Thursday January 29. Last night I arrived from Chili on the airport of Paramaribo, Suriname where Jeroen – who arrived earlier from the Netherlands – already arranged a rental car. Today the trip kicks off in the historic city center of Paramaribo. A fascinating walking tour takes in colonial landmarks such as the Presidential Palace, the wooden interior of St. Peter and Paul Cathedral, and historic Fort Zeelandia — now home to the Surinaams Museum. The evening concludes in style with a pub quiz and local beers at the Wan Bon Biri brewery.
The next morning, we fly from Zorg en Hoop Airport in a small, twelve-seater plane to the deep jungle of Palumeu. After a 90-minute flight through the clouds, the stay at the eco-lodges begins. The first afternoon is dedicated to relaxation: floating back with the river current while wearing a life jacket and getting acquainted with the indigenous village. Us travelers watch locals stringing bead necklaces and crafting bows and arrows, and sample traditional cassava bread.
Saturday brings a deeper immersion into the Amazon rainforest. The boatman navigates a wooden boat through rapids to a river island for breakfast. Accompanied by a local guide, the group embarks on an nice jungle trek, spotting a brightly colored poison dart frog and a leaf frog. A climb up a smooth, 200-meter-high rock face, offering a spectacular view over the endless canopy of the tropical rainforest. All set to the resounding calls of howler monkeys. The highlight is a cute baby velvet monkey that had fallen from a tree on the trail.
On Sunday, the group travels even further downstream. The boatman navigates past an impressive waterfall, while the passengers make their way around it on foot. The afternoon is spent relaxing in hammocks on a sandbank, complete with a barbecue and the sighting of two rare giant otters on a rock. On Monday morning, we visit the local school and a small market selling handmade jewelry before heading back to Paramaribo.
