An Adventure to Discover the Wildlife of Guyana

Guyana is a small country on the north coast of South America, and is relatively undiscovered in terms of tourism. For those looking for a totally unique and off the beaten track holiday that focuses on wildlife, tailormade tours to Guyana offer a great option. Most of the country is forested, with almost 60% being primary forest, and these provide the habitat for a huge number of plants, birds, mammals and all kinds of fascinating wildlife. Tailormade tours offer you the chance to pick and choose which parts of the country you visit, and are the best option for the more independent, single-minded traveller.

Top Destinations in Guyana for Wildlife

Tailormade tours to Guyana should be booked with a reputable travel company that has an expert team of advisors on hand to help plan the best itinerary for you. These experts have valuable in-country knowledge and can best advise with regards a route.

Kaieteur Falls

Kaieteur Falls is arguably one of the country’s most scenic wonders and should not be missed on any trip. Here, a 100m wide stretch of the Potaro River falls over 200m to the depths below. The fact that the waterfall is located in an underdeveloped area only adds to the magical experience. Watch out here for the endemic Kaieteur Golden Rocket Frog and the wonderful Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock. Boasting one of the most incredible daily migration sights in the world, the falls are also home to thousands of swifts that come to roost here at twilight.

Iwokrama International Centre

Forestry and protecting the environment is of paramount importance in Guyana. The Iwokrama International Centre was established in 1996 to manage the area with a focus on lasting ecological, economic and social benefits to Guyana and the world as a whole. The research centre and reserve are unique in that they are dedicated to testing the concept of a fully sustainable forest and the Government, the Commonwealth and other international partners are very involved. Walking in the forest is fantastic for spotting wildlife but you can also take boat trips too. Turtle Mountain makes a great day hike, but if you want to go looking for snakes and frogs, night hikes can also be organised. Toucan and Macaws grace the skies, the Giant Otter dominates the river and the Black Spider Monkey spends its days swinging through the canopies. This place is a haven for wildlife.

Tailormade tours in Guyana should include a visit to the Rupununi Savannah, which is one of the country’s most diverse ecosystems and, on a global scale, one of the largest areas of wilderness. This diversity gives rise to an eclectic mix of Amazonian and Guiana Shield fauna and there are approximately 9000 mammals residing in the area.Guyana is a haven for those who love wildlife and there are many more wonderful places, other than those described above, just waiting to be discovered.

Marissa Ellis-Snow is a freelance nature writer. If you’re passionate about wildlife, tailormade tours with Naturetrek include expert-led natural history and wildlife tours worldwide. Naturetrek brings over 25 years of experience to polar expeditions and tours to other spectacular regions on Earth.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.