The Best of Suriname

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival
Arrive in Suriname, a former Dutch colony. Pick up and transfer to Eco Resort Inn for check in.

Day 2: Paramaribo City Tour
After breakfast, experience a city tour of Paramaribo. Here you will find a mosaic of diverse races and cultures. The cacophony of city life is muted by shaded, tree-lined avenues interspersed with seventeenth-century Dutch wooden structures alternating with modern hotels and office buildings. In a unique blend of architecture, cultures and religions, Paramaribo is one of the few places in the world where Muslim mosques, Hindu temples, Jewish synagogues and Christian churches coexist peacefully side by side.

Day 3: Commewijne Plantation
Today we take you on the Commewijne River past Old Dutch colonial plantations of which some are still active. You will visit the Nieuw Amsterdam Museum; Marienburg, the oldest sugar-cane plantation in Suriname; Rust en Werk; the Thilapia fishery and Agricultural projects in Alkmaar, Katwijk and surroundings. You will see fishermen in the area pull in their shrimp catches and you will visit the fish-smokery. Overnight at Eco resort Inn. (Meals: breakfast, lunch)

Day 4: Jodensavanne & Blakawatra
This morning our tour will take us approximately 70 km to the South of Paramaribo, where on the right bank of the Suriname river lies Jodensavanne. A former Jewish settlement, it is named after the Jewish people who settled in this savannah area around 1650. This former Jewish village is where the ruins of the most ancient synagogue of North and South America lies and the graveyard can still be seen. The tour will continue with a visit to Blakawatra, not far from Jodensavanne. Blakawatra is a recreation resort with swimming facilities in the refreshing water of the creek which is rich in minerals. (Meals: breakfast)

Day 5: Brownsberg
The tour starts in Paramaribo where you will depart for a 3-hour trip by bus. This nature reserve lies at a distance of almost 130 km from Paramaribo and can be reached in 2 1/2 hours. You will have spectacular views of the Afobaka power dam. Walking paths will take you, through the rainforest, to beautiful waterfalls at which you will enjoy views over the vast rainforests. A sturdy walk and climb through the forest will be rewarded when you arrive at one of the waterfalls in the area where you will enjoy a natural water massage or just relax on the mountaintop while you enjoy the unique jungle sounds and a view over the power dam. Return in late afternoon to your hotel. (Meals: breakfast, lunch)

Day 6: Coropina & Lelydrop
The Coropina creek lies in the savannah area of Zanderij, at a distance of approximately 40 km from Paramaribo. Depart in the morning by bus, to Lelydorp for a short visit to an orchid garden. Afterwards, the trip continues to Gonggrijpbos where various types of trees, from different regions, have been planted by a forest ranger whose name was Gonggrijp. The tour will than take you to an Amerindian pottery at Billiton where you will witness the art of earthenware. Afterwards, we will take a trip to a docking place along the Coropina creek where the tour will be continued by boat. You will enjoy the unique flora and fauna of the area and will learn more about the medicinal use of plants and herbs. Lunch is served in the midst of nature, along the Coropina creek, at Camp Isidor. After lunch, we take a trip by boat to Bersaba, a former wood plantation, where you will have the opportunity to swim and make a trip by dug-out canoe in the creek. In the afternoon, departure by bus for the return trip to Paramaribo. (Meals: breakfast, lunch)

Day 7-8: Santigron & Saramaaca
You will be a welcome guest iin the Maroon village Santigron. This is the closest Maroon village to Paramaribo city, on the banks of the Saramacca river, where the inhabitants still live according to their traditional lifestyle. A trip by bus will take you to Uitkijk, approximately 45 minutes south from Paramaribo. On the way, you will receive information about various places worth seeing. From Uitkijk, the trip will be continued by boat to Santigron. The woody area is yours to enjoy during this boat trip, which will last 1 hour. Upon arrival in the village, you will meet the local people in the traditional manner. Afterwards, a walk through the village with information about the current lifestyle of the Maroons. After lunch, you have the opportunity to relax in a hammock or swim along the banks of the Saramacca river. In the afternoon, enjoy a cultural performance of dancing by the children in the village followed by a woodcarving exhibition. Your stay overnight will be in open huts in hammocks with mosquito nets or in cabins with beds. The following day, after breakfast, visit the nearby Amerindian village, Pikin Poika, via a walk through the rainforest. Meet the chief of the village and learn more about the culture and lifestyle of the local people. You will also witness how tools are made from earthenware and weaving. After lunch, you swim in the river, go fishing in the traditional manner or just relax in a hammock.

Day 9: Paramaribo
Transfer to Paramaribo and to Eco Resort Inn for overnight. Afternoon is free to explore and shop for souvenirs. (Meals: breakfast)

Day10: Departure
Transfer to airport for your return flight.(Meals: breakfast)