Vacation in Guyana 7

Hike to the Kaiteur Falls.

Within the Kaiteur National Park is Guyana's most famous natural feature: the Kaiteur Falls. Five times the size of Naigara, at 741 feet, (with 822 feet to the bottom of the gorge) Kaiteur is the world's largest single drop waterfall.

As time, energy and good health were all in supply, we had formed a party of six to take a four day hike, up the Potaro river, combining boats, walking and climbing, and staying overnight in wooden lodging houses, or in quickly constructed tarpaulin shelters, carrying all our belongings and supplies.

As we progressed inland, moving from tarmac road to rough dirt tracks, encountering small occupied or abandoned mining settlements on riverside locations we were aware of the remoteness, the lack of human habitation or interference with nature.
Our expedition was lead by Tony (Anthony Melville), an experienced Amerindian from the Patamuna tribe, who features in the documentary film The White Diamond (2004, director Werner Herzog) about  the history of aviation and an attempt to fly over the forest canopy of Guyana, including Kaiteur, in an airship.

Tony took us up river by boat, stopping at smaller waterfalls to enjoy the sheer beauty of nature, adapting and changing our schedule according to weather, the availability of the few boats on the river and the endurance of individuals in our party.

View from the island on the Potaro river where we spent our first night

Rapids along the Potaro- surrounded by endless miles of uninhabited lands

In spite of several soakings and anxieties about dangerous wildlife (unrealised) everyone kept in good spirits, sharing the biscuits, cereal bars and (cold) tinned beans, mosquito spray, baby wipes and the poor taste jokes. Nature is a great leveller.  Coming from four different countries:- the UK, the Netherlands, the USA and Canada:- and following Tony's lead, we helped each over rocks, on to wobbling boats, waited when one person was tired, was taking photographs and answering the call of nature.
As if by order, it rained for most of the second day, the boats we used were leaky and by nightfall we arrived soaking and exhausted at a lodge. Hammocks had to be strung up, food unwrapped and shared at one table, then preparations made (extremely limited and basic) for retiring for the night.

Tessa and Drew outside our lodgings for the night.

On the third morning- the day of the final boat journey to the far reaches of the Kaiteur Falls and a climb of over 700 feet to the plateau, the weather cleared and we were blessed with sunshine with occasional cooling clouds.

The damp and discomfort of the previous day evaporated as we rose to our challenge and slowly made our way, step by step, following Tony along the vaguely defined trail.

Tony, noting that two of us- me at 55 and Susan at 65- were a little slower than the others, and fashioned walking sticks for each of us, using the knife/machete implement he walked with.

Our long sweaty tiring hike was rewarded when we reached the first of three viewing points for the Falls.
Unlike tourist attractions and sites in the UK, where protective fencing is erected, areas marked and facilities installed and charged for and commercial potential exploited, sometimes ruining what should be enjoyed, here we were able to sit dizzyingly close to the edge and enjoy the power of the Falls, watching the swifts which nest in safety behind the actual Falls darting overhead.

Rosie, Clare and I pose for a picture.


And- don't look at the next picture if you are scared of heights- as I am.

The item of furniture just visible on the right of the picture is a standard wooden park bench- for taking the view.