Iwokrama River Lodge and Research Centre
Nestled on the banks of the majestic Essequibo River in the heart of Guyana is the award-winning Iwokrama River Lodge and Research Centre. This eco-tourism gem is surrounded by a vast tropical rain forest which was donated to the international community in 1989 to demonstrate Guyana’s commitment to combating climate change and to show how tropical forests could be used to provide sustainable economic benefits. The Lodge consists of guest accommodation, a full service kitchen, restaurant, bar, two shops, and a boat dock.
Guest Cabins There are eight beautifully situated river facing cabins, each of which is spacious and beautifully designed, equipped with fans, bathroom, 24-hour electricity supplied by solar power, and a wrap-around verandah with hammocks. Our cabins are designed for two but with room for a third bed if required. From these comfortable cabins, watch the sun go down, listen to the many local birds and other wildlife or simply relax in your hammock. These cabins were built for comfort and are perfect for everyone, from families to friends traveling together.
Turtle Mountain Camp The adventurous and curious will want to spend a day or two exploring Turtle Mountain and the surrounding rain forest. The head of the Turtle Mountain trail is a 15 minute boat ride from the main lodge. Soaking in the views of horizon-to-horizon canopy cover from atop Turtle Mountain is a classic, unforgettable Guyana experience. Our cabins at the base of the mountain make a great base camp for excursions on in the forest or along the Essequibo River.
Fred Allicock Building Nearby, overlooking the river, is the bar and the restaurant, where, after an exciting day of discovery and exploration, you can enjoy traditional Guyanese cuisine at our restaurant. A computer with internet access is available in the tourism office, and the entire building is covered by WiFi internet access*. A gift shop and a shop selling cold drinks, snacks and general items such as toiletries that you may have left at home is in the lower level. Not far away are two science laboratories and a conference room with air conditioning and which is wired for digital equipment such as computers and LCD projectors.
Things to Do
No matter whether you’re young or old, a veteran or new traveller, adventurous or merely curious… we cater to a wide range of interests, abilities, and backgrounds at Iwokrama. We believe everyone can enjoy a stay in the rainforest that is as stimulating, enlightening, or as relaxing as you wish.
- Iwokrama Canopy Walkway
- Prince Charles Trail
- Indian House Island
- Nocturnal Wildlife Spotting
- Jaguar Spotting
- Turtle Mountain
- Birding
- Amerindian Petroglyphs
- Mori Scrub
- Canoe Trips
- Rainforest Trails
- Kurupukari Falls
- Read and Relax
Plan Your Visit
Getting Here By road we are roughly 8 hours south of Georgetown and 4 hours north of Lethem. Charter flights can land at Fair View, 2km from our location. Guyana’s trans-national road passes directly through the Iwokrama Rain Forest and provides ground access to both Georgetown and Lethem.
An unpaved road stretches from Georgetown on Guyana’s Atlantic coastline to Lethem on the Brazil border. The laterite highway is a lifeline for Guyana’s interior communities. The transnational highway is a lifeline but suffers from occasional washouts and severe rutting which can dramatically lengthen the time it takes to cover even short distances. Very few private vehicles make the journey, and coach service was suspended in 2011.
Georgetown to Iwokrama in an Iwokrama Vehicle: Depart from Iwokrama’s office in Georgetown in a 4×4 air conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver. Along the way your guide will point out unique and interesting wildlife, fauna and flora. Stop for lunch at 58 miles Mabura where a traditional Guyanese meal and refreshment can be enjoyed. The duration of this trip is approximately 6 – 9 hours each way depending on road conditions. Suitable vehicles are used for larger groups. See our rates page for additional details.
Georgetown to Iwokrama via public minibus: Make your own arrangements for ground transport. This minibus departs Georgetown at approximately 6pm and travels through the night making one or two convenience stops en-route. You’ll arrive at Kurupukari Crossing on the Essequibo River by 6 am when ferry service commences. Our vehicle will uplift you from the Radio Station (RS1) cottage after you’ve crossed the river. Call P & A Bus Service in Georgetown on Tel:(+592) 225 5058. See our rates page for additional details.
Flying to Iwokrama is a more comfortable journey and you are far more likely to arrive on schedule. Trans Guyana Airways (TGA) makes several flights daily between Georgetown and Lethem. With special arrangements, TGA will stop briefly at the Annai or Surama airstrip mid-flight. From there, our vehicle will drive you to Iwokrama, a journey of approximately 2 hours. Vehicles in this region are in very short supply, so ground transport must be pre-arranged well in advance.
Some travellers – especially groups of 6 or more – may wish to charter a flight from Georgetown to Fairview airstrip, only 2 km from the Iwokrama River Lodge. This can be particularly convenient and cost effective if you stop at Kaieteur Falls along the way and factor in the ground transport savings.See our rates page for additional details.
Rates Cabin Accommodation
- Single Occupancy: $180/cabin
- Double Occupancy: $230/cabin
- Triple Occupancy: $280/cabin
Research Building
- Single Occupancy: $70/room
Training Rooms
- Single Occupancy: $40/room
All prices are quoted $USD and includes all fees and service charges. Prices shown do not include a mandatory $USD 15 Iwokrama Forest Conservation User Fee. Payment of this Conservation Fee covers your entire visit to the Iwokrama forest and funds community development projects. Payment may be made in $USD, $GYD, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or travellers cheques and bank transfers – a 5% administrative fee is applicable to all payments. Prices subject to change without notice.
Booking
- All requests for provisional or confirmed reservations are to be made by the Guest by way of e-mail, letter, facsimile, voucher or addressed to Iwokrama River Lodge.
- No reservation will be deemed confirmed unless acknowledged and accepted in writing by Iwokrama River Lodge. The Lodge will respond to all reservation applications in a timely manner and will reply using the same medium of communication whereby the request was made.
- Provisional reservations will be held for 7 days, if a deposit is not made to confirm the reservation, the booking will be automatically released.
- The reserving party must furnish Iwokrama River Lodge with the following information:
- Guest’s last name and full first names.
- Number and category of rooms required.
- Preferred arrival and departure dates.
- Arrival and departure points and information (airline, charter or transfer information).
- Nationality of Guests
- Types of paid tours they would like to undertake.
Contact
Please do get in touch – we’d love to hear from you We are available most weekdays between the hours of 9am and 5pm Guyana time… use the live web chat feature on this website to reach us during those hours. The form below can be used any time – or email us at tourism@iwokrama.org.