Harpy Eagle and Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock
7 Nights/8 Days

How to Book Your Birding Trip to Guyana

 
Day 1     Arrival Guyana. Transfer to Georgetown. Overnight at Cara Lodge.

Day 2     Rupununi Savannah/Surama Village.   We will take a morning charter flight across the lush rainforest and extensive Rupununi Savannah landing at Annai in Central Guyana. We will enjoy lunch at the nearby Rock View Lodge and then leave by 4x4 vehicles for the drive northward to the Amerindian community of Surama.  The journey takes about an hour and initially we will be crossing savannahs where we are likely to encounter birds such as Brown-throated Parakeet and Savannah Hawk.  A pair of Burrowing Owls can sometimes be found close to the road and if the birds are ‘at home’, we can expect to get great looks at them as they stand guard outside the entrance to their burrow.

The village itself is in an area of savannah but is surrounded by rainforest. On arrival we will receive a welcome from a village councilor and then join a local guide for a short walk on trails to observe the forest and bird life, as well as a tour of the village. An excellent range of open country and forest birds are to be found within walking distance of the lodge.  We are likely to see a range of parrots from the lodge itself and these could include both Scarlet and Red-and-green Macaws, as well the more range-restricted Painted Parakeet. After dark, we will enjoy a nighttime walk to observe wildlife and experience the mystique of the forest after dark.  There are a range of interesting owls and nightjars to see close to the lodge and we could, for example, see Northern Tawny-bellied Screech-Owl, Tropical Screech-Owl and both Great and Common Potoos. 

Day 3     Harpy Eagle Nest.  After an early breakfast, we will make a one-and-a-half hour hike to the site of a nearby Harpy Eagle nest.  We will spend the day observing the nest hoping for views of the adult birds and their chick.  The nest itself is located in a huge emergent tree and if we are extremely fortunate, we may see one of the adult birds bringing a sloth or monkey to the nest to feed their youngster. There is a whole host of other birds which live in the forest near the nest and other species we could see include Black-spotted Barbet, Chestnut-rumped Woodcreeper, Rufous-bellied Antwren, Guianan Warbling Antbird and if we are extremely lucky, the elusive Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo. There are also a number of species of primates that live around Surama and we could see both Black Spider and Red Howler monkeys.  The area also is home to several species of cats including Jaguar and Margay, however we will need to have considerable luck to encounter either of these. Overnight at Surama Eco-Lodge. (B, L, D)

Day 4     Surama Mountain/ Burro Burro River.  Rising before dawn, we will walk across the grassland savannah and then explore some excellent forest at the base of Surama Mountain in the coolest part of the day.  This is the best time to look for birds and we are likely to see a range of interesting species along the trail including Ferruginous-backed Antbird, Pale-tailed Barbthroat and Black-spotted Barbet. For those who are feeling energetic, there is the option to climb to a viewpoint which offers spectacular views overlooking the village and forested slopes of the Pakaraima Mountains and there is an excellent chance of seeing a range of parrots flying past including Orange-winged Amazon, Red-and-green Macaw and Brown-throated Parakeet. We will return to the village in time for lunch and then in the cool of the late afternoon, will walk across the savannah and through the rainforest to the Burro-Burro River. Overnight in hammock at Carahaa Landing Camp.  (B, L, D)

Day 5     Burro Burro River/Iwokrama Rainforest. Soon after daybreak, we will set out on the Burro-Burro River in a canoe paddled by our local guides.  As the light improves, we can expect to see a range of species which could include Blue-throated Piping-Guan, Black Curassow, Grey-necked Wood-Rail, Blue-headed Parrot, Dark-billed Cuckoo, Long-billed Starthroat, Blue-crowned Motmot, Green-tailed Jacamar, Black-chinned Antbird and Crested Oropendola.  This river is also an excellent place to look for kingfishers and on a good morning, it is possible to see all five species which occur in South America. We will also search the banks for mammals: Giant River Otter, Tapir, Tayra and Black Spider Monkey have all been seen here.

After lunch at the lodge, we will depart by 4x4 for Atta Rainforest Lodge and the Iwokrama Canopy Walkway. This amazing structure has four viewing platforms which are linked by suspension bridges, and is the only canopy walkway in the Guiana Shield.  The total length of the Walkway is 154 metres, with the highest of the platforms reaching over 30 metres above the rainforest floor. The Walkway is widely regarded as a birder’s dream, as it provides visitors with a great view of the mid and upper canopy of the forest.  Species such as Purple-breasted Cotinga, Dusky Purpletuft, Waved Woodpecker, Spot-tailed and Todd’s Antwrens and Guianan Puffbird are regular. The forest around the walkway also contains some important flora and fauna and amongst the hundreds of species which can be found are a number which are endangered such as Bullet Wood, Greenheart and Waramadan (endemic in Guyana only to the Iwokrama Rainforest).

Day 6     Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock Lek/Rupununi Savannah.  We will return to the Canopy Walkway for the dawn chorus and additional species we could encounter include Grey Antbird, Green Aracari and Guianan Toucanet.  We will then travel by 4x4 to the Amerindian village of Wowetta where we will walk along a well maintained 5km trail through the rainforest to a Guianan Cock-of-the-Rock lek where more than 30 birds can congregate.  Depending on the time of year, we may see the males performing their display dance or birds sitting in their nests.  Irrespective of the time of year, views are usually superb!

Late in the afternoon we will drive into the Rupununi Savannah with our destination being Rock View Lodge near the Amerindian village of Annai.  Here the savannah meets the forest-covered foothills of the Pakaraima Mountains and the birdlife is markedly different from that of the rainforest. With tropical gardens and flowering trees, our lodge is an oasis in the savannah and attracts many species of birds.  We are, likely to see, for example, Glittering-throated Emerald feeding on the lodge’s hummingbird feeders, as well as Black-crested Antshrike and Yellow-breasted Flycatcher. Overnight at Rock View Lodge. (B ,L, D)

Day 7     Rupununi Savannah/Georgetown. This morning there are many options available including birdwatching in the magnificent gardens, joining the vaqueros on horseback as they round up the cattle, hiking along the foothills of the Pakaraima Mountains or exploring nearby Amerindian villages.

Another possibility is to visit a nearby trail which goes through deciduous forest to a viewpoint and whilst walking along this path we may find Green-tailed Jacamar, White-bellied Antbird and Finsch’s Euphonia. If we are extremely fortunate, we may also see the spectacular Toco Toucan or Orange-backed Troupial.  Whilst on the savannahs, birds we could encounter include Double-stripped Thick-knee, Eastern Meadowlark and Red-breasted Blackbird.

How to Book Your Birding Trip to Guyana

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