Multi-day · Relaxation
Blanche Marie & Apoera
In the west of Suriname, hidden deep in the jungle 300 kilometres from Paramaribo, lie the Blanche Marie Falls.
2 daysRelaxation Top 5 most booked
Galibi (sea turtles) and French Guiana, 2 or 3 days
Giant sea turtles travel all the way from Africa, via Europe, to Galibi to lay their eggs. The nesting of the leatherback turtle in particular (it can grow up to 2 metres long!) is a wondrous spectacle that takes place at night…
Fixed departure dates
Departure times and meeting points can change. If they do, everyone who has booked receives an e-mail straight away.
Description
Visit French Guiana and witness a special event in Galibi:
the egg-laying of several species of large sea turtles!
Tour to Galibi, the sea turtles and French Guiana
The Galibi nature reserve, covering 4,000 hectares, lies on the north coast of Suriname.
This region is known as one of the most important nesting beaches for sea turtles in the West Atlantic.
Large populations of leatherback turtles in particular can be found here; they can reach 2 metres in length and have swum thousands of kilometres to lay their eggs here.
The other large sea turtle species we may encounter is the green turtle (Surinamese: krape).
The smaller species we may see are the olive ridley (warana) and the hawksbill (karet).
On day 1 you leave Paramaribo by minibus towards the east of Suriname.
At the border town of Albina you cross the Marowijne River by korjaal towards the beach of Galibi.
Galibi beach offers plenty of opportunities to relax after you arrive.
You can go for a swim, for example, or simply unwind in a hammock.
At 8:00 pm you travel with your guide to the turtles' nesting site.
After sunset the sea turtles come ashore here to dig a nest and lay their eggs.
You can witness the whole process up close (without disturbing the animals, of course).
Day 2 is all about the surroundings.
The programme includes a tour of the Amerindian village where you stay, a visit to the little school, and time to swim or buy a souvenir while lunch for the journey is prepared.
On the way there or back (always on Wednesdays and Saturdays because of the market) we stop in Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni to visit French Guiana.
Here we visit the prison (also known from Papillon) and take a short walk through the town.
On Wednesdays and Saturdays we visit the market.
You also get the chance to buy some French products in a supermarket (only euros are accepted here).
Would you like to experience this unique event? Book now!
The sea turtle nesting season runs from late January to late July / early August.
Itinerary 2 days
A special menu is available for vegetarians, provided this is explicitly requested in advance.
- day 1
Outward journey
Departure (time and meeting point sent by e-mail) · 10:00 Breakfast at Stolkertsijver · 11:30 Arrival in Albina · 12:00 Crossing to Saint-Laurent, French Guiana · 12:15 Visit to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni · 13:00 Lunch · 13:30 Departure from Saint-Laurent to Galibi · 15:00 Arrival in Galibi and settling into the lodge · 19:00 Dinner with instructions for the evening's turtle spotting · 20:30 Departure by boat to the beach - day 2
Return journey
08:00 Breakfast · 09:00 Walk and swim · 11:00 Departure towards Albina · 12:30 Lunch in Albina · 17:00 Back in Paramaribo
Itinerary 3 days
- day 1
Outward journey
Departure (time and meeting point sent by e-mail)
10:00 Breakfast at Stolkertsijver
11:30 Arrival in Albina
12:00 Crossing to Saint-Laurent, French Guiana
12:15 Visit to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
13:00 Lunch
13:30 Departure from Saint-Laurent to Galibi
15:00 Arrival in Galibi and settling into the lodge
19:00 Dinner with instructions for the evening's turtle spotting
20:30 Departure by boat to the beach - day 2
Stay in Galibi
08:00 Wake up
08:30 Breakfast
09:30 Swimming
10:30 Village walk
12:00 Lunch
13:30 Visit to the Tijgerbank
16:00 Back to the lodge
19:00 Dinner
20:00 Cultural performance (subject to availability) - day 3
Return journey
08:00 Breakfast
09:00 Walk and swim
11:00 Departure towards Albina
12:30 Lunch in Albina
17:00 Back in Paramaribo
Packing list
- passport (you pass a checkpoint; we do not get stamps or go through customs posts)
- some SRD / euros for souvenirs
- bath towel
- swimwear
- hiking shoes
- water sandals
- sunscreen
- hat or cap
- mosquito gel
- long trousers (dark clothing for the beach)
- long-sleeved T-shirt (dark clothing for the beach)
- toiletries
- if you want to use a light on the beach, it may only be red light
- waterproof bag for things that must not get wet
- poncho / raincoat
- cameras must be used without flash
Departure dates
Daily departures possible from 2 tourists or 3 interns.
You can find the scheduled departure dates in the tour overview.
Book or reserve
Choose your departure date and options and add the tour to your cart. Then pay securely online with iDEAL, credit card, PayPal or Bancontact — your booking is confirmed immediately.
You will receive the meeting point and departure time by e-mail after booking.
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