Guyana is an incredibly lush country, making it an eco-tourist’s dream come true. Unless you have deep pockets to pave your way, however, tackling this country may involve some sweat and tears in order to get from point A to B (thankfully, no blood, though). But wow, is it ever worth the effort! If you’re looking for a place where you can essentially feel like a National Geographic adventurer, this is the country for you. Read on for ten things you can do in Northern Guyana!
One: Pakuri
Pakuri is an Amerindian village in northern Guyana, located on the Mahaica River. The village is predominately populated by the Lokono people but is also mixed with those of African or Indian ancestry. Pakuri is surrounded by savanna and verdant rain forests, making it a very beautiful place. While with modern touches, you can also still see elements of Lokono traditions lived here.
Two: Mashramani
Every February, Guyana celebrates Mashramani, a festival whose name stems from a Lokono word and means “the celebration after hard work” or “the celebration after a job well done” or “celebration after harvest”. So, come on! Let’s celebrate!
Three: Rainforest Farm
Have you ever visited a farm? How about one in the middle of a rain forest? Visiting such a farm is a unique experience and can be done in Guyana!
Four: Coconut Oil
Have you ever been curious about the process of making coconut oil? Traditional methods means this takes two days – but if you have the time, it is very cool to see!
Five: Visit River Towns
Parika and Bartica are two small towns you can visit along the Essequibo River in Guyana. While they aren’t beautiful places, they are still interesting to see. You can visit both on a tour of the Essequibo River.
Six: Visit a River Fort
As part of a tour of the Essequibo River, you can visit Fort Island….literally an island with a fort. Built by the Dutch in the mid-18th century, Fort Zeelandia is pretty small but still pretty neat to check out.
Seven: Sail down the Essequibo
The longest river in Guyana and 20km wide, the Essequibo River is defintely worth exploring. Islands, forts, small towns, isolated homes, rain forest animals, and waterfalls – it’s all waiting for you to see!
Eight: Visit the Region of Berbice
Berbice is a pretty large region in eastern Guyana along the border with Suriname and it is a great place to explore rural life. It is made up of a few towns, many villages, and plenty of undeveloped land. There are aquaculture ponds, sugarcane fields, vegetable and fruit farms, dense forests, flora and fauna galore, and wide open savannah plains.
Nine: Visit the Capital, Georgetown
The capital city of Guyana, Georgetown is a little rough around the edges but is still a fairly neat place to wander for a couple days. The highlight is its wooden cathedral, one of the largest of its type in the world!
Ten: Admire Kaieteur Falls
One phenomenal piece Guyana’s landscape is Kaieteur Falls and National Park, a place that is difficult to describe without resorting to clichéd superlatives. It is also the kind of place that once you see it, you don’t really want to tell people about it because the fact that it is so little visited is part of its beauty…
