Upper Suriname lies in the Sipaliwini district. It's named after the Suriname River, whose upper reaches flow through the area.
To get to the Upper Suriname area you travel 3–4 hours by bus or car to the village of Atjoni/Pokigron. From Atjoni you can only continue by boat to the various villages and resorts along the Suriname River.
As you sail you'll see people along the water doing their laundry or fishing, and children swimming and waving very cheerfully at visitors.
Some of the villages and resorts you'll find:
- Isadou
- Djumu
- Knini Paati
- Menimi
- Pikin Slee
- Nieuw Aurora
The population group living in the Upper Suriname area:
- Maroons (descendants of escaped slaves)
The main language spoken is Saramaccan.
People get around by korjaal, a dugout canoe made from a hollowed-out tree trunk.
In the villages you'll see people going about their daily work. Their houses are built to fit the family, and not everyone has the luxury of a TV or Wi-Fi.
A few years ago a project started to provide the people of Upper Suriname with solar panels so they can use electricity in the evening. The project is still running and has already equipped a large part of the villages.
After school and at weekends the children help their parents with daily tasks, such as:
- washing clothes
- washing up
- helping on the kostgrondje: a plot of land each family has, where they plant and harvest vegetables, fruit and root crops
- cooking
- fishing/hunting: hunting is done by the boys together with their father
Almost every village has a granman or village chief. As an outsider it's always proper to greet the chief first; it's a matter of courtesy.
The chief's house is easy to recognise: it's usually the only one with electricity and a fence. He's also the one who helps people with shelter or when they're in need.
A tour to Upper Suriname
Several tour companies offer tours to Upper Suriname.
You can do a fun tour from as little as 2 days. You can choose from different resorts, depending on how long you want to travel and how much luxury you'd like.
Activities during the tour:
- Village walk
- Forest walk
- Night-time boat trip on the river in search of caimans
- Swimming in the sulas (rapids)
Extra activities if you book a tour of more than 3 days:
- A back-to-basics tour: you spend 1 or more nights in the jungle at a base camp, sleeping in a hammock, bathing in the river, cooking over a wood fire and fishing and/or hunting for food.
- A visit to Pikin Slee, home of the Maroon museum.
When you book a tour you don't have to take part in the activities. You can also book as many days as you like and simply relax in a hammock, swim in the river and enjoy nature.
For more information about a tour to Upper Suriname, have a look around our website or call us on +597 885 8495.
