Kaieteur Falls Overland Adventure – Part II

On day 3 we encountered the most difficult part of our journey. Because of all the rain, the creeks swelled into rivers, and the amount of hiking that we were able to do was cut short. At first we were disappointed but we soon realized that the rise in water levels would lead to the biggest adrenaline rush we would encounter. Tony, our guide, cautioned us to not bring our cameras or even our raincoats for the hike. We were skeptical, but complied. Am I ever glad. (Moms – if you choose to read further, remember that we are now safe and sound!)

Watch RobO’s creek crossing Hi | Lo

We got down to bare feet for better grip as we pulled ourselves along a rope to cross a creek. After a brief hike on the other side, we were rewarded with a great waterfall. Just at that moment, it was like the heavens opened up, and we were standing in the heaviest rain shower I have ever been in. Our journey continued, through waist deep creeks, slippery rocks, muddy ground, until we arrived at camp – tired and hungry.

The next morning we awoke with great anticipation. After a hike up the mountain we would be at Kaieteur Falls!

There are numerous viewpoints from which to see the falls (watch one here Hi | Lo). We spent a full day exploring, bathing in the river above the falls, watching thousands of swifts fly into their nests behind the falls, and getting the full experience of the beauty of Guyana and the power of nature. One of the most amazing things was the natural environment – there are no guard rails, ropes, fences, and our group were the only people there for the majority of the time (we met the english world cup cricket team for a few minutes!).
The next day, we reluctantly boarded the 9 seater plane for the one hour flight back to Georgetown. From the air, we had an amazing glimpse of Guyana from above, including the immense rivers, flat top ‘tepuis’ mountains, miles of unexplored rainforest, and the brand new cricket stadium.