Guyana: Wilderness Paradise

There are fewer and fewer truly wild places left in the world, but the vast Iwokrama Forest Reserve, which stretches across nearly a million acres in the heart of Guyana, is one of those places. From the air, the forest appears virtually intact, with only the occasional gleaming river or gold mine to break the canopy. On the ground, roads are limited, but a network of rivers gives access to many areas — with the added benefit of bringing us within arm’s reach of Capped Heron, Jabiru, tiger-herons, and kingfishers.

Guyana is still full of “forest primeval,” places where multiple species of macaw wheel together over forest clearings, where colorful Guianan Cocks-of-the-rock pose on sun-dappled perches, where a Harpy Eagle might stare imperiously from a bromeliad-decked branch, where a lekking Capuchinbird might serenade us with a song that sounds like a cross between a cow and a chainsaw, where a day-roosting Rufous Potoo might rock gently on a swaying twig, where a Crimson Fruitcrow might chase a Red-fan Parrot off a perch, and where a sweeping corner might reveal Gray-winged Trumpeters in the middle of the road. Many of the Guianan Shield specialties are possible along our tour route.

Before we head to the country’s wild interior, we’ll start with a day in the mangrove swamps and mudflats along the coast, where Rufous Crab-Hawk, White-bellied Piculet, Blood-colored Woodpecker, and Scarlet Ibis are among the possibilities. We’ll visit the Rupununi Savanna to look for Bearded Tachuri, Crested Doradito, White-naped Xenopsaris, Giant Otter, Giant Anteater, and the many species attracted to the area’s ponds, lakes, and marshes. And we’ll make a side trip to marvel at the splendor of Kaieteur Falls, one of the world’s largest single-drop waterfalls. Our guides look forward to sharing this comfortable wilderness adventure with you!