By Abigail Headley
Touring Guyana, one of Guyana’s numerous tour agencies, is offering personalised tours that allow both local and foreign tourists to experience the country’s diverse landscapes and cultures. With tours covering all 10 administrative regions and four natural regions, the agency takes visitors from the Low Coastal Plain along the Atlantic Ocean to the Hilly Sand and Clay Region, the pristine rainforest and roaring waterfalls, and to the Rupununi with its magnificent mountains and lush savannahs.
Founded by Shivana Gulchand, Touring Guyana was born out of personal interest in exploring the diverse landscapes and terrains that Guyana has to offer. After experiencing various tourist attractions in Guyana and realising that too much of its beauty was hidden away and unexplored, Gulchand decided to launch the agency with the goal of sharing the natural beauty of Guyana with as many people as possible.
“So I grew up on the east coast of Demerara and hadn’t travelled much of Guyana, and I was always curious to see the rest of it. I used to be annoyed when family and friends would brag about Trinidad, Suriname and America, and I would ask if they even visited Guyana. So I saved my money and took trips to different places. Then I had a job that allowed me to travel to more remote places, and after seeing how diverse and beautiful these places were, I had to share them with Guyanese. I then created a Facebook page called Touring Guyana (because I was literally touring at the time) and I shared pictures of the various places I would travel to,” she explained.
The CEO continued that as she began sharing her experiences via photos and videos on Facebook, followers were both mystified and intrigued by Guyana’s raw unapologetic beauty. Soon enough, these followers started to demand that Tour Guyana extend this experience to them. Thus, the agency’s touring adventures, for those who desired, began.
Gulchand stated that the agency takes pride in personalising experiences to suit customers’ preferences for destination and activities. With regard to the tour packages being offered, Gulchand explained that different tours offer various activities. For instance, some offer hiking and chasing waterfalls while others offer historical and indigenous culture experiences. Additionally, there are packages where tourists are able to hike and camp under the stars, go sightseeing, food sampling, swimming, gold mining, canoeing, cycling, and more.
“Life on the River” and “Backdam and Bushcook Tour”, which are being offered by Tour Guyana, were among the 15 new tourism products that were launched on September 27 by the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA).
Touring Guyana offers unique experiences, Gulchand expounded. These include a 1,000 ft hike in the Kanuku Mountains that offers a spectacular view of the Rupununi and Brazil. The agency also offers a 3,000 ft hike in the Kanuku for overnight camping under the stars.
Moreover, tourists are offered a visit to the 7,000-year-old shell mounds built from the diet of the indigenous people some time back in history. A hike to Marshall Falls allows for a quick experience of the 80% pristine rainforest and river rapids, while tours to indigenous villages allow for the appreciation of the ingenuity of Guyana’s first people.
“We use local suppliers, when persons book a tour with us they are not only supporting our company, but many families, single parents and other young entrepreneurs, as we team up with locals in each community that we offer tours. We also support local markets – either water and fresh fruit juices only made in Guyana. We have a zero tolerance for littering and also clean the environment we visit. We promote local foods of each community we visit and spread awareness of preservation and practise it on our tours,” Gulchand said.
The agency works with individuals who prepare food, offer transportation, craft skills, and more to help them earn a livelihood. As such, those who support Touring Guyana are, by extension, supporting a larger community.
This newspaper understands that the safety of tourists is of paramount importance to Touring Guyana. For this reason, the agency’s staff and drivers are well-trained in safety and first aid procedures. Moreover, the company provides safety guidelines that must be followed by all tourists. The agency also continuously provides safety training.
Those interested in booking one of the adventures being offered by Touring Guyana can visit the Google page for more information. The agency has received many positive reviews, and it encourages criticisms and suggestions to help improve its services.