summit at 935ft (approx. 360m). It takes 1 3/4hrs 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 and 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 and Red Howler monkeys. If you think this hike may be too strenuous you can take an alternative boat trip to Stanley Lake to search for Giant River Otters and Black Caiman.
Explore the trails around the lodge with an Iwokrama Ranger. Iwokrama is home to many bird species including Capuchin bird, Black Nunbird, Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper, Amazonian Antshrike, Brown-bellied Antwren, Spot-tailed Antwren, Todd’s Antwren, Spotted Puffbird, Green Aracari, Guianan Toucanet, Guianan Red Cotinga, Pompadour Cotinga, Rufous-crowned Elaenia, Bronzy Jacamar, Chestnut & Waved Woodpecker, Gray Antbird, and Strong-billed Woodcreeper. Three other Neotropical species in the Iwokrama forest of high interest are White-winged Potoo, Rufous Potoo, and Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo.
The forest is also home to many mammals and you may see Red-rumped Agouti and various species of monkey including Red Howler, Black Spider, Wedge-capped and Brown Capuchins. Overnight at Iwokrama River Lodge.
DAY FOUR
Transfer before dawn to visit a special area of habitat known as Mori scrub, characterized by an unusual low, sandy forest which supports an unusual assemblage of birds and other mammals.
Continue transfer by vehicle along the trail that is one of the best places to see the elusive Jaguar. No promises, but many have been lucky! Along the road, we will watch for the myriad of bird species that frequent the forest edge. This road is the only north – south access in Guyana and links the country to Brazil. Even so traffic is only very occasional and wildlife is often seen along the road, such as Agouti, Tayra, Tapir and Black Curassow. The journey concludes at the Atta Rainforest Lodge, home of the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway.
The Iwokrama Canopy Walkway is situated near the southern boundary of the Iwokrama Reserve in central Guyana. The walkway has four suspension bridges leading to three platforms, the highest of which is over 30 metres above the ground.
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. The clearing is also a reliable site for Black Curassow as there is a large and growing family party which has become habituated to people and regularly passes through the clearing.
Atta Rainforest Lodge is 500 metres from the base of the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway, offering comfortable private-room accommodation with en-suite bathrooms, delicious home-cooked meals, and traditional Amerindian hospitality. The communal building houses the bar, dining area and kitchen and is open sided with views across the gardens to the towering forest, which completely surrounds the lodge. Hammocks and outdoor benches enhance the lovely gardens which include varieties of heliconias that attract over ten different hummingbirds, close enough for the perfect photo. Overnight at Atta Rainforest Lodge.
DAY FIVE
Before dawn we will return to the canopy where we can birdwatch easily and may see Rufous-throated Sapphire, Green Aracari, Pygmy Antwren and Guianan Streaked-Antwren. With some luck Guianan Toucanet, Pompadour Cotinga, Buff-cheeked Greenlet and a host of crown specialists may come within our view. From this tree top vantage, you can sometimes see Red Howler and Black Spider Monkeys.
Apart from the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway itself you can enjoy wildlife and birdwatching walks on the trails around the area. Many bird species, stunning insects, noisy amphibians, and playful primates make the surrounding forest their home. Deer, Tapir and agouti are also regular visitors to the lodge. Serious birders will want to search the undergrowth for the rarely seen Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo.
As darkness falls on the canopy walkway, you may see the White-winged Potoo. Night walks are also possible and something interesting or new always seems to pop on to the scene including one of the six different cats to be found along the transnational road near the lodge. Overnight at Atta Rainforest Lodge.
DAY SIX
Welcome the dawn chorus from the canopy walkway and then return to the lodge for breakfast before departure.
Transfer from Atta Rainforest Lodge through the rainforest to Corkwood in the Iwokrama Forest. Here there is a comparatively short trail to hopefully see the amazingly brilliant Guianan Cock-of-the-rock. This trail is through interesting and pristine rainforest and the guides can explain how the plants are used for medicine and other purposes. Continue to the community of Surama.
