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Guyana remains one of the world's most exciting
and least known destinations for adventuresome travel and
exploration, despite being
the only English-speaking country in South America. A land of
dense tropical rainforest and wide expanses of
 savannah,
the interior teems with wildlife and is criss-crossed by a
network of rivers, making it a natural for the independent
traveler interested in getting away from the madding crowd.
Don't expect to find luxury resorts, and roads are few. You must
travel by boat and small plane to experience the real nature of
Guyana, which is truly an eco-tourist gem.
This region is home to a vibrant
Amerindian and "cowboy" culture, as well as to fascinating animal
species like the Giant Anteater, Harpy Eagle, Giant Otter, and
the giant Aparaima fish. The Guyana coast is a low-lying tangle
of mangroves and Demerara sugar cane plantations connected by
canals. Inland is a landscape of savannah, rainforest, ancient table top mountains and waterfalls that spill
from the sheer plateaus. In the backcountry lodges here, the few
visitors are treated as guests rather than tourists. Not quite
the Caribbean, not quite South America, Guyana is not quite like
any place else on Earth.
The former British colony
became independent in 1966. A third of its population is
descended from African slaves imported by the Dutch to work on
sugar plantations, and about half are the descendants of indentured
Indian agricultural workers brought in by the British after
slavery was abolished.
Half the population lives in Georgetown, the capital. There
are currently more than 120 Amerindian communities, living mostly
in remote areas of Guyana.
Guyana has an area of 214,969 sq km (83,000 sq mi),
about the size of Great Britain, with some 80 per cent of land covered
in virginal tropical rainforest. According to Conservation
International, this region of the Amazon is home to the largest
outstanding and undisturbed rainforest in the world. The name Guyana is
an Amerindian word meaning Land Of Many Waters. It is also known as the country of
Six People- Africans, Amerindians, Chinese, East Indians, Europeans and
Portuguese. Guyana is notably famous for Kaieteur Falls, which is
situated on the Potaro River, where that river falls off the Pakaraima
Plateau. The mouth of the Essequibo river is as wide as the English
Channel, and Kaieteur Falls is the longest single drop waterfall in the
world at 741 feet.
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GETTING
THERE
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Cheddi
Jagan International Airport |
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GEO,
cjairport-gy.com/
at Timehri, 40 km (25
miles) south of Georgetown. |
Departure Tax
There is an exit tax of G$2,500.00(US$17). It can
be paid when reconfirming your ticket. You
should confirm your ticket at least 48 hours
before departure. |
Direct flights to and from
London, New York, Miami, Trinidad, Barbados, Suriname
and Brasil.
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BWIA West Indies Airways
(Barbados, Port of Spain)
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Caribbean Star Airlines
(Antigua, Barbados, Beef Island, Port of Spain, St.
Kitts, St. Maarten)
caribbeanstar.com
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Leeward Islands Air Transport
(Antigua, Barbados, Beef Island, St. Maarten)
liatairline.com
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META Airlines Guyana
(Boa Vista, Paramaribo)
Tel: +592 226 7348
Regional airline based in
Boa
Vista
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North American Airlines
(New York-JFK)
northamericanair.com
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Trans Guyana Airways
(Annai, Apoteri, Bemichi, Chi-Chi, Chi-Chi West,
Hampton Court, Imbaimadai, Kaieteur, Kamarang,
Karanambo, Karasabai, Kato, Kurukabaru, Lethem,
Mabaruma, Mahdia, Maikwak, Matthews Ridge, Monkey
Mountain, Ogle, Orinduik, Port Kaituma)
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The Tourist Information
Centre is managed by the Tourism and Hospitality
Association of Guyana (THAG), and is located just
beyond the Customs exit. Information on Guyana and/or
tourism (maps, brochures, magazines, etc.) can be
collected at this centre. CJIA Tourism / Information
Officer - Tel: +592 261 2980 |
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A taxi from Georgetown to
Ogle Airport costs about $5 US
Approved Tax Rates at cjairport-gy.com |
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Places to Stay |
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Interior
Resorts, Lodges and Ranches
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Arrowpoint Nature Resort Whether it’s the thrill
of Bird Watching, the excitement of Mountain Biking,
Hiking, Kayaking, Pedal boating or simply relaxing
in a hammock with a book, visitors will discover
nature while having great fun and adventure. |
