A shared love for fun and adventure has led a group of siblings to create a new recreational experience in Guyana, one they hope will give families, friends and visitors another reason to get outdoors and try something different.

That vision is taking shape at Apex Adventure Zone in Belfield, East Coast Demerara, where paintball and gel strike will form the foundation of a wider adventure destination.

For co-owner Kyle Barrow, the idea is rooted in a personal love for the excitement, competition and adrenaline that come with paintball.

An avid Call of Duty player, Barrow said he was drawn to the similarities between the strategy of gaming and the experience of being on a paintball field.

“The excitement and the strategy that I get from gaming, I wanted to experience that in real life,” he said.

After playing paintball at a few businesses in Guyana, Barrow began thinking about how the experience could be taken further.

“Those experiences helped me envision something bigger,” he said.

The idea soon grew beyond his own vision. After sharing it with his family, Alena Barrow, Alicia Alstrom, Terrence Alstrom and Akeem Morgan, the group began working together to bring Apex Adventure Zone to life.

From the beginning, Barrow said, the goal was to create something that went beyond simply providing a place to play paintball.

“We didn’t want to just create another paintball business,” he said. “We wanted people to feel like they’re actually entering an adventure zone.”

That vision extends to the entire experience, from the equipment and playing environment to the organisation of each session and the way visitors are welcomed.

The first offerings will include paintball for persons aged 14 and over and gel strike for children from age six. The owners also plan to introduce glow-in-the-dark paintball, creating another variation on the experience.

“We want teenagers, adults, children and families to all have something exciting to do,” Barrow said.

It is this emphasis on creating experiences that could eventually place Apex within Guyana’s wider recreational and tourism landscape.

Guyana is already known for its forests, rivers, waterfalls and wildlife, but Barrow believes adventure tourism can extend beyond nature-based experiences.

“Guyana has so many beautiful attractions and outdoor experiences,” he said. “But there is still room for more activities where people can come together, compete, have fun and create memories.”

Apex could therefore offer visitors another way to experience Guyana, while also giving residents a new recreational option closer to home. The owners see potential for partnerships with hotels, tour operators and other tourism-related businesses as the facility develops.

But the ambitions for Apex stretch beyond recreation.

Barrow wants to help grow paintball as a sport in Guyana, with the long-term goal of developing local players and seeing Guyanese teams compete internationally, including at the National Xball League (NXL).

“Long term, we want to see Guyanese players competing internationally,” he said.

The team also hopes to eventually host local, regional and international tournaments, potentially bringing players and spectators from outside Guyana to the country.

As the venture grows, there are plans to expand beyond paintball, with archery, ATV experiences and other adventure activities being considered.

The result, the owners hope, will be a destination built around adventure, recreation and competition rather than a single attraction.

Getting that experience right, however, begins with safety.

Protective equipment, safety briefings, clear rules, controlled playing areas and staff supervision will form part of the operation, ensuring that the excitement of the activities is matched by a strong focus on responsible participation.

Ultimately, Barrow said, the ambition is simple: to give people somewhere they can have fun, try something different and leave with an experience worth remembering.

“We want people to come here, have fun, enjoy themselves and leave with memories,” he said.

And while Apex may begin with paintball, its founders are hoping it can grow into something much bigger — a place where Guyanese can discover new forms of recreation, young players can develop their skills, and visitors can experience a more action-packed side of the country.

“If we can help put Guyana on the map through paintball while creating memorable experiences for locals and tourists, then we believe Apex will have achieved something much bigger than simply opening a recreational facility,” Barrow said.