Last checked: November 2026
Visitors to Guyana’s Indigenous communities usually stay at a lodge the village owns or runs, such as Surama, Rewa or Caiman House at Yupukari. These villages hold title to their land, and under the Amerindian Act you need the Village Council’s permission to enter. Book through the village lodge or an operator who arranges that permission, follow local rules, and pay for guiding and crafts directly.
At a glance
- Who: nine Indigenous nations, about 10.5% of Guyana’s population in the 2012 census
- Where visitors go: mainly North Rupununi villages (Surama, Rewa, Yupukari, Wowetta) and Santa Mission near the airport
- Permission: required from the Village Council; lodges and operators arrange it
- Cost: varies; ask for a current quote
- Best time: mid-August to April for travel; September is Amerindian Heritage Month
Who are Guyana’s Indigenous peoples?
Guyana recognises nine Indigenous nations. In Guyana the word “Amerindian” is also widely used, including in law.
- Lokono (Arawak) and Kalina (Carib): mainly coastal and riverine communities in the north
- Warrau (Warao): mainly in the northwest
- Akawaio, Arekuna (Pemon) and Patamona: the highlands and Pakaraima Mountains in the west
- Makushi: the North Rupununi savannah, and across the border in Brazil
- Wapishana: mainly the South Rupununi, and in Brazil
- Wai Wai: the far south, in the Konashen area
Many villages are mixed. Rewa, for example, has both Makushi and Wapishana speakers. Most people speak English as well as their own language, and live lives that combine farming, fishing, wage work, phones and school runs.
Do you need permission to visit an Indigenous village?
Yes. Under the Amerindian Act of 2006, titled villages are communal property. Permission must come from the Village Council, and only government officers on official duty are exempt. Entering without permission is an offence.
In practice, the lodge or your operator arranges this when you book. A Toshao (the elected village leader) and council set the rules, which can cover photography, filming, drones and where visitors may go.
Don’t turn up at a village without arrangements, even if it sits on a road you are driving.
Which villages welcome visitors?
Surama: a Makushi village of fewer than 300 people in the North Rupununi. It has hosted tourists since 1996, and its lodge is owned by the village. Guides from the village lead forest, savannah and mountain walks.
Rewa: a village where the Rewa River meets the Rupununi, reached only by boat. Its lodge opened in 2005 and is owned and run by the community.
Yupukari: a Makushi village where Caiman House runs a lodge and field station as a Guyanese non-profit. Its surplus funds the village library, conservation and culture. Guests can join caiman research trips and learn crafts such as weaving.
Wowetta: a Makushi village near Annai that takes visitors to see the Guianan cock-of-the-rock.
Santa Mission: a mostly Lokono village on Kamuni Creek, about 45 minutes to an hour by boat from near the international airport at Timehri. It has a women’s craft shop.
Our eco-lodges guide covers rooms, access and booking for these lodges.
What does a village visit involve?
Most visits are built around the lodge, not a show. You go out with village guides on walks and boat trips, and they explain how forest plants are used for food, building and medicine.
Many lodges also offer a village walk, a stop at the school, or time with craftspeople. You may see cassava being processed into farine or cassava bread. Some lodges host evening storytelling or music. Remember these are working communities, not performances put on for you.
What etiquette should you follow?
- Ask before every photo of a person, home or ceremony. Some villages charge a fee or have filming rules; ask your guide first. Get a parent’s permission before photographing children.
- Dress modestly in the village. Swimwear is for the river, not the road through the village.
- Stay with your guide. Don’t wander into homes, farms or sacred sites.
- Don’t bring alcohol into the village unless your hosts say it is fine.
- Don’t hand out sweets, money or gifts to children. If you want to give, ask the lodge or council what the community actually needs.
- Don’t buy or collect wildlife, feathers or artefacts you are not sure are legal to take home.
- Listen more than you ask. Avoid treating people as relics of the past.
How does community tourism benefit villages?
In village-owned lodges, income stays in the community. Tourism is reported to provide about 60% of Surama’s income, and about 75% of households there earn some money from it.
Money reaches families in several ways: wages for guides, cooks and boat drivers, fresh produce bought for the lodge kitchen, and craft sales. Tourism also gives young people reasons to learn the forest and stay close to home.
It is not a cure-all. Visitor numbers are small, income is seasonal, and villages face pressures such as mining, logging and climate change.
How do you book a respectful visit?
Book directly with a village lodge, or with an operator who works with village lodges and can say how money flows back. Ask:
- Is the lodge owned by the village, run in partnership, or privately owned?
- Are the guides from the community?
- Are village fees included, and who receives them?
Buy crafts from the maker or the village shop, not from middlemen. If you want to tip your guides, give it to them directly and ask the lodge what is normal.
When is Amerindian Heritage Month?
Every September. It marks 10 September 1957, when Stephen Campbell became Guyana’s first Amerindian member of parliament; that date is now Heritage Day. Each year, a chosen Heritage Village hosts the main celebrations, with food, crafts, music and sports.
Check the year’s programme with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs before you go. This is a good time to see Indigenous food and crafts, but lodges can be busy, so book early.
FAQ
Can you visit an Amerindian village without a tour? You still need Village Council permission. The simplest way is to stay at a village lodge, which handles it.
Is it OK to take photos in Indigenous villages? Only with permission, every time. Some villages have photography or filming fees or rules, so check with your guide.
Which Indigenous village is easiest to visit from Georgetown? Santa Mission, the Lokono village on Kamuni Creek, about 45 minutes to an hour by boat from near the international airport.
What language do people speak in Indigenous villages? Most people speak English and often their own language, such as Makushi or Wapishana. Learning “hello” and “thank you” from your guide is appreciated.
Next step: Heading into the forest? Read our jungle trekking prep guide.
