TOURISM is all about the experience, especially the firsts, such as the first time driving any vehicle, but doing it anyway for the experience and the chance to say you’ve accomplished something, whether it was an unsuccessful attempt or not.

This week, our team participated in the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA)’s media tour with the popular adventure tours company, Savannah Tours Guyana. The tour company is located in Yarrowkabra, a village just off the Soesdyke-Linden Highway on the East Bank of Demerara.
The aim of the trip was to bring attention to the company’s seventh annual Epic Savannah Drive, slated to commence on June 30, 2024.

At the launch of the drive on June 21, at Savannah Tours Guyana, it was revealed by its tour operator, Shane D’Andrade that Savannah Tours is about building communities through tourism.
He said the drive is all about technique, and teaching persons how to use their off-road vehicles. According to D’Andrade, “It’s becoming a big sport in Guyana; it’s big in the Caribbean and the rest of the world. We’re trying to bring it to Guyana, and it’s growing every year.”

He added, “We move through the Savannahs and move to the first community, which is Swan, and we do archery there; there is an archery team there. Anyone can take part in the archery competition.”
From Swan, adventurers will move to Samville, then Kuru Kururu, Silica City, and Laluni Village. The Epic Savannah Drive commences at 06:00hrs on the day of the event, where participants will register.
The price that day is G$15,000 for vehicles and G$8,000 for motorbikes. Preregistration is also available for G$10,000 for vehicles and G$5,000 for motorbikes. Payment can be made through Mobile Money Guyana (MMG) to 592-638-7877- Shane D’Andrade. Persons will need to send their transaction ID once completed.

Some activities during the registration include ‘kill climb and the vehicle see-saw bridge’.
Additionally, the drive officially commences at 08:00hrs from Yarrowkabra Village to Swan Village for the archery competition, where prizes and trophies are up for grabs.
There is a lovely trail drive through Samville and Kuru Kururu, with sightseeing through Silica City on the way to Laluni, where lunch will be served.

Later in the day, participants will be treated to a series of offroad activities, including drag racing, grass track races, mud races, a paintball competition, the see-saw bridge among many others.
Experiences such as these are guaranteed to have your heart pumping, as you’re filled with excitement at every turn. The thrill of not knowing what lies ahead, especially if you’ve never done anything like it before, will keep you on your toes.

The tours are family-friendly and safe.
“Safety is a big thing. The persons that are registering for the drive have to ensure that the passengers in their vehicle adhere to the rules, because they can be penalised by the police officers and our team. We could actually take you out of the drive if you’ve been drinking and driving, or you’re not following the rules and protocol of the drive,” D’Andrade said.

Notably, all tour personnel are expertly trained by the GTA.
The Epic Savannah Drive is being sponsored by the GTA, Beharry Automotive, Beepats, and several other organisations.

Persons can look out for more drives from Savannah Tours throughout the year. Savannah Tours Guyana is on Facebook, and Instagram @savannahtoursgy.
Moreover, persons can contact Shane on the numbers stated above to know more.