Kaieteur &
Situated in the heart of Guyana on the Potaro River, a tributary of the great Essequibo, Kaieteur Falls is one of the world's natural wonders. Flowing over a flat, sandstone tableland into a deep gorge, Kaieteur has a single drop of 741 feet (the largest single drop waterfall in the world). It then plummets downward for another 101 feet for a total of 822 feet--five times the drop of Niagara. The unusual conditions created by the falls support a fascinating micro-environment, which includes some species identifiable only to this area.
Lucky visitors may catch a fleeting glimpse of the Kaieteur Swifts, or Makonaima Birds. Swifts are the most rapid fliers among living creatures, a property that allows them to snatch up insects while on the wing. The Kaieteur Swifts nest under the vast shield of rock hidden behind the curtain of falling water.
The Orinduik Falls lie on the Ireng, a highland river that thunders over steps and terraces of jasper on the border divide with Brazil before merging with the Takutu and then heading down into Brazil to join the great Amazon. The falls are situated amid the rolling, grass-covered hills of the Pakaraima Mountains, one of the most beautiful regions of Guyana's hinterland. In contrast to the dramatic gorge at Kaieteur, Orinduik is ideally suited for swimming. |
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