Actually I don't know what to write about Kaieteur - it is so stunningly beautifull, it took my breath away when we first flew over it and it still does when I think of it. It's not the sheer heigh of the waterfall (226m!) but the whole atmosphere of the place.
Our guide, a nice and handsome Amerindian from the local tribe, the Patamona, (in Guyana they call the indigenous people Amerindians to differenciate them from the East Indians, as there are a lot of Guyanese with East Indian background) told us the legend of the Kaieteur falls, or Kaieteur acually, as Kaieteur in the local language means 'Kai falls'. According to the Patamona legend, Kaieteur was named for Kai, a chief, or 'toshao' who acted to save his people by paddling over the falls in an act of self-sacrifice to Makonaima , the great spirit. And, according to the guide, since then peace has reigned in the Patamona region.
Somehow the legend fits in really well with the place as it has a kind of enchanted athmosphere where you wouldn't be surprised to see Kai paddling down the river or seeing his ghost haunt the woods around the falls.
Our plane was a 9-seater islander aircraft (as far as I know?). At first it was a bit scary as compared to all the other aircraft I have flown in before it looked a bit old and rusty and was also quite loud and shaky. But once you got used to it it was really great as it climbed slowly and flew on a lower cruising altitude so you could see the landscape really well. Guyana means 'Land of many waters' and from the plane you could see why - we crossed rivers, lakes, waterfalls... and of course the beautifull virgin rain forest.
Our group consisted of Guyanese people, Trinidadians and also some Guyanese living abroad. I met Janet from Washington and her friend from Georgetown and they where as excited about the beauty of the place as me! I am looking forward to your pictures, Janet and will upload more on facebook, too! :-)
The trip was worth every single dollar and looking back it would have been worth even the initial price of 220USD. I am planning to come back here for sure and next time I will not fly but hike and stay more time in the guest house next to the falls :-) Kaieteur is a place that doesn't let you go easily - maybe its the spirit of Kai, maybe the sound of the waterfall, maybe the cute Amerindian kids that somehow always appeared and disappeared from nowhere... So, I will definately be back!
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