The Caiman House Eco Lodge in Yupukari Village, Central Rupununi

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First published on the 13th of September, 2019 by Patrick Carpen.

Last updated: April 26, 2023 at 19:10 pm

*A photo of one section of the Caiman House Eco Lodge. See below for more photos.*

The Caiman House Eco Lodge is located in Yupukari Village, Central Rupununi Savannahs, Guyana, South America. It was founded in the year 2005 by an American couple who had come to the Rupununi to do a long-term study of the black caiman.

*A photo of the black caiman taken in Yupukari Village – not too far from the Caiman House Eco Lodge.*

The black caiman is only found in a few places on earth and is classified as an endangered species. In fact, the IUCN – International Union for the Conservation of Nature – classifies the black caiman as a “threatened” species – which is a technical term for saying that it is endangered but less likely to go extinct than other endangered species of animals on planet earth.

Some of the few places where the black caiman is found include: The Rupununi River in Guyana and two locations in Brazil.

*The beautiful Rupununi River is home to the black caiman. Swim at your own risk!*

At that time (2005), the Caiman House Eco Lodge started off as a research station for American scientists and colleagues who were conducting researches on the black caiman.

However, after a suggestion by hostess of Karanambu Ranch, Dianne McTurk, a few tourists were taken for a ride while searching for the black caiman. This activity quickly developed into an exciting tourist attraction in the Rupununi.

In 2005, the Caiman House Eco Lodge started off with just one guest room. By the year 2019, the Caiman House Eco Lodge had grown to a total of 9 guest rooms. Today, the Caiman House Eco Lodge has evolved into a community run Eco Tourism destination, managed by the people of Yupukari Village.

*Former President of the Guyana Tourism Authority, Brian Mullis, poses with his wife and kids for a family photograph in front of the Caiman House Eco Lodge in August 2019.*

Some activities offered by the Caiman House Eco Lodge include River Camping, Forest Camping, Mountain Camping, Fishing, and Wildlife Viewing.

Caiman House Tourist Activites:

Awarikru Adventure–Our guests are invited to paddle through flooded forest from Awarikru Lake to the Rupununi River.

Creatures of the Night–A tour by boat to view nocturnal creatures of the wild such as the Black Caiman, Amazon Tree Boa, sleeping birds, frogs, turtles, and the opening of the Amazonica Water Lilies.

Dinner at the Sand Bank–An afternoon excursion out on the Rupununi River where we will select a perfect sandbank to stop and set up a camp for an evening dinner under the stars…a perfect opportunity to try your hands at fishing.

*Kids of Yupukari Village have some fun and educational activity on a sandbank along the Rupununi River.*

Doradito Bird Tour–A trip to view the rare species of Doradito bird.

El Dorado Anteater Tour–A trip to open savannahs of Quatata Village to search the Giant Anteater in its natural habitat by 4-Wheel-Drive.

*This giant anteater was photographed in Yupukari Village not far away from the Caiman House Eco Lodge.*

River Birding Tour–An afternoon activity on the Rupununi River viewing various birds such as Agami Heron, Crested Curassow, Cocoi Heron, and other exotic birds along the river banks.

*This is actually a photo of the Anhinga bird taken along the banks of the Rupununi River in Yupukari Village, Central Rupununi Savannahs, Guyana, South America.*

Caiman Capture Experience—The adventure starts around 6 PM. Four professional Caiman Crew board one boat. The tourists follow in another. A flashlight is shone into the water to spot the red eyes of the caimans as they appear glaringly. The professional caiman crew use catch-poles to capture the caiman, tape the mouth closed with insulation tap, and bring it to the beach. Once on the beach, the caiman is measured, weighed, physical health observed, sex determined, and released into the water.

Sometimes, a unique identifier chip is inserted into the animal before it is released.

Rooms and Accommodation Offered by Caiman House Eco Lodge

The Caiman House Eco Lodge currently offers seven (7) self-contained rooms for guests, each one outfitted with two beds: one single and one double, toilet, and bath. There are also two other rooms with shared washroom facilities. The price of the room includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and covers a 24-hour period.