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Dadanawa Ranch Guyana's largest working cattle
ranch, covers 2,000 miles of the southern Rupununi
and enjoys a wonderful vista of the Kanuku Mountains |
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Emerald Tower Rainforest Lodge about a one hour
drive from Georgetown on the Madewini Creek and is
surrounded by rainforest. |
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iwokrama.org/ecotours/accomodations.htm
Accommodations in the Iwokrama Forest range from
safari-style cabins with beds to open-air camps with
hammocks. Iwokrama International Centre is an
autonomous not-for-profit research and development
institution established by Guyana and the
Commonwealth |
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Shanklands Rainforest Resort
Nestled between the mighty Essequibo River and the
unspoiled rainforest, Shanklands awaits you. 60
miles from the city of Georgetown; 60 minutes by
road and 60 minutes by boat or 90 minutes by 4-wheel
drive from the International Airport. |
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Coast Resorts & Communities
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baganara.com/
Pre-eminent among the three hundred and sixty-five
islands in the mighty Essequibo is this wonderful
little paradise, with one hundred and eighty-seven
acres of lush green foliage and colourful tropical
flowers. Five miles South of Bartica, it is the
getaway to the unspoilt rainforest of Guyana and the
junction where the great Essequibo and Mazaruni
Rivers meet. |
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saxacalli.com/
The
Nature Reserve offers a unique opportunity for
students, and the public to experience
the tropical rainforest while enjoying the
sun, sand and sea. |
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Passports & Visas
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All visitors require a valid passport. Those
arriving by plane are required to have an onward plane ticket.
Visas are necessary for all visitors except nationals of
the following countries: Commonwealth Countries, Belgium,
Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy,
Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal,
Spain, Sweden, USA. |
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Health
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Yellow fever
is endemic to this area; monkeys are a
reservoir, but you can catch it even in cities.
Be sure to get immunized before you leave, and
take
mosquito repellent with you. Also, be careful
of Malaria and Dengue Fever in the interior.
Consult your doctor for the required precautions
if you intend to travel there.
Do not drink the tap water,
unless you want to spend a great part of you
vacation in the toilet. Bottled water is readily
available in a variety of brands.
Georgetown has one public and several private hospitals,
including St. Joseph's Mercy Hospital on Parade Street, Prashads
Hospital on Thomas Street, and Davis Memorial in Lodge Back
lands |
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Money
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| Foreign credit cards CANNOT be used at ATM
machines in Guyana. Only one bank, the
Bank of Nova Scotia, will issue cash advances against credit
cards. Most hotels, major restaurants, car
rental agencies and tour operators accept major credit cards, but
they are not widely accepted in Guyana
The interior is largely a cash economy with USD$ dollars often
being accepted.
Bring sufficient currency or travellers'
cheques.
It is important that you keep your Cambio
receipts, as you will need to produce them to change Guyanese
dollars on departure. |
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Safety
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| The interior is normally considered safe. However, crime levels in Guyana are high. Home invasions, carjackings,
kidnappings and shootings are not uncommon in Guyana,
particularly in Georgetown and New Amsterdam. Georgetown's Tiger
Bay and Stabroek Market areas, and all of the city's south should
be avoided after dark. The East Coast Demerara is also a
high-risk area, particularly Buxton, Friendship and Annadale, as
are the East Bank regions and the highway from Timerhi to
Linden.
Burglary and theft from cars are regular
occurrences. Take extra precautions to protect your passports,
money, tickets and other valuables.
The minimum jail sentence for illegal drug
offences is three years. If you are offered a free air tickets
to Guyana it may mean they expect you to mule drugs on return.
[Nov-2006]
Find regular updates at: fco.gov.uk/travel
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Guyana
<-> Suriname
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Buses leave Georgetown for the Surinamese
border daily. Ask at the bus park near Stabroek Market.
In Suriname inquire in the capital of Paramaribo for mini-buses
traveling to Guyana.
Note that entering Guyana by water travel from Niuewe Nickerie
in Suriname is illegal.
