3 Guianas: Guyana, Suriname & French Guiana

On this wildlife and natural history tour you will enjoy a taste of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana and their most famous sights. Discover the rainforest , Guyana's natural wonder, Kaieteur Falls, the colonial architecture and forts. ;Visit Karanambu and learn about Diane Mc Turks' programme to rehabilitate Gaint otters to their habitat. Venture into the wild on a river trip and encounter the abundant wildlife which roams free in the Rupununi Savannahs. Be amazed at the rich cultural mix of South America and the Caribbean..

The journey focuses on the region's cultural and natural wonders, featuring the most important cities, historic sites and spectacular scenery, including Kaieteur Falls, Devil's Islands and the Arianne Space center.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Arrival in Guyana
Arrive in Guyana, South America's only English speaking country. Guyana is a gem waiting to be discovered. It is known as the land of many waters and the giants of the world, among them; the mighty Essequibo river, Giant Arapaima fish, mighty Harpy eagle, the Anaconda, Giant Otters and Jaguars. You are privately transferred to your hotel. Overnight.

Day 2 - Kaieteur Falls Excursion & City tour
Morning departure from your hotel to airport for our chartered flight to Kaieteur Falls . Kaieteur National Park is situated on the Guiana Shield, a plateau that is one of the world's oldest and remotest geological formations. The entire National Park is located within one of the largest and most biodiverse rainforests in the world. The park is home to the tiny golden frog which spends it entire life in the large tank bromeliads; white-chinned and white-collared swifts; red and green macaws, and the Morpho hecuba,among other species. This natural wonder has a sheer drop of 741 feet and is 5 times the height of Niagara Falls .

After an extremely fascinating tour of Kaieteur falls, we return to Georgetown and enjoy a city tour of Georgetown

Georgetown has many historical monuments; many of them gracious colonial buildings. Wide tree lined avenues and beautiful Gothic and Elizabethan architecture,are found scattered everywhere. Fine examples are the Elegant St Georges Cathedral, Picturesque City Hall, Amazing St Andrew's Kirk,Victorian Law Courts,Stabroek Market, Parliament building. On an visit you will come across the Umana Yana, Prime Minister's Residence, and State House built, Walter Roth Museum, National Museum, Botanical and Zoological Gardens. Overnight at Cara Lodge. (B)(L)

Day 3 & 4- Karanambu Ranch & Giant Otters
This morning you will transfer to the airport for a flight over the rain forest and savannah to Karanambu Ranch in Rupununi. Your host Diane Mc Turk is famous for her work with rehabilitating orphaned giant otters to the wild. Overnight at Karanmbu Ranch. Typically there are two guided excursions each day. One early in the morning and another late in the afternoon and into the evening. As well as being the coolest times to be out, these are usually the best times to see the different birds and animals. Trips may be on the river by boat, on the savannahs by Land Rover or along forest trails on foot to the different ponds in the area. Activities usually include: - Searching for wild otters along the river and among the ponds. • Tracking a giant anteater across the savannah. • Sipping rum punch while watching the giant Victoria Amazonica lily blossom before your eyes. • Boating through the flooded forest in the wet season. • Enjoying the flora and fauna along the walking trails among the forest ponds. • Spotting all sorts of amazing animals when they come out of hiding at night. Birdlife is rich and varied; both on the savannah and more along the rivers and ponds – possible exciting encounters which include Black-chinned Antbird, Striped Woodcreeper, Blue-backed Manakin, Pale-bellied Tyrant-Manakin, Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher, and Bicoloured Wren. Waterbirds include Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Ringed and Amazon Kingfishers, Purple Gallinule, the superb Agami Heron, and Wattled Jacanas walking on water-lilies. We travel along the Rupununi River, scanning the banks for Crestless Curassow, Sunbittern, Boat-billed Heron and Pale-legged Hornero, Jabiru stork, the Great Egret, the Agami Heron and the Great Blue Heron- as well as different species of Kingfishers, Green Ibis, Snowy Egrets, Boatbill heron, the Purple Gallinule and the Wattled Jacana. Overnight at Karanambu Ranch.BLD

Day 5 - Transfer to Sloth Island Reserve
Morning flight to Georgetown and transfer to the town of Parika, driving over the The harbor Bridge is the longest floating bridge in the world across the second largest river in Guyana- the Demerara River. Continue your journey by boat along the Essequibo River- Guyana’s largest River- being 20 miles wide at its widest point. Continue to Sloth Island and spend 2 nights/3 days. Sloth Island has recently recorded 188 (15 new species recorded in Feb) species including the puff bird, manikins, toucan, parakeets, Overnight at Sloth Island Reserve. B,L,D

Day 6 -Sloth Island/Mazaruni River
Today, after breakfast, you will explore the trails of Sloth Island, search for howler monkeys, sloths, and some of the 188 birds which adorn the rainforest at Sloth Island. Afterwards, you can canoe to nearby Amerindian villages or enjoy fishing at night. A short visit to the Mazaruni River, will reveal the first Dutch Settlement in Guyana- Kyk-overal. Some time is also spent at Parrot island in the afternoon where thousands of parrots which come in to roost. Overnight at Sloth Island Nature reserve. BLD

Day 7 - Return to Georgetown
Morning nature walk before departing for Georgetown in the afternoon. Hotel in Georgetown. BL

Day 8 - Guyana/Surinam
Morning departure for your flight to Paramaribo, capital of Suriname. Suriname is a former Dutch Colony with fascinating mix of cultures. Its European influences are evident in its architecture and the spoken language. On arrival you'll be transferred to your hotel . Overnight at Eco Resort Inn

Day 9 - Paramaribo/ French Guiana
Your bilingual driver/guide will transfer you to Albina border (150km)> Immigration formalities, then cross with ferry and arrive on the French Guiana side. Continue to Kourou and overnight at Hotel Des Roches B

Day 10 -Devils Islands Tour
After breakfast, journey by ferry to Devils Island, made famous by Henri Charriere's book "Papillon". You will visit the ruins of the penal settlement and learn about the Dreyfus affair. Weather permitting, you will sail to Ile Joseph where most prisoners were kept. Return to your hotel in the afternoon.B

Day 11 - Ariane Space Centre
Transfer to Ariane space centre.The tour starts at 8:00 AM -11:00 am complete tour with bus shuttle to the main installations. Continue to Paramaribo, Suriname. Transfer to hotel for overnight.B

Day 12 - Paramaribo City tour and river tour
Paramaribo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Shaded, tree-lined avenues , seventeenth-century Dutch wooden structures with synagogues, Muslim mosques and Christian churches coexist peacefully side by side.

Continue by private boat up the Commenwijne River where you will pass fishing villages and former colonial plantations of which most are no longer active. Visit the open-air museum at Niew Amsterdam and Marienburg, the oldest former sugar plantation in Suriname returning at about 5:00 pm. Return to your hotel for overnight. BL

Day 13 - Joden savanna an Maroon village tour
Depart hotel at 8:00 am. You are transferred to Joden Savanna- a former Jewish settlement inhabited by Jews who fled the inquisition in Europe around 1650. Remnants of the oldest synagogue in the Americas as well as the ruins of a graveyard is still evident. Now cleaned and maintained by the Jewish community, this area now houses a simple cottage which is used as a museum. Here, visitors find information about this unique, historic graveyard in the forest in Suriname.
Your trip continues with a visit to the Maroon village of Kalsscreek for a visit with the descedants of West African Slaves. Return to your hotel, Eco Resort Inn for overnight.

Day 14 - Return flight
Transfer to airport for your return flight.

------------------------------------------------