|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
Guyana , a country of exceptional natural beauty, is a splendid combination of the Caribbean and South America , with fascinating touches of a sometimes turbulent past. Perched on the north-east corner of the South American continent, Guyana stretches 450 miles from its long Atlantic coastline into dense equatorial forest and the broad savannah of the Rupununi.
 |
Life in Guyana is dominated by mighty rivers, including the Demerara, the Berbice and the Essequibo , which provide essential highways into the rain forests and jungles of the interior. Mankind has made little impact here, and today Guyana remains one of the world's most exciting destinations for adventuresome travel and exploration. Setting out for the interior by boat, light aircraft
or 4x4, you encounter the extraordinary natural heritage of Guyana
spreading out like a tropical carpet. Jaguar still roam the rain
forest, and the unearthly cries of troupes of howler monkeys echo
through the trees. The Giant River Otter, the Black Caiman, and
the Arapaima (the largest freshwater fish in the world) swim in
the rivers of the Rupununi. Flashes of scarlet, yellow and blue
burst through the forest's intense green as macaws fly like arrows
across a clearing in the canopy. |
| lingers around the waters of Kaieteur Falls . More than 700 indigenous species of birds adorn Guyana 's forests. | |
 |
The tumbling rivers and dense rainforests of Guyana are filled with extraordinary natural sights. Kaieteur Falls , where the 400-foot wide Potaro River plunges 741 feet downward from the Pakaraima Plateau, is one of the world's great waterfalls. The magnificence of Kaieteur stands beyond any comparison in its majesty and sheer size. You can also visit the striking beauty of the Orinduik Falls , the Marshall Falls , the Kaieteur Gorge and remote Mount Roraima - the inspiration for Conan Doyle's Lost World. For the adventurer, Guyana is a place of wonder;
for the eco-tourist, it is a country where nature has placed its
greatest riches. Feel the beauty of the nature whisper across your
heart. Discover an experience never to be forgotten. Discover the
extraordinary wilderness of Guyana.
|
Kaieteur Falls
| Georgetown | |
|
The vibrant character and graceful beauty of Georgetown reflects much of the city's exceptional cultural history and diversity. Designed by the Dutch (and first known as Stabroek), Guyana's capital has wide, tree-lined avenues, lily-covered canals, and many fine examples of 18th and 19th century colonial buildings. Georgetown 's tropical botanical gardens, as one might expect in a country of such incredible natural beauty, are considered to be among the very best in the world. |
|
| Throughout the city are colourful East Indian markets, indicative of the country's largely East Indian population. Because Georgetown lies below sea level at high tide, it is protected by an amazing masonry wall, or mole. The city is situated at the mouth of the Demerara River , one of the many rivers that flow down from the Guiana Highlands and across the coastal plain to the Atlantic . | |
|
Situated in the heart of Guyana on the Potaro River
, a tributary of the great Essequibo , Kaieteur Falls is one of
the world's natural wonders. Flowing over a flat, sandstone tableland
into a deep gorge, Kaieteur has a single drop of 741 feet
(the largest single drop waterfall in the world). It then
plummets downward for another 101 feet for a total of 822 feet--
five times the drop of Niagara . The unusual conditions
created by the falls support a fascinating micro-environment, which
includes some species identifiable only to this area. Lucky visitors
may catch a fleeting glimpse of the Kaieteur Swifts, or Makonaima
Birds. Swifts are the most rapid fliers among living creatures,
a property that allows them to snatch up insects while on the wing.
The Kaieteur Swifts nest under the vast shield of rock hidden behind
the curtain of falling water. |
 |
|
The falls are situated amid the rolling, grass-covered hills of the Pakaraima Mountains , one of the most beautiful regions of Guyana 's hinterland. In contrast to the dramatic gorge at Kaieteur, Orinduik is ideally suited for swimming. |
|
The Kanuku Mountains in Southwestern Guyana rise out of the grasslands to form a stunning backdrop to the Rupununi savannah. With wind-sculpted crowns rising to just below cloud level, the range is notable for its exceptionally diverse bird and mammal species--approximately 80% of the known species of mammals in Guyana are found here. The Kanukus are bisected by the Rupununi River , one of the primary tributaries of the Essequibo .
|
Iwokrama is located in central Guyana , between the
Essequibo , Siparuni and Takutu Rivers and just north of the Rupununi
savannah. Approximately 360,000 hectares of pristine rain forest
have been set aside, in a pioneering effort by Guyana to demonstrate
that tropical rain forests can provide social and economic benefits
without compromising the ecological integrity of the forest. The
town of Iwokrama is a hive of activity, as a steady stream of miners
pass through on the way to their claims, which lie further in the
interior. |
 |