Guyana, the one English speaking country on mainland South America, is home to Giant Otters, Giant Anteaters, huge Harpy Eagles, immense waterfalls, and upwards of 900 species of birds. We will explore some of this country’s most beautiful rainforests, expansive savannahs and pristine river systems, while staying at some of the country’s best lodges. is known for having upwards of 80% of its forests intact, and as such is a fantastic Horned Guan destination for tropical birds and wildlife that require such large areas of forest; Jaguars, Pumas, Crested Eagles, Tapirs, Cotingas, Guyanan Cock of the Black Curassow Rock, Macaws, Parrots and more.

Tour Overview

Day 1: Arrival Georgetown Airport (GEO) Birding Guyana: Day 2: River, Botanical Garden, Georgetown Nature’s Treasure Trove Day 3: Kaieteur Falls – Iwokrama River Lodge Day 4: Turtle Mountain, Iwokrama River 13 Nights/14 Days Lodge Day 5, 6: Iwokrama Canopy, Atta Rainforest Lodge Day 7: Atta Rainforest Lodge to Lodge Day 8: Surama area, Surama Lodge Day 9: Surama- Northern Rupununi, Caiman Lodge

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13 Night/14 Day Itinerary After a good breakfast, we will check the shoreline for spectacular Day 1, Arrival at Georgetown, Guyana birds such Scarlet Ibis, Least, Airport: Semipalmated, Western Sandpipers, Whimbrel, Black-belled

and Semipalmated Plovers, Short- We’ll arrive Georgetown this billed Dowitcher, Tricolored Heron, afternoon/evening and then Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Little transfer to our hotel in town. Blue Heron, Magnificent Dinner is not included this evening Frigatebird, Royal, Gull-billed and due to varied arrival times, but possibly Yellow-billed Tern or those who arrive early enough can Brown Pelican. dine here at the hotel or at any number of restaurants in town. In the afternoon we’ll visit the

Georgetown Botanical Gardens, Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock Lodging at Cara Lodge and beautifully designed area of

parkland with open areas, cattered Day 3, Kaieteur Falls – Iwokrama River Day 2, Georgetown’s Mahaica River trees, native and ornamental plants Lodge: and Botanical Garden: and several ponds and wet areas. Here we will target the abundant This morning before breakfast and bird life here such as Blood-colored Today at around 9 AM, we board after a short drive, we’ll begin our Woodpecker, White-bellied Piculet, a chartered flight over unspoiled adventure by taking a small boat gorgeous Spotted Tody-Flycatcher, pristine rain forest to view an eastward along the Atlantic coast Rusty-margined Flycatcher, unbelievable sight; the Kaieteur to the Mahaica River. Southern Beardless- and Yellow Falls, the world’s highest free- Tyrannulet, Lesser Kiskadee, falling waterfall. This is one of the best areas to Black-capped Donacobius, Yellow find Guyana’s national bird, the Oriole, Yellow-chinned Spinetail, Kaieteur is a single massive, Hoatzin, and we will look for Wing-barred Seedeater, Straight- thundering cascade 100 meters Rufous Crab Hawk, Black-collared billed Woodcreeper, Black-collared wide, created as the Potaro River Hawk, Black Hawk-Eagle, Barred Hawk, and plenty of Snail Kites. In makes a sheer drop of 228 meters, Antshrike, Silvered Antbird, Striped the tree tops, we’ll hope to see Red- nearly five times the height of Cuckoo, Little Cuckoo, Green-tailed shouldered Macaw, Orange- Niagara Falls. Jacamars, Golden-spangled winged, Yellow-crowned and Mealy Piculet. We’ll have our breakfast Amazons, and with luck the Festive After this incredible experience, with a local family that hosts Amazon, a species in serious we’ll continue to Iwokrama River birders and nature travelers. decline due to the illegal pet trade. Lodge and after check in, take an Giant Anteater If the trees are flowering, we will easy hike to the nearby search for hummingbirds such as Capuchinbird lek. To see and hear Black-throated Mango and these impressive birds in such Glittering and White-bellied beautiful surrounding forest is Emeralds. simply magical. This entire area of the Guianan shield Amazonian Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner is a natural treasure and along the Lodging at Cara Lodge way we’ll try for our first sighting of the astonishingly colorful Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock, Spotted Antpitta,

