Sports

Cricket lovely Cricket! One cannot miss out on Guyana’s national sport without participating in a game of cricket while in Guyana.
You can enjoy international test matches at the Providence National Stadium, local club matches at various cricket club venues such as the Everest Cricket Club, Bourda Cricket Club and The Georgetown Cricket Club, or the most exciting friendly competition played in open fields, parks or streets.
Cricket which was handed down to the Caribbean region by the British in the past centuries have grown tremendously over the years. Some of the worlds cricketing legends such as Basil Butcher, Lance Gibbs, Rohan Kanhai, Alvin Kalicharran, Colin Croft, Roger Harper, Clive Lloyd, Carl Hooper, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan are all Guyanese and continue to make Guyana National game exciting.
Guyana is home to motor racing in the region with over 50 years in the motor racing sport. Today the South Dakota Circuit is the main venue for all international, regional and local races for cars, bikes and go karts racing. Countries from the USA, Canada, Caribbean and Suriname come to Guyana to be crushed by Guyana’s top Racers such as Mark Veira, Andrew King, Ryan Rahaman, Jad Rahaman, Andre Morgan and Stefan Jeffery in the race of Champions and international races.
Football commonly known as soccer is another of Guyana’s favorite sport. There are tournaments such as the Kashif & Shanghai Tournament, Digicel League and the GT&T League which throughout the year pulling local, regional, and international footballers to Guyana .On Friday nights, football fans flock venues to watch their teams compete. Football is also being played in a frenzy atmosphere on weekends in the streets, community centers, and parks in Guyana.

Rugby, perceived to be one of the roughest sports in Guyana . Players and spectators alike look forward to the yearly international competition that involved players from all across the region and Latin America to compete in the male and female league.

The horse racing association pulls off one of the most exciting sporting event in Guyana which attracts jockeys, horses and fans from all across the country to participate in the ‘sport of the kings’. Popular race tracks such as Georgetown Turf , Kennard Memorial Turf , Port Mourant and Rising Sun Turf are known to create exciting experience at horse racing time. A day at the races is always a fun filled day with onlookers shouting and screaming in support of thier favourite horse and jockey. Owners, punters,families and friends party all day as the atmosphere is being charged with many races. It could be a lucky day for you while having a good time.

Getting around while in Guyna

Guyana’s capital city, Georgetown was named after the British conquered the Dutch in 1812. The name originates from Fort St. George which was established at the mouth of the Demerara River as a signal station for the purpose of observing and controlling incoming and outgoing traffic.
Like all capitals, the city is the centre of government administration and a wide range of economic activity. Most of the streets of Georgetown are laid out in almost perfect rectangles, a legacy of our Dutch heritage. This design therefore makes it relatively easy for the stranger to wend his/her way around town.
The larger concentration of commercial houses is found 'downtown'. This area is bounded by Camp Street in the east and by Water Street in the west with Lamaha Street and Brickdam being the northern and southern extremities respectively.
BY ROAD

Georgetown is well served with taxis, which operate throughout the city and to other urban centres. Taxis are easy to find outside most hotels and throughout Georgetown. There are fixed fares for most distances; enquire before embarking upon travel. Private taxis are easily arranged through your local hotel or by calling one of the numerous taxis services.
Taxis Services Rentals
Transportation around the city is provided by privately owned mini buses which operate in allocated zones for which there is a well-regulated fare structure. This arrangement extends to all mini bus routes throughout the country. Taxis have freer movement around the city.
BY RIVER
While one way of travelling to East Berbice is by ferry, mainly between Rosignol and New Amsterdam, commuters to West Demerara have a choice of road transport via the Demerara Harbour Bridge or by the Demerara River ferry from the Stabroek Stelling to Vreed-en-Hoop which is obliquely opposite each other.
The highway which begins on the West Coast of Demerara is heavily trafficked since it provides a link to Parika on the East Bank of Essequibo River which has become an important centre of economic activity in the Essequibo region. For example, speed boats or other types of transportation can be hired to take passengers as far as Bartica or other hinterland resorts and back in a single day.
BY AIR
Air transportation is readily available for travelling to several parts of the hinterland, whether for business or for pleasure. Several local airlines depart from Ogle Aerodome on the East Coast of Demerara and from Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri. Information on their availability and movement is easily obtainable from their office and from tour operators. For more information click on the airline of choice:
Local Airline Operators :
Roraima Airlines
Trans Guyana Airlines
Air Services

