Home for me is in a small village called Success a few minutes outside of Georgetown.  Apart from a few exceptions, life for me pretty much happens either at home or at work. There isn’t often a lot of room left for travel and adventure.

So when I got the chance to tag along with my wife on a work trip, I happily jumped at the chance. Destination: Bartica, Land of the Essequibo!

A relatively small community recently elevated to township status, Bartica is located about 80 KM inland from the Atlantic Ocean where the Essequibo, Cuyuni, and Mazaruni rivers meet. From Bartica, roads lead to Guyana’s vast interior where most of the country’s gold and diamond mines are.

The plan was to spend a few hours in Bartica for Lei’s event, then take a small boat and head further up the river to a small resort.

Bartica, Here We Come!

The trip started with a drive from Guyana’s capital city Georgetown to a port village called Parika. From Parika, it is possible to access the vast Essequibo River and all the communities that lie within. With decent traffic, the drive from Georgetown to Parika takes approximately an hour and we were able to do it in under that.

We found (affordable) parking at a nearby garage and made our way to the stelling.  There is a ferry service that is operated by the Ministry of Transportation to and from the Essequibo Islands and West Demerara area, so the stelling is always buzzing. There’s also a vibrant market in case of any last minute shopping needs.

What we needed to catch was one of the smaller water taxis that traverse the Parika-Bartica route. Those boats can usually be found on the left side of the stelling. There are always people there though, so if you’re not sure, just ask where the boats to Parika are – it’s pretty difficult to take the wrong one.

We found one, snapped some photos while we waited for it to fill up, and were on our way.

The ride from Parika to Bartica takes approximately 45 minutes, depending on how rough the water is. In our case, it was pretty calm so we made good time. It’s a pretty fun ride and is super cool to see the beautiful landscape and all the families that have made the banks of the river their homes.

Pro tip: Bring along your headphones if you can – the engine on the boat can be quite loud.

Hello Bartica!

We arrived safe and sound in Bartica and attended Lei’s work thing, then took a leisurely stroll back to the stelling. Bartica is pretty small and it’s possible to walk most of the town quite easily.

We made it down to the boardwalk, had a cold beer (or 2) then caught a boat to Aruwai.

Final Destination: Aruwai White H20 Resort

Aruwai was outstanding. The facilities were excellent, the room was great and the food was yummy (for once, Lei’s order beat mine – the garlic shrimp and stir-fried vegies were to die for!)

We were also treated to complimentary cocktails upon arrival as well as breakfast the following morning. Our room also included a free trip to a fantastic nearby waterfall.

Overall, costs were pretty reasonable (quoted in GYD):

• The boat ride from Parika to Bartica – $3,000
• The boat ride from Bartica to Aruwai – $3,000 – $5,000 (depends on how many passengers available)
• 1 night at Aruwai – $26,000 (includes a free cocktail on arrival, breakfast, and trip to the falls)
• The boat ride from Aruwai to Parika $7,000

All in all, I would 10 out of 10 recommend.

Until next time.

Damion