Guyana’s Karanambu Lodge

Along Guyana’s Rupununi River, Karanambu Lodge is an oasis of comfort and compassion in a largely wild region undisturbed by commercial tourism. Guyana is a land rich in biodiversity and Karanambu is dedicated to its conservation, operating as both an eco-tourist lodge and a charitable trust devoted to the preservation of the Rupununi, savannah and waters.

A stay at Karanambu is an immersive introduction to the land and wildlife that has enchanted the McTurk family since they created Karanambu in 1927, first as a cattle ranch and later as a lodge and trust. On site, a giant river otter orphanage sits just steps from the lodge’s six clay cabins with thatched roofs and hammocks strung from the verandas. Joining the otters and their caregiver (affectionately known as “water daddy”) for daily walks to the river where they learn to fish and socialize is an intimate experience both entertaining and educational, and an opportunity impossible to come by elsewhere.

Morning safari drives across the savannah often yield giant anteater sightings as the fluffy insect hunters bed down for a day’s rest before resuming nocturnal activities at sundown, and Karanambu is also prime real estate for birding. Across the 110-square-mile property, more than 600 species of birds can be spotted, including many that can’t be found anywhere outside of Guyana. An evening drive to witness the sunset opening of the world’s largest water lily in one of the most remote and diverse landscapes is an unforgettable experience. Be sure to add your day’s sightings to the species board when you return to the lodge for dinner.

Karanambu’s quaint accommodations, though minimal, are among the most comfortable and well appointed in the region, highlighting the McTurk family’s expertise and experience in hospitality. Always forward-looking and conservation-minded, the lodge recently reduced its plastic use by upwards of 90 percent by providing reusable water bottles and purified refill stations around the property. Stay here to connect with nature and help the lodge and trust preserve and conserve one of the world’s last pure wildernesses.