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My Journey to Guyana

By : thomas wilusz
Trip Begins October 1, 2011
Trip Ends October 14, 2011

This journal shares my interesting experiences when I visited Guyana in the fall of 2011. I was searching for a unique and adventurous trip and this certainly answered the call! I hope after reading this journal, you'll get a feel for the country, the people, and the amazing nature I discovered and that you'll consider this as a future destination! Enjoy!
See my photos : My Journey to Guyana

Want to go? Guyana Custom, Guyana Rainforest

I went to: Guyana, Georgetown, Iwokrama Forest, Iwokrama River Lodge, Kaieteur Falls, Rupununi Savannah, Surama Eco-Lodge, Rock View Lodge, Karanambu Ranch, Cara Lodge
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October 1, 2011
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Leaving Home

New York City, NY

This day started with me agonizing on how to pack for this trip. Having a 5:00pm flight and waking up early this morning had me going back and forth, repacking and continuously weighing my bags to meet the criteria for the short flights. Being an avid photographer with much equipment, it is always a challenge to bring the right cameras and lenses to meet the strict 10Kg requirement for flights.

After five or six iterations of packing and reweighing, I finally had it set and made my way up to Boston to begin my adventure. I chose Guyana since I knew that 80% was unaltered rainforest and savannah as well as the fact that the country was only beginning to understand the opportunities for eco-tourism and not quite yet a tourist destination. In other words - unspoiled! Plus I had recently visited Brazil in search of a jaguar and giant anteater but I wasn't fortunate to see either. I was hoping Guyana would provide me this opportunity! Although in Brazil seeing a tamandua (lesser Anteater) in a tree was quite the accomplishment!

I also knew that I was cutting it close for arrival in Georgetown to make the flight to Kaieteur Falls the next morning. But that was my planning and I had already come to terms that I may not make it to the falls. After a slight delay in Boston, I arrived at JFK in New York for my connection to Georgetown, Guyana. Luckily, the delay had no impact as my flight to Georgetown wasn't until 1:30am. I had a tough time staying awake in the airport and in hindsight should have driven directly to JFK as it is about a 3 hour drive from my home. But since I was there, I had a pleasant dinner and forced myself to stay awake for the early morning flight.

October 2, 2011
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Arriving in Guyana and a Visit to the Falls

Kaieteur Falls, Guyana

I slept most of the time on the flight to Georgetown but was awake prior to arrival. Upon the descending towards Georgetown, it was amazing to see how we entered the city airspace and all you could see for miles outside the city was green. Most of the country's population is located in the capital, Georgetown, and the rest is wilderness. I knew this was a good sign that I'd be able to capture beautiful fauna and flora through my camera's lens. But the flight was a bit late landing and I thought that I would never make the transfer to Ogle Airport in time to meet the connection to Kaieteur Falls.

Upon arrival, passing through customs and immigration seemed to take eternity as my worries about the falls continued. I finally made it through the airport and my ride was waiting for me. He was well aware of the time issue and quickly threw my bags into his car and off we sped to Ogle Airstrip. He tried his best to abide by the speed limits but occasionally pushed it in areas he knew were safe and vacant of the local police. Unfortunately, on the way, a vehicle in front of him tossed up a loose rock which put a huge crack in his windshield. The poor guy informed me that he was responsible for the repair as his insurance didn't cover it. This would amount to several weeks' wages.

He got me to the Ogle airport with minutes to spare for the scheduled flight only to find out that the flight was delayed anyway due to fog. I tipped him well but in no way would that truly help compensate for his out of pocket loss. I was so pleased that I would get a chance to view the highest free-falling waterfall in the world (Venezuela's Angel Falls are higher but they drop in stages)!

