Lethem
Lethem is the border town where most trips into Guyana's Rupununi savanna start, with ranch stays, birdwatching and long drives on open grassland.
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Lethem is a small town in the South Rupununi region of Guyana, on the border with Brazil. The main road from the coast ends here, so for many travelers it is the last stop before the open savanna. Most people use Lethem as a base, and it is best treated as a starting point for the wider region.
Travelers come for the Rupununi savanna around it: grassland with patches of forest, cattle ranches, and river country that floods in the rains. Makushi and Wapishana communities live in the region, and some trips include village visits. The trip suits people who want birdlife, long drives on rough tracks and a slow pace. Road travel is easier in the dry season, when rain is less likely to cut off tracks. Plan at least three or four days to see more than the town and one ranch.
Lethem in five
- Carry Guyanese dollars for LethemBring enough Guyanese dollars for the town and the road. If you cross into Brazil, you will need reais for purchases there.Money and costs
- Check your entry rules before you travelLethem is a border town, so entry and exit rules matter from your first hour in Guyana. Confirm whether your passport needs a visa for Guyana before you book.Visas and entry
- Set up offline maps before you arriveMobile signal is patchy in and around Lethem, so download offline maps and your bookings before you leave the town.Phones and eSIM
- Book your transport to Lethem earlyFlights and road transfers to Lethem run on limited schedules, so confirm your seat before you set your dates. Ask your lodging to check current options.Getting around
- Get insurance that covers remote travelMedical care outside Georgetown is limited, so check that your policy covers remote areas, road travel and evacuation.Travel insurance
Things to do in Lethem
See all attractions in Lethem
Need to know
- Currency
- Guyanese dollar (GYD)
- Entry
- Visa needed by some passports; check the official entry rules before you travel Read more
- Emergency
- 911 for police; ask locally for fire and ambulance numbers
- Tipping
- Ask locally
- Time
- UTC-4, no daylight saving
Weather by month
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRains taper
- FebruaryDry, hot
- MarchHot, dry
- AprilRains start
- MayRainy season
- JuneRainy season
- JulyRainy, flooded
- AugustRains ease
- SeptemberDry season
- OctoberDry, hot
- NovemberDry season
- DecemberDry season
Right now in Lethem
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
25
- Feels like
- 25°
- Humidity
- 64%
- Wind
- 9 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 35%
Lethem
03:52 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today37°27°35%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 37°, Low 27°. Chance of rain 35%.
- Wed38°27°37%Wednesday: Drizzle. High 38°, Low 27°. Chance of rain 37%.
- Thu37°26°8%Thursday: Cloudy. High 37°, Low 26°. Chance of rain 8%.
- Fri38°27°4%Friday: Cloudy. High 38°, Low 27°. Chance of rain 4%.
- Sat38°27°2%Saturday: Partly cloudy. High 38°, Low 27°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Sun38°27°20%Sunday: Drizzle. High 38°, Low 27°. Chance of rain 20%.
Updated 03:44 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 209.6 GYD
Rates from Nov 3, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Bonfim, Brazilreached by bridge; check crossing hours before you set outThe Brazilian town across the Takutu River, reached over the bridge.
- Rupununi savannadepends on road and season; check before you set outOpen grassland and ranch country around Lethem.Read the guide
- Annaicheck road conditions and transport before you goA savanna village in the Rupununi, reached by road or track.
Before you go to Lethem
Rules for Lethem, checked
- Check whether your nationality needs a visa for Guyana on the official government site before you book flights or a road transfer.
- Crossing the Takutu bridge into Brazil needs its own papers, so check Brazil's federal police entry rules before you cross.
- Declare cash and goods above the limits on the arrival forms, and check current limits with the Guyana Revenue Authority.
- Ask before photographing people, especially in Indigenous villages of the Rupununi.
Plan around Lethem
Regions, entry and transport for a Guyana trip
Read the guideGetting aroundFlights and road links to the savanna and the border
Read the guideVisas and entryEntry rules before you travel and before you cross to Brazil
Read the guideMoney and costsGuyanese dollars, cash and typical prices on the road
Read the guideWhere to stayLodging in town and out on the savanna
Read the guideLethem FAQ
How do you get to Lethem?
By small plane from Georgetown or by long road from the coast. Schedules and road conditions change, so check current flights and road status before you set your dates.
Is Lethem worth visiting?
Yes, if you want the Rupununi savanna and a working border town. It has few formal sights, so plan around savanna visits and the crossing to Brazil.
How many days do you need in Lethem?
Two or three nights lets you see the town, the border and at least one savanna trip. One night works only if you fly in and out.
Can you visit Brazil from Lethem?
Yes. Bonfim is across the Takutu River and reached by bridge. Check entry rules for both countries before you cross, and carry the papers you need on each side.
When is the best time to visit Lethem?
The drier months, roughly September to December, are the best bet. Wet months make savanna roads harder to use.