Guianas
English, Dutch and French speaking respectively, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana are hardly touched by tourism and inhabited by a huge variety of wildlife - including tapirs, giant river otters, monkeys, armadillos, and thousands of spectacular birds and butterflies (the Guyanese love to say they have the biggest of everything). The terrain is varied, from mountainous jungle with dramatic waterfalls to mangrove swamps and lush savanna.
Culturally, the Guianas are equally diverse: Amerindian tribes, colonial eccentrics, and the legendary descendants of African slaves - the Maroons - inhabit remote villages and settlements. Other influences include Hindustani, Javanese and Creole - inspiring some delicious fusion cuisine. The capital cities of Georgetown (built with the profits of rum and Demerara sugar), Paramaribo (a UNESCO world heritage site) and Cayenne have some fine colonial architecture. French Guiana is home to the European space centre’s primary launch site and a number of fascinating penal colonies, including the infamous Île du Diable.
Highlights
Here are some of our Guianas highlights
Majestic waterfalls
Kaieteur Falls in Northern Guyana is one of the highest in the world with its 741 foot single drop. Contemplate nature's power whilst keeping your eyes peeled for rare golden frogs in the lush vegetation that surrounds the falls.
Karanambu was the home of Diane McTurk, a world expert on the care and rehabilitation of the giant river otter who over the years became a surrogate mother to over forty orphaned cubs.
Local communities
Stay near the Amerindian (of which there are 9 different groups in Guyana) village of Surama, a hugely successful community tourism project where one can experience a real interchange of cultures between visitors and the local Makushi community.
Maroons
Maroons were African refugees who escaped slavery and formed their own isolated communities in Suriname's remote forested interior. A visit to a marron village to understand their culture is a unique experience.
Wow, what a holiday! Guyana is a truly beautiful country and my family were absolutely amazed by it. The boat trip down the Essequibo River was fantastic, Iwokrama River Lodge was an unexpected wonder, and the hospitality & welcome was superb as was the enthusiasm by the team there.
Onward to Atta Rainforest Lodge. A candle lit dinner in the open in the middle of the rainforest will not be soon forgotten. Once again, the entire team & guides were wonderful with us all.
Finally Kaieteur Falls.. mind-blowingly amazing! Firstly the flight over the miles & miles of 'broccoli', then the first sight of the Falls as we circled it brought gasps from everyone. Why don't more people know of Kaieteur? It is truly powerful and a real wonder.
Ed, it was a truly memorable trip that more than exceeded my hope & expectations. A huge 'thank you' from us all to all of you!- DS