A representative from the Cara Lodge took my bags at the airport to bring to the hotel and I boarded the flight to Kaieteur Falls. One of the guides couldn't get on due to weight restrictions probably due to my camera equipment! What an amazing short flight seeing totally unspoiled rainforest from above. We landed at Kaieteur Falls and our guide Michael took us down the paths to the falls stopping at the better viewpoints along the way. It wasn't a long walk and for Michael it probably was nothing as he informed me that it was a three day walk from his village to the Kaieteur Falls Ranger Station. It was a postcard perfect day and each view seemed to be better and better. The falls were spectacular! I was hoping to get a glimpse of a Cock-of-the-Rock but I guess they were in the shade of the rainforest canopy staying out of the bright sun. I did manage to spot several small yellow poison dart frogs near the top of the falls and some swifts flying over the gorge where the Potaro River flows below.

We had lunch at the Ranger Station then got back on the plane to fly to Orinduik Falls on the Brazilian border. These are much smaller falls but were absolutely beautiful. Some in the group swam in the pools formed below the falls but I decided to photograph the scenery and search for wildlife. There is one family who resides at the falls and met us at the plane. It is a very secluded area and I was amazed on how this family maintains their livelihood yet treated visitors with such a level of hospitality. The weather had recently been bad and they were awaiting supplies that were now 3 days late.

From Orinduik we flew back to Georgetown for dinner and a night at the Cara Lodge, a turn of the century Victorian structure that embodies Guyana's colonial past, before the early morning flight into the interior the next day.

October 3, 2011
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The Trip to Iwokrama

Iwokrama River Lodge, Iwokrama Forest

Now the real journey started! From Ogle, we flew to the Annai Airstrip, the hub of the interior. After lunch at the Rock View Lodge at Annai, we headed off on the only North-South road from Georgetown to Brazil on our way to the Iwokrama River Lodge. Our chariot was a Bedford truck, an old British vehicle designed to carry very heavy weight and capable of extreme speeds of 10 mph! While the other much older members on the tour were disgruntled with the slow pace and bumpy ride, I loved it as it provided me the opportunity to photograph many birds including a black collared hawk, slate collared hawk, Amazon kingfisher, red throated caracara, Spix's guan, rufescent heron, gray heron, and a great white heron to name a few. I even managed to photograph one mammal, an agouti crossing the road while hoping to see an elusive jaguar.

We arrived at the Iwokrama River Lodge after dark so unfortunately did not have time to walk the trails to search for wildlife. This lodge is primarily a research center for scientists from all over the world to study the rainforest in depth. Most of the lodging was used for the researchers but there were about 8 cabins for tourists which were only recently built and quite comfortable. After dinner, we embarked on a night boat ride. There was not a lot of action but I did see a tree boa and a few small caiman before returning to the lodge. This was a certainly a long day and after a few beers decided to call it a night.

October 4, 2011
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Iwokrama River and Turtle Mountain

Iwokrama River Lodge, Iwokrama Forest

I woke up before sunrise to nature's alarm clock - red howler monkeys - and began gathering up my gear for an early boat ride to circumnavigate Indian House Island. While waiting to board the boat, I got some good shots of kiskadees and pied plovers (or lapwings), and spotted a pair of red and green macaws high in the canopy but too far away to photograph. During the boat ride sighted an orange winged macaw, several green kingfishers, a few pygmy kingfishers, a green ibis, an orange breasted falcon and Muscobe ducks. Still no jaguar!

We returned to the River Lodge for breakfast to refuel for a 2 hour hike up Turtle Mountain. At the foot of the trail, we were greeted by the aptly named roadrunner lizards scurrying about the grass at incredible speeds! Along the trail to the peak, I kept a look out for red howler monkeys. I could hear them in the distance but only got a glimpse of one high in the canopy. A few black spider monkeys rustled amongst the branches above but were moving too quickly for me to get a good photo. After two hours, we reached the peak of Turtle Mountain, dripping of perspiration due to the over 90 degree heat and even higher humidity! But it was worth it! I gazed down upon the Irokrama River and the rainforest canopy which stretched out endlessly. Quite a breathtaking sight!

