Suriname Amazon Jungle Expedition

Overview

Suriname is more than nine-tenths forest, and the Upper Suriname River is the way into it: hours in a motorised dugout (korjaal) threading rapids from the roadhead at Atjoni, between walls of primary rainforest, to Saamaka Maroon villages founded by people who escaped slavery and rebuilt West African life deep in Amazonia. Village stays and river lodges run by Saamaka families set the rhythm — cassava gardens, drumming, swimming from river beaches while howler monkeys argue at dawn. The cultural protocol matters as much as the jungle craft: villages are private homes, so you travel with a Saamaka guide, ask before photographing, and accept that the river sets the timetable — low water means pushing the korjaal over rocks. Malaria precautions and yellow fever vaccination are required kit, and a hammock with a good mosquito net beats any tent. The long dry season (August-November) and the short one (February-March) give the easiest travel. A week from Paramaribo costs around £1,800 including the road-and-river transfer, guides and village fees.

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Prefilled for 1 February 2027 — the next best-season window. Search on partner sites — opens in a new tab.