Suriname is mostly jungle. Most people stay in the city, but the real trip happens when you head up the rivers.
What to expect
The moment your boat leaves the last village with a name, the engine noise gives way to birdsong and water against the hull, and the nearest paved road is already hours behind you. Suriname is 93% rainforest, and that's the reason to come. In other countries, you might take a short bus ride to see a waterfall. In Suriname, you have to take a boat for hours just to reach the start of the trail. The forest is so thick that there are almost no roads in the interior. You travel by river in a wooden boat called a korjaal.
The rivers are the highways here. Most trips start in a town called Atjoni. It is a small port at the end of the road. From there, you go upriver to visit Maroon villages. These communities have lived in the forest for 300 years. The trips are quiet and you won't see many other tourists.
If you don't have much time, you can go to Brownsberg Nature Park. It is about 3 hours south of the city. You can see big waterfalls and look down at the massive Brokopondo lake. For deeper trips, you will need at least three days and a local guide who knows the area.
What you can do
Choose your trip based on how much effort you want to put in. Some are easy, others are very hard.
You sit in a long wooden boat (korjaal) and travel up the Suriname River. You'll pass small villages and see how people live in the forest. You can do this as a day trip or stay for a few nights.
Walk through the rainforest to see several waterfalls like Irenevallen. The road to the plateau is an adventure in itself, usually requiring a 4x4. From the top, you get an amazing view over the Brokopondo Lake.
This is a long walk through the jungle that ends with an uphill climb on a giant granite rock. At the top, you can see the forest stretching out in every direction. It is a tough climb and very humid.
Go into the forest at night with a headlamp to see animals that hide during the day. Look for caimans in the water, tree frogs, and big spiders. You will always go with a guide.
A very remote area in west Suriname that you can only reach by a small plane. There are no villages nearby, just thousands of miles of forest. You stay in a lodge and go fishing or hiking every day.
Take a 4-hour boat trip from Atjoni to a resort like Tio Boto. Sleep in a lodge or a hammock, visit the Maroon museum in Djumu, and hike to the Pineapple Mountains. You can also visit the impressive Tapawatra rapids where two rivers meet.
Logistics
Practical information on how to get around and where to sleep.
