Kaieteur Falls

Lonely Planet review

You may have been to Angel or Iguazú falls, seen Niagara or not even be particularly interested in waterfalls; it doesn't matter, go to Kaieteur Falls. Watching 30,000 gallons of water per second be shot out over a 250m (820ft) cliff in the middle of a misty, ancient jungle without another tourist in sight is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The brave (or crazy) can actually stand at the top of the falls and gaze over the precipice. Depending on the season, the falls are from 76m (250ft) to 122m (400ft) wide. Swifts nest under the falls' overhang and dart in and out of the waters around sunset each night. On the walk to the falls look for outrageously showy, scarlet cock-of-the-rock birds. Other creatures found in the park around the falls include the tiny golden frog, (providers of dart poison for the local indigenous peoples) and the rare bush dog.