Julianatop

Julianatop rises to 1,280 metres in the Wilhelmina Mountains in the deep interior and is the highest point in Suriname, a forested summit inside the Central Suriname Nature Reserve with no road, track or settlement anywhere near it. The mountain is named in the World Heritage inscription as the property's high point. Almost nobody goes: the logistics are severe and the summit itself is under forest.

Background

The mountain honours Juliana of the Netherlands in its name, while its Amerindian name, Ipinumin, means He who stands alone. Its summit was first reached in 1963 by A.P.L. Nunes, J.P. Schulz, J. Tawjoeran and S. Ligori. On June 29, 1963 the party landed at the Kayser Mountains airstrip, travelled by korjaal along the Zuid River to the Lucie River, then went approximately 15 km up the Lucie to where the Oost River joins it and made base camp. A trail was cut northwest from there, turning northeast at km 14 and north at km 19, with a final 3.5 km side path heading east. The climb extended the June to August 1963 botanical expedition to the Wilhelmina Mountains.

Source: Wikipedia, "Julianatop"

What's there

• The summit - 1,280 metres, the highest ground in the country.
• The Wilhelmina range - the mountain chain in the deep interior.
• The forested top - summit under canopy rather than bare rock.
• The isolation - no road, track or settlement within a great distance.

When to go

The dry seasons, February to April and August to November, are the only practical windows. Rain makes the interior impassable. Expeditions are rare in any season.

Things to know

Reaching it is a full expedition requiring charter flights, guides, porters and weeks of planning, and almost nobody attempts it. The summit is under forest and there is no view. There is no rescue capability of any kind.

Nearby

Tafelberg is northeast, and the Brazilian border is south.

Key facts