Crossing borders can be an exciting, frustrating, or eye-opening experience, and the Brazil-Guyana border is no exception. The lack of information can bring surprises, so I will share everything I learned after crossing the border from Guyana to Brazil.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the various options available for crossing. I will share my experience crossing the border by land, starting with a minivan ride from Georgetown to Lethem and concluding with a taxi journey to Bonfim in Brazil.
The options from Georgetown to Lethem are very limited, and getting information about them proved complicated. Traveling from Georgetown to Lethem is not that cheap, and the infrastructure by land could be better.
Buckle up and prepare to embark on a journey that will leave you with unforgettable memories (It sure did to me). I hope you will have a deeper understanding of the border crossing between these two South American nations after reading this post.
Table of Contents
How to get to Lethem
There are two primary options when planning a journey from Georgetown to Lethem, each offering a distinct travel experience. Here, I’ll explain each choice to help you decide which one suits your adventure style (and wallet) best:
Direct Flight from Georgetown to Lethem
For those seeking a faster and more convenient way to reach Lethem, a direct flight is the way to go. Trans Guyana Airways is operating flights from Georgetown to Lethem, and typically, it takes 1 hour.
When looking for flights, feel free to use their website. It’s basic, and the UI could be better on cell phones. A one-way ticket has a standard price of 244 USD. Unlike other airlines, the price won’t change if you book in advance or at the last minute. They have three flights per day in each direction, including flights from Lethem to Georgetown.
This option allows you to skip the long hours on the road and reach your destination swiftly. It offers a nice view of the landscapes that make up the Guyanese and Brazilian border regions.
Thinking about flying to Guyana? Check flight options on Kiwi, it's my favorite way to book plane tickets:
Private Van Journey from Georgetown to Lethem
Suppose you’re an adventurous or budget traveler with time on your side and energy for a dirt and bumpy road. In that case, the journey between Georgetown and Lethem by land will be a cheaper and unforgettable experience.
The unforgettable experience in this journey will vary from person to person. It was an unforgettable memory for me because the road was very bumpy, I didn’t have enough leg space inside the van, and the driver was driving remarkably fast for my taste. The van was shaking so much that we had a girl puking behind me and another person in front of my row puking as well. This journey is tough and only for some.
This route covers approximately 552 kilometers and can take 12 to 20 hours, depending on road conditions and stops. The road was mostly dry when I made this journey because we weren’t in the rainy season. Traveling on this road during the rainy season must be a nightmare. I saw several pictures of people pushing these vans in the past while waiting in the office of one of the agencies offering this ride. And these pictures are everything except nice to see. One must have a very open mind before entering into this adventure.
Other options to travel by land
I felt that 16000 GYD per person was steep, so I spent some time trying to find alternatives. Ultimately, I found a van from Georgetown to Linden for 1000 GYD. The next step would be to find a ride from Linden to Lethem.
After researching and asking people around town(and online as well!), I always ended up at the same company: Cindy’s Bus.
Asking for a ride from Linden to Lethem will be the same price as the ride from Georgetown. It seems that only two companies are operating this route, and they both charge the same fee of 16000 GYD.
Is it possible to bring kids?
Yes, it is possible. In the van were three families with five kids in total. Of those kids, only one had sickness during the trip, puking in a plastic bag. Remember, this is not an easy journey, and each kid is different. I could easily see those were local Guyanese families, and since the only way by land was with these vans, you must be strong to make it.
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Is it a comfortable ride?
Not at all!! People bring all sorts of things with them on this journey. We even had one person bringing an office chair with her. Inside the van, they put several cardboard boxes under the seats and spaces between the seat rows.
The drivers try to fit each slot in the van like a Tetris game. Once everything was packed inside, I had no space to move our legs due to these boxes all over the place, and that’s why each break was so crucial. At many moments, I felt the need to at least have some movement after my legs were static for hours.
Avoid sitting in the last row to avoid issues when the journey starts. The van shakes a lot, and the last row is the easiest place to get sick in the stomach.
Are there stops between Georgetown and Lethem?
Yes, many. The driver knows the difficulty of this journey, so he often stops the van at some places for people to stretch their legs and buy supplies during the trip.
Besides the gas stations, we stopped by three police checkpoints. At the first checkpoint, the cop asked me some random and pointless questions. They even asked if my partner was the “American” traveling to Lethem. I guess they were looking for someone on that day. The other two checkpoints were smooth, without any significant issues or funny stories to share.
From Georgetown to Kurukukari
From Georgetown to Linden was the best part of this journey because the asphalt road was in good condition. After Linden, the dirt road starts, and the unforgettable experience as well.
An essential checkpoint after Linden is Kurukukari, the last stop before crossing the Equessibo River on a ferry. Usually, drivers stop there and wait for the ferry so they can load the van on it. The first ferry departs once the sun rises. In our case, we arrived at Kurukukari around 3:30 a.m. Our driver quickly left the van and found a spot to nap.
I was waiting outside the van until sunrise to continue the journey. A restaurant close to the ferry starts serving meals in the morning. This place has a spot with several hammocks for the drivers to nap before continuing the journey. Keep in mind that they assign only one driver per van to drive through the entire trip.
From Kurukukari to Lethem
After crossing the Essequibo River by ferry, a new police checkpoint will be on the way. This checkpoint is the last stop where the police will check your passport. At that point, we saw many people going to Lethem, mostly Brazilians.
The road starts to improve at this point, but only a little. The entire way to Lethem is still a dirt road with fewer bumps. As you get closer to Lethem, the road gets wider, easily accommodating two or three cars side by side.
The asphalt road starts again in the last 5kms of this trip once you are close to Lethem. You will be pleased as the first signs of civilization appear on the way. The asphalt road is the sign that the trip is almost over.
Crossing the border to Brazil
To cross the border from Guyana to Brazil, you need to hire a taxi. They all know the times that drivers from Georgetown will arrive. So don’t be concerned about not having options. They will be there waiting for customers, and frankly, I didn’t feel they were taxi drivers. Most are just locals with a car driving people between Brazil and Guyana. They all charge a fixed fee of 2000 GYD per person to drive you to Bonfim.
You will likely have to continue your trip to Brazil from Bonfim. There’s only one bus from Bonfim to Boa Vista, which departs every day at 7 a.m.
If you arrive in Bonfim after 7 a.m., your only option will be to hire a taxi. They charge a fixed fee of 300 R$, and they can fit six people. If you want to save a bit, wait for more people to show up to complete the space in the car, and you will pay 50 R$ per person.
Recommendations
During my stay in Georgetown, I stayed at Lace Bed & Breakfast. It was a very good accommodation, near all the main attractions in the city. I was able to visit almost everything by foot, except for some days where the sun was very strong and I decided to call a cab. Click here to book Lace Bed & Breakfast.
Looking for activities in Georgetown? Check these options on GetYourGuide, it's my favorite way to book activities while traveling:
Conclusion
Guyana is a tiny country with a poor road infrastructure, and crossing the country by plane is expensive. Crossing the border from Guayana to Brazil by land is unforgettable because the road between Georgetown and Lethem is not easy to forget.
I hope you know more about crossing the border from Guyana to Brazil. The process is the same if you go from Brazil to Guyana. The main difference can be in the departure time of the minivan from Lethem to Georgetown.
If you are planning to cross the border on the other side to Suriname, I wrote an article about things I think you should know and a bit of my experience in the country.
Don’t forget to comment about your experience. I would love to hear it. See you on the next adventure!!!
One Response
That’s very nice experience, very helpful, i would like keep in touch for few advice from you, i have left my email, i would be grateful if you could respond to me. Thank you