The Indigenous community of Surama is located in the heart of Guyana. The village is set in five square miles of savannah which is ringed by the forest-covered Pakaraima Mountains. The villagers of Surama are mainly from the Macushi tribe and still observe many of the traditional practises of their ancestors. The Surama Eco Lodge is owned and operated by the entire community. The Village Council serves as the Board of Directors and through consultation, they decide how the profits from the tourism business are to be spent to benefit the entire community.
On arrival in Surama, you will receive a warm welcome and settle into your accommodation at the lodge. After a rest, we might choose to explore the surrounding habitats or we can take walk through the forest to the Burro Burro River for a quiet and skillfully guided paddle, hearing the voices of many birds singing in near darkness in the forest, and seeing many of them later when the light grows stronger. We’ll also search the banks for such mammals as Giant River Otter, Tapir, Tayra and Black Spider Monkey and many more species. Birds’ characteristic of the Rupununi savannah, such as Fork-tailed Flycatchers and Grassland Sparrow can be seen well, whilst it hopefully won’t be too long before our attention is drawn to the far-carrying growling song of the bizarre Capuchin bird. The skilled local guides sometimes know of the territories of these canopy-dwelling birds, their bald heads and strange hump-shouldered appearance an unforgettable sight if we are lucky enough to latch onto them. Overnight at Surama Eco-lodge
DAY SEVEN
Another of the special birds which can be found around Surama is the Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo. 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 good looks at this extremely elusive species. Although the Harpy Eagle and Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo may be the two star attractions at Surama, there are plenty of other species to look for and during our stay we will hope to encounter Red-legged Tinamou, Painted Parakeet, Dusky Parrot, Lilac-tailed Parrotlet, Pale-throated Barbthroat, Rufous-throated Sapphire, Great and Paradise Jacamars, Guianan Puffbird, Black-spotted Barbet, Golden-spangled Piculet, Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper, Northern Slaty-Antshrike, Rufous-bellied, Spot-tailed and Todd’s Antwrens, Dusky, White-browed, White-bellied, Ferruginous-backed, Rufous-throated and Guianan Warbling Antbirds, Helmeted Pygmy-Tyrant, Lemon-chested and Ashy-headed Greenlets and Finsch’s Euphonia. We also plan to do some night birding and will hope to locate the recently split Northern Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl, as well as Tropical Screech-Owl, Lesser Nighthawk, White-tailed Nightjar and both Great and Common Potoos. Overnight at Surama Eco-lodge.
DAY EIGHT
Enjoy dawn breaking across the rainforest. You can choose from a forest walk to look for wildlife and birds or relax around the lodge before breakfast and departure.
Transfer by vehicle from Surama Eco Lodge to Ginep Landing.
From Ginep Landing we take a boat trip on the Rupununi River to Karanambu Lodge. Depending on the river level, this trip offers an excellent opportunity to look for Giant Otters as there are several family groups which live along this stretch of the Rupununi River.
Karanambu, a 110-square mile former cattle ranch located in the North Rupununi, was the home of the late Diane McTurk, conservationist and a world-renowned expert on giant otters. Known for its expansive wetlands and savannah, as well as its biological and cultural diversity, Karanambu encompasses savannah, marshy ponds, riparian forest, and a 30-mile stretch of the Rupununi River. The number of species found here is much higher than expected given its size with at least 600 species of bird, and over 200 species of mammals. The seasonally flooded savannahs and forests also draw substantial fish migrations with as many as 700 species of fish — more than anywhere on Earth.
This region is rich in history and is the homeland of the Makushi and earlier peoples dating back more than 7,000 years. Several prominent explorers and naturalists have written about their experiences here, including Robert and Richard Schomburgk, Charles Waterton, Evelyn Waugh, and Gerald Durrell. A very young David Attenborough spent time here and wrote about it in his early book, “Zoo Quest to Guiana”.
With both the river and savannahs close at hand there is a wide variety of activities to be enjoyed at Karanambu. Two guided excursions are provided each day — one early in the morning and another late in the afternoon and into the evening. As well as being the coolest times to be out, these are usually the best times to see the different birds and animals. Trips may be on the river by boat, on the savannahs by 4 by 4 or along forest trails on foot to the different ponds in the area.
