Iwokrama lies roughly halfway along the road from Georgetown to Lethem. You can drive the whole way, fly most of it, or — the usual plan — arrive one way and leave the other as part of a journey through the interior.
Routes at a glance
| From | How | Time | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown | 4x4 transfer by Linden and Mabura Hill | 7–10 hours | several hundred US dollars per vehicle |
| Georgetown | Georgetown–Lethem minibus, getting off at Kurupukari | 8–12 hours, often overnight | roughly US$50–80 |
| Georgetown (Ogle) | Flight to Annai or another strip, then 4x4 | about 1½ hours’ flying plus 1½–3 hours by road | flight roughly US$150–250, plus transfer |
| Lethem | 4x4 or minibus north | 4–6 hours | varies |
| Surama / Annai | 4x4 transfer | 1–2 hours to Atta | by arrangement |
Times and prices are approximate and change with season, fuel costs and road conditions — confirm schedules and fares with the airline, bus company or your operator.
By road from Georgetown
The route follows the paved highway to Linden, then the laterite trail south through Mabura Hill to the Essequibo at Kurupukari, where Iwokrama River Lodge stands on the far bank. With a private 4x4 you leave early and arrive by late afternoon in the dry season. Rain turns the surface to mud and can add hours. A bridge to replace the pontoon ferry, which ran only in daylight, has been under construction at Kurupukari; check the current arrangement with your lodge.
By public minibus
Minibuses bound for Lethem leave Georgetown in the evening and reach Kurupukari around dawn after waiting for the crossing to open. Tell the driver you want Iwokrama, and tell the lodge when to expect you. To leave, the lodge will flag down or book a passing minibus. It is the cheapest way in, and a rough night.
By air
There is no scheduled airport in the reserve. Most fly-in visitors take the Ogle–Lethem service, which calls at Annai on request, and continue by 4x4 — about an hour and a half to Atta and three hours to the River Lodge. Charters can use the airstrip at Fair View beside the River Lodge. Remember the strict baggage limits.
Between the lodges and onward
The River Lodge and Atta are about 60 km apart on the main road, and the transfer doubles as a wildlife drive. From Atta it is a short hop south to Surama and Annai, where the forest gives way to savannah. Within each lodge everything is on foot or by boat.
