Technically, Georgetown sits below sea level. Throughout the city is as system of canals and sluice gates to prevent the city from sinking at high tide. Beaches are not highly valued, and not recommended - you will notice the latte color of the sea off the coast. This is not from pollution, but rather because of the large river running through the city which deposits silt for miles off the coast.
This is a vibrant and lively city worth at the very least a full day of exploration. A city tour will bring you to the main highlights - among which are the largest all-wooden church in the world (currently being remodeled and refurbished with sustainably-harvested timber from the Amazon), the natural history museum where you can see some of the species you might have missed in the jungle, as well as to the central city park - where manatees will greedily eat up any grass you have to offer.
But the best part of my day was exploring the Boudreau Market with local chef, Delven, who took up though the market - replete with numerous samples of fresh fruits and vegetables along the way. The true purpose of our visit was not only to get a feel for the market, but also to collect ingredients he would use in a multi-course lunch at his property, the Backyard Cafe, where we would meet again following our city tour.
You may be interested in Guyana mainly for its wildlife and untouched wildernesses, but to skip seeing all the capital city has to offer would mean missing out on the beating heart of Guyana. To truly appreciate this country of wonders, I recommend planning time in both the interior and along the coast.
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.