Park, Zoo & Gardens

Botanical Garden

No trip to Georgetown would be complete without a visit to the Botanical Gardens. The Botanical Gardens houses one of the most extensive collections of tropical flora in the Caribbean and are laid out with ponds, canals, kissing bridges and a bandstand.

Promenade Garden
The Promenade Garden, with its main entrance on Middle Street, occupies one city block. The area was once used as a public display for hanging the slaves associated with the 1823 East Coast rebellion. Prominent fixtures in the garden include a bandstand and the Mahatma Gandhi Monument. The bandstand is the oldest of three in the city and was completed in 1897.

The National Park
The National Park, formerly occupied by the Demerara Golf Club since 1923 was renamed the Queen Elizabeth II National Park in 1965 in honour of the Queen's visit to Guyana. On Guyana's attainment of independence it was became known as the National Park.On 26 May 1966 the Golden Arrowhead was hoisted and the Union Jack lowered marking the birth of Guyana. This park is utilized for cultural, educational and recreational activities and is maintained by The National Parks Commission under the Ministry of Agriculture.

The Zoological Park
Over 100 species of wildlife can be observed at the Zoo including a wide variety of tropical fishes and birds.
The Guyana Zoo houses approximately 30 species (or kinds) of mammals, 40 species of birds, 15 species of reptiles and 20 species of fish. Some exciting representatives of these groups include the following species:

Mammals: jaguars, pumas, tapirs, giant otter, white faced saki monkeys, capuchin monkeys, a tayra, a family of two-toed sloths, and manatees.
Birds: eagles and hawks (raptors), parrots, toucans and owls.
Reptiles: rattlesnakes, spectacled caiman, anacondas, matamata turtle, and emerald tree boa.

Some endangered species (animals with low population numbers in the wild) can also be found at the zoo. For example, we have four harpy eagles, three jaguars, a giant otter and West Indian manatees.