Quick Facts about Guyana

The Name "Guyana" originated from the Country's indigenous Amerindian people and is translated as "the land of many waters."Capital : Georgetown
Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Suriname and Venezuela. Latitude between 10 degrees and 90 degrees and Longitude between 57 degrees and 61 degrees.
Area: 215,000 sq km (Land: 196,850 sq km, Water: 18,150 sq km)
Geography: the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay. The country has four distinct geographical areas: the low flat coastal plain; the hilly sand and clay belt; the high land region and the interior savannah.
Climate: Tropical, pleasant and warm for most of the year, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to June, November to January). Average temperatures 24 degrees Celcius – 31 degrees Celcius.
Political Status: Independent Nation since 26 May 1966 (from UK)
Population: Guyana’s population is approximately 770,794
Ethnic groups: East Indian, Africans, Amerindian, Portuguese, Chinese, and Mixed
Language: English, Creole, Amerindian dialects, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Urdu
Religion: Christian, Hindu, Muslim,Others
Counties: Essequibo,Demerara and Berbice.
Administrative Divisions:
Region 1 - Barima-Waini.
Region 2 - Pomeroon-Supenaam.
Region 3 - Essequibo Islands-West Demerara.
Region 4 - Demerara-Mahaica.
Region 5 - Mahaica-Berbice.
Region 6 - East Berbice-Corentyne.
Region 7 - Cuyuni-Mazaruni.
Region 8 - Potaro-Siparuni.
Region 9 - Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo.
Region 10 - Upper Demerara-Berbice.
Natural Resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish
Agriculture Products: sugarcane, rice, shrimp, fish, vegetable oils; beef, pork, poultry, dairy products.
Exports: sugar, gold, bauxite, alumina, rice, shrimp, molasses, rum, timber
Communications:
Telephone: domestic and long-distance service, international country code - 592.
Cellular Services: GT&T and Digicel are the two cell service providers in Guyana supporting a wide range of services including international roaming, web browsing, blackberry etc.
Internet Services: DSL Broadband, Dial-up. Services available at numerous internet cafes and Hotels. GT&T Hot Spots are free services.
Time Zone: 4 hours behind GMT, 1 hour ahead of EST.
Clothing: Lightweight, causal clothing can be worn throughout the year.
Voltage: 110v in Georgetown; 220v in other places, 50/60 cycles.
Shopping Hours: 8:00 to 17:00 hours (Monday-Friday, noon Saturday)
Security: Exercise the same precautions as you would in any other city.
Emergency Numbers: 911-Police, 912- Fire, 913- Ambulance.
International Agreements: Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
International Partners : ACP, C, Caricom, CDB,CIDA, CSN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (subscriber), ITU, ITUC, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OIC, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO.
Taxes: Value Added Taxes (VAT) is charged at 16% to goods and services, however, many items are either zero rated or exempt. The prices displayed on shelves usually include this tax, unless stated otherwise. Business charging VAT should display their Certificate of Registration.
Banking: All Banks are opened from Monday to Friday at 8:00 hrs to 14:00 hrs. ATM machines are accessible on a 24 hrs basis. The commercial banks are Scotiabank, Rebublic Bank, GBTI, NBS, Demerara Bank, Citizens Bank, Baroda Bank.
Currency: Guyana Dollars ($GYD), US, CDN, Sterling or other foreign currency are widely accepted and can be exchanged at banks and cambios.
Driving: Driving and riding are done in the left lane. Before you start enjoying the fun of driving in Guyana, you must stop by the Inland Revenue Department - License Revenue Division, Smyth & Princess Streets, Georgetown (Telephone number (592) 223 5501 (592) 223 5501) for a 30-Day Permit to drive. Be sure to walk with your valid driver's license or an international driver's license. In Guyana it is an offence to drive without your seat belt. Transportation:
By River - by speed boats (seat capacity +12), ferry service (Berbice, Essequibo and North West)
By Air - by aircrafts to all major airstrips in Guyana.
By Land - by taxis, minibus, vans and trucks to most places in Guyana.

