Guyana Rainforest

Arrive at Cheddi Jagan International Airport and transfer to your hotel in Georgetown.

Later in the morning, meet host and culinary expert Chef Delven Adams for a guided visit to Bourda Market, the largest market in Georgetown. Begin at the Guyana Shop, featuring locally produced goods, before moving into the market to meet the vendors Chef works with daily. Explore the fish and meat sections, browse dry goods such as rice and Demerara sugar, and learn about traditional remedies at the bush medicine stalls. Outside, see and sample a variety of fruits and vegetables unique to the region. With input from the group, ingredients are selected for the meal to be prepared later.

From here, explore Georgetown on a guided city tour by vehicle and on foot, gaining insight into the city's history and local life. Visit the National Museum and the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology, then pass key landmarks including City Hall, the Public Library, Stabroek Market, and St George Cathedral, one of the tallest free-standing wooden buildings in the world. The route also includes the Botanical Gardens, followed by a stop at a pond either within the gardens or at the National Park to feed the endangered West Indian Manatees.

After the tour, enjoy lunch at the Backyard Café, included today. This intimate restaurant features dishes prepared using ingredients sourced from the morning market visit. Participation in meal preparation is optional, or relax in the garden setting before sitting down to enjoy the meal.

Check in at Cara Lodge for the evening. Built in the 1840s, this historic wooden colonial home was once the residence of the first Lord Mayor of Georgetown and has hosted notable guests over the years.

Transfer to Eugene F. Correia International Airport and board a scheduled flight over the Demerara and Essequibo Rivers. View hundreds of miles of tropical rainforest from above before landing at Lethem. Transfer by vehicle to Surama Eco Lodge, located in the heart of the Indigenous Macushi community. The village spans five square miles of savannah, ringed by the forest-covered Pakaraima Mountains. Surama operates as a community-owned initiative where tourism profits directly benefit the village.

Upon arrival, receive a warm welcome and settle into your accommodation. Join a guide for a short trail walk to observe the forest and bird life, followed by a village tour as the afternoon cools. Tonight, embark on an educational night walk, using flashlights to spot the eyeshine of nocturnal creatures.

Rise before dawn for a walk across the savannah, leading to a climb up Surama Mountain. This ascent offers incredible views over the village and the Pakaraima Mountains. While not technical, the climb can be challenging; guides offer alternative activities for a gentler experience if preferred.

Return to the village for lunch. In the cool of the late afternoon, take a three-mile walk through the savannah and rainforest to the Burro Burro River. Spend the night sleeping in a hammock at Carahaa Landing Camp, surrounded by the sounds of the forest.

At dawn, your guides paddle you on the river for opportunities to observe wildlife in the quiet morning light. You return to the lodge to collect a packed lunch before departing Surama. You transfer to the airstrip for your scheduled flight to Eugene F. Correia International Airport. Upon landing, a driver meets you for the transfer back to Georgetown.

Enjoy a free morning to relax before transferring to Eugene F. Correia International Airport. Fly over the Demerara and Essequibo Rivers and hundreds of miles of unbroken tropical rainforest to land at Kaieteur Falls. Situated on the Potaro River, a tributary of the Essequibo, the falls flow over a sandstone conglomerate tableland into a deep gorge. This drop of 741 feet makes it five times the height of Niagara Falls and the world’s highest free-falling waterfall.

First seen by Europeans in 1870, the falls hold deep cultural significance. Learn the legend of Chief Kai of the Patamona tribe, who committed self-sacrifice by canoeing over the edge to encourage the Great Spirit Makonaima to save his people from the Caribishi. Explore the unique micro-environment here, including the world's largest Tank Bromeliads, which house the tiny Golden Frog. Look for the Guiana Cock-of-the-rock and the Kaieteur Swifts (Makonaima Birds) nesting under the vast rock shelf carved by the black water of the Potaro.

Return to the airport and transfer back to your hotel in Georgetown. You can choose to add an optional rum tasting session or dinner this evening.

Tour Options:
El Dorado Rum Tasting: Explore the history of Demerara sugar and rum production at the Patio Bar at Cara Lodge. Demerara Distillers operates the last remaining distillery in Guyana, using original wooden heritage stills from the 18th and 19th centuries. A guide leads you through samples of El Dorado’s award-winning 8, 12, 15, and 21-year-old rums.
 
Rum Inspired Dinner: Enjoy a three-course rum-infused dinner in the Bottle Restaurant at Cara Lodge. This meal includes a glass of house wine, beer, or soft drinks.
 
Note: Flights to Kaieteur operate on a schedule (primarily weekends) and require a minimum number of passengers. If the minimum is not met, the flight may be rescheduled to another day during your stay. If rescheduling is not possible, a flight is guaranteed with a minimum of two passengers to Kaieteur Falls only.

Transfer back to the airport for your return flight home.