Guyana - The "Land of Many Waters"

Guyana, not to be confused with Guinea in Africa, is a South American state and borders on Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname. In addition, it has a coast at the Atlantic Ocean. The rather small country is divided into ten regions and even its biggest cities Georgetown, Linden and New Amsterdam have small town character. The climate is tropical. It rains a lot in Guyana. The short dry season lasts from February to April. Even in these months, it might rain occasionally. The average yearly temperature is 27 °C and there are rarely any fluctuations. Due to the high humidity, it is very stuffy in all parts of the country.

Guyana is a real treasure chest of unexplored plant species and mysterious animals. The country's national bird is the hoatzin. Altogether there are over 730 different bird species. Caimans and monkeys live in the vast tropical forests. The green jungle is guarded by the fairy-tale table mountains in Guayana's mountainous area. It constitutes the border of Brazil and Venezuela. The most famous table mountain is Mount Roraima. About 85 percent of the country's area are covered in tropical rainforest. The remaining areas are savannas, mountain ranges and alluvial land. You find mangroves at Guyana's coast. Highlights are the gigantic waterfalls, for example the Orinduik Falls and Kaieteur Falls.

There is a lot to discover for travellers who go on a natural trip to Guyana. The main attraction are the Kaieteur Falls in Central Guyana. With a height of 225 metres, they are four times as high as the famous Niagara Falls. The Kaieteur Falls are located in the Kaieteur National Park in the Potaro-Siparuni Region. The national park accommodates more exciting waterfalls and river landscapes. Over 960 kilometres of river courses are navigable. More and more river tours are offered to visitors now. Trips in a dugout are particularly authentic. Adventurers best experience the vast rainforest on the Canopy Walkway. Travellers have a fascinating view of the country along the suspension bridge system above the treetops. Animal lovers should visit one of the turtle beaches, for example Shell Beach. With a bit of luck, you can watch leatherback and hawksbill sea turtles lay eggs there.

Between the 16th and 18th century, the region of present-day Guyana was a Dutch colony. France and the United Kingdom also laid claim on the region. The country finally went to the British and even though the country gained independence in 1966, you still see traces of colonial times. You see many typical buildings from bygone centuries in the cities. The teatime, the popular horse races and the national sport of cricket keep the British charm alive. An exception is the country's native population. The so-called Amerindians live in the far south-west of Guyana and are protected.

There are not many cities in Guyana. The capital of Georgetown has about 32,000 inhabitants and is a pretty small town. Nevertheless, it is the country's cultural and economic heart. Due to its Caribbean atmosphere, the city is often called the "Garden City of the Caribbean". Beautiful attractions in this city are the promenade, called "Seawall", and the wooden cathedral, which is one of the highest wooden buildings on earth. Travellers who are interested in Guyana's industry and ore mining should visit the town of Linden.

The Indian and Chinese cuisine are most common in Guyana. In some parts of the country, people also prepare Creole dishes. A speciality and a popular souvenir is Guyana's El Dorado Rum. It was recently elected one of the best kinds of rum in the world. An exciting experience is a trip to the Kaieteur Falls, especially if you arrive in a glider or a small aircraft. This way, you can marvel at the impressive waterfall from above. In the evening, the tourists relax on the market place in Georgetown. It accommodates several bars and restaurants which serve the local cuisine.

Admittedly, Guyana does not have a well-developed tourism and travellers who want to go on a round trip should plan well beforehand. Once you have gone to the trouble of doing that, you are rewarded generously. The country is sparsely populated. It is pure nature and vast areas have not been explored yet. Adventurers have the opportunity to put their discovery skills to the test here.

If you want to rent a car in Guyana, you need to pay attention to the left-hand traffic. The road conditions are rather bad. During the rainy season, stretches of road are in danger of being flooded. It is much easier to move around in a small aircraft or travel along the river in a traditional dugout.