In this guide
The Rupununi savannah covers most of southern Guyana — vast grasslands meeting the Kanuku Mountains, threaded with ranches, eco-lodges, and indigenous villages along the Rupununi River. A "safari" here is not African — there are no lions or elephants — but the wildlife (jabiru stork, giant river otter, giant anteater, harpy eagle, black caiman) and the indigenous-community immersion are the actual draw.
This page lists every 2026 lodge rate we could verify against the lodge's own website on May 28, 2026, plus realistic estimates for transport and total trip budgets.
What a Rupununi safari is
- Region: southern Guyana, Region 9. The main visitor circuit runs Annai → Rock View → Surama → Karanambu → Caiman House.
- Access: 1-hour Cessna charter from Georgetown (Ogle), OR ~12 hour overland drive on the Linden–Lethem road.
- Typical trip length: 4–7 nights minimum to make the air cost worthwhile.
- Style: rustic eco-lodges, not luxury. Hammocks, mosquito nets, generator power, river-bath options.
Verified lodge rates 2026
Rock View Lodge — Annai
| Occupancy | USD per night | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $160 | Meals + accom, tour guide, afternoon tea, evening drinks, pool, laundry, birding, orientation tour, fish pond feeding, cashew roasting, Panorama Mountain trail walk Source: rockviewlodge.com/rates — verified May 28, 2026 |
| Double (per room) | $270 | |
| Triple (per room) | $320 |
Surama Eco-Lodge — community-owned
Surama doesn't sell nightly rates — they sell packages by length. Rates assume a group of 10; smaller groups pay more per person.
| Package | Duration | USD per person |
|---|---|---|
| Surama Sampler | 2 days / 1 night | $290 |
| Surama Mountain & Burro Burro | 2 days / 1 night | $283 |
| Mountain & River Experience | 3 days / 2 nights | $440 |
| Carahaa Landing Adventure | 3 days / 2 nights | $357 |
| Surama Nature Tour | 4 days / 3 nights | $648 |
| Surama In Depth | 6 days / 5 nights | $877 |
Source: suramaecolodge.com/tours-activities — verified May 28, 2026.
Iwokrama River Lodge — Rainforest border
Iwokrama sits on the northern edge of the Rupununi route, on the Essequibo River. It's a research-station-meets-lodge, with the famous Canopy Walkway nearby.
| Cabin | USD per night | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cabin Single | $180 | En-suite bath, river view. Excludes mandatory $15 Iwokrama Conservation Fee. Meals separate: Breakfast $17 / Lunch $30 / Dinner $30. CARICOM 20% off accom + tours; non-CARICOM 30% off accom-only May 1–Aug 31. Source: iwokramariverlodge.com/rates |
| Cabin Double | $230 | |
| Cabin Triple | $280 |
Canopy Walkway day visit: $35 (1 pax) up to $420 (12 pax). Caiman night spotting: $35 (1 pax) up to $225 (12 pax). Both per the lodge's published rates page.
Karanambu Lodge — Rates on request
Getting to the Rupununi — costs
This is often the bigger budget surprise. Charter flights are the main option, with overland as the budget-and-time alternative.
| Route | Method | Approx cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown → Annai (Rock View) | Cessna charter (Ogle) | ~$300–$420 pp | Trans Guyana / ASL scheduled flights when available. Charter price depends on group size. Quote operator directly for current. |
| Georgetown → Lethem | Scheduled flight | ~$250–$350 pp | Lethem is the southern town; from there a 4×4 transfer to Rupununi lodges is additional. |
| Georgetown → Lethem | Overland 4×4 / bus | ~$70–$150 pp | 12–14 hours. Linden–Lethem dirt road. Rough but doable. |
Flight rates above are estimated ranges based on operator quote patterns. Always get a written quote for the specific date and group size before budgeting.
Sample total-budget breakdowns
Budget safari — 4 nights Rock View + 2 days inter-lodge transfers
- Cessna round-trip: ~$700/person (shared 4-pax charter)
- Rock View 4 nights × $160 single: $640
- Inter-lodge ground transfers: ~$150
- Total per person: ~$1,490 (single occupancy)
Mid-range — 6 night circuit: Iwokrama + Surama + Rock View
- Cessna round-trip: ~$700/person
- Iwokrama 2 nights single cabin × $180: $360 + meals $77×2 = $514 + $30 conservation fees
- Surama 2-night Sampler package: $290
- Rock View 2 nights single: $320
- Inter-lodge transfers: ~$300
- Total per person: ~$2,154
Premium — 7 night bundled package via operator
Wilderness Explorers' Birds of Guyana (15-day) covers the full Rupununi circuit at $8,120 per person from the 4+ group rate, with everything included from Georgetown departure to Georgetown return — most efficient if you want zero logistics.
Season pricing
- Dry season (mid-Sep to mid-Apr): high season, best wildlife viewing at savannah water holes. Lodge rates above apply.
- Wet season (mid-Apr to mid-Sep): rivers swell, some lodges harder to access, but birding peaks and rates can negotiate. Iwokrama explicitly offers a non-CARICOM 30% accommodation discount May 1 – Aug 31.
Comparing eco-lodges across all regions?
See our companion guide on Guyana eco-lodge stay costs — covers nightly rates from Rupununi to the rainforest belt.
Guyana Eco-Lodge Stay Cost →How we verified these prices
Lodge rates verified directly from each lodge's own website (rockviewlodge.com, suramaecolodge.com, iwokramariverlodge.com) on May 28, 2026. Charter-flight pricing is presented as an estimated range based on operator quote patterns — always get a written quote for your specific date and group size. Karanambu does not publish public rates, so we list inclusions only.