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Sun Parakeet or perhaps an Orange-breasted Aracari and more. Channel Billed Toucan, Spix’s Guan, Falcon as it hunts for its favorite Guianan White tailed Trogon, Back- prey; the many swifts that soar The trail up the mountain is well eared Fairy, and Yellow-tufted overhead. We should also be able designed for easy walking, and we Woodpecker. to find the rare Golden Poison-dart may see King Vulture, Swallow- Frog that lives in water held in the tailed Kite, Short-tailed Hawk or We also have to keep our eyes on Red-and-green Macaw. Red Howler the tree tops for Red-fan Parrot, leaves of bromeliad plants! Monkey and Black Spider Monkey Dusky Parrot, Red-and-green are abundant here as well. Macaws and possibly Blue- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner cheeked Amazon Parrot. Lodging at Iwokrama River Lodge We’ll return to our lodge by around 5:00 PM, in time for a relaxed After lunch we’ll have a leisurely Day 4, Iwokrama River Lodge – Turtle dinner. afternoon of birding the lodge’s Mountain: gardens and nearby forest. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lodging at Iwokrama Lodge Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner We’ll have an early breakfast and Lodging at Atta Rainforest Lodge then take a short boat ride on Day 5, Atta Rainforest Lodge: The Essequibo River to the Turtle Day 6, Atta Rainforest Lodge: Mountain trail. Along the way are Capped heron, Black collared We’ll depart early this morning and swallow, Bat falcons, Black Caiman bird along the road toward Atta Today will be a day of enjoying the and more. Lodge. This road passes through a nearby forest trails around Atta fascinating area of habitat and is Lodge. After breakfast, we’ll head Once on land we’ll follow the trail very productive. Along the way in to the elevated canopy walkway to see the Orange breasted Falcon, this stunted, sandy forest known where time will be spent looking and have great opportunities to see as Mori Scrub we will look for Black for Todd’s Antwren, Spot-tailed the Yellow-billed Jacamar, Great Manakin, Bronzy Jacamar, King Antwren, Short-tailed Pygmy- Jacamar, Red and Black Grosbeak, Vulture, Crimson topaz, Rufescent Tyrants, Guianan Toucanet, Guianan Puffbird, Black necked tiger heron, Pale-tailed barb-throat, Green Aracari, Painted Parakeet,

