A beautiful fully catered 9-day canoe trip for young and old over the Brokopondo reservoir!

Step into the world of tropical rainforest with the makers of the first documentary for NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL. Enjoy nature in its purest form, and take on the challenge of dense rainforests, beautiful rivers and the fascinating Brokopondo reservoir.

Because a dam was built in the Suriname River in the province of Brokopondo in the mid-sixties, an enormous water reservoir was formed, Professor Ir. From Blommenstein lake or the Brokopondo lake, as it is popularly called, with an area of more than 1500 square kilometers. Twenty Saramaccan villages, a church, a railway line and large areas of rainforest disappeared under water. But to this day, the tops of the sun-bleached forest giants are still standing proudly and nature has recaptured its place. It is a breathtaking adventure to paddle in between with your own kayak and to store your camp on the various islands with the sunset on this immense large reservoir in the background. Today it is more one of the most spectacular natural landscapes in Suriname. In this surrealistic landscape you paddle over the history of the lake and you can get acquainted with its natural inhabitants such as the fascinating and playful giant otter, tapirs, howler monkeys, iguanas, sloths and caimans.

Day 1:
Arrival in Paramaribo and transport to hotel.
Spacious 2 person room based on bed and breakfast.

Day 2:
We gather at the Peperpot kanocentrum, after which we ride through the jungle to the village of Atjoni on the Suriname River. Here we unload our kayaks and start the first part of the trip across the Suriname river. We camp at the edge of the village before leaving the reservoir early the next day. Spacious 2 person expedition tent, full board.

Day 3:
Today we get up early and start the first part of the trip over the reservoir and arrive at our camping island at the foot of Brownsberg at the end of the day. Here we come here and there is time to supplement the meal with fresh fish to be caught by ourselves. Spacious 2 person expedition tent, full board.

Day 4 to 7:
We start early and sail past the many dead trees, which bleached, but proudly sticking out of the water. We even have to watch out for branches that threaten our boats just under water. At the end of the afternoon we make our camp, in a beautiful spot that we suspect is a hot spot to catch Toekoenari’s. (A Toekoenari is a tropical Roofbarfish and is known in Suriname as a delicacy). There is nothing better than to roast a freshly caught Toekoenari on a wood fire while enjoying the setting sun, knowing that there is no human being to be seen in the furthest distance, only us and the jungle. Tree frog and howler monkey guarantee many awake night hours. Earplugs sometimes want to help. Spacious 2 person expedition tent, full board.

Day 8:
Today we sail to Brownsweg where we will be picked up. Here we load the kayaks and drive back to Paramaribo with an unforgettable adventure in our luggage. Spacious 2 person room based on bed and breakfast.

Day 9:
In the morning ample time to explore the city on your own or relax at the pool, in the afternoon departure to the airport.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

HOW’S THE WEATHER ?
We sail outside the great rainy season which means that there is little rain. This trip takes place on the water which means that there is always a wonderful cooling wind. But because of this wind you do not notice how bright the sun is, so you have to protect yourself well and rub it regularly with a protection lotion of at least factor 30.

IS IT A HEAVY TOUR?
No, anyone with a normal condition and good health can participate in this canoe trip. It is not a race, and the intention is to actively enjoy this special environment.

CAN I DO THIS TRIP WITHOUT EXPERIENCE?
In principle, anyone without any canoe experience can participate in this trip, we think it is much more important that you have a flexible attitude and team spirit. This is a journey through a rugged and uninhabited nature reserve where there is a chance that due to local circumstances you have to deviate from the pre-planned route, etc. It can also happen that we do not set up a tent in spot a but on location b or somewhere stay longer because the weather does not allow it to continue sailing, this is why we plan extra days in this trip. However, we advise travelers without a canoe experience to rent a canoe a few times in advance in order to gain some experience. During this trip you will receive very experienced guidance that you will assist with during your journey.

DANGEROUS ANIMALS
In principle you will see little to no dangerous animals as we mainly spend the night on the islands. In the forest, the largest predator is the Jaguar, which is quite shy and will not show up so quickly. In the twilight you can have to deal with mosquitoes and good protection in the form of long sleeves and the drug Deet is therefore recommended for this trip.

SHOULD I BUY SPECIAL EQUIPMENT?
Most of the equipment is made available. You will receive an extensive packing list when booking.

IS THERE AN AGE LIMIT?
In principle we do not apply an age limit for this trip.

INCLUDED IS: All bus transfers + Dutch speaking tour guide + Rental boat + Overnight stays in 2 person tent. + All meals during the trip + All group camping / expedition equipment + canoe / canoe equipment + two hotel nights.

NOT INCLUDED IS: international flight, insurance, personal expenses.

TRAVEL TIME: 9 days.

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: minimum 6, maximum 9
GUIDANCE: 1 Dutch speaking guide, (+ 1 extra guide for 8 people)
OVERNIGHT: spacious two person expedition tent.

PACK LIST: You will receive an extensive packing list when booking.

WHAT IS USED FOR KAYAK:
For this trip we use the Tarpon 160 Sit on Top kayaks. The flat bottom in the cockpit ensures a stable boat while its length and shallow draft ensure sufficient speed. The boat has a comfortable backrest, ample luggage space for multi-day expeditions, two cockpit hatches and a large oval hatch. length 4.27 meters / width 71 cm / weight. 28 kg, in short the ideal boat for this trip!