VAQUERO

Transcription

1 VAQUERO Maximum Participants: 10 This Rawhide Vaquero trip will take you to the remote southern savannahs of Guyana, to enter the real World of cowboys, dusty roundups, steer roping, branding and the high energy action of the corral. The setting for this adventure is the plains of Amazonia which are sat upon some of the oldest geological formations in the World. This is where Sir Walter Raleigh searched for El Dorado, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle dreamt up the stories of The Lost World. It is a much forgotten corner of the World, full of myth and legend. Across the expanse of the savannah plains in Guyana there are a number of cattle ranches, dating back hundreds of years. Dadanawa Ranch was one of the largest cattle ranches in the world at 11,000 square miles. The stories and legends of ranch life go back generations, including tales of when Frank James (Jesse James brother) rode in the savannahs of Guyana. Today these ranches work in very much the same manner as they did hundreds of years ago. The cowboys, or vaqueros as they are known locally, all come from the local indigenous people, primarily the Wapishana tribe of Amerindians. Here all the cowboys are Indians! Saddle Mountain Ranch is 50 square miles of the most stunningly beautiful open savannah set amidst the surrounding mountains which form its borders on all sides. This is our base for the trip. The savannah is criss-crossed with crystal clear rivers fringed with Ite palms, the leaves of which are used for thatching the local houses. It is a truly amazing setting and in many ways like a trip back in time to a forgotten place where little has changed from generations past. Here at saddle Mountain you will work with the team of vaqueros to help in the daily running of the ranch. Everything from milking the cows to rounding up the cattle on horseback, to lassoing the calves in the corral and then branding the new borns, you ll be involved in every aspect of life as a vaquero and will have your own trusty steed throughout. We will teach you everything you need to know, including how to ride bare foot (local style) if you fancy it, so no previous riding experience is needed, though if you ve spent a few hours in the saddle before you ll certainly appreciate it, or your rawhide will at any rate.

2 You ll live throughout at the ranch or camped out in the savannah whilst out on the trail. The ranch has very basic facilities. You ll sleep in hammocks or in the vaquero barracon (bunkhouse), water comes from a well and the shower is the crystal clear creek just a few hundred yards away. Toward the end of the trip you ll spend a night out, living on the savannahs, riding your horse in search of cattle to bring in for the big roundup. Roundup is always hectic and fun. All the cattle are brought into the central corral, tagged and new borns branded. It is a time of high energy and high excitement and you ll be in the thick of it, lassoing the cows, branding, then riding them away. Leaving the ranch behind we head back to Georgetown by light aircraft. Those who chose to can take an optional trip to Kaieteur Falls. You will spend two hours on the ground at Kaieteur, exploring the falls from different viewpoints, including right up close with your toes in the water. You may also get chance to see the rare Cock of the Rock bird and the tiny, golden frogs, which live in the giant bromeliads near the falls. Each little frog is 160 times more potent than cocaine, so no kissing allowed! A trip to Kaieteur is truly amazing and a must do in Guyana.

3 The map below shows Guyana and its location in South America

4 VAQUERO VENTURE ITINERARY Day Event Remarks Sun Your first day in Guyana, where we all meet up and get ready for the adventure ahead. Accommodation is in a Georgetown hotel in shared en-suite rooms. No meals are provided in Georgetown, giving you the freedom to explore. Mon We fly by light aircraft to the border town of Lethem. We have lunch in Lethem and then load in 4x4 vehicles for the 2-3 hour drive through the savannah, south to Saddle Mountain ranch. A beautiful location deep in the savannah of Guyana, with a nearby crystal clear creek to take a dip in Accommodation is in shared rooms, all meals taken at the ranch Tues Wed Thursday Fri Sat Sun Today we start work as a Vaquero, the local name for Cowboy. Each day or the next week you will be riding horses, rounding up the herd, branding and much more. Among the skills you ll learn are: Riding, western style Cattle roundup Use of traditional rawhide lasso Lassoing cattle, throwing them down to brand Branding Administering medicine Slaughtering Bullwhips Skinning Salting met and turning it into tasso to preserve it Use of shotgun, duck hunting We will also spend one night camping out in the savannah as part of a big cattle check. By day we saddle up the horses and move through this amazing countryside, where we will often come across the likes of giant anteater, an amazing creature, up to 6 foot long who carry their babies on their backs. Accommodation is in shared rooms, all meals taken at the ranch For one night we will be camping out in the savannah, sleeping under the stars in hammocks

5 At night we will camp out under the stars, next to a creek. The night time view is stunning, zero light pollution and huge vistas mean you have amazing views of the milky way, the north star, southern cross, many other constellations and of course numerous shooting stars and satellites. Mon Today we bid farewell to Saddle Mtn, load up in the 4x4 and head to Lethem to fly back to Georgetown, arriving in the late afternoon. Accommodation is in a Georgetown hotel in shared en-suite rooms. No meals are provided in Georgetown, giving you the freedom to explore. Wed You are free to depart at any time today.