Yupukari Village

Yupukari sits on the Rupununi river in the north savannah, and Caiman House there began as a black caiman research project and grew into a lodge that funds it. Visitors go out at night with the researchers to catch, measure, tag and release caiman, which is genuine fieldwork rather than a demonstration, and the data has built one of the longest-running datasets on the species. The village also runs a library and a small publishing project producing books in Macushi.

What you actually see

• The caiman research - night captures, measuring and tagging with the project team.
• The black caiman - the largest predator in the Amazon basin, studied here for years.
• The Rupununi river - the river the work is done on, with giant otter and birds.
• The village library - a community project publishing books in Macushi.

When to go

September to April is the dry season and the practical window for tracks and for the caiman work. The wet season from May to August floods the savannah. Night trips depend on river conditions.

Honest expectations

The caiman work runs on the research schedule and is not guaranteed on any given night. Accommodation is simple. Access from Lethem is several hours on rough savannah tracks.

Nearby

Karanambu is downstream, and Annai is northeast.