We invite you to the Rupununi; a place of rolling
grasslands, where the endless savannah meets the clouds in an endless sky. In
our corner of the world, the people are still friendly, the rainforests intact
and there is always a good reason to sit and enjoy the sunset with a cold drink
and friends, old or new!
We invite you to come join us at Karanambu Lodge and work
with our amazing and dedicated team as we welcome travellers, adventurers,
naturalists, film makers, conservationists and anyone who love nature and wants
to experience the raw, natural beauty that is only found in our part of the
wild, untamed Rupununi.
We share a unique blend of old world hospitality and
unparalleled nature that has established Karanambu as Guyana’s premier
Ecolodge.The Lodge is nestled in the north of Guyana’s southern hinterland,
known for its expansive wetlands and unbridled savannah.Here, you will form
bonds that go beyond friendship, while having he unique opportunity to share and
develop skills in the areas of horticulture, tourism, hospitality,
conservation, ranching, construction and joinery. Karanambu has been famed for
its biological diversity since Edward ‘Tiny’ McTurk settled here in the early
1920s.
Karanambu encompasses approximately 110 square miles of
savannah, marshy ponds, riparian and gallery forest, as well as an approximate
30 mile stretch of the Rupununi River. Within our lands there are as many as
700 species of fish – more than anywhere else on Earth. During the biannual
rainy seasons, the tributaries of the Amazon and Essequibo rivers flood their
banks and meet. The union of these vast rivers results in the exchange of
genetic and biological material, while making Karanambu the home to an
extraordinary amount of marine life.
Over 600 species of birds make their home here, making
Karanambu a birdwatcher's paradise. The Lodge provides excellent viewing
opportunities of Giant River Otters, River Turtles, a variety of monkeys, as
well as Black and Spectacled Caiman that live on the part of the Rupununi River
that runs through Karanambu’s land.
Giant Anteaters, Crab-Eating Foxes and Red Brocket Deer roam
our savannahs and our many fresh water ponds are home to what has been called,
one of the world’s best wild collection of Victoria Amazonica water lilies.
These lilies - the largest in the world - can reach up to three meters in
diameter and their flowers bloom every evening at dusk.
Karanambu is best known as having been the home of world
renowned conservationist and Giant River Otter expert, Diane McTurk. Better
known as ‘the Otter Lady,’ she dedicated her silver years to the rehabilitation
and reintroduction of the area’s Giant River Otters and is credited as the
pioneer of ecotourism in the Rupununi. The Lodge provides guests with an
excellent opportunity to experience, first hand, the wildlife indigenous to
this part of the world
Diane’s work lives on through the Karanambu Trust – the
research and conservation arm of the Lodge – which was established by the
McTurk family in 1997 to help fulfil Diane’s vision of protecting the Karanambu
area and establishing Guyana’s first Private Protected Area.
The Karanambu Trust is dedicated to the conservation of the
Rupununi savannahs and the wetland ecosystem.
At Karanambu, we are always excited to share the untouched,
natural beauty of our remote corner of South America. Volunteers can expect to
work in the areas of horticulture, gardening, tourism, hospitality,
conservation, ranching, construction, carpentry and joinery, though some of
these may overlap due to the specific needs of the different components that
make up Karanambu. There are also opportunities to visit and do outreach work
in the neighbouring Macusi villages of Kwaimatta, Yupukari, Massara, Toka and
Simuni.
We look forward to welcoming you to be part of the Karanambu
family.
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