Borders with Suriname and
Venezuela are in dispute; although these disputes are on a back
burner, travelers should be aware of the problems.
wiki/Soesdyke-Linden_Highway
Paramaribo is served by
the
Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport |
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Georgetown to Lethem & Brazil
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| The bus ride from Georgetown to Lethem, at
the Brazilian border, takes about 10 hours through rainforest and
southern savannah. Inquire about buses to Brazil at the Interserv Bus Office located on Charlotte Street in downtown
Georgetown. Buses usually leave very late at night and it is
recommended that you take a taxi to the bus station as the area
around there is unsafe at night. For buses from Brazil, travel to Bonfim on the border and walk across. Find a minibus
or taxi to take you to Lethem city center and inquire about
buses traveling to Georgetown. |
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Guyana
<-> Venezuela
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There are no road links between
Venezuela and Guyana. Travel to Venezuela may be
done by air via Trinidad or overland through
Roraima State in Brazil.
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GETTING AROUND
THERE
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Road conditions vary
immensely, and little maintenance is done on some roads.
There are good roads from Georgetown to Timehri and
Linden, and for 300 km (185 miles) along the coast from Springlands to
Charity. In 2006 there was one
operational set of traffic lights. Lack of traffic control leads to
delays and crashes. It is estimated that about 1,000 km of waterways in
Guyana are utilized for commerce in Guyana.
Mini-buses are primary means
of transport. Privately owned mini buses operate in allocated
zones for which there is a well-regulated fare structure. This
arrangement extends to all mini bus routes throughout the country.
River Taxi:
Guyana has over 960 km (600 miles) of navigable river,
which provide an important means of communication. The
Berbice, the Essequibo, and the Demerara are crossed by
ferries and by six- and four-seater riverboats called
balahoos and corials. Go to
the port village and ask where the speedboats launch
from. Ask other passengers what the fare is while
traveling as boat operators tend to seek higher fees
from tourists. Do not take "specials" without first
negotiating the price.
Coastal Road - The coastal main road system
is not continuous. There are gaps whenever it intersects the Essequibo,
Demerara and Berbice Rivers. People and goods move across these gaps by
ferry systems and, in the case of the Demerara River, by way of the
Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB), a two-lane floating bridge, 1.2 miles
long, near the mouth of the Demerara River.
Linden is one of the main
hubs for road transportation in the hinterland.
Ferry
services link the primary roads in the coastal area, and Guyana with
Suriname.
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Tour Companies
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Become enchanted and
surprised by the astonishing variety of wildlife
such as the Giant River Otter, the mighty Jaguar,
the boisterous Howler monkeys, Black Caiman and the
ferocious Piranha fish of the Rupununi River, and
the largest freshwater fish in the world, the
Arapaima. |
amazon-guyana-bridgetours.com/
Bridgetours offers exciting
and affordable packages that showcase the best of
Guyana, Northern Brazil and the Amazon. Our Land/Air
Bridge allows you to experience the wonders of the
Amazon with the warmth and scenic beauty of Guyana
in one remarkable journey. Amazon Guyana
Bridgetours . Takutu Hotel . Lethem . Guyana . South
America
Tel: +592 772 2034. Mobile: +592 616 2518 |
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andeantrails.co.uk/guyana.htm
Edinburgh Scotland EH6 5QG 44 (0)131 467 7086 |
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bushmasters.co.uk/guyana.php
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condorjourneys-adventures.com/guyana.asp Guyana
remains one of the world's most exciting
destinations for adventuresome travel and
exploration. Feel the beauty of the nature whisper
across your heart. Discover an experience never to
be forgotten. Discover the extraordinary wilderness
of Guyana, a country hosting numerous wildlife
conservation projects. |
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etl-gy.com-Earth Tours Limited
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evergreen-adventures.com/ reliable partner for
travel in
Guyana, Suriname & French Guyana |
fosterparrots.com/etguyana.html
With only three percent of its 80,000 square miles
inhabited it is, unfortunately, one of only two
countries in South America that still legally exports
parrots and other wildlife for the pet trade |
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guidedculturaltours.com/
We specialize in guided Adventure, Culture & Nature
tours in GUYANA. Timehri International Airport is 25
miles South West of Georgetown - and Pakuri Arawak
territory (our main & most popular destination in
