‘The world’s last undiscovered natural paradise,’ says a sign at Guyana’s airport. Guyana, the English speaking country in South America has miles of coastlands, acres of pristine rainforests, countless rivers, waterfalls, savannahs and mountains. Most of the population lives in the colonial style towns on the coastline.
The pristine interiors are inhabited by the mythical jaguars, giant otters, hundreds of species of birds and wild life. Adventure lovers are in for a treat in Guyana. They have many options to choose from. One can explore the Amazon rainforests by hiking the trails, boating in the wild rivers, or by air. Next to it, one can visit the biggest and highest waterfalls and observe the spectacular wildlife and vegetation of this forest country.
Hiking lovers can climb up the Awaramie Mountain. The hike is steep and moderately difficult. At the peak, there is a plateau which offers great views of the forests and the distant mountains. Some spots also provide uninterrupted views of the Rupununi River below the mountain. A short distance along a river is a spot where you can hike your way into the savannah and witness the locals practicing their traditional farming methods.
Iwokarma Rain Forest in Guyana is one of the world’s largest unexplored rain forests. A safari on this forest is very adventurous and is famous for watching hundreds of species of birds and animals. The canopy walkway in this forest is a major attraction. Many species of birds that cannot be seen from the ground can be seen from here, such as the cotinga, Guianan puff bird, Todd’s and ash-winged ant wrens, brown-throated and golden-winged parakeets, caica parrot, waved and golden-collared woodpeckers et cetera. The real prize of the excursion would be spotting the elusive jaguar and the white-winged potoo. Guyana is one of the only places with a healthy population of the jaguar and this is probably the only place where you can actually see it. The Kanuku Mountains near the Jordan Falls is one of the steepest hikes in Guyana. This tough trek rewards you with the beautiful views of the savannah and forests and not to forget the wildlife.
Guyana means the Land of many waters. It has many rivers, gorges, rapids and waterfalls. Kaieteur Falls is the largest waterfall of the world and it is five times larger than the Niagara Falls. It is formed Potaro River. The best views of the water fall are from the overland or from an aircraft. The background of the beautiful rain forests adds to the beauty of this water fall. Guyana is home to rivers like the huge Essequibo, the Berbice, and the Demerara. These rivers offer a great way to explore the country through river tours by boats. Fishing is also a popular activity in these rivers. Haimara fish is a popular fish in the Burro Burro River. You could camp on the river banks and enjoy your catch of the day. The Rewa River is another popular place to spot river otters, red howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys and brown capuchin. The river is also famous for the largest fresh water fish of the world, arapaima.
Rupununi savannahs are home to the Amerindian tribe and the cowboy culture is prevalent here. This area is also home to different types of animals. The shell beach is home to the sea turtles. One of the most unique ways of exploring Guyana is exploring it on a horse. You could explore the Amazon forest, the savannah, the Amerindian Villages, and other adventurous places on a horse.
Guyana is also a paradise for the bird watchers and wildlife lovers. There are many different species of birds and animals at this place and getting to see them is an adventure in itself. The best part about Guyana is that wildlife lovers don’t need to take any special efforts to witness the amazing and diverse wildlife here. In this forest region, you can easily view the jaguar, the anacondas, the otters and so forth on an exploration trip of the jungle. The unending list of animals includes anteaters, giant otters, caiman, turtles and many more. A paradise for birdwatchers, the red siskin, the harpy eagle, crimson fruit crow, macaw, bearded tachuri and the Rio Branco ant bird are some of the birds that can be spotted here. River trips can be taken to witness the wildlife and birds around the banks of the river. On a boat ride, you can witness giant dragonflies, beautiful butterflies, herons, egret chicks and many more birds.
Guyana is a place where nature is at its best. It is a virgin land and the lack of human intervention here is what makes it an ideal place to visit for adventure travellers.