GUYANA
Guyana is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Brazil to the south-west and south-east, Suriname to the east and Venezuela to the north-west. With 215,000 square kilometres Guyana is the fourth- smallest country on mainland South America. It is one of the last unexplored wild places on earth yet offers incredible access into a great variety of pristine habitats and really offers the visiting birder something special. It is also a land of great contrasts as you leave behind the coastal city of Georgetown travelling into the interior, over vast unspoilt forests and incredible isolated waterfalls. The lure of Guyana is its true wilderness and amazing wildlife with many sought-after species easier to see here than in any of the surrounding countries. Our tour takes in all of the top sites beginning with the Mahaica River where we can see Scarlet Ibis and Hoatzin before checking out the botanical gardens in Georgetown where Blood-coloured Woodpecker and White-bellied Piculet could well be the highlights. The spectacular Kaieteur Falls are next as we travel to some of the best situated lodges you can imagine - Surame Eco-Lodge, Atta Rainforest Lodge and Iwokrama River Lodge. We will see a huge variety of species that include many highly sought-after rarities such as Harpy Eagle, Rufous-winged Ground-Cuckoo, the spectacular Sun Parakeet, Crimson Fruitcrow, Bearded Tachuri, and the stunning Red Siskin. Zoothera only use the very best local guides and you can rest assured that your money will go to help Guianan owned lodges and local communities. If you want to see cotingas, parrots, Guianan Cock-of-the Rock, Harpy Eagle, the rarely seen Crested Doradito or Capuchinbird and an endless supply of mouth-watering species then this could be your best trip ever!
Mon 18th Nov - Sunday 1st December 2019
Weds 11 Nov - Tuesday 24th Nov 2020
KEY SPECIES
Here are just a few of the key species we will be targetting on this tour:
Leaders: Ron Allicock and Nick Bray
Ground Price 2019: £4250 - Georgetown/Georgetown
Ground Price 2020: £4450 - georgetown/Georgetown
Airfare: £650.00 - £950.00 (Approx) - UK/UK
Single supplement: £250.00 per person
Deposit: £500.00 per person
Group size: Minimum for tour to go ahead 3 and maximum 8.
Included in cost: Accommodation in rooms, mostly en-suite, all meals from dinner on 14th Sept to breakfast on 27th Sept, all transportation within Guyana, domestic flights, a variety of vehicles including 4x4’s, boat trips, all entrance and land owners fees including Surama Harpy Eagles conservation fee, Surama Village visitors fee, Yupukari Village village fee, Iwokrama Forest User Fee, Iwokrama Canopy Walkway fee, Kaieteur National Park fee, bottled water and daily snacks and services of all leaders and local guides.
Not included: International airfare, insurance, drinks, tips, and items of a personal nature
Accommodation: Our hotels and lodges vary in quality but all are within easy reach of the areas we wish to bird. Most of them have private bathrooms but at some lodges, electricity is only available for a few hours in the evening via generator. At Atta Rainforest Lodge facilities are shared. Hot water may not be available at some lodges, and you will find showers are set at 'tropical temperature'.
Tour Code: This is a standard birding tour with all day birding. No particular strenuous walks are planned and birding is mostly from open flat roads, wide tracks and boats. The walk at Turtle Mountain is the most strenuous although we do take it slow and in its steepest parts there are handrails to help climb the last few forest steps. To see a good amount of endemics and specialities you need to be prepared for full days, so we will generally start early and either have an early breakfast or return for breakfast. Lunches will be either picnic or at the lodge depending on our schedule. We can expect all types of weathers from warm and hot to cool and showery, so please be prepared for this. Several days we have the opportunity to relax for a few hours during the heat of midday. A very important factor in running a tour to Guyana is to use local operators and local guides as your money will go to the local guides and communities.