The hike back down was a bit easier than the trek up and a cold beer at the lodge never tasted more satisfying! After lunch and a brief siesta, we were back on the river to view Kurupukari Falls and Amerindian Petroglyphs on nearby rocks. Of course along the way, we were frequented by kingfishers and other birds. We then pulled our boat ashore and strolled through the Amerindian village of Fairview on the way to a butterfly breeding farm. Darkness was rapidly falling and by the time we reached the butterfly farm, only a few of the colorful residents were still awake. I wish I had suggested to visit the farm before the trip to the falls and petroglyphs but thought about it too late. We concluded the day with a short hike back to the lodge, still hoping for a jaguar. I guess another agouti would have to do for this day.

October 5, 2011
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Atta Rainforest Canopy

After breakfast, we headed down the north-south road to the Atta Rainforest Lodge. Along the way I spotted a green aracari, several black curassows and a spotted sandpiper. We watched another agouti scooting down the road but still no jaguar. As we drove a bit further, an ocelot crossed our path. Not a jaguar but at least it was in the cat family!!!! There might be a chance!!!! We nearly drove over a green vine snake that was slithering on the dirt road but stopped just in time. I lept out of our vehicle as fast as I could and I managed to snap a few shots of it before it made its way into the brush. It was the most amazing vibrant green but to some of the others on the tour, it was just plain scary!!!

A few hours later, our vehicle pulled into the entrance of the Atta Lodge where we were greeted by the lodge manager and staff and had a wonderful reception of rum punch to quench our thirsts. Three red howler monkeys watched curiously from the treetops. I think they wanted to quench their thirsts as well!!!!

After settling in our rooms which were rustic and quite nice, I explored the grounds which were loaded with beautiful flowers that perfumed the air. And they obviously attracted birds with their sweet nectar as long tailed sylph hummingbirds whizzed from flower to flower. Also, in the area were a capuchin bird, white winged swallow and screaming cotinga. Of course no rainforest would be complete without little critters as I stumbled upon a millipede and a very interesting insect, the reticulate plant hopper. Well, that's enough about me playing with bugs. I joined the rest of the group and we were guided to the canopy walkway wondering about the birdlife that was in store for us. It was an easy walk along the tree lined trail, with several species of trees marked with their names. Our guide provided informative details of the uses of each tree by the local Amerindian tribe. At the end of the trail, walking up the equivalent of three to four flights of stairs, we reached the canopy walkway and looked down upon the collage of flora below. Leaves of all sizes and shapes and shades of green resulted in me capturing the beauty of nature's abstracts with my camera. After perching on one of the stands located at the end of one of the walkways, remaining quiet and patiently waiting (and reminding the others to do the same!), I was rewarded as thirteen endangered scarlet macaws buzzed the treetops about 100 yards in front of me. They flew to the other side of the valley and too far away to get a good photo though. I guess a few photos of red dots against a bright green background would be all that I would get. I waited about an hour for them to approach again but the sun was setting and the macaws didn't appear that they wanted to cooperate with me and remained distant. We returned to the lodge for an excellent meal, a few drinks and then retired for the evening.

October 6, 2011
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The Road to Surama

Surama Eco-Lodge, Rupununi Savannah

At 5:30 am, I was once again wakened by the sound of the forest. Although, this time much louder as our three howler buddies were in the trees just around the corner from my room and howling in three part harmony. I had enough time to do a bit of exploring before our departure to the next lodge. Walking back to the main dirt road (yes - the North-South one!) with one of the other travelers, we startled an agouti and he swiftly disappeared in a wetland area. Luckily I kept my eye on where he was going because his path drew me straight into the eyes of a beautiful red brocket deer that was grazing in the wetland. A few steps further up the road, I stumbled on a baby red-footed tortoise thinking how lucky this creature was that there was hardly any traffic at all on this road and his life would be spared.

