Discovering the Hidden Guianas

Arrive at Cheddi Jagan International Airport and transfer to Central Georgetown. You check into Cara Lodge, a historic wooden colonial home built in the 1840s. Formerly the residence of the city’s first Lord Mayor, this property has hosted guests ranging from King Edward VIII to Mick Jagger. Upon arrival, settle into your hotel in Georgetown to rest or explore at your leisure.

After breakfast, transfer to Eugene F. Correia International Airport for a scheduled flight over the Demerara and Essequibo Rivers. You fly above vast stretches of intact tropical rainforest before landing near Kaieteur Falls. Located on the Potaro River, the falls plunge 741 feet, making them the world’s highest free-falling waterfall and nearly five times taller than Niagara Falls. You explore the surrounding micro-environment, home to giant tank bromeliads, the endemic golden frog, and the Guiana cock-of-the-rock. You look for Kaieteur swifts nesting beneath the rock overhang and learn about the Patamona legend of Chief Kai, whose sacrifice gave the falls their name. After the visit, you return by flight to Georgetown and transfer to your hotel.

Optional Activity
Morning Activity: Birding in Georgetown's Botanical Gardens (05:45 Start | 3 Hours)
You start the day early with a transfer to the Georgetown Botanical Gardens. You walk the trails in search of the Blood-colored Woodpecker, a species found almost exclusively on the Guianas' coastal plain. The gardens also host Snail Kites, Red-bellied Macaws, and festive parrots. You may spot a Black-crested Antshrike or a Silver-beaked Tanager in the foliage, or take a break to feed manatees in the nearby ponds before returning to your hotel.

Evening Activity: Sunday Seawall & Street Food Experience (Sunday Only)
You experience the local Sunday tradition at Georgetown’s Seawall. Families and friends gather here to promenade along the coast and enjoy the Atlantic breeze. The strip transforms into a lively scene with pop-up cocktail bars, street food vendors, and Caribbean music. Your guide takes you to the best spots to sample local snacks and visit popular bars, tailoring the experience to your interest in the local culture.

Evening Dining: Dinner at Aagman Indian Restaurant 
Transfer to Aagman Indian Restaurant for a fine dining experience. The menu features Mughlai cuisine and authentic Indian flavors, utilizing traditional cooking techniques in an elegant setting.

Transfer to Eugene F. Correia International Airport and fly over hundreds of miles of tropical rainforest before landing at Fair View Airstrip. You travel to Iwokrama River Lodge and depart by boat toward Turtle Mountain. A trail winds through the forest before a climb to the 935-foot summit. This hike takes approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. The view rewards you with a panorama of the canopy and potential sightings of Green Aracaris, White Bellbirds, or eagles. If you prefer a lighter activity, you take a boat to Stanley Lake to search for Giant River Otters and Black Caiman.

After lunch, you drive along the trans-national road toward Atta Rainforest Lodge. This corridor offers a rare chance to spot the elusive jaguar, as well as agouti, tayra, and tapir. Upon arrival, you visit the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway, a system of suspension bridges and platforms reaching 30 meters into the trees. You explore the lodge clearing, a prime spot for the Crimson Fruitcrow and Black Curassow. You settle into Atta Rainforest Lodge, where the open-sided main building overlooks gardens filled with hummingbirds.

Note: Currently, two bridges and one platform of the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway are down for maintenance.

You rise before dawn to return to the canopy walkway for prime birdwatching. From this treetop vantage, you spot Rufous-throated Sapphires, Green Aracaris, and Guianan Streaked Antwrens. With luck, you also see Guianan Toucanets, Pompadour Cotingas, or Red Howler and Black Spider Monkeys moving through the branches. Later, you explore the forest trails surrounding the lodge to observe native insects and amphibians. Deer, tapir, and agouti frequently visit the lodge grounds, while the undergrowth offers a challenge for seeing the elusive Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo. As darkness falls, you look for the White-winged Potoo near the walkway or embark on a night walk along the transnational road to search for one of the region's six wild cat species.

Start the day with the dawn chorus on the canopy walkway before breakfast at Atta Rainforest Lodge. Transfer through the rainforest to Ginep Landing, then board a boat for the trip to Karanambu Lodge. As you travel along the Rupununi River, scan the banks for family groups of Giant River Otters known to inhabit this stretch.

Arrive at Karanambu, a 110-square-mile protected area in the North Rupununi. Formerly a cattle ranch and the home of the late conservationist Diane McTurk, this lodge is deeply rooted in the history of the Makushi people. The area has drawn explorers like David Attenborough and Gerald Durrell due to its staggering biodiversity.

