Guyana Nature Experience

Transfer to Ogle Airstrip and take a flight across the rainforest to Annai. Look down on a sea of broccoli and be amazed at the rainforest stretching as far as the eye can see! You will take lunch at Rockview Lodge before you transfer by 4WD to Iwokrama.

The Iwokrama Rainforest is a protected area of one million acres of wilderness. You will be part of a sustainable tourism program which allows you to learn about the work here and experience pristine rainforest and its wildlife - there is no better place in the world to see jaguars in the wild, dusk or dawn are the best time for a sighting.

This afternoon a ranger will take you exploring trails around the lodge. Then later after dark you will take a river safari and hope to spot nightbirds, snakes, tree frogs and maybe even a puma!

Your lodge accommodation is in wood cabins on the river bank, with ensuite bathroom but please do not expect hot water (and you are unlikely to feel that you need it here in the hot jungles).  Electricity is provided and wireless internet in the main building.

Rising at dawn board your boat to circumnavigate Indian House Island, it's a great time for bird watching.

After breakfast, you will leave the lodge for the journey to Turtle Mountain, and hike up the mountain to its summit at 935ft (approx. 360m). It takes nearly 2 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. Return to lodge for lunch. Later this afternoon travel by boat to visit Kurupukari Falls and, subject to water levels, see Amerindian petroglyphs. At Fair View village you can see how cassava is processed and used. Finally today visit a butterfly farm. Lodge - 2 nights (BLD) 

Wake up to hear the rainforest dawn chorus resonating from the tree-tops.  After breakfast transfer to the Amerindian community of Surama. On arrival at the village you will receive a warm welcome from a village counsellor and settle into your accommodation here. A local guide will accompany you for a short walk on trails around the village to observe the forest and birdlife. Later as the afternoon cools your guide will take you on a tour of the village itself. Visit the local school, medical centre and church along with some of the village houses. Tonight you can experience the mystique of the forest after dark and search for some nocturnal wildlife.   Eco-lodge - 2 nights. (BLD)  

Farewell to your new village friends today as you set off by 4WD to Annai. Your route goes through the savannah and along the foothills of the Pakaraima Mountains. Keep your eyes open for birdlife along the way, including the Jabiru stork which is often seen in this area. Annai is the northernmost community in the Rupununi Savannah, surrounded by grassland dotted with termite mounds and occassional woodland. Your lodge is surrounded by tropical gardens and buzzing with tropical bird life. The following day you rise early with the dawn and take a hike along the aptly named Panorama Trail into the foothills of the Pakaraima. Soak up the amazing views as the sun rises. Later you have the option to visit a nearby Amerindian village or you can just relax at your lodge beside the pool. Lodge - 2 nights. (BLD)  

First thing this morning you will head off onto the savannah in search of the wierd and wonderful looking giant anteater. After breakfast head further down the Rupununi river to the village of Yupakari. As ever the boat journey is part of the adventure with lots of wildlife to be spotted along the way. You will stay at Caiman House, very aptly named, as this is where research is being conducted on the local black caiman. Caiman House is the hub of several development projects. Here you can meet local craftspeople who are supported by this project. You may also visit one of the libraries that they have provided. This evening you take to the river again and have the chance to participate in the field study of the black caiman which is being carried out here. This endangered species is the largest member of the aligator family. A night safari here may reveal iguanas, frogs, fish including piranhas, sleeping birds, bats, spiders, moths and if you are lucky maybe a possum, capybara or sleeping monkey.will be sighted. Whatever creatures you discover this is sure to be a night safari that you won't forget. Lodge - 1 night (BLD)