Surama Eco-Lodge, Guyana - Where the Rainforest Ends and the Savanna/Rupununi Begins

February 12, 2014

At almost a moment's notice, the thick rainforest of Guyana gives way to extensive grasslands.  This savanna in the Southern corner of the country (known as the Rupununi) is home to a few notable eco-lodges and impressive wildlife.  Lodges such as Karanambu, Rewa, Surama, Rock View and a few others entice visitors with the friendly indigenous populations, wildlife viewing opportunities and the vast openness of an area still remarkably undeveloped.  

With such a short trip and having to re-arrange some flights, we didn't have much time in the Rupununi, but we were glad we'd at least be able to see a tiny piece of it.  We took the small plane from Georgetown to Rock View lodge, flying over vast tracts of untouched rainforest before suddenly giving way to the Southern grasslands of the Rupununi.  We had a couple of hours to explore the area around Rock View before meeting our guide, Navin, and heading up to Surama Eco-Lodge.

(Shortly after arriving at Rock View, we took a walk around the surrounding area, finding beautiful rolling hills of grasslands and a few small settlements.  This area is between the official Rock View lodge and the Oasis, its budget offshoot.)

(We then headed up to Surama Eco-Lodge, leaving most of the grasslands and heading into the thick rainforest before coming upon another small opening where the lodge and a few communities take advantage of a break in the trees.)

(The view from the lodge down towards the rainforest.  Most of these lodges offer cultural visits, wildlife tracking, river cruises and a few other activities, though part of the joy is the splendid isolation and peacefulness of it all.)

(Walking down the dirt road from the lodge, we entered back into the forest en route to our river cruise.  The walk took us about 45 minutes through the trees where we saw a couple of birds and a lot of insects, including trails of leaf-cutter ants and the "bullet" ant, named because the bite of the ant is so painful that it feels like you got shot.  It's also known as the 24 hour ant because the pain lasts for 24 hours.  Fortunately, we decided not to try it out for ourselves.)

(Along with a Canadian guest and our two guides, we slowly paddled our canoe up the Burro Burro river.  Surrounded by trees and no development, this was a beautiful spot.  We did see a few monkeys playing in the trees, though we unfortunately didn't spot any giant otters.)

(Apparently this area does have some piranhas and electric eels, so we wisely didn't go for a swim here, though it sounds like it's really not that dangerous.  Our guide told us some good stories about he and his friends playing with electric eels and shocking each other.)

(This is the take-out point for the canoes along the Burro Burro, another tranquil spot on the relaxing river cruise.)