Kaieteur Falls
Kaieteur Falls is the crown jewel, the hidden gem, the off the beaten path, the undiscovered wonder of Guyana and any other travel writing cliché you could think of. I liken it to the Angkor Wat of the country as like the Angkor Wat Temples in Cambodia, the Guyanese are extremely proud of their majestic waterfall.
A view from the Rainbow Overlook
You would think that obtaining a tour to Kaieteur would be easy. It is simple to book a tour, but it can be actually tricky to go on the tour. Tours routinely get cancelled if not enough tourists sign up. If you wait until the last day in Guyana to book a tour and it gets canceled, too bad so sad, and you will miss the second most amazing waterfall in the world as named by the World Waterfall database.
For more Kaieteur Falls pictures and videos see my photo essay.
I lucked out getting hooked up with a tour, and if it was not for leaving the interior of Guyana a day early, I would have been SOL. I arrived in Guyana on a Saturday, and I inquired about Kaieteur tours on Sunday. I had already booked a flight into Annai for Monday. The lady at my hotel said no tours on Sunday, but there would be a tour on Friday when I returned.
Good thing I flew back a day early
I returned from Annai a day early on Wednesday, and I was told the Friday tour was canceled but there was a tour on Thursday. I booked this tour and this was the day I went. Fortunately, I was in thanks to my change in plans.
Here are some tips to touring Kaieteur:
- Book a tour to Kaieteur Falls on your first day in Guyana. If it cancels then book for your second day. Do not wait until the end of your stay or you could miss out. I booked my tour with Wonderland Tours and was very happy with the arrangements and the guides.
In this picture I am sure glad I booked the Baganara add on as I enjoy a dip in the Essequibo River
- Combine the Kaieteur Falls with another tour. Tours often combine Kaieteur with Orinduik Falls or Baganara Resort. A tour add on will cost another $40.00 to an already pricy $220 tour to Kaieteur, but the add ons are worth it. It would cost another couple of hundred dollars to do a separate tour of these places. You are on vacation, so why not see as much as possible. That extra $40.00 will seem like nothing after you get home.
- Stay at Kaieteur Falls for more than one night. There is a national park and guesthouse next to the falls. How awesome would it be to walk up to the falls and see it in the moonlight. The falls are in the middle of the jungle with jaguars, giant river otters, and tons of birds. You can book the rangers at the national park to take you out for a reasonable fee each day.
There is more to the falls than the waterfall – Here is a golden frog used for poison dart arrows
This option takes a little planning ahead because there is no food at the guesthouse. You have to buy your food in Georgetown. You will also need to book your lodging at the park ahead of time and coordinate a return flight back. If this option interests you, contact the Kaieteur National Park directly.
The cock-of-the-rock is so iconic it even adorns Guyanese Airlines airplanes
- If you do take the two hour tour only, ask to see the cock-of-the-rock. This is a beautiful orange bird that lives in the jungle near the falls. You will most likely not see it on the regular tour, but you can pay a few dollars extra to have a ranger lead you to these beautiful birds. Don’t worry, you will still get a chance to see the falls.
The Potaro River below Kaieteur Falls – A lot of jungle to explore out there
- Consider coming during the rainy season. The pictures of Kaieteur Falls at the top of this post were taken at the very peak of the dry season in early December. The force of the falls was still awesome, but the volume of water in the rainy season is even more intense. Our guide says the falls stretch over the full lip of the drop during the rainy season. There are two rainy seasons in Guyana, but the main one inland is between April and September.
Even in dry season the flow is powerful, but in the rainy season the whole expanse is covered by water
- For the real adventurous, consider the Kaieteur Overland Tour. You can either book a tour with a tour agency or you can do this yourself. You fly into Kaieteur, stay a couple of days at the guesthouse and then make your way inland back to Georgetown. This trip would take about 5-7 days. The rangers at the national park can assist you in getting back to Georgetown. This would be the ultimate way to see the interior of this beautiful country.
Stay tuned,
TT
The goal of Traveling Ted TV is to inspire people to outdoor adventure travel and then provide tips on where and how to go. If you liked this post then enter your email in the box to get email notifications for each new entry. Daily travel photos are excluded from your email in order to not flood you with posts. There is no spam and email information will not be shared. Other e-follow options include Facebook (click on the like box to the right) or twitter (click on the pretty bird on the rainbow above).
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Take me there now, looks amazing!
It definitely was. Probably the most amazing outdoor spectacle I have seen.
Stunning pics, as always Ted. Looks truly fab. And good tips – imagine someone going there to see that and not being able to!
@mrsoaroundworld recently posted..A lux weekend in Paris with @AvenueStory
It sure would be a drag Mrs. O as it would be like missing the Eiffel Tower while in Paris. It is just unthinkable if it is your first time.
Love the waterfall! One of your best shots. Not the best color of water but love the rainbow that you got in your photo. I have a similar photo with a rainbow from a waterfall in Kauai.
Jeremy Branham recently posted..A Fiesta Bowl and a perfect ending to a travel journey
Thanks Jeremy,
It is your typical muddy river, so that explains the color. I remember that Hawaii shot. I think I pinned it.
Great shot of the falls. Is that mud that causes them to be that color? Almost looks like rust in some sort of fashion. Really cool.