I returned to the lodge for breakfast and we took off towards our next destination. On the way, we stopped for a short hike through the forest to a spot known as a hangout for the Guinean Cock-of-the-Rock. After about an hour or so, one came into view along a jagged cliff formation in the forest. A beautiful crested orange bird that must know its beauty since it was very photogenic and let me approach within 50-75 feet of it to take its photo. Another one showed up shortly thereafter but kept hidden in the branches. But as I was successful with the first one after having no luck previously at Kaieteur Falls, I was quite satisfied. Walking back through the cliffs and rocks to return to our vehicle, I noticed a few long nosed bats overhead hanging upside down from the rock ceiling. They seemed quite content and were not bothered by the disturbance we were creating below them as we walked underneath.

We were back on the road headed to the Surama Eco- Lodge. Once we arrived in the village of Surama, we were met by MarkPaul who would be our guide during our stay. He walked us through the village as our luggage was transported to the lodge. We visited the medical clinic, school, and got a feel for village life at a place where the rainforest and savannah converge. We made our way to the lodge, very basic but it fit the bill as I needed a nap at this point. A blackheaded vulture and Northern Cara Cara greeted me at the entrance to our lodge.

The Surama Eco Lodge is community run with all staff and guides from the local village as part of a program to allow the local people to receive education and prepare themselves for anticipated increases in future tourism and employment. Four of the six in our group stayed in separate rooms in a newly built lodge with four rooms while the one elderly couple had a hut to themselves. There were about 5 huts with a painting on each door of a tribesman in their customary dress from each of the tribes of the region. It was a really comfortable place.

After my short nap, we ventured off into the savannah in search of the Great Pootoo. On our hike, we spotted kingbirds, savannah hawks, gray tanagers, gray and blue tanagers, a swallow winged puffbird, Gray necked woodrail, and white throated toucans in flight. Of course I was on the lookout for bugs and spotted a huge forest roach! We entered a wooded area where pootoos are known to nest but they are so well camouflaged they are difficult to see. But luckily MarkPaul had eagle eyes and found one. It took me a while to see it as MarkPaul tried to focus me in to its location but I eventually saw it. With our success, we returned to the lodge where we were treated to an absolutely fabulous dinner accompanied by indigenous songs sung by the cook, Anna, and the staff. Over drinks afterwards, Anna, captivated us with stories of the history of the region. Absolutely amazing!!!!

October 7, 2011
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Hiking and Rowing the Burro Burro River in Surama

Surama Eco-Lodge, Rupununi Savannah

At dinner the night before, we inquired if there was an alternative to hiking up Surama Mountain per the itinerary. The older couple and the others got quite exhausted during the Turtle Mountain hike and I was on a search for an anteater which wouldn't likely be found on that hike. MarkPaul offered a hike on more level ground and a boat ride on the river to look for birds, giant otters and eventually hike to an area known for poison dart frogs. The elderly couple and one other stayed behind to visit the village while I and the other two chose the alternative itinerary.

On the walk to the river, there were numerous birds, too many to name. And as we walked the trail to the boat, MarkPaul spotted a giant anteater. I saw its tail as it slipped into the forest and we pursued it with MarkPaul clearing the path with his trusty machete! We never saw it again but the chase was fun! I never thought anteaters were so fast! I had always pictured them as sluggish animals.

We arrived at the Burro Burro river landing only to find that the motor for our canoe was nowhere to be found! The four of us jumped into the canoe and after a few minutes watching MarkPaul struggle rowing upstream in a strong current, I grabbed an oar and proceeded to help him row for the next 4 hours. I figured I wanted to see wildlife and this was the only way it was going to happen! Plus I was trying to shed a few pounds so I knew it would be good for me! We must have seen at least 40 species of birds of most notable was a ringed kingfisher, green kingfisher, paradise jacamar, Amazon trogan, channel billed toucan, painted parakeets and black-bellied cuckoo. A giant river otter swam alongside our boat for a few hundred yards! And while MarkPaul made a fire to cook our lunch, I noticed a thorn mimic treehopper crawling across our blanket (Yes-more bugs!).