northern Guyana) is 60 miles South West of Georgetown;
Pakuri is a 240 Square mile crime-free 1,000 person
Arawak Indian reservation |
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iwokrama.org/ecotours/ |
journeylatinamerica.co.uk/adventure/itins/kaieteur.shtml
travel deep into the country’s unspoilt interior to trek
up to the spectacular Kaieter Falls |
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rftours.com/
overland package to Kaieteur.Come see our majestic
Kaieteur Falls the way god intended it to be seen |
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roraimaairways.com /tourpackagesboaguyana.htm
Weekend Tour to Boa Vista from Guyana |
Shell Beach Adventures
sbadventures.com
Le Meridian Pegasus Georgetown, Guyana
telephone: (592) 225 4483/225 4484 fax: (592)
226 0532 --Shell Beach (which has been designated
for Protected Area Status) where we become part of
an
Arawak family who manage the Sea Turtle Conservation
Project. The turtle nesting areas in Guyana include
one of the least developed parts of the entire South
American coast - about 150km of mangrove shoreline,
with intermittent shell beaches, between the mouths
of the Pomeroon and Waini rivers in northwestern
Guyana. |
Wilderness Explorers Cara Suites
176 Middle Street, Georgetown, Guyana
Tel: (592) 2277698 Fax: (592) 2262085
Voice Mail: (592) 2262085
exciting adventures in the wilderness of South America
and the Caribbean through a variety of comprehensive
itineraries. Itineraries which include Venezuela,
Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil and the Caribbean.
guyvenez.htm
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Karanambu Ranch |
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Weather
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Guyana's climate is
equatorial: hot but pleasant for most of the year, with a mean
shade temperature of 27C and an average temperature range of 24C
to 31C (75F to 87F). The heat is tempered by the sea breezes on
the coast.
The temperature on the coastland ranges from 20 degrees to 33.8
degrees centigrade with a mean temperature of 26.8 degree
centigrade. It is best to visit Guyana outside the rainy season. An umbrella is useful during the two wet seasons,
extending roughly from May through July in Rupununi, and from December to
the end of January in the north. Rainfall is 2,300mm a year in Georgetown.
Lightweight, casual clothing can be worn throughout the year. In
the height of the dry season (August-October), it's hot and
muggy, although this is relieved by frequent coastal breezes.
Guyana Weather at yahoo.com |
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Fotos |
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guyanabirding.com
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Guyana Bird Reports at
travellingbirder.com |
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Trip Reports
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While a quick look at a jaguar
was certainly a highlight, perhaps the biggest event of the day
was an encounter with a herd of White-lipped Peccary crossing
the river. As we came around a corner we met the herd, 33 in
all, plunging down a bank into the river immediately ahead of
our boat. They formed a tight straight line of animals swimming
two-abreast, close enough together so that their hooves
clattering against their neighbor's were clearly heard. Their
odor was ripe, rank and unmistakable. The herd swam straight
across giving way as our boat drifted closer and in the process
a tiny piglet was separated from the herd. [more
Birding Outback Guyana -Acari Mountains] |
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Fast Facts
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Highest
point
- Mount
Roraima 2,835 m
Driving
Drive on the left hand side of the road
Emergency Numbers
Police : 911
Fire: 912
Ambulance: 913
Electricity:
110/220v, 50-60 cycles.
110v in
Georgetown, 220v in most other places, including parts of
suburban Georgetown.
Water:
It is safer to drink purified water. Purified
bottled water can be obtained in supermarket,
shops, gas stations and vendors throughout the
coast of Guyana
Though physically part of South America,
culturally Guyana is
Caribbean rather than Latin American and it
is considered part of the
West Indies. Other languages of Guyana
include
Creolese,
Hindi,
Wai-Wai,
Arawak and
Macushi.
AIDS is
the leading cause of death among the crucial
25-44 age group.
Guyana's $6.9
billion shrimp export market to the
United States, represents over half the
country's export revenue earnings.
The name
Guyana is Amerindian for "land of many
waters," which pays homage to the country's many
waterways.
Jagan
& Jagdeo: Guyana
achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and
since then it has been ruled mostly by
socialist-oriented governments. In 1992, Cheddi
Jagan was elected president in what is
considered the country's first free and fair
election since independence. After his death
five years later, his wife, Jane Jagan, became
president but resigned in 1999 due to poor
health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was
reelected in 2001. |
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