Kaieteur Falls is easily one of the most magnificent natural sites we’ve visited in our extensive travels, and I’m going to venture to say that you’ve probably never heard of it. Situated on the Potaro River in Kaieteur National Park, the cascading falls are deeply rooted within Guyana’s region of the Amazon Rainforest.
Kaieteur is the world’s largest single drop waterfall measured by the volume of water flowing over it, standing nearly five times taller than its ever-popular counterpart Niagara Falls and doubling the height of the highly lauded Victoria Falls. Kaieteur’s unparalleled stunning natural beauty enveloped by the almighty Amazon Rainforest promises to leave a lasting impression on all visitors, from the novice to the most seasoned of travelers.
Because of Kaieteur’s blissfully isolated location and the nation’s limit on visitors to a mere 6,000 per year, crowds are pretty much non-existent and our small group of less than fifteen were the only ones there! To say that this was a stark contrast from our previous experiences visiting other majestic falls like North America’s Niagara, Argentina’s Iguazu, and Iceland’s Gullfoss would be a vast understatement. The country’s effort to preserve the park, nature, and surrounding region is truly commendable.
In short, Kaieteur Falls is as wondrous as it is unknown.
Getting to the falls is just as much part of the adventure as visiting them is. They are extremely remote, requiring a sixty minute flight aboard a small (ours was a 12 seater), albeit sturdy, aircraft from in and around Georgetown, Guyana’s capital city. It’s important to note that flying aboard the tiny plane is not for the faint of heart, but as the saying goes, with high risk often comes high reward.
Soaring above Guyana’s verdant interior did indeed offer an abundance of rewards, including striking aerial views of the rainforest’s imposing mountains, dense forests, meandering rivers, and of course, the thunderous waterfalls.
Aerial views of the Amazon
Once we arrived, we landed upon the Kaieteur Airstrip, an extremely narrow strip nestled within an open grassy field, where we were greeted by a few locals, known as Amerindians, who inhabit the incredibly secluded region.
Before venturing out to the falls, we briefly stopped at the Kaieteur Visitor’s Center, home to the park’s only restroom facilities, a makeshift gift shop, and several tables where we would later eat our previously ordered prepared box lunches.
Our affable and knowledgeable guides led us to 3 different lookouts, stopping to point out and describe the wide array of exotic flora and fauna along the way. The first lookout is a natural rock slab void of any guardrails. Needless to say, T was not exactly thrilled each time I inched closer and closer to the precipice just to get my umpteenth shot of the same exact photo. But a travel blogger’s gotta do what she’s gotta do, am I right? Within seconds of peering out at the 350-foot-wide waterfall plunge from the edge of the steep rock face, we were enamored by its raw beauty and immense power. I had grossly underestimated the sheer magnitude of Kaieteur.
The second vantage point, aptly named Boy Scout View after the boy scouts who arrived there and camped at the exact spot following an arduous 5-day overland trip (can you imagine just how stressed out their parents must have been?!), is about 100 meters closer to the falls, offering even more jaw-dropping, staggering views. Again, no safety rails here (or anywhere, for that matter), so proceed and admire with caution!
The third and final viewpoint, easily my favorite and in my opinion, the most extraordinary, is Rainbow View, where iridescent rainbows gleam under the rising mist, serving as the sweet lustrous icing on an already deliciously radiant cake. The expansive view also spills out to the pristine Potaro River, winding around several small rocky islands and the piercing lush greenery of the thick uninhabited jungle. As I stood encompassed by so much unspoiled splendor, I found myself awe-struck and overwhelmed with gratitude. It’s not every day that you find yourself surrounded by so much immaculate grandeur. Mother Nature at her ultimate finest.
If you are a waterfall and/or nature enthusiast, Kaieteur Falls deserves a prominent place on your travel bucket list. What an amazing place to feel connected to nature, all while be reminded of the world’s enormity and our miniscule part of what makes it so undeniably beautiful. May all of your travels leave you feeling simultaneously immensely empowered while remarkably small.
If You Go:
How to Take a Kaieteur Falls Tour
There are several reputable tour operators that service Kaieteur Falls. We used Evergreen Adventures and were extremely satisfied. They offer a number of day trips and we opted for the Kaieteur Falls and Orinduik Falls combination tour ($255 USD per person, including roundtrip airfare, lunch, and guide-led tour). The Kaieteur Falls tour costs $190 USD per person, including roundtrip airfare, snacks, and guide-led tour). Both tours depart and return from Eugene F. Correia International Airport.
http://www.evergreenadventuresgy.com
Happy Traveling, All!
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