Kaieteur Falls and Abary Pre-Tour Extension
Friday: Arrival in Guyana
Arrive in Guyana and transfer to Georgetown and to your selected 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 Prince Charles and Mick Jagger. This magnificent wooden colonial home turned hotel offers the tradition and nostalgia of a bygone era.
Overnight at Cara Lodge. (Check in time 1400hrs, Check out time 12midday)
Saturday: Mahaica River Birding & Optional Demerara River Tour
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.
Optional Service: Scarlet Ibis Birding Tour
Not included in package rate
| Number of Persons: |
2 – 6 |
| Rate p/p US$: |
60.00 |
We will travel to the Demerara River and if the tide is out, it exposes the mud flats which normally host feeding Scarlet Ibis, Little Blue and Tricolored herons, while Magnificent Frigatebirds take to the air and we will search for other shorebirds.
Optional Service: Demerara Historical River Tour
Not included in package rate
| Number of Persons: |
2 |
4 |
6 |
| Rate p/p US$: |
270.00 |
180.00 |
150.00 |
This afternoon we will take a drive through the heart of the city to the Stabroek Market area. Here we will join the afternoon commuters using the old ferry stelling to board the river taxis which are used to cross the Demerara River. The river taxis are a faster alternative route to using the Demerara Harbour Bridge.
We will slowly cruise along and across the Demerara River while your guide will give a brief history of the famous buildings along the waterfront. We then continue our trip to see the Demerara Harbour Bridge, once the longest floating bridge in the world at a total length of 1,851m long. We will cross under the bridge and tie up our boat near a mangrove that is the nightly roost for a variety of birds. As the sun sets over the river, we will have a cold drink and some snacks (or cutters as we call them here in Guyana) as we enjoy flocks of brilliant Scarlet Ibis, Snail Kites, Herons, and three kinds of Egrets as they fly across the sky and settle into the mangroves for the evening.
Soon after the sun sets, we return to the ferry stelling while enjoying the city and ship lights from the river.
Overnight at Cara Lodge. Breakfast
Sunday: Kaieteur Falls Scenic Flight
Breakfast at the hotel.
1145hrs pickup and transfer to Eugene F. Correia International Airport.
From the Eugene F. Correia International Airport take a scheduled 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 on the Potaro River. 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.
Condition of Sale
Flights to Kaieteur Falls are operated on chartered aircraft and all flights have a minimum passenger restriction. Therefore, any booking to Kaieteur and Orinduik Falls is subject to a minimum of 12 passengers being available to travel. In most cases we are able to fill flights, especially if scheduled for a weekend. However, in the rare case that we cannot meet the required numbers we will reschedule the trip to another day during your stay, if this is possible. Wilderness Explorers retains the right to reschedule a flight as a first option. If we cannot reschedule the flight Wilderness Explorers will guarantee a flight, with a minimum of 2 passengers, to Kaieteur Falls only. If a flight is cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control, such as weather, we will endeavour to reschedule the flight during your itinerary. If this is not possible then a full refund on the flight will be made.
Pickup and transfer from Eugene F. Correia International Airport to Georgetown and to your selected hotel. Overnight at Cara Lodge. Breakfast and snack on the Kaieteur Falls tour.
Sun Parakeet and Remote Specialities Post-Tour Extension
Tuesday: Sun Parakeet Search & Karasabai
This morning we will undertake the arduous drive from Karanambu towards Karasabi over rough road passing across the Rupununi Savannah that stretches across the central ranges of Guyana. Here Aplomado Falcons hunt over the expansive plains and Grassland Yellow Finch mix with a variety of seedeaters including Grey, Plumbeous, Yellow-bellied, and Ruddy-breasted. Sightings of Savannah and White-tailed Hawks will see us through the Pakaraima Mountains and finally to the scattered village of Karasabi.
We will take time to visit with some of the locals and secure final permissions since there are very few visitors to this region and we want to secure future relations and conservation efforts since the villagers ultimately control the fate of the Sun Parakeet. This morning, we will embark on a journey between the scenic mountains that border Guyana. This remote area is the only known site and possibly the only place left on earth where the critically endangered Sun Parakeet still survives in the wild. This vivid species once ranged widely across Suriname into northern Brazil but after years of feverish illegal trapping including rumours of entire planes jammed full with thousands of ill-fated birds, the world population now hangs in the balance with less than two hundred individuals thought to be remaining but numbers here are on the increase because of the conservation efforts of the people of Karasabai. We stand a very high likelihood of encountering these colourful parakeets as they fly through the valley and feed on the fruits of surrounding trees. The intense combination of yellow and red shared with the sheer sensation of watching one of the rarest and most beautiful birds on earth is an incredible experience that we will never forget.
Other more widespread birds we might encounter here include Yellow-breasted and Streaked Flycatchers, Hooded Tanager, Small-billed Elaenia, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Red-eyed Vireo, Hepatic Tanager, and Green-rumped Parrotlet.
We will then transfer to Manari Ranch.
This atmospheric and stylish ranch is noticeably less rustic than the others, having been renovated by dynamic owner Lisa Melville. Just a 15-minute drive north from Lethem, it’s also a good alternative to staying in town. Enjoy the great swimming hole and a laid-back vibe. Overnight at Manari Ranch. BLD
Wednesday: Red Siskin Expedition
Another extremely early start awaits us, as we will be travelling several hours through the south savannahs to look for the highly endangered Red Siskin. This bird has benefited from the extensive work of the South Rupununi Conservation Society. [SRCS]. You will meet a representative who will fill you in on the continuing work of the society with the red siskin and also the giant Anteater. There should also be time for some further birding in the area and species we could encounter include American Wood Stork, Buff-necked Ibis, White-tailed Hawk, Red-bellied Macaw, White-fringed Antwren, Yellow-bellied Elaenia and Red-breasted Blackbird. Return to Manari Ranch. Overnight at Manari Ranch. Breakfast+Lunch+Dinner
Thursday: Hoary-throated Spinetail, Rio Branco Antbird & Return to Georgetown
Today, we will be turning our attention to two birds which have exceedingly restricted ranges, the Hoary-throated Spinetail and Rio Branco Antbird. Both are only found in gallery forest along the Rio Branco and its main tributaries, all of which ultimately flow into the Amazon. Recent agricultural pressures have seriously reduced the amount of available habitat for both birds, and as a result the spinetail is now classified as endangered with the antbird treated as near-threatened. Along our journey we might come across Maguari Stork resting on the sandbanks, Muscovy Duck, and peculiar Capybara before reaching our site along a comparatively short stretch of the river. We will specifically target the Hoary-throated Spinetail and Rio Branco Antbird in this area although other interesting species we might find during our search include Fiery-shouldered Parakeet, Pale-legged Hornero, Velvet-browed Brilliant, Chestnut-vented Conebill, Roraiman Antwren, and Great Elaenia. Very few birders have ever ventured to this remote area so a few avian surprises are certainly not out of the question.
Transfer to the airstrip for scheduled flight back to Georgetown. Overnight at Cara Lodge. Breakfast+Lunch
Friday: International Departure
Transfer to the international airport for the flight home. Breakfast