In the afternoon, embark on a guided excursion. Trips may be on the river by boat, on the savannahs by 4x4, or along forest trails on foot to different ponds in the area. You might search for wild otters and watch the giant Victoria amazonica waterlily bloom at dusk. On the return trip, look for the glowing eyes of Black Caiman and other nocturnal wildlife under the beam of a searchlight before settling into your traditional clay brick cabin.

Start early to explore the rolling grasslands, home to a population of Giant Anteaters. You scan the savannah for these six-foot-long animals as they excavate termite mounds for breakfast. Though typically solitary, you might spot a mother carrying her offspring on her back.

In the afternoon, you choose between a river excursion or a birdwatching walk through the gallery forest. You search for the Agami Heron, a featured bird of the area. As dusk settles, a walk along the airstrip offers the chance to identify seven species of nightjar, while Double-striped Thick-knees roam the open grasslands.

If you missed the Giant Anteater yesterday, you have a second opportunity to search the savannah this morning. Alternatively, you take a boat along the quiet stretches of the Rupununi River to spot Giant River Otters, Black Caiman, and Arapaima. After breakfast at the lodge, you transfer across the savannah to Lethem for your scheduled flight to Eugene F. Correia International Airport. Upon landing, you transfer to your hotel in Georgetown.

Optional Activity
Afternoon Activity: Demerara Historical River Tour
Drive to the Stabroek Market area and board a river taxi, joining local commuters on the Demerara River. Your guide shares the history of the waterfront buildings as you cruise toward the Demerara Harbour Bridge, once the world's longest floating bridge (1,851 meters). You tie up near a mangrove roost to watch flocks of Scarlet Ibis, Snail Kites, and Egrets settle for the evening. As the sun sets, you enjoy cold drinks and local snacks—known here as "cutters"—before returning to the ferry stelling under the glow of city and ship lights.

Evening Dining: Dinner with the Singing Chef
Transfer to the garden home of Chef Eon John for a private dining experience. Eon cooks right in front of you, utilizing fresh local ingredients like grass-fed beef, hassar (bush fish), or the sweet Gilbaca catfish. You start with a rum cocktail and enjoy a meal tailored to your palette, surrounded by the scents of his herb garden. The evening concludes with a musical serenade by the chef himself under the stars.

begin the day with breakfast at a local stand alongside Chef Delven Adams. You explore Bourda Market, the largest in Georgetown, starting at the Guyana Shop to see local products. You navigate the fish, meat, and haberdashery sections, passing stalls filled with demerara sugar and bush medicine. You sample local fruits and help the chef select fresh ingredients for your lunch.

While Chef Adams heads home to cook, you tour Georgetown’s historic sites. You visit the National Museum to view its taxidermy collection and the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology for indigenous artifacts. You see the Public Library, City Hall, Victoria Law Courts, and St. George’s Cathedral—one of the world’s tallest free-standing wooden buildings. You also stop at the bustling Stabroek Market and the Botanical Gardens (or National Park) to feed endangered West Indian Manatees.

For lunch, you head to the Backyard Café, the chef’s exclusive garden restaurant. You can join him in the kitchen to prepare the market ingredients or relax under the arbor with a fresh juice or cold beer before enjoying the multi-course meal. Afterward, you transfer to the airport for your departing flight.

Optional Extension: Suriname
Flight to Paramaribo | Transfer to Hotel 
Fly from Cheddi Jagan International Airport to Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport in Suriname. You transfer to Eco Torarica, a hotel located a five-minute walk from Paramaribo’s historic center. The property, a converted townhouse, features eco-friendly amenities and views of the Suriname River or the gardens.

Explore Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002. Begin with a guided city tour through the historic inner city, starting at Fort Zeelandia, one of the country's oldest building complexes. Continue on foot to Independence Square, surrounded by landmarks such as the Presidential Palace, the Palm Gardens, and Lim A Po Street. Drive past prominent colonial-era buildings, stopping for photos at the Synagogue and Mosque, which stand uniquely side-by-side. Visit the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul, the tallest wooden structure in the Western Hemisphere, before ending the city tour at the Waterkant, a popular gathering place along the Suriname River.

After lunch at a local restaurant, cross the bridge to the Commewijne district. Travel past former colonial plantations, many now transformed into residential areas. Stop at Plantation Peperpot to explore the old estate, including the historic "kampong" workers' settlement and the nearby nature park, known for its monkeys and birdlife. Continue to Fort Nieuw Amsterdam, an open-air museum at the confluence of the Commewijne and Suriname Rivers. Built by the British as a defensive fortress, this five-sided site features restored historic buildings, a 1740 gunpowder magazine, and ponds filled with giant Victoria amazonica water lilies.

