Lenthem

Lethem is a laid-back frontier town in southern Guyana, set on the vast Rupununi savannahs near the Brazilian border. It’s a gateway between Guyana and Brazil, known for wide open landscapes, cattle ranches, and a strong blend of Indigenous, Guyanese, and Brazilian cultures.

Travelers come to Lethem for its raw, off-the-beaten-path feel. The surrounding Rupununi region offers dramatic scenery—rolling grasslands, rivers, wetlands, and distant mountains—along with excellent opportunities for wildlife spotting, birdwatching, and nature photography. You’ll see giant anteaters, capybaras, caimans, and hundreds of bird species.

The town itself is small and unhurried, with local markets, Brazilian-influenced food, and a friendly, rural atmosphere. Lethem is also a jumping-off point for eco-lodges, Indigenous village visits, fishing trips, and savannah adventures deeper into the Rupununi.

Good to know for travelers:

• Best visited in the dry season (roughly September–April) for easier road travel
• Access by domestic flight from Georgetown or overland via Brazil
• Expect basic but welcoming accommodation—this is about nature, not luxury
• Cash is important; services are limited compared to coastal Guyana
• If you’re looking for authentic culture, wide-open wilderness, and adventure far from crowds, Lethem is one of Guyana’s most distinctive destinations.

Things to Do

There are many tourists attractions in Lethem area such as the Kanuku and the Moco Moco mountains and falls.

• English colonial-style houses all over the town.
• Mount Roraima (in the horizon). Mount Roraima is at a height of 2810 m the tallest mountain in Guyana and marks the tri-border between Guyana, Brazil and Venezuela. It can reportedly be seen from Lethem, despite being over 200 km away as the crow flies. OSM directions edit
• St. Ignatius. Walk across the wooden bridge in Lethem to visit the community of St. Ignatius. There are no businesses other than a cashew factory cooperative run by local women. You will, however, witness the daily lives of the Amerindian population.

Plan Your Visit

Getting Here

1. By car The dirt road from Georgetown through Linden to Lethem is being kept up despite the frequent need for repairs to bridges and hill slides; it's the only road link between the Brazilian state of Roraima and the sea coast. In particular during the rainy season the driving conditions are poor.

The Brazilian road coming from Boa Vista (125 km) to the south, is paved and in a much better shape. In 2008 the bridge from the Brazilian side of the river was completed, replacing the ferry.

2. By bus From Georgetown, overnight minibuses depart every evening around 18:00 and they arrive in Lethem the next day around noon. Minibuses operate around the year, also in the rainy season — service with the full-size buses who could take up to 36 hours in the rainy period has been discontinued. From Linden onwards the road is a dirt road with a lot of potholes so don't expect to sleep well. Tickets are around GYD 9000-10000.

If you're coming from the south, there's at least a daily bus from the state capital Boa Vista to Bonfim, tickets are R$ 13 for the bus or R$ 35 for a minibus. From Bonfim, take a taxi or walk across the border.

3. By plane Plane on the airstrip Trans Guyana Airways has two daily flights between Georgetown and Lethem (no flights on Sundays). These flights leave from the small Georgetown-Ogle municipal airport closer to downtown (not the international airport) and are a comparatively comfortable way of getting Lethem from the capital. Luggage space is very limited so be sure to have the amount of allowable luggage clarified before arrival at the airport. Although this is a domestic flight, a passport is required for non-citizens. One-way tickets are GYD 30,000, round trip GYD 55,000 (may be out of date). From some major Brazilian cities, you simply can fly into Boa Vista and travel the last leg by bus.