WELCOME TO
KOPINANG REGION # 8
“ WELCOME TO KOPINANG REGION # 8 .” I followed the group across the playfield to a small wooden pavilion with bleachers , where we met our guides and received our briefing for the day over a hearty Guyanese lunch .
After lunch , the hike to Wailang Palu , the first waterfall , began . Our path took us through the central part of the village , over a quaint wooden bridge and up a small hill . Along the way , we passed a few quaint wooden houses before we ended up at the community school on the hilltop . From this vantage point , we could see houses scattered across the landscape and a rusty brown dirt road which disappeared into the trees at the foot of the mountain . That road was the path to our first stop .
The hike along the road was easy , passing through a savannah
Trek Through Savannah before heading into the forest . A few minutes into the forest , we reached a small clearing from where we saw a part of the falls over the treetops in the distance . Soon , the path met a broad , shallow stream full of smooth rocks . We followed the stream to its source , stepping over mossy branches and fallen tree trunks . The stream ’ s moderate flow suggested a calm waterfall . However , as the waterfall came into view , the thumping whoosh and light mist proved otherwise . We had arrived at Wailang Palu . A constant stream of white water flowed down dark sandstone steps . Lush green vegetation bordered the waterfall . Branches reached over the water , hiding more and more of the falls at the higher levels . From the base , I saw that these steps went well up the mountainside . The pool at the bottom was too rocky to enjoy , so the guides helped us climb along the fringes of the
Indigenous Guide carrying a Warashi
16 | TOURISM GUYANA 2024