Note: Covered clothing is required when entering the cathedral.

Optional Upgrade
Sunset Dolphin Tour
Transfer to Leonsberg Pier and board a boat for a sunset cruise. Enjoy a drink and the evening breeze while the captain searches for dolphins, which often swim in groups and approach the boat. After viewing the dolphins, stop at the restored plantation Rust & Werk for a short walk through a village inhabited by descendants of Javanese contract workers. Return by boat to Leonsberg with local snacks as the sun sets.

Depart Paramaribo and travel approximately 190 km to the village of Atjoni. At the port, board a motorized canoe and navigate the Upper Suriname River, passing breathtaking rapids on the way to Danpaati River Lodge. This remote rainforest property features a breezy riverfront lounge, a pool with a hardwood yoga deck, and access to one of the few safe swimming sections of the river. Settle into your spacious A-frame cabin, which features fresh coffee service and views of the surrounding nature. End the day with an exciting river cruise to look for caiman resting on the banks.

Overnight at Danpaati River Lodge.

Travel 30 minutes by boat to Pikin Slee, one of 12 villages affiliated with the lodge. Take a guided tour of the community to observe the unique way of life and African traditions maintained by the local population. Visit the Saamaka Maroon Museum, dedicated to the heritage of the Saramaka Maroons, to learn about their history, ancient traditions, and crafts. Return to the lodge for lunch.

In the afternoon, explore the rainforest on a guided nature walk. Alternatively, go fishing, paddle a dugout canoe around the island, or book a massage blending traditional and Western techniques. After dinner, watch a cultural performance featuring traditional dances such as the Seketi, Awasa, and Bandamba, while your guide explains the significance of each rhythm.

Overnight at Danpaati River Lodge.

Enjoy a final morning at Danpaati River Lodge to relax or photograph the rainforest surroundings. Board a dugout canoe for the return trip to Atjoni. From the port, transfer by vehicle back to Paramaribo. This return drive covers approximately 190 km.

Overnight at Eco Torarica.

Optional Upgrade
Dinner at Mirosso: A Taste of Javanese History Transfer to Mirosso, a stylish restaurant specializing in Indonesian cuisine. Discover the history behind Suriname’s unexpected Javanese population, which dates back to 1890 when the Netherlands Trading Society began recruiting contract workers from the Dutch East Indies to replace slave labor on plantations like Mariënburg. Taste the culinary legacy of this migration, as many former plantation workers eventually transitioned to opening restaurants, creating a unique food culture in Paramaribo.

You start early with a packed breakfast for the drive east to Albina. You cross the Maroni River by ferry and enter French Guiana at St. Laurent du Maroni. As an Overseas Department of France, this region offers modern infrastructure and the Euro as currency. You take a brief city tour of St. Laurent, including a visit to the Camp de la Transportation, a historic transit processing center for prisoners and convicts sent from France.

You enjoy a packed lunch during the drive to Kourou. Upon arrival, you tour the Centre Spatial Guyanais (Guiana Space Center). A motor coach takes you through the extensive facility, with stops at assembly buildings, launch pads, and control centers. Your guide provides translations for the French commentary. You end the day at Hotel Atlantis, a modern property overlooking Bois Diable Lake.

Note: The Space Center and Devil's Island are subject to closure on short notice due to technical reasons or rocket launches. If a launch is scheduled, the site closes for safety. Your guide will attempt to reschedule or offer alternative activities if this occurs.

Start with an early breakfast before transferring to the dock in Kourou. Board a catamaran and set sail for the Îles du Salut (Salvation Islands), located seven miles off the coast. Though often collectively called "Devil's Island," this trio of islands served as a notorious penal colony and transit point for explorers, slaves, and political prisoners.

Your boat docks on Île Royale, the site of the oldest and most extensive ruins, including a church, administration buildings, and officers' quarters. Wander freely through the preserved cell blocks and hospital grounds, perhaps spotting sea turtles scavenging near the rocks or visiting the children's cemetery. While the actual Île du Diable, where Alfred Dreyfus was imprisoned, remains inaccessible due to dangerous currents, you learn the history of its "man-eater" reputation and the escape legends of Papillon. After exploring, return by catamaran to Kourou and transfer to your hotel in the heart of Cayenne, near historic Palmistes Square

Your trip concludes today in Cayenne. Transfer on your own to the airport for your return flight, or choose to spend your final hours exploring the city's Creole heritage.