Wild life of Guyana

Hope you enjoy some of our great wildlife shots.

Ashley Holland holding a Red Pacu caught in the pool below the drop of Corona Falls. On the rock beside him is a monkey petroglyph. Dozens of similar rock carvings can be found on the rocks around the falls. Corona Falls is a truly special place, rich in animal and bird life, sport fishing, plants and natural beauty.

Capybaras are the largest rodent in the world, and are common in the Rewa and the Rupununi Rivers. They can be seen along the river banks, foraging in the grass in small family groups. Capybaras are also a major food source for Jaguars.

Anaconda:. This big guy one was spotted sleeping on some rocks in the upper Rewa. When anacondas are asleep like this they can be safely approached from behind, for closer viewing. Also seen anaconda below Corona Falls in the lower Rewa River.

This shot was taken at Sea Wall camp on the last day in the Rewa River; after a 7 week trip and 10 jaguar sightings. This name of the camp refers to the strange rock formation along the bank which resembles the wall built as a sea defense in Georgetown. From left to right are Ashley Holland (guide), Jose (local assistant), Gordon Duncan (repeat guest), and Joe (local assistant).

Tiger Fish (Pseudoplatystoma spp.) as they are locally called are well known for their fighting spirit and endurance. These big catfish will strike at spoons rattle baits, fish bait and even the occasional fly. This one was caught by Samantha James in "Fish Pond" in the Rewa River. It weighed 35 lbs and was around 3.5 feet long.

Things to do and see

Guyana offers the visitors a truly unique experience with nature; the heartland provides an experience with raw, rugged nature that is an ideal complement to the more traditional tourism fare of the Caribbean. Blue waters turn to brown as one approaches the Guyanan coastline, and brown waters assume darker hues as you journey inward along the rivers and creeks. Black waters have their own dark, brooding serenity, even as blue waters have a gaiety and beauty all their own.
Black waters are an important part of the tourist discovery of Guyana. Kaieteur, Orinduik, Andu and Great Falls are all part of the majestic chain of cascades that have enchanted and mystified explorers, travelers and tourists from as early as the nineteenth century. Kaieteur, for example, has generated in travelers feeling akin to mystic awe and reverence. Its beauty has been described as distant and inaccessible. Orinduik, on the other hand, has been regarded as the more 'accessible' of the two falls, a natural jacuzzi for the adventurous traveler.Nature Resorts and Ranches
Your trip of discovery does not end at the Mighty Falls! Guyana boasts a number of nature resorts where an intimate experience with nature can be had for as long as you wish. Emerald Tower rainforest Lodge on the Madewini Creek is ideal for those who do not wish to make a very distant interior journey, far away from Georgetown.
But its nearness to the city does not in any way diminish the element of adventure at Emerald Tower. A relaxing boat ride along the Kamuni Creek will take you to the sands of Timberhead Eco-Resort. The resort comprises three jungle lodges on a forested area, the Nature Trails of which are not to be missed!
Shanklands on the Essequibo river beckons the traveler in quest of serene solitudes. The white colonial style gingerbread cottages sit regally upon a cliff overlooking the mighty Essequibo river. There is rich birdlife in the forest aback Skanklands. Beyond Shanklands there lies the Gazebo on Kaow Island.....the natural place to be! Experience the Sunset Suite, set on the edge of the jungle, ten feet above, and lording over, the jungle.
Much, much farther away, leaving the river behind and entering the North Rupununi, stands Rock View Ecotourism Resort - a graceful old ranch built in the 1950s. Rock View is in Annai where the savannah ends and the cattle trail begins. If your urge is for a real ranch style vacation, with daredevil vaqueros, horse racing and roping, then a visit to the Dadanawa ranch, deep in the Southern Rupununi, is a must.
Dadanawa is the largest ranch in Guyana, established in 1906. Some even consider Dadanawa the largest ranch in the world. Karanambu can be found where the grassland, swamp and forest meet.Beaches
There is no shortage of beach in Guyana. Discover Almond Beach, the only Shell Beach in the world where four of the eight species of sea turtles nest. Shell Beach is also home to the brilliant Scarlet Ibis. If you travel to Berbice, you will wish to spend time at No. 63 Beach in the Corentyne. The Essequibo, meanwhile offers the rolling Saxacalli Beach to tempt your fancy. Historical Sites
For a more historical flavour your discovery may prompt you to visit any of the ruins of the Dutch forts in Guyana. Fort Nasau in Berbice, Fort Island and Kyk-Over-Al in the Essequibo. Still on the Essequibo river there is the gold-mining town of Bartica, familiarly known as 'the gateway to the interior.' Bartica is galvanized in April, the month of the famous Bartica regatta.
Santa Mission is an Amerindian village where visitors can purchase authentic and high-quality handicraft made by the villagers themselves. Our experienced tour guides will assist you in making your plans.
And then there is Georgetown, with so much to offer......
With so much travel your journey of discovery will have acquainted you with the immense and diverse beauty that is Guyana. Before you leave, however, you may wish to enjoy an education in trees at the Guyana Forestry Commission's Yarwkabra Nature Trail, where skilled and knowledgeable guides will explain the fascinating culture of different species of trees.
Guyana is yours to rediscover!