We finally made it to our destination and after 4 hours of rowing I was a bit tired! But not tired enough to search for the poison dart frogs we had set out for. At the landing was a wilderness survival training camp and we watched them perform some of their training they would need to survive in the rainforest - alone! After about a 1/2 hour hike, we reached the area where frogs were known to occupy. MarkPaul found a yellow striped poison dart frog immediately and the clicks of our cameras echoed in the forest. I asked if I licked the frog's back if that would take me to a more relaxed state. After 4 hours of rowing I was sore and tired! He advised against it. Guess I would have to wait for drinks back at the lodge.

The canoe ride back was welcomed as going downstream we only had to use the oars to steer and it took half the time.

After a 2 hour hike, we arrived at the lodge greeted by a yellow caracara perched upon the lodge's rooftop. Many beers were consumed but I was still wondering about the effects that could have been experienced from licking the back of that frog!!

October 8, 2011
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The Road to Rock View Lodge

Rock View Lodge, Rupununi Savannah

Prior to this trip, I had arranged for an excursion to a Harpy Eagle nest before moving to our next destination at the Rock View Lodge in Annai. I convinced one of the others, Peter, to join me. It was about a 1/2 hour drive and then a 1 hour hike to the nest and we patiently waited for the large eagles to return. We could hear them in the distance and waited for nearly 3 hours but they never returned. Apparently the chick was now old enough to venture out further from the nest. I was disappointed but at least we tried.

We arrived at Rock View Lodge in time for lunch and now in the savannah. My thoughts of seeing a jaguar had now passed and I shifted my focus to the giant anteater. Of all the lodges so far, this was the most luxurious and reminded me of the lodges I had stayed in Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania and other lodges I had stayed in across Central and South America. The owner also owned the Atta Lodge which was under renovation when I was there earlier and I know when completed will be just as pleasing to future tourists. As I entered my room, a blue tailed emerald hummingbird was admiring itself in my mirror! But by the time I could retrieve my camera from my bag to capture this image, it flew out the window. What an awesome shot that would have been but I still have the memory! It was so cool!

As I strolled around the grounds, buff-necked ibis were also surveying the grounds as well as numerous species of wrens, flycatchers and tanagers.
While the others relaxed, Peter and I walked about the airstrip with our guide Richard to search for other birds (and maybe a giant anteater?). It was amazing how many species of birds we saw. The best was vermillion flycatcher, fork-tailed flycatcher and a burrowing owl that allowed us to get within 25 feet.
Despite not seeing the Harpy, this was a great day!

October 9, 2011
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Birding at Rock View

Rock View Lodge, Rupununi Savannah

After breakfast, the day began with a short hike through the Annai village to the Pakaraima foothills. This was an easy trail to walk and the birdlife was amazing! Richard pointed out more than 50 species of birds including a hermit hummingbird, lineated woodpecker, yellow oriole, finches euphoria, yellow crowned parrot, and a red shouldered macaw to name a few. If I listed them all it would fill up this journal! The view over the savannah was spectacular and the white tailed hawks flying over only added to the experience. After an amazing morning of bird watching, we returned to the lodge where we witnessed a display of cashew roasting over an open fire - by far the freshest and tastiest cashews I had ever eaten - and with no salt! Then walked around the grounds to find even more birds I hadn't seen. This was a birders paradise!

During lunch, as I saw the beautiful mobiles of hand-carved birds in the lodge, I inquired about local artists that may have bird carvings as I noticed near the entry road to the lodge that there was a small shop. I do collect carvings and tribal masks to remind me of my trips. Being a Sunday, it was closed but arrangements were made to visit the shop. I purchased almost all of the wood carvings including a hummingbird, trogan and jacamar to add to my collection.

Having left the rainforest and given up on my pursuit to spot a jaguar, I still had no sighting of a giant anteater. But there still was time and I was now heading deeper into their territory!

