Land of Many Waters

With a name that means “land of many waters” in an indigenous Amerindian language, it should be no surprise Guyana is home to some of the world’s most beautiful waterfalls.

Impressive falls can be found throughout many of Guyana’s rainforest regions, but Pitaro-Siparuni is home to the nation’s most famous, Kaieteur Falls. The mind-boggling 741-foot drop makes thunderous Kaieteur the largest single drop fall in the world by water volume, and its lush location inside Kaieteur National Park sets the perfect scene for old-school exploration and adventure travel. If you’re not in the mood for a multiday hike, though, you’ll need to hitch a ride on a Cessna to get here.

Trans Guyana Airways offers a waterfall package departing from the capital city of Georgetown that includes a flight to Kaieteur, a two-hour tour of the park with a guide, a flight to Orinduik Falls near the Brazilian border (these multi-step falls flow over pure jasper and are backed by the grassy hills of the Pakaraima Mountains) where lunch is served, and a return flight to Georgetown.

For those with less time or less budget, a shorter itinerary eliminates Orinduik and lunch, featuring Kaieteur only. Conversely, to see more of Guyana by air, including additional falls and, if conditions are exactly right, Mount Roraima, the cloud-surpassing plateau made famous in Pixar’s UP, private charters with customizable itineraries are available.