The Central Suriname Nature Reserve

The Central Suriname Nature Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering a vast swathe of the country's interior, protects one of the largest and most pristine expanses of untouched tropical rainforest left on the planet. Suriname is the most forested country on earth, and this reserve is its wild heart, a realm of dense, primary jungle, winding blackwater rivers, rapids, and dramatic granite inselbergs like the Voltzberg dome rising above the canopy. Reached only by small plane and boat, it teems with jaguars, tapirs, giant river otters, monkeys and a spectacular wealth of birds, an Amazonian wilderness barely touched by humanity.

History

Conservation International and the government of Suriname created the reserve in 1998 by joining three existing reserves, Raleighvallen, Tafelberg and Eilerts de Haan Gebergte, and in 2000 it became a World Heritage Site for its pristine tropical rainforest (Wikipedia, Central Suriname Nature Reserve).

Highlights

• The pristine rainforest - the vast untouched primary jungle.
• The Voltzberg dome - the granite inselberg rising over the canopy.
• The jungle rivers - the blackwater rivers and rapids.
• The wildlife - the jaguars, otters, monkeys and birds.

When to go

The drier periods, roughly February to April and August to November, are best for river travel and jungle trekking; the reserve is remote and reached only by chartered small plane and boat, so visits are multi-day guided expeditions arranged from Paramaribo, and access depends on conditions.

Before you go

This is deep, remote wilderness reached only by air and river on organised expeditions, with basic facilities and real logistical demands, so it is a genuine adventure for the intrepid rather than a casual trip, and costs are significant; wildlife, though abundant, is elusive in dense jungle. For the rare experience of some of the most pristine, untouched rainforest on earth, teeming with life and virtually empty of people, though, it is extraordinary.

Nearby

The capital Paramaribo is the gateway for expeditions into the interior.

Key facts