Guyana Tour 2012

March 15th to 29th, 2012

Itinerary

White-bellied Piculet

Click here to see more photos and our trip report from our 2010 trip to Guyana.

Click here to see more photos and from our 2007 trip to Guyana.

Day 1, March 15th
White-bellied Piculet and Blood-coloured Woodpecker

ARRIVING IN GUYANA - Your flight (depending upon your airline) will arrive either early in the morning or late in the evening. You will be met personally at Cheddi Jagan International Airport and driven directly to your hotel where your room will be ready for immediate occupancy.  If you have arrived early in the day, you will visit the Georgetown Botanical Gardens late in the afternoon to watch a stunning array of tropical birds convene upon this semi-urban oasis as the sun is setting. Dinner this evening is at a local restaurant.

Lodge (L, D)

Day 2
Hoatzin and Rufous Crab Hawk

GEORGETOWN / MAHAICA RIVER – this morning after a well-deserved cup of coffee we will leave our hotel at 5:00 am and head eastward along the Atlantic coast to the Mahaica River. This is where you will have your only chance of seeing Guyana’s national bird, the “Hoatzin”, on this tour. This pre-historic bird is found in abundance along this river system along with many other species including the Black-collared Hawk, Black Hawk Eagle, Barred Antshrike, Silvered Antbird, Striped Cuckoo, Long-winged Harrier and a host of flycatchers and seedeaters. We will return to Georgetown for Lunch.

This afternoon we will again visit the Georgetown Botanical Gardens in search of any of the birds we may have missed previously. With luck we may see the rare and elusive Blood-coloured Woodpecker a species every birdwatcher visiting Guyana wants to see. This woodpecker is restricted to the narrow coastal plains and is considered a Guianan Shield endemic.

Dinner this evening will be at a restaurant of our choice. Options include our hotel or any of the local restaurants in Georgetown.

Overnight at Cara Lodge (B, L, D)

Rufous Crab Hawk

Day 3
Lesser Razor-billed Curassow and Agami Heron

GEORGETOWN / KARANAMBU - After breakfast this morning we transfer to Ogle International Airport for a scheduled flight heading southwards to Karanambu Lodge arriving at noon. Karanambu, a working ranch, is home to the legendary Diane McTurk and her well-known Giant River Otter rehabilitation program. Her traditional welcoming Rum Punch concoction will help cool us down. Karanambu is a bit of a fabled institution in the Rupununi, having hosted such luminaries as David Attenborough and Gerald Durrell. We will spend the late afternoon on the Rupununi River scanning the banks for Lesser Razor-billed Curassow, Agami Heron, Sunbittern, Boat-billed Heron and Undulated Tinamou. At dusk we will divert into a narrow channel that will take us to one of the many Oxbow Lakes to witness the opening of the bloom of the Giant Water Lilly “Victoria amazonica” which is found only is this area. During this time we shall be listening for night birds such as Tropical Screech Owl, Band-tailed Nighthawk, Northern Tawny-bellied Screech Owl and Great Potoo. Dinner tonight will be around the family dining table with Diane’s special story telling accompanying the delicious ranch menu and a seemingly endless supply of Karanambu’s special Passion Fruit Rum Punch.

Overnight at Karanambu Ranch (B, L, D)

Day 4
Sharp-tailed Ibis and Bearded Tachuri

KARANAMBU LODGE – This morning we will start with a cup of Brazilian style coffee before heading out into the Rupununi Savannah. As we move across the savannah we will scan the vast wetland areas for Bearded Tachuri, Sharp-tailed Ibis, Yellowish Pipit, Pinnate Bittern, Brazilian Teal, White-tailed Goldenthroat, Vermillion Flycatcher, Bicoloured Wren, Double-striped Thick-knee and Maguari Storks. This is also our best chance to see the remarkable Giant Anteater. In the afternoon we have another opportunity to travel on the Rupununi River. This time we will head down river to Simony Lake where we are likely to find Green and Rufous Kingfisher, Amazon Kingfisher, Sungrebe, Bare-necked Fruitcrow and Spot-breasted Woodpecker. In addition we have a good chance of seeing the Black and the Spectacled Caiman, Giant River Otter, many species of monkeys and even the possibility of the occasional Arapaima and River Stingray. Our sunset boat expedition wraps up with a delicious and hearty dinner back at the ranch.

Overnight at Karanambu Ranch (B, L, D)

Giant Anteater

Day 5
Double-striped Thick-knee and Jabiru

KARANAMBU / SURAMA - Before dawn, and after coffee or tea and a typically generous ranch breakfast, we hop aboard our 4X4’s for an early morning departure. Today our journey takes us eastward across the Northern Rupununi Savannah lands. The road we follow skirts numerous gallery forests and wetland areas offering great views of a variety of herons and ducks, Jabiru, Grey Seedeater, Vermillion Flycatcher, Bicoloured Wren, Grassland Yellow Finch, Yellowish Pipit, Crested Bobwhite, and Aplomado Falcon. After a rewarding morning on the savannah the road leads us to what must be Guyana’s best-equipped ‘truck stop’ (although you’ll be lucky to actually spot a truck at this outland oasis) for a quick and hearty lunch before moving onward to the Amerindian village of Surama. Lying amidst a rich rainforest punctuated by the rugged Pakaraima Mountains, Surama has become a model for Amerindian Ecotourism by creating an innovative system of locally designed natural and cultural conservation. Upon arrival we will be greeted by the lodge staff who will invite us to relax, freshen up, enjoy the beautifully landscaped grounds, relax in a hammock, and dine together in the central Benab.

