Guyana: Where Healing Meets Adventure

When sadness fills my heart, I close my eyes and find myself on the top of Turtle Mountain, overlooking the vast Iwokrama Rainforest. Sometimes I’m reliving the boat ride on the expansive Essequibo River, or sitting on the edge with my bestie Ayana, basking in the majesty of Kaieteur Falls. All of a sudden, it is well with my soul.

Maybe it's the pride of embarking on our first adult girls' trip, or the grounding effect of the plethora of scenic views—but whatever it is, it calms my mind and evokes a quiet happiness. It summons a tearful vulnerability that's bursting to be expressed.

Guyana was never a country I planned to visit. But here it is, healing my soul.

In the coming posts, I’ll take you through our 6-day itinerary—from the blue lakes of Linden and the historic buildings of Georgetown, to our 10-hour overnight bus ride to Iwokrama River Lodge, where we hiked up Turtle Mountain, searched for caimans in the dead of night, and survived a tumultuous flight that led to a surprising find in Region 8.

This is an ode to Guyana.

I hope this inspires you to visit, and serves as a reminder that some of our best experiences await us in the places we least expect.