Guyana land of many waters

Located in northern South America, Guyana is the continent’s only English-speaking nation. With the Atlantic Ocean at its northern coastline, the country is bordered by Venezuela, Brazil and Suriname.
Guyana has a range of ecosystems and landscapes which include four mountain ranges, 275 waterfalls, eighteen lakes and vast areas of tropical rainforest, much of which remains untouched.
The interior is renowned for its spectacular waterfalls, distinctively large plants and trees and a thick tropical rainforest teeming with brilliantly-coloured birds, insects and a wide variety of mammals.

Guyana, set in a natural tropical wilderness, is a splendid combination of the Caribbean and South America, with fascinating touches of a sometimes turbulent past. On the northeast corner of the South American continent, Guyana stretches from its 270 mile long Atlantic coastline into dense equatorial forest and the broad Savannah of the Rupununi.
Dominated by mighty rivers which provide essential highways into the rainforest and jungles of the interior, where man has made little impact, Guyana is waiting to be explored.
The picturesque capital and port of Georgetown, with its modern hotels and traditional wooden buildings lining broad boulevards, stands guard over the Demerara River. The striking architecture reminds us of its strong 18th and 19th century Dutch and British history and is a fascinating introduction to the land of Guyana. Don't miss St. George's Cathedral, reputed to be the world's tallest wooden building.
Setting out to explore the natural beauty of the interior by boat, light aircraft or 4 x 4, you encounter the extraordinary natural heritage of Guyana spreading out like a tropical carpet. See jaguar roaming freely in the rainforest and listen to the unearthly cry of howler monkeys echoing through the trees. To discover the beauty of Guyana is to glimpse the flashes of scarlet, yellow and blue as macaws fly like arrows across a clearing in the forest canopy, and toucans and the awesome Harpy Eagle swoop through the trees. These are a few of the more than 700 species of birds that are indigenous to Guyana.
In Guyana, nature has supplied the beauty, man has supplied the means to explore. The natural wonder of the Kaieteur Falls, where the 400 foot wide Potaro River plunges over the Pakaraima Plateau in a stunning 740 foot single drop, is one of the world's great waterfalls. Discover the 90 mile-long Shell Beach where four species of turtle, including the endangered Oliver Ridley, crawl awkwardly up the beach to to lay their eggs in the warm sands, by the light of the tropical moon. An experience never to be forgotten by the human watcher.