BugShot Guyana

Karanambu Lodge is one of Guyana’s great natural treasures, where comfort meets wild savanna, wetlands, and floodplain forest along the Rupununi River. Founded in 1927 and rooted in a long tradition of conservation, the lodge sits at a crossroads of ecosystems that support exceptional insect diversity.

For macro photographers, Karanambu offers outstanding opportunities across habitats. Oxbow lakes and river edges are rich with dragonflies, damselflies, and aquatic insects, while savannas and forest margins host butterflies, moths, beetles, ants, treehoppers, jumping spiders, and other arthropods active throughout the day and night. Seasonal wetlands and flood forests provide ever-changing backdrops for close-up work, from behavior and life-history shots to abstract compositions.

One of the lodge’s most iconic subjects is Victoria amazonica, the world’s largest water lily. Its massive pads and nightly blooming flowers attract beetles and other pollinators, creating rare opportunities to photograph intimate insect–plant interactions in low, dramatic light.

Karanambu also carries forward the conservation legacy of Diane McTurk, whose pioneering work with giant river otters helped protect the Rupununi’s wildlife. That same spirit of stewardship ensures that this landscape remains a living laboratory for observation, photography, and discovery.

Getting There

You will fly into Georgetown, Guyana airport (GEO).

If you arrive on the 17th you need to get your own hotel! We are staying at Rey’z Hotel and Suites, info below. They will arrange your transportation from the airport. If you stay there I will arrange van’s to take us to the TGA private flight to Karanambu on the 18th from the hotel.

I recommend Rey'z Hotel and Suites
Email: reservations@reyzhotelandsuites.com
Website: www.reyzhotelandsuites.com

If you arrive on the 18th you will need to transfer from the GEO airport to the OGL airport to make the connection by noon on the 18th.
July 18th, 2026 after noon (12 pm, time updated when flights are confirmed), we will fly from Gerogtown’s OGL airport with a private TGA flight (OGL) to the Karanambu Lodge (flight included in registration). There will be a short transfer from the airport to Karanambu. We will fly back to Georgetown on the 26th of July, 2026 in the morning and you can get flights home after 1 pm on the on 26th July, 2026.

Above photo by Karanambu Lodge

• Workshop is from July 18th - July 26th, 2026 at Karanambu Lodge.

• Workshop is limited to 20 participants.

• Workshop is based in Karanambu Lodge, Guyana.

Instructors: Piotr Naskrecki, Thomas Shahan, and John Abbott (Please note: changes in instructors may be necessary depending on workshop enrollment).

Topics include:
• Macro & microphotography equipment
• Composition
• Lighting & flash
• Working with live insects
• Focus stacking
• Telling a story with images
• Night photography
• Photo critique and one on one photo editing

A general day will consist of starting the morning in the filed and then a talk or two in the middle of the day and then out in the field with instructors again in the afternoon. We will have talks on techniques at night and then end the day with a backlighting for insects.

If you have any questions you can contact kendra@abbottnature.com

Registration fee:
Double (or Tripple) Occupancy $5,800

The fee for the workshop includes:
• Daily one-on-one and group instruction from Thomas, Piotr, and John.
• Daily instruction on macro photography
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner on days of the workshop are included (as indicated on itinerary).
• Double occupancy hotel style housing.
• A Flight from Georgetown to Karanambu on the 18th and return flight Karanambu to Georgetown on the 26th.
• Entrance fees and travel to various locations.

The fee for the workshop does NOT include:
A hotel on the night of the 17th in Georgetown if you arrive early.
Flights to and from Guyana, alcohol, drinks and snacks outside of meals, souvenirs, and tips for guides.

Please see your doctor for recommended vaccinations and malaria prophylactics.

Cancellation policy is as follows:
– 3 months prior to the workshop: 100% refund minus $300 cancellation fee
– no refunds after 3 months