Nature and wildlife in Guyana

Explore Georgetown's botanical gardens, rainforest canopy, waterfalls and a remote sea-turtle nesting coast.

Guyana’s outdoor experiences range from a shady city garden to rainforest viewpoints and waterfalls in the interior. This guide also includes Shell Beach, where community rangers watch over nesting sea turtles.

1. Guyana Botanical Gardens

   Parks & Nature, Demerara-Mahaica

   Georgetown’s botanical gardens have palms, lotus-filled canals and Victorian-era bridges. Manatees glide in the ponds, and the adjoining zoological park cares for native wildlife.

2. Iwokrama Canopy Walkway

   Parks & Nature, Potaro-Siparuni

   Suspension bridges and viewing decks rise about 30 metres above the Iwokrama Forest canopy. Visitors may spot toucans, howler monkeys and sloths moving through the treetops.

3. Kaieteur Falls

   Parks & Nature, Potaro-Siparuni

   In Kaieteur National Park, the Potaro River drops about 226 metres from a sandstone plateau. The surrounding rainforest is home to tiny golden frogs in giant bromeliads, and swifts wheel through the spray at dusk.

4. Orinduik Falls

   Parks & Nature, Potaro-Siparuni

   The Ireng River spills over terraces of red and gold jasper rock at Orinduik Falls. Shallow pools between the steps make this a place to swim and splash.

5. Shell Beach

   Beach, Barima-Waini

   This remote, protected Atlantic coast is lined with sand made largely of crushed seashells. Between roughly March and August, four sea turtle species come ashore to lay eggs, watched over by community rangers.