When is the best time to visit Kaieteur Falls?
Big thundering falls after the rains, or clearer views and steadier flights in the drier months? How Guyana's seasons change the Kaieteur trip, month by month.
Video "Kaieteur Falls | The Most Powerful Waterfall on Earth That Almost No One Has Visited" by The Guyana Project, shown with YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube.
There's no bad month to see Kaieteur, but the season changes what you see and how likely your flight is to go on time. Here's how to choose.
Guyana's seasons in short
Guyana has two rainy seasons and two drier seasons. Exact dates move from year to year, but the usual pattern is:
- Main rainy season: roughly May to July, often into August.
- Shorter rainy season: roughly December to January.
- Drier seasons: roughly February to April, and September to November.
Kaieteur sits up on the plateau in the rainforest, so it can rain there any day of the year. Even in the "dry" season, bring a light rain jacket.
For the most powerful falls: just after the rains
If you want Kaieteur at its widest and loudest, aim for the weeks right after a rainy season ends, around late August and September, or February. The river is still full, the falls spread wider, and the rainforest is at its greenest. You'll also get more mist, and with sunshine that means a better chance of rainbows at Rainbow View.
For clear views and reliable flights: the drier months
September to November and February to April are the most popular times. Skies are clearer, so you're more likely to see the falls from the air on the way in, and flights are less likely to be delayed by weather. The flow is lower than at its peak, but Kaieteur is still enormous.
In the middle of the rains
You can still go between May and July, and the volume of water is spectacular. The trade-offs: thick mist and cloud can hide the falls, and small planes don't fly into the park in bad weather, so delays and rescheduled trips are more likely. If you're only in Guyana for a few days, leave some flexibility in your plans.
Adding Orinduik?
Orinduik Falls is the opposite of Kaieteur in one way: it's best with plenty of water. In a very dry spell, the cascades can be thin. After the rains they're full, with natural pools to sit in. If Orinduik matters to you, the weeks after the rains are the sweet spot for both falls.
Our quick answer
- Best all-round: September to November.
- Biggest falls: the weeks just after a rainy season ends.
- Short trip to Guyana: go when you can, and keep a spare day in case the weather moves your flight.
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