Guyana

Guyana - map

Wikipedia article about Guyana

 

Main attractions

In future Guyana may bring many positive surprises - this country is little explored and may hide unique natural monuments unknown to the people. For most part Guyana consists of unspoilt nature - wast expanses of tropical forests, savannah, mountains.

It is also possible that in remote parts of the country there are waiting interesting archaeological monuments for their discoverer. Over the last decades there have been found numerous sites with petroglyphs.

Waterfalls

The most impressive attractions of Guyana thus far are waterfalls. Kaieteur Falls belong to the most impressive ones in the world and symbolise the majestic natural heritage of the country. There are several more outstanding world-class waterfalls such as Kamarang Great Falls, Kumerau Falls, Oshi Falls and others.

• Amaila Falls – Potaro-Siparuni. Impressive chain of falls on Kuribrong River. The total fall over 3.5 km distance is approximately 365 m. Largest plunge is 60 m high, falls have formed impressive gorge.

• 10 major waterfalls in Guyana

  

   

  Waterfalls in Guyana - the list

  
  Aruwai Falls – Cuyuni-Mazaruni. Impressive, large falls on Mazaruni River.
• Kamarang Great Falls - Cuyuni-Mazaruni. Circa 160 m tall and 46 m wide waterfall with a single plunge.
• Kaieteur Falls – Potaro-Siparuni. One of the most spectacular and powerful waterfalls in the world, combining very high volume of water and large height of fall. 226 m high free fall on Potaro River, total height – 251 m, volume up to 660 cubic metres per second.
• King Edward VIII Falls – Cuyuni-Mazaruni. 256 m high single plunge fall on Semang River
• Kumerau Falls (Kumarau Falls) - Cuyuni-Mazaruni. 190 m high and 60 m wide plunge, one of the most impressive waterfalls in country.
• Marina Fall – Potaro-Siparuni. 152 m high fall of "bridal veil" type, with two plunges.
• Orinduik Falls – Potaro-Siparuni. Ireng River, border with Brazil. One of the known falls in Guyana, some 25 m tall and more than 150 m wide. Waterfall has formed on jasper.
• Oshi Falls (King George VI Falls) – Mazaruni-Potaro. Very impressive, approximately 160 – 210 m high waterfall with a single plunge. Large amount of water.

Ecosystems and other natural monuments

Guyana belongs to biologically very diverse and little explored countries. Major part of country is covered with diverse tropical forest, but interesting feature is also Rupununi Savannah in the southern part of the country and the largely unexplored mountain biotopes.

• Ayanganna mountain - Cuyuni-Mazaruni. Impressive tepui - high plateau with steep sides.
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  Eastern Kanuku Mountains near Rewa River.
  David Morimoto, Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

  Iwokrama Forest – mainly in Potaro-Siparuni. One of the last pristine tropical forests in the world, 3710 km2 large, dissected by one road. Highest fish species (known more than 420 species) and bat species (known 90 species) diversity in the world.
• Eastern Kanuku Mountains - Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo. Little explored mountains, covered with tropical forest, up to 850 m high. Extremely high biodiversity, including the world's highest diversity of bats in single locality (31 species).
• Merume Mountains, central part – Cuyuni-Mazaruni. Jungle covered mountains. One of the few places in the world not accessed by people yet. Last serious attempt to reach these mountains took place in 1992.
• Shell Beach – Barima-Waini. Approximately 140 km long beach. In some parts beach consists of pure shells, very high biological diversity. Important nesting site for 8 species of sea turtles.

Architecture monuments

Guyana is not rich with architecture heritage and most of it is concentrated in the capital of the country - Georgetown.

• St. George’s Anglican Cathedral – Georgetown, Demerara-Mahaica. One of the tallest wooden churches in the world, 43.5 m high, built in 1899.
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  Georgetown Cathedral, interior.
  Ian Mackenzie, Flickr / CC BY 2.0

  Georgetown historical centre – Georgetown, Demerara-Mahaica. Originally designed by Dutch in 1700ies, ornate wooden architecture, green alleys.

Archaeological monuments

Interesting monuments of history are the numerous petroglyphs spread around Guyana. Here are mentioned few occasional sites.

• Aishalton Petroglyphs and Makatau rock shelter – Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo. Savannah with boulders which are covered with numerous petroglyphs and polissoirs. Stone arrangements.
• Karowrieng paintings (Maiputi Falls rock paintings) - Cuyuni-Mazaruni, near Karowrieng and Maipuri Falls. Rock paintings at the base of tepui, some of the few known ancient paintings in Guyana. Contain also numerous prints of hands.
• Petroglyph site near Big "S" Falls and Kurupukari petroglyphs – Potaro-Siparuni, Siparuni River and Essequibo River. Two of the many petroglyph sites near the confluence of Siparuni and Essequibo rivers. Petroglyphs created circa 3000 BC. Belong to Enumerative and Fish Trap Petroglyph traditions.
• Rewa petroglyphs – Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo. Numerous petroglyphs at the eastern end of Kanuku Mountains, near confluence of Kwitaro and Rewa rivers, near Corona Falls..