Accommodations at Surama are comfortably rustic, with a mix of traditional en-suite Benab-style huts and a newer (also en-suite) brick guest building.

Overnight at Surama Eco-Lodge (B, L, D)

Harpy Eagle

Day 6
Harpy Eagle and Guianan Cock-of-the Rock

SURAMA AREA – Today we again make an early start in our 4x4 vehicles for a 30-minute drive to the Harpy Eagle trail. We will walk for 45 minutes before arriving at the nesting site where the morning will be dedicated to observing Harpy Eagle activity, taking photos and, if we are lucky, we may witness the male bringing in prey for the female. After we have seen the bird well, we will continue to the lek of the Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock where we will have our first chance to see this beautiful bird. Following a satisfying sighting we will return to Surama for lunch and a well deserved cold beer or cold drink of your choice. This afternoon, we will bird along the forest edges and visit a nearby Great Potoo and Mottled Owl roost. At dusk we will look for White-tailed Nightjar, Least Nighthawk, Lesser Nighthawk, Tropical Screech Owl, and Northern Tawny-bellied Screech Owl.

Overnight at Surama Eco-Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 7
Rufous-winged Cuckoo and Crimson Fruitcrow

SURAMA AREA – At dawn we will walk through the forest to the Burro-Burro River for a quiet and skillfully guided paddle along the river, searching the banks for river-edge birds including Silvered Antbird, Black-chinned Antbird, White-browed Antbird, Coraya Wren, Buff-breasted Wren, White-banded Swallow, Amazon Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher, Green and Rufous Kingfisher, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Blue-throated Piping Guan, Guira Tanager, Crane Hawk and Grey-headed Kite. Following lunch the nearby forest trails around the Eco-Lodge will offer excellent opportunities for further birding and we may encounter swarms of Army Ants patrolling the forest floor in search of prey. Species that can be found here include Black-spotted Barbet, Green Aracari, Black-necked Aracari, Yellow-throated Flycatcher, Buff-throated Foliage-gleaner, Amazonian-barred Woodcreeper, Black-banded Woodcreeper, Olivaceous Woodcreeper, Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper, Eastern Slaty-Antshrike, Tiny Tyrant Manakin, Rufous-throated Antbird, White-plumed Antbird, Scaled-backed Antbird, Wing-banded Antbird, Spotted Antpitta, and Rufous-winged Ground Cuckoo.

Overnight at Surama Eco-Lodge (B, L, D)

Black-throated Mango

Day 8
Capuchinbird and Racket-tailed Coquette

SURAMA / ATTA RAINFOREST LODGE / CANOPY WALKWAY - We will enjoy a pre-dawn breakfast before leaving Surama Eco-Lodge and driving to the Atta Rainforest Lodge. This morning our birding activities will be carried out along the roadside between Surama and the Canopy Walkway.  In the afternoon we will bird from our vantage point in the canopy, 30 meters/100 feet above the forest floor. From the platforms of the Canopy Walkway we will look for White Bellbird, Purple-breasted Cotinga, Spangled Cotinga, Dusky Purpletuft, Guianan Puffbird, and Red-necked Woodpecker. At dusk our local guide will call in the White-winged Potoo with a traditional whistle.
Our accommodations will be private rooms with comfortable beds and shared bathroom facilities.

Overnight at Atta Lodge  (B, L, D).

Day 9
White-winged Potoo and Pompadour Cotinga

ATTA RAINFOREST LODGE - At dawn we will again visit the Canopy Walkway to look for passing flocks of canopy dwelling species. We will spend time looking for Todd’s Antwren, Spot-tailed Antwren, Guianan Toucanet, Guianan Puffbird, Dusky Purpletuft, Paradise Tanager, Opal-rumped Tanager, Golden-sided Euphonia, Green Honeycreeper and Black-faced Dacnis. This entire morning will involve birding on the canopy walkway and the trails around the lodge.After lunch we will spend the afternoon birding on the main road through the Iwokrama Forest, visiting a habitat called Mori Scrub. Black Manakin and Rufous-crowned Elaenia are two key species that occur in this type of vegetation. This road is one of the best areas for seeing White Bellbird, Pompadour Cotinga, Purple-breasted Cotinga, Blue-cheeked Amazon and Blue-backed Tanager. While birding along the road we will also keep our eyes open for the elusive Jaguar that are often seen at dawn and dusk. Late evening, as we make our way back to Atta Lodge we will use a spotlight to do some night birding, mainly looking for owls and potoos and at the same time keeping our eyes open for a possible encounter with a Tapir.

