Guyana Where and What 2023-2024 for website_compressed

Eco-Wonders
Swifts or ‘Makanaima’ birds, who
disappear in their hundreds at dusk
under the vast shelf of rock carved by
the falls over the centuries. Kaieteur
National Park, Guyana’s first National
Park and one of the first in this region,
was established in 1929. The park
encompasses 242 square miles of
raw jungle, creeks and rivers teeming
with biodiversity. Kaieteur National
Park occupies a prominent position
in the centre of the Guiana Shield.
The Guiana Highlands or Guiana
Shield, roughly 2 billion years old, is
the earth’s oldest surface. Located
in north-eastern South America, it
includes a large mountain plateau and
rainforest system that is part of a vast
watershed between the Amazon and
the Orinoco rivers. The area contains
an estimated 20,000 different vascular
plant species of which 35 percent are
endemic making it one of three richest
tropical wilderness areas on earth.
ORINDUIK FALLS
The Ireng River thunders over steps
and terraces of solid jasper, a semi
precious stone to form the Orinduik
Falls. With a backdrop of the rolling
grass covered hills of the Pakaraima
Mountains, this is truly one of the
most beautiful locations in Guyana’s
hinterland. Orinduik is ideally suited
for swimming and you will find natural
Jacuzzis as the falls tumble down the
steps of Jasper. A short ride on a small
boat can have you setting foot in
Brazil!
SHELL BEACH
Journey to the north Western Atlantic
coast of Guyana in the Barima Waini
Region to Shell Beach! This 90 mile
stretch of relatively uninhabited
coastline is known mainly as a nesting
ground for four species of endangered
marine turtles which come to nest
here annually from March to August.
The area itself however, is a unique
ecosystem encompassing mangrove
forests, inland swamp forests and
savannahs and bordered by the
Atlantic seaboard where mud-flats
front the shore in some areas. Apart
from the four species of endangered
marine turtles (Giant Leatherback,
Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, and Green
Turtles) the area is known to possess
giant river turtles as well as tortoises,
along with manatees, tapirs, deer,
jaguars, howler monkeys and other
large animals. The bird diversity is one
of the richest in Guyana and includes
many species of parrots and macaws,
numerous wading birds including
many scarlet ibis and Caribbean
flamingos, herons, egrets and a host
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