Guyana & Suriname with Wilderness Explorers

Having traveled to more than 100 countries, my wife, Jane, and I were looking for an exotic, off-the-beaten-track destination. We found it in Guyana and Suriname, traveling there March 14-23, 2014, with Wilderness Explorers (141 4th St., Georgetown, Guyana; phone +592 227 7698 or, in the US, 202/630-7698, wilderness-explorers.com).

In arranging our private tour, we dealt mainly with Joetha and Amarylis, who answered our emails promptly and helped us prepare well for the trip.

The 10-day/9-night trip cost about $3,600 per person, which included two internal flights in Guyana, rainforest lodges (where we had laundry service), three meals daily (except in Georgetown and Paramaribo), bottled water and, often, snacks and juice.

In Guyana, we were able to see still-unspoiled rainforest. The interior of the country really is pristine. No industrial waste has been dumped in the rivers, so nature can really thrive there.

We saw approximately 200 species of birds, including ospreys, hawks and jabiru storks, and animals such as caimans, giant anteaters and giant otters. On a riverbank, we saw a turtle that a jaguar had injured while trying to break through its shell; our motorboat must have scared off the jaguar.

We took boat rides in the mornings and late afternoons, avoiding the heat of the day. We went on walks through the forest, including one at night during which we could hear fascinating jungle sounds. One thrilling experience was seeing water lilies open at dusk. It was really magical.

I commend Wilderness Explorers for their organization of our trip. Jane is somewhat limited physically, and they had arranged for her to always stay in a cabin close to the restaurant. Jane was encouraged to do the activities she could handle and warned when something would be too strenuous.

We stayed at three lodges in Guyana: Surama Village Eco-Lodge (North Rupununi, Region 9, Guyana; suramaecolodge.com), Caiman House (Yupukari, Guyana; www.rupununilearners.org) and Karanambu Lodge (www.adventure-life.com/lodging/karanambu-ranch-791).

Before the trip, I was concerned about insects in our bedrooms. There were some insects in our rooms, but we slept under mosquito netting. Insect repellent and suntan lotion were absolute necessities.

My fear that there would be inadequate electricity was unnecessary. Caiman House had electricity 24 hours a day, including great reading lamps. Karanambu had it for almost 24 hours a day, and Surama had lights from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. I suggest taking one or two flashlights in case the lights do go out.

We liked all three lodges, but our favorite was Karanambu. The owner, Diane McTurk, is an extraordinary person. She’s gentle and kind and world renowned for rehabilitating approximately 50 orphaned giant river otters and releasing them back into the wild. As guests at her ranch, we did not feel like just numbers. 

That lodge also had the most amenities of the three we stayed in. In our room, we found lotion, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, insect repellent, calamine lotion and Kleenex. Beer and rum were also available.

We spent the last two nights of our trip in Paramaribo, Suriname, which was very enjoyable. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with many restored Dutch-colonial buildings and interesting places of worship, including a mosque and a synagogue, located next to each other, and the St. Peter and Paul Cathedral. There were lots of Dutch tourists enjoying the tropical heat.

Both Suriname and Guyana are interesting from a cultural standpoint. They have a mixture of Amerindians, East Indians, Africans and, in the case of Suriname, many Indonesians, mostly from Java.

We were glad to be able to support the burgeoning tourist industry in Guyana and Suriname. Anyone who would like more info can contact me at janekev86@aol.com.

KEVIN O’BRIEN

Savannah, GA