Media treated to familiarization tour to Kaieteur, Baganara resort

Apr 28, 2014 News

Local Journalists on Friday had a chance to escape a usually hectic day’s work and hop on a plane to the serene and incredibly scenic Kaieteur Falls. Media operatives gathered at the Ogle International Airport to check in for their 09:30hrs flight. But due to bad weather, Trans Guyana Airways had to delay boarding for about an hour.

The participants of last Friday’s media tour

Soon enough, we were all on our way to one of the highest single drop waterfalls in the world.
About an hour later, the 14-seater aircraft landed at the Kaieteur National Park, which is located in Central Essequibo territory, Region Eight.
After a quick snack at the Visitors’ Arrival Centre, located a few feet from the airstrip, it was time to grab our water bottles and trek through the forested area to get glimpses of the majestic falls in all its glory.
With tour guide Collin Williams leading, reporters and photographers were briefed on some of the fascinating creatures and plants that live in the Kaieteur National Park. The sun was scorching hot, but the cool wind cushioned those skin burns. And of all the great things I was able to see and touch, the snake was my least favourite. I was also frightened to think about the tiny poisonous frog, but luckily, this was not in sight.
While on a tour of Kaieteur Falls, tourists are usually taken to three vantage points from where the massively thrilling cascade can be seen. As the group got closer to the first point, the sounds allowed one to picture the thousands of gallons of water racing to fall off the cliff ahead.
Walking out of the rainforest, one is greeted with the breathtaking view of the beautiful Pakaraima Mountains. Soon the image that many of us had painted in our heads was right in front the eyes. It was way more fascinating than what the first timers had seen in documentaries and photographs.
While breathing the cool, crisp air and grasping every bit of what there was to see- the mountains in the distance, the rainbow-decorated stream down below and the giant waterfall to the right, media operatives hurriedly tried to capture it all on camera. Yes, it was the time where many of them overloaded on the ‘selfies’ concept , but with Kaieteur in the background.
This however, was periodically interrupted as the mist hid the falls at times.
Soon enough, it was time to head over to the second vantage point. This one is much closer to the waterfall itself.
But without a doubt, the third and final view was the best of them all. That’s where you get to stand right at the top of this majestic creation, just at the tip of where the water falls off the edge and into the Kaieteur valley.
We took photos from all angles, before planting our feet in the chilled and rapidly running water atop Kaieteur. While there, one has to be extra careful as getting too deep into the stream is taking a dangerous risk of being easily swept into the gushing cascade.
This jewel of South America is about four times higher than the Niagara Falls and about twice the height of the Victoria Falls. It is the 123rd highest (single and multi-drop waterfall) in the world, according to the World Waterfall Database. The same website lists it as 19th largest waterfall in terms of volume, and in their estimation, Kaieteur is the 26th most scenic waterfall in the world.
Upriver from the falls, the Potaro Plateau stretches out to the distant escarpment of the Pakaraima Mountains. The Potaro River empties into the Essequibo River, which is one of the longest and widest rivers in South America.
According to Patamona Indian legends, Kaieteur Falls was named after Kai, a chief, or Toshao who acted to save his people by paddling over the falls in an act of self-sacrifice to Makonaima, the ‘Great Spirit.’
Other Amerindian legends suggest that Kaieteur Falls has been named after an unpleasant old man who was placed in a boat and shoved in the fall by his relatives.
The word ‘Kaieteur’ means ‘old-man-fall.
After touring the environs of Kaieteur, media workers hiked back to the Arrival Centre, after which the aircraft took us directly to the relaxing Baganara Island Resort.
After lunch, some relaxed on the sandy beach while others successfully attempted the thrilling sport of kayaking, before returning to the coast and getting back to our usual day’s work.
The entire tour was sponsored by Correia Group of Companies via Evergreen Adventures and Trans Guyana Airways.