Caiman House

There’s increased tourism interest in Guyana, the South American nation that is more than 90% rainforest. Intrepid travelers arrive here for incredible natural wonders like Kaieteur Falls–among the world’s largest single-drop waterfalls by volume–and astounding wildlife that includes jaguars, giant river otters, and more than 800 species of birds. United Airlines launched a new flight in April from Houston to Georgetown, easing accessibility for visitors (as well as workers in the country’s booming gas-and-oil sector). From the capital, hop a 12-seater to a remote airstrip and make the short overland trip to Caiman House, a wildlife research center and lodge on the banks of the Rupununi River. The inn funnels its surplus proceeds to village, wildlife, and cultural preservation projects—with conservation initiatives charging full speed ahead thanks to increased support from Guyana’s Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme. (This includes a research program to reduce the loss of endemic yellow-spotted river turtles, a species threatened by flooding and human consumption.) Seeing the lodge’s black caiman research first-hand is what draws most visitors to this remote locale, however, and it’s a real thrill to venture out onto the river by boat at night to watch as researchers weigh, measure, sex, tag, and release the endemic (and often feisty) reptiles, which are most active after dark.

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