Sipaliwini Savanna

The Sipaliwini savanna spreads across the far south of Suriname on the Brazilian border, an island of open grassland in a country that is otherwise almost entirely forest, connected ecologically to the cerrado further south and holding plants and animals found nowhere else in Suriname. It is protected as a nature reserve. Trio villages live on its edges and there is no road anywhere near it.

The landscape

• The open grassland - savanna in a country that is otherwise all forest.
• The cerrado link - vegetation related to the Brazilian savannas far south.
• The distinct species - plants and animals found nowhere else in Suriname.
• The forest edge - the abrupt boundary where grassland meets trees.

When to go

The dry seasons, February to April and August to November, are the practical windows. The savanna burns in the dry season. Access is rare in any month.

Good to know

There is no road, no infrastructure and almost no visitor traffic; reaching it means a charter flight and expedition arrangements. Permits are required. The interest is ecological rather than scenic.

Nearby

Kwamalasamutu is west, and the Brazilian border is south.

Key facts