Suriname Uncovered: South America's Hidden Jewel

Suriname is a lesser-known country tucked away on the north-eastern edge of South America. Sandwiched between Guyana, French Guiana, and Brazil, it lies within the Guiana Shield biodiversity hotspot. Despite being the smallest nation on the continent, Suriname boasts the highest percentage of forest cover of any country on Earth, enveloping a mind-boggling 93% of its territory.

With such an expanse of pristine rainforest remaining, Suriname offers fantastic and previously untapped opportunities for wildlife exploration. The local population is primarily concentrated in the historic capital of Paramaribo on Suriname’s coast, leaving much of the interior relatively ‘untouched’ by human presence. Very few countries around the world boast such a variety of life so close to their capital cities. Indeed, such iconic megafauna as Jaguar, Brazilian Tapir and Giant Armadillo have been recorded within striking distance of Paramaribo. Along the coast, lagoons border beaches dotted with turtle nesting sites, and networks of mangroves create habitat for West Indian Manatee, alongside a spectacular array of breeding birds. The savannah belt behind the coastal plain offers up an exciting range of open-country specialists, while the swathes of primary and secondary rainforest that blanket the rest of the interior provide reliable sites for some of the continent’s most sought-after birds, including Grey-winged Trumpeter, Harpy Eagle and Guianan Cock-of-the-rock. Suriname also holds some of the region’s healthiest populations of neotropical mammals, including eight species of primate, and an assortment of reptiles and amphibians to excite even the most seasoned of herpetologists.

Having recently returned from a 10-day trip to the country, covering a broad range of habitats, I can confidently affirm that Suriname offers some of the finest wildlife-watching on the continent. As an avid mammal-watcher, I was particularly struck by the consistency and density of sightings. The birding, too, was exceptional. The concentration of parrots, toucans and other vibrant neotropical families left a lasting impression, while the diversity of raptors was truly astonishing. Despite the inherent challenges presented by a dense forest environment, in many ways I found the overall wildlife-watching experience here to be as enjoyable (if not more so) as a visit to the Brazilian Pantanal – widely regarded as the neotropical mecca for wildlife observation. While it's true that uncovering some of the more elusive megafaunal species, such as Jaguar, may require greater effort, there's something immensely rewarding about being the sole boat on the river, or the only group in the forest. Each encounter is your own and the sense of anticipation, wondering what you might chance upon, far surpasses any guarantees for me.

However, don’t just take my word for it!

Tailormade clients Mr and Mrs Edwards travelled with us to Suriname last September. They managed to see 306 species of bird and comment: “This trip was possibly the most rewarding forest birding that we have done in 45 years of trips abroad.”

It's also worth noting that, for a herpetologist, the country is nothing short of a goldmine. With minimal effort and in an unfavourable season, we recorded 51 species of reptile and amphibian. With wetter weather, this number can more than double with relative ease, with reliable spots for Bushmaster, Green Anaconda, Suriname Toad and more. The kaleidoscopic array of butterflies, too, is no doubt alluring.

Whatever your interest in wildlife, Suriname surely deserves a place on your neotropical hit list!

Here are some tailormade sample itineraries to help inspire your travel plans:

Suriname – South America’s Best Kept Secret

A 15-day trip covering some of Suriname’s top wildlife hotspots, encompassing birds, mammals, and herpetofauna.

Day 1                   Fly UK to Suriname via Amsterdam

Day 2                   Afobaka

Day 3/5                Fredberg

Day 6/7                Peperpot Nature Reserve

Day 8/9                Bigi Pan

Day 10/11            Maratakka

Day 12/13            Peperpot Nature Reserve

Day 14                 Depart

Day 15                 Arrive UK

Suriname’s Wild Interior

A 14-day tour featuring a visit to the remote Kabalebo Nature Resort, in the heart of Suriname’s pristine rainforest.

Day 1                   Fly UK to Suriname via Amsterdam

Day 2/3                Peperpot Nature Reserve

Day 4/5                Bigi Pan

Day 6/7                Maratakka

Day 8                   Peperpot Nature Reserve

Day 9/11              Kabalebo Nature Resort

Day 12                 Peperpot Nature Reserve

Day 13                 Depart

Day 14                 Arrive UK

If you'd like to arrange a trip to Suriname on a tailormade basis, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Georgie Dodds at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Alternatively, if you prefer group travel please see our Suriname - South America's Hidden Gem webpage.