October 10, 2011
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Rupununi River, Giant Otters and Giant Lilies

After one more stroll around the grounds of Rock View and a short excursion to foothills for more birding, we finished our breakfast, said goodbye to our gracious host and staff and boarded the behemoth, other known as the Bedford truck and made our way towards the landing to set off down the Rupununi River to our next stop, the Karanambu Ranch. Along the drive, we came across gray slated hawks, cocoi herons and egrets, several species of flycatchers and a maguari stork. This was a huge bird that I had not seen on any of my previous trips to South America so I was quite pleased!

We were greeted at Ginep Landing by the Karanambu Ranch manager, Salvador, who along the way provided us a history of the ranch, interesting facts about the river and the Rupununi area, and the wildlife we may be seeing. During the 2 hour boat ride, I spotted at least six species of herons including too many cocoi herons to count, jabiru storks, and several other flycatchers not seen back at Annai.

As we approached the landing at Karanambu, we were met by our first host - a rescued giant river otter that was frolicking in the water having a fantastic time! We were introduced to Diane McTurk, who makes the ranch her home and Andrea, Salvador's wife, while the otter nibbled at our ankles! He was one mischievous guy and was very excited to socialize with the people who would be his friends for the next few days! Thankfully, he didn't nibble too hard and Diane could distract him as one wouldn't have wanted him to nip you considering the size of his teeth!!!! Diane, a woman of near 80 years with the features of one who had endured the heat and sun of the savannah for years, had lived there all her life adopting and caring for many injured or orphaned animals. Her enthusiasm and love for the creatures was evident in the way she handled this particular otter. Andrea was originally from New York and had abandoned the hectic pace of the fashion/cosmetic industry to live out here in the middle of nowhere and manage the ranch with her husband. I thought I was entering into the Guyana version of the old Green Acres TV series from the 60's!!!!! They even had a resident pig, but I don't believe his name was Arnold!

The ranch was very rustic and that is what I most enjoyed about the place. A nesting pair of red capped cardinals made their home in a tree just outside my cabin. After dropping off our bags, we set off for a ride on the river, followed for a short distance by our new friend who I think would have kept following if not commanded back by Diane. We saw red howlers in the trees along the banks, more egrets and cocoi herons and a flock of skimmers on a sandbar. We weaved our way through the narrow tributaries, spotting black caiman along the way, until we arrived at Buffalo Pond. Here we would witness an amazing display of nature! As the sun began to set, a field of giant Victoria Regis water lilies began to bloom! I had seen this on the Science and National Geographic Channels but to witness it in real life was incredible! A beetle pollinates the plant which eventually changes color and sex after three nights of repeating the process of blooming and closing. Definitely a highlight of this stay at Karanambu!

Now in complete darkness, we returned to the ranch for a great dinner, rum punch and entertaining stories from Diane, Salvador and Andrea. How our guides could navigate in such pitch black darkness was beyond my comprehension. In my cabin, I could hear the pitter-patter of bats flying above in the rafters of my room. I flicked on the light and identified at least three different ones (fruit, brown and one other) but had no worries and felt quite safe in the confines of my netted bed. I actually thought this was really cool!!!

October 11, 2011
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Out and About at Karanambu

Karanambu Ranch, Rupununi Savannah

Just before sunrise, we crammed into the range rover and began our search for the giant anteater in the savannah. Caballeros on horseback had been sent ahead to scout but no joy this morning. After about 3 hours of searching we returned to the ranch and would have to wait until tomorrow morning to test our luck.
I walked around the grounds, learned about how they self-sustain themselves with solar power, toured their vegetable gardens and fruit trees then lounged in my hammock for a very peaceful late morning and afternoon. I actually needed this as the pace had been hectic and it was nice to simply relax and replay in my mind all the amazing sights I had already scene on this journey.

At sunset, we were off on the river again to explore other ponds for birdlife. Visiting several ponds, we saw wattlesd jacanas, purple crakes, anihingas, a boatbilled heron, an agami heron, a southern ani and a violaceous trogan. We could hear howler monkeys too but no sightings. Turning the corner of a stream into a small pond, we interrupted a troupe of spider monkeys who were obviously startled by us and retreated higher and deeper into the treetops.