Late in the afternoon we will travel by boat to look for wild Giant River Otters and as dusk falls to the ponds to see the giant Victoria amazonica waterlily, bloom at dusk. On the return trip we will spotlight for Black Caiman and birds and creatures of the night.
Accommodations are in traditionally made clay brick cabins, each with en suite and veranda with hammocks. Overnight at Karanambu Lodge.
DAY NINE
This morning we make an early start to an area of rolling grasslands, home to a population of giant anteaters. With luck we shall locate one of these six-foot long animals excavating its breakfast from one of the termite mounds that stud the savannah. Though giant anteaters live in overlapping home ranges they are mostly solitary except during mother-offspring relationships, aggressive interactions between males, and when mating. Mother anteaters carry their offspring on their backs until weaning them.
Evening river excursion or if you are interested in bird watching you can explore woodland patches or gallery forest along the river where we’ll hope to find a variety of species. A feature bird for the area is the Agami Heron. An evening walk along the airstrip offers seven species of nightjar and among the grasslands the Double-striped Thick-knees. Overnight at Karanambu Lodge.
DAY TEN
0430 – 0445hrs pickup by your guide and driver at Cara Lodge and travel eastward from Georgetown along the Atlantic coast to the Mahaica River.
The narrow winding road to the landing runs parallel to the river and takes us through an area that is mainly used for the cultivation of rice and other crops. Fortunately for us, the area along the river has been well preserved and provides an excellent riverfront ecosystem inhabited by flocks of egrets, herons, ibis, various marsh tyrants, and Guyana’s national bird, the Hoatzin. Howler Monkeys also frequent these riverside trees. Giant River Otters are also often seen in the river.
Upon arrival at the river landing, you may enjoy a cup of coffee or tea before heading out onto the river. The river offers a rare chance to see the range-restricted Blood-colored Woodpecker which has been badly affected by habitat loss in the ‘Guianas’ coastal region.
This river is one of the best places to spot Guyana’s national bird, the Hoatzin (Opisthocomus Hoatzin), also known as the Stinkbird, or “Canje Pheasant”. This odd bird is an unusual species of tropical bird found in swamps, riverine forest and mangrove between the Amazon and the Orinoco delta in South America. It is a pheasant-sized bird about 65 cm (25 in) long, with a long neck and small head. The Hoatzin is herbivorous; it eats leaves and fruit, and has an unusual digestive system with an enlarged crop which functions as a rumen. It also produces a horrible smell to scare away potential predators, hence one of its local names.
After our tour we will have breakfast before returning to Georgetown. On the way we will make a brief stop to look for shore birds on the mudflats beyond the seawall. Flocks of Scarlet Ibis, Herons and Egrets are common here as is the rare endemic Rufous Crab-Hawk.
Transfer back to Cara Lodge.
Day-let room at Cara Lodge for a couple of hours rest and freshen up. Then transfer to the airport for our overnight flight back to London.
DAY TWELVE
Arrival back in the UK where the tour will conclude
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Return flights London to Georgetown via St Lucia with British Airways. All accommodation and meals in Guyana and St Lucia, internal flights, services of guides, reserve entrance fees.
NOT INCLUDED
Any overnight airport hotel that may be required, tips, drinks and any items of a personal nature.
VISA & PASSPORT
British Nationals do not need a visa to enter either Guyana or St Lucia. You will need at least six months validity on your passport.
HEALTH
All the standard vaccination requirements apply. Anti-malarial medication will also be required.
INTERNAL FLIGHTS
There is a strict limit on weight allowance on internal flights in Guyana and passengers are weighed as well as their luggage. The total amount has to fit within the aircraft payload or some luggage must be left behind (we return to the same lodge again so it is possible to decant and leave some luggage behind). Only 9.1KG of luggage is included, but we will buy additional weight for each passenger to take everyone to 20KG. However this still must fit within the payload and there’s no guarantee of taking everything.