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Screaming Piha, Black-headed We’ll follow with birding around Parrot, Guianan Puffbird, Dusky the Lodge, and hoping for Great Purpletuft, Paradise Tanager, Potoo and roosting Mottled Owl, Opal-rumped Tanager, Golden- White-throated Toucan, Fork-tailed sided Euphonia, Purple and Green Palm Swift and at dusk, White- Honeycreeper, Black-faced Dacnis tailed Nightjar, Least Nighthawk, and Black Nunbird. Lesser Nighthawk, Tropical Screech Owl, and Northern Tawny- In the afternoon we’ll cover more bellied Screech Owl, Rufous- trails, hoping for army ant swarms winged Ground Cuckoo, and checking known sites for the Ferruginous-backed Antbird and pretty Crimson Fruitcrow, Blue- many others. Harpy Eagle is often backed Tanager, Swallow-wing, seen soaring here or perched in Black-chinned, Scale-backed and huge Brazilian Cedar trees. Gray Antbird, Guianan Streaked Antwren, Amazonian and Mouse- In the afternoon we’ll go to the Bronzy Jacamar colored Antshrike, Reddish Burro-Burro River for a quiet and Hermit, Tiny Tyrant Manakin, skillfully-guided paddle, searching backed Antbird. Rose-breasted Chat, Black and for Silvered Antbird, Black-chinned Red-throated Caracara, Violaceous Antbird, White-browed Antbird, In the afternoon we’ll go to the Trogon, Golden-winged Parrot and Coraya Wren, Buff-breasted Wren, Burro-Burro River for a quiet and Yellow-green Grosbeaks. White-banded Swallow, Amazon skillfully-guided paddle, searching Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher, Green for Silvered Antbird, Black-chinned The roads here offer the best and-rufous Kingfisher, American Antbird, White-browed Antbird, chances for Tapir and Jaguar, and Coraya Wren, Buff-breasted Wren, in the evening we’ll ask the staff Pygmy Kingfisher, Blue-throated White-banded Swallow, Amazon where sightings have been made, Piping Guan, Guira Tanager, Crane Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher, Green and either drive or walk to try our Hawk, and Gray-headed Kite. and-rufous Kingfisher, American luck. Pygmy Kingfisher, Blue-throated Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Piping Guan, Guira Tanager, Crane Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Lodging at Surama Eco-Lodge Hawk, and Gray-headed Kite. Lodging at Atta Lodge Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day 8, Surama Harpy Eagle Trail: Lodging at Surama Eco-Lodge Day 7, Atta Lodge – Surama Eco

Lodge: Today we’ll leave early to walk Day 9, Surama – Northern Rupununi: Surama’s famous Harpy Trail. Today after breakfast, we drive The trail is flat, and our hike takes for about 30-minutes to a lekking about 45 min. This massive nest After breakfast at Surama today, site of the spectacular Guianan is located in a huge, emergent our journey takes us across the Cock-of-the-Rock, where we will Brazilian Cedar tree, and if we are Northern . The have our second chance to see this fortunate will offer magnificent road we drive skirts numerous beautiful bird. We’ll also check a views of parents as they attend gallery forests and wetlands areas known, Long tailed Potoo roost and their young, or soar and perch and we’ll bird along the way for keep an eye out for the enigmatic nearby. This area also offers a great views of a variety of species Rufous-winged Ground-Cuckoo or good chance for Rufous-winged including Jabiru, Pinnated Bittern, Rufous-throated Antbird. Ground Cuckoo and Ferruginous- Great-billed Seed Finch, Bicolored Wren, Gray Seedeater, Grassland

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Yellow Finch, Yellowish Pipit, Day 10, Northern Rupununi: Rufescent Tiger-Heron, Agami White-fringed Antwren, Crested Heron, Capped Heron, Sungrebe,

Bobwhite, Green-rumped Parrotlet, Sunbittern, Pied Lapwing, Boat- This morning we will start with a Yellow-hooded Blackbird, the billed Heron, Common Potoo, cup of Brazilian style coffee before colorful Orange-backed Troupial Band-tailed Nightjar, Bare-necked heading out into the Rupununi and the agile Aplomado Falcon. We Fruitcrow and Spot-breasted Savannah by 4×4. As we move may even encounter a Giant Woodpecker. With luck we may across the savannah we will scan Anteater if we are lucky. come across the secretive the vast wetland areas for the Crestless Curassow! In addition, sought after Bearded Tachuri, In the afternoon we’ll bird the we may be lucky enough to see plus, Sharp-tailed Ibis, Yellowish nearby forest trails and some Black and Spectacled Caiman, Pipit, Pinnated Bittern, Brazilian ponds where we hope to see Giant River Otter, Capybara and Teal, White-tailed Golden-throat, Sunbittern, Azure Gallinule, many species of monkeys and Vermilion Flycatcher, Bicolored White-faced Whistling-Duck, even the occasional Arapaima or Wren, Double-striped Thick-knee, White-headed Marsh-Tyrant, River Stingray. Burrowing Owl and Maguari Stork. White-browed Antbirds, Buff– We’ll also check an area where breasted Wren, Pale-tipped Our sunset boat expedition wraps the rare and localized Crested Inezia, Blue-backed Manakin, up with a delicious and hearty Doradito was recently discovered. Striped Woodcreeper and maybe dinner back at the Lodge. This is also our best chance to see Undulated Tinamou. An evening the remarkable Giant Anteater in excursion to the open grasslands Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner habitat that is perfect for it and as the sun sets should see the end Lodging at Caiman Lodge Savanna Fox. of a magical day with Nacunda, After lunch we have an opportunity Least and Lesser Nighthawks. to travel on the Rupununi River. Day 11, Karassabai / Sun Parakeet /