Back at the ranch, after dinner and many rum punches, I had the most extraordinary conversation with Salvador on the history of Jonestown, from arrival of the cult until their tragic demise. I learned much more, hearing the story from someone who actually was in the area, than what I had seen in various documentaries on the subject. It was just one more of the many interesting stories to add to the others that I experienced on this trip. Then it was time to visit my winged furry friends and catch some zzzz's.

October 12, 2011
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Caiman House

With only a few hours before we returned to the river to travel to the Caiman House, we embarked on what would be my last shot at seeing a giant anteater. After about an hour, success!!!!!! The caballeros had spotted one and herded it towards our location, where it came to within 50 feet of us!!!! Now I could really see the speed of these animals! It was a great morning!!!

Back on the Rupununi River, we spotted kingfishers, several jabiru storks and herons almost everywhere one could see. At least six different species, most of which I had seen before on the trip but there was one that definitely stood out amongst the others. As we took a sharp left turn on the river, up on the branches of a dead tree sat a beautiful capped heron!
After landing and a short ride the village of Yupukari, we arrived at the Caiman House. The house is a research facility which focuses on the study of the black caiman. Although the official research project had ended a few years ago, the residents of the house continue searching for, snaring them, taking measurements and tagging them, and updating their database with this info to assist in the continuous study of the caiman.

We had some free time to walk the grounds and the local village before departing for a night ride along the river to participate in catching a caiman with the local guides. While on our quest, we saw a green tree boa, howlers and spider monkeys. As it became dark, we entered an area known for caiman. The first attempt to snare one failed as the scaled prehistoric-like beast was too quick for the guides' reflexes. But on the second attempt, they managed to grasp one!!! We could see the entire struggle as one of the other accompanying boats beamed a spotlight on the action! They towed the caiman onto a nearby sandy bank where they proceeded to secure its mouth so they could perform all the necessary measurements. It was an 8 year old female about 10 feet long and weighing well over 300 lbs. Once their job was completed, they released it into the darkness of the murky river. The whole event was absolutely awesome and something I will never forget!!!!!! Or being a New Englander - Wicked Cool!!!!!!

October 13, 2011
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Georgetown

Cara Lodge, Georgetown

After a brief ride in the range rover to the Karanambu airstrip, it was time to bid farewell to the interior and return to civilization. During the flight, my nose was pressed to the window as my eyes absorbed my last sights of the savannah and rainforest from above.

After lunch at the Cara Lodge, the afternoon consisted of a city tour of Georgetown, seeing the shopping district, historical sites and a few museums. While interesting, it could not compare to the interior of which I wished I could have stayed longer.
Upon return to the Cara, we were met by Wilderness Explorers representatives for an interview of our trip. They were very enthusiastic to hear of our adventures and our recommendations of how they could better improve the travel experience in Guyana. I hoped I was helpful in my candid responses to the questions they had posed.

A few drinks in the bar with the manager and local dignitaries and then time to call it a night.

October 14, 2011
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The Journey Ends

New York City, NY

Today it was time to say goodbye to Guyana and make my way back home. I was tired after the long flight to JFK then only to find out my connection to Boston was cancelled and I would not be able to get another flight until the next afternoon - - and via Detroit!!!!! Being a frequent traveler and knowing nearby Laguardia Airport had shuttles to Boston, I inquired about availability and luckily was able to hop on a bus to the nearby airport and make the last evening flight out.

I landed in Boston in the late evening not looking forward to the hour or so drive home. But during the drive, my mind replayed one of the most interesting trips I had ever been on. While I didn't spot the jaguar, I did see a giant anteater, well over 300 species of birds - many of which I had never seen before - the giant water lily blooming and had the most incredible conversations and adventures with the local people I met (not to mention the cast of characters that were part of the tour group!!!). I have visited 24 countries, mostly in South and Central America and Africa. Of all trips, this journey will go down as one of the best with some of the most unique and interesting experiences that I will remember for the rest of my life!!! Although, I may need to return to find that elusive jaguar!!!!!!

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