Karanambu Ranch

Karanambu spreads across a huge stretch of the Rupununi savanna and river, a working ranch that became famous through Diane McTurk's decades of work rehabilitating orphaned giant river otters, and now runs as a conservation trust and small lodge. Days here mean boat trips on the Rupununi looking for otters, black caiman and the shy arapaima - one of the world's largest freshwater fish - and drives across the savanna for giant anteaters, which are more reliably seen here than almost anywhere. At dusk, boats stop at ponds where Victoria amazonica lilies open their enormous white flowers, which turn pink by the next evening.

What you actually see

• Giant river otters - the species Karanambu is known for.
• Giant anteaters - savanna drives with unusually good odds.
• Victoria amazonica lilies - the giant pads and dusk flower opening.
• Arapaima and black caiman - the Rupununi river's headline species.

When to go

The dry season from roughly September to April is the classic window, with easier travel and concentrated wildlife. The wet season floods the savanna spectacularly and changes the whole experience to boat-based, but access becomes difficult. Anteater sightings are best early and late in the day.

Honest expectations

Access is essentially by charter flight or a long, rough journey - this is not a casual stop. The lodge is rustic: simple rooms, generator power and no signal. Otter encounters are wild rather than staged, and the rehabilitation work no longer means guaranteed close contact, which is correct. Insects and heat are constant. Costs are high because everything is flown in.

Nearby

Surama village, Lethem on the Brazilian border and the wider Rupununi ranches.