This time we will head down river Lethem: Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner to Simony Lake where we are likely Before dawn, we hop aboard Lodging at Caiman Lodge to find Green and Rufous our 4X4’s for the early morning

Kingfisher, Amazon Kingfisher, southerly departure for Karassabai

Scarlet Ibis Village, a distant border community located between the northern Rupununi savannahs and Pakaraima Mountains along the Brazilian border. Here is where we are delighted to have a rare opportunity to spot the highly endangered Sun Parakeet. In the early 1990’s, this species was on the brink of extinction due to extreme pressures from the pet trade until local villages took aggressive action to restore the population. A mere 7 individuals that remained at the time have struggled to regain their previous numbers, but signs are hopeful and current population counts suggest

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After a great morning we will enjoy Meals: Breakfast our lunch at Dadanawa ranch and then head back to Manari for Sooty-Capped Hermit, Amazonia Included in this itinerary: Scrub Flycatcher, Plumbeous In-country accommodations, Seedeater, White throated Kingbird, internal flights in Guyana (charter Yellowish Pipit and more. We’ll be and scheduled flights), ground back at our lodge by early evening transportation, tours, meals, soft in time for refreshing and a relaxed drinks, guide and entrance fees. dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Not Included: Lodging at Manari Lodge Personal items such as alcoholic

beverages, gift shop, laundry, etc. Kaieteur Falls are not included. at least 300 birds are thriving in Day 13, Takatu and Iring River – Fly the area today. Karassabai is well back to Georgetown: $32 departure tax is not included. off the standard tourist track and the Sun Parakeet is our main target Today, after breakfast and a here, though once we’ve achieved short drive we’ll be birding trails Travel insurance: our target there will be plenty of within the dry scrub and savanna We highly recommend purchasing other species to see. alongside the Takatu and Iring travel insurance. In the event that In the afternoon we’ll make our Rivers where two highly restricted you need to cancel your trip due way from Lethem to our next lodge and poorly known species occur, to medical or other reasons, this and arrive in time for dinner and namely the Hoary-throated insurance will protect you. relaxing. Spinetail and the Rio Branco

Antbird. We also have a chance

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner of variety of species such as

Lodging at Manari Lodge Pinnated Bittern, Black-bellied

Whistling Duck, Cocoi and Capped

Day 12, Red Siskin: Herons, Striated Heron, Wood

Stork, Limpkin, Double-striped

Thick-knee, Wattled Jacana, Marail Today we start early across the Guan, Crested Bobwhite, Southern savannah to search the special Lapwing, Pearl Kite, White-tailed edge habitats between savanna Kite, and Savanna Hawk late. and forested mountains for the After lunch we’ll make the short stunning little Red Siskin, a much drive to Lethem’s airport for flights sought after species and the back to Georgetown. center of a conservation project.

Along the way we’ll look for the Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Golden spangle Piculet, Bicolored 109 Eaglewood Way, Athens, Lodging at Cara Lodge Hawk, Pale bellied Tyrant Manakin, Georgia 30606

Burrowing Owl, Plain-breasted [email protected] Ground Dove, White-tailed Hawk, Day 14, Georgetown: Red-Shouldered Macaw, Finsch’s After breakfast today, we’ll bid www.naturalselectionstours.com Euphonia, Cayenne Jays, and farewell to our guide and group,

Hepatic Tanager. and board our flights home.

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