Raleighvallen

Raleighvallen is a run of rapids where the Coppename breaks over granite in the middle of the rainforest, and the station beside it is the practical entry point to the Central Suriname Nature Reserve, 1.6 million hectares of primary forest that covers around eleven percent of the country. Eight primate species live in the surrounding forest and the Guianan cock-of-the-rock nests on the rocks nearby.

What you actually see

• The rapids - the Coppename breaking over granite through the forest.
• The monkeys - eight primate species in the forest around the station.
• The cock-of-the-rock - the orange bird nesting on rock faces nearby.
• The reserve entry - the base for the whole World Heritage property.

When to go

The two dry seasons, February to April and August to November, are the practical windows. The long rains from April to August raise the river. Insects are heavy year round.

Honest expectations

Access is by tour only, either flying in or a long boat trip, and it is expensive. Accommodation is basic huts and hammocks. Big animals are heard far more often than seen.

Nearby

Voltzberg is a walk inland, and Paramaribo is northeast.