Steven recently posted..Circle Mountain
Thanks Steven,
The Potaro River is your typical muddy river, so that I am sure is the reason for the color. It is accentuated by the sun shining on it.
Great suggestions Ted and glad you lucked out with the tour. I wonder how many people aren’t so lucky. They could use you in the Guyanese tourism office.
Leigh recently posted..Crosscountry Skiing in Whiteshell Provincial Park, Manitoba
Thanks Leigh,
Maybe I will retire down there one day. I am sure a few people get the shaft. I am glad I was not one of them.
Great tips…Your photos here and in the other post on Kaieteur might very well be your best yet..
Thanks Deej,
Kaieteur is an easy subject to photograph. It does all the work.
glad you didn’t miss out, ted. where are these pictures of the cock-of-the-rock you speak of? xo
thelazytravelers recently posted..travel announcement: vegas, baby!
I did the main tour. There was a guy on our plane who was led by a ranger to see the cock-of-the-rock, and I saw his pictures. I did not know of this option until after the tour. Had I know, I would have requested it.
Great tips! From reading your posts, I definitely have to make it to Kaieteur Falls one day. I fell in love with Vic Falls, and I’m sure the experience here would be even more magical.
The World Wanderer recently posted..Feeling Tiny at the Colossi of Memnon.
When waterfalls are this awesome, it is hard to rate them. I am sure Victoria is just as amazing.
It’s a good thing you never use any travel writing cliches 😉
Seriously, though, great tips and gorgeous photos!
Francesca (@WorkMomTravels) recently posted..How I went from a backpacker to an RV camper
Thanks Francesca,
I never use those over utilized expressions.
Great insights, Ted, on how to do the Kaieteur Falls right. I hope I make it there someday. And I agree on seeing as much as you can since you are already there. This is not an easy place to get to so that makes tons on good sense.
Raul (@ilivetotravel in Twitter) recently posted..7 Items You Won’t See Me without while Hiking Kilimanjaro
Thanks Raul,
I hope you get there as well.
With each of these posts, I find Guyana to be more and more intriguing.
Leah Travels recently posted..My Four Must-Dos Prior to International Travel
That I believe is the word for Guyana. It is an intriguing country.
Great opening paragraph, I must say! 😀 And lovely views. I’ve only seen the Niagara, as far as big waterfalls go, and this one seems like a ‘must’ in that area!
Pola (@jettingaround) recently posted..Photo of the Week: Golden Gate Bridge & Crissy Field
I have never been to Niagara before. I need to check it out and compare.
This waterfall is on my list along with Guyana… thanks for sharing. And I enjoyed I link to the 100 top waterfalls, who doesn’t like a list – impressed to see this place make it so on the must see list too.
stay adventurous, Craig
Craig Zabransky recently posted..My Fourth January Anniversary
The World Waterfall Database is a great list of falls. You could base your travels for years around that list.
Hey Ted, how ’bout you stop posting about Guyana. You’re making the rest of us extremely jealous!
Tawny of Captain and Clark recently posted..Experiencing Life in an Indian Slum.
Sorry Tawny,
One more post to go, and I am done for now with Guyana.
The link to WONDERLAND TOURS does not work. I wonder if they’re still in business.
Perhaps they just have not paid their hosting company lately. There is no shortage of companies selling Kaieteur Falls trips in Georgetown.
Hello Ted,
Thank you for the mention.
Our website was down for 1 day due to some bad weather in the USA. It is up and running not to worry.
Thank you for your hard work on providing information on Guyana. We appreciate it very much.
Please visit again soon .
Alisha
Hi Alisha,
Great to hear from you. I still have my Guyana key chain and bracelet you gave me 🙂 Also, thanks for clarifying the issue with your website is resolved. I hope to make it back to Guyana soon and to return to Kaieteur.
Mykel, Wonderland Tours commented on this post to say their website was down for one day due to technical reasons due to bad weather in the U.S.
Glad you had a great time in Guyana Ted. Anyone travelling to Guyana and would like to know more please visit http://www.GuyanaGraphic.com.
We would also like to be able to share your stories and photos.
Please send all material to info@GuyanaGraphic.com
Maggie Reece recently posted..Five New Videos of The Ramblers in Action
Thanks for your description. I am mildly disabled – walking slowly with a cane and having to be careful of my footing. What is the terrain like from the airstrip to the falls? If I’m unable to make the walk, would I still see the falls from the aircraft. Appreciate your thoughts …
Hello Marcelle,
The plane did a fly by both coming to the falls and leaving. I was not able to see the falls coming in as only people on the other side of the plane saw it, but on the way out he did a fly by so our side could see it.
It is not a very far walk to the falls, but there is one section that goes through the jungle. There are a couple of steps, but I think you could make it. You may want to consider a visit in the dry season to make sure the footing is better then.
I am scheduled to take the Kaiteur and Orunduik falls tour tomorrow, so I am reading up on relevant and useful information online. I came across your site and information and it was useful.
Much thanks
Hi Mirza,
Glad to hear you found my information on Guyana useful. I hope you had a great tour. I am sure you did. I did not get to visit Orunduik Falls. Thanks for reading.