Overnight at Atta Rainforest Lodge (B, L, D)

King Vulture

Day 10
Black Curassow and Marail Guan

ATTA TO IWOKRAMA – This morning after breakfast, as we drive to the Iwokrama Field Station, we will travel through the Iwokrama Rainforest, a vast wilderness of one million acres.  This protected area was established in 1996 as the Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development. During our stay in the forest we shall base ourselves at the research field station overlooking the black waters of the Essequibo River. Each morning we shall awaken to the roar of Red Howler Monkeys and the calls of toucans as they welcome the dawn.  We will bird along the extensive trail systems that allow good access into the forest and its inhabitants.  After dark we will take a boat trip out onto the Essequibo River in search of caiman, other night animals and nocturnal birds. 

Overnight at Iwokrama River Lodge.  (B, L, D)

Day 11
Red and Black Grosbeak and Guianan Toucanet

IWOKRAMA RIVER LODGE / TURTLE MOUNTAIN - After an early morning excursion on the Essequibo River we will continue our journey to Turtle Mountain where we will explore the trails, visiting turtle ponds and climbing to an elevation of about 900 feet for a spectacular view of the forest canopy below. The trail to Turtle Mountain winds its way through beautiful primary forest where we will look for Red and Black Grosbeak, Golden-sided Euphonia, Orange-breasted Falcon, Scarlet Macaw, Ornate Hawk Eagle, Cream-coloured Woodpecker and Ringed Woodpecker. The trail up the mountain is well designed with sturdy handrails to help you to walk up at your own pace. To get to the top of Turtle Mountain is challenging but the view from the top is indeed breathtaking, a once in a lifetime opportunity for you to enjoy nature at it’s best. We may see a fly-by of King Vulture, Swallow-tailed Kite, Short-tailed Hawk and Red and Green Macaw. Mammals that can be seen here include Red Howler Monkey and Black Spider Monkey. After lunch we will bird the trails around the River Lodge and visit a nearby Capuchinbird lek. After dinner we will take a boat on to the river to look for Ladder-tailed Nightjar and Boat-billed Heron. 

Overnight at Iwokrama River Lodge (B, L, D)

Ladder-tailed Nightjar on a nest

Day 12
Orange-backed Troupial and Crested Bobwhite

IWOKRAMA RIVER LODGE / ROCK VIEW LODGE – At dawn today we leave Iwokrama for Rock View Lodge, traveling back through the forest. We will dedicate the morning hours to birding along the road in search of the many species of cotingas that are present here. Cotingas we will be looking for include Spangled Cotinga, Purple-breasted Cotinga, Pompadour Cotinga, Guianan Red Cotinga and White Bellbird. Other birds that are possible along this road are Guianan Toucanet, Green Aracari, Guianan Puffbird, Marail Guan, Gray-winged Trumpeter, Blue-cheeked Parrot and Caica Parrot. We will arrive at Rock View Lodge for lunch and then spend the afternoon birding the lodge gardens and the foothills of the Pakaraima Mountains. Some of the birds we will look for include Finch’s Euphonia, Cayenne Jay, Vermillion Flycatcher, Toco Toucan, Great Horned Owl and Burnish-buff Tanager.

Overnight at Rock View Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 13
Nacunda Nighthawk and White-naped Xenopsaris

KAMUDI BASH / MORA BRIDGE – Today we will bird two different locations and habitats, including savanna and wetlands, from our base at Rock View Lodge. At Kamudi Bash we will look for Sungrebe, Pygmy Kingfisher, Pale-breasted Spinetail, Green-tailed Jacamar, Gray Seedeater and Wedge-tailed Grass Finch. At Mora Bridge we hope to encounter Jabiru, Maguari Stork, Green-tailed Goldenthroat, Savanna Hawk, Great Black Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk, Amazonian Pygmy owl, Yellow-hooded Blackbird, Ruby Topaz, Pearl Kite, Pale-tipped Tyrannulet and Black-crested Antshrike.

Overnight at Rock View Lodge (B, L, D)

Kaiteur Falls

Day 14
Orange-breasted Falcon and White-tipped Swift

ROCK VIEW LODGE TO KAIETEUR FALLS, ONWARD TO GEORGETOWN - After breakfast at Rock View Lodge, we depart on our chartered flight to Kaieteur Falls, the world’s highest free-falling waterfall.  Though Venezuela’s Angel Falls are greater in total height, their filamentous drop occurs by stages whereas Kaieteur is a single, massive, thundering cataract 100 meters wide, created as the Potaro River makes a sheer drop of 228 meters, nearly five times the height of Niagara Falls. The spectacle is the more impressive for its remoteness and it is altogether possible that we’ll be the only persons viewing it.  Here we will hope to find White-chinned and White-tipped Swifts swirling over the gorge, and perhaps we’ll be lucky enough to have another sighting of the astonishingly colorful Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock at its lek or to see Orange-breasted Falcon hunting swifts.  After a three-hour stop at the falls our flight will continue to Georgetowns Ogle International Airport where we will be transferred to our hotel. We will enjoy a farewell dinner at our hotel or a local restaurant of our choice.
Overnight at Cara Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 15, March 29th

RETURN TO US/EUROPE - You will be transferred to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Timehri for your departing flight. (B)