The end of the road and the beginning of everything

Day 1 — The long road west

You leave at 03:00 from the GO2 petrol station on Van het Hogerhuysstraat, by the Bosje bridge. For thirteen hours the jungle comes towards you. Unpaved forest roads, hardly any traffic, and a landscape that gets wilder the further Paramaribo falls behind you. At the Kabalebo river you transfer to a boat. Five to eight minutes later you moor at the island. The silence hits you.

Day 2 — Into the forest, into the water

After breakfast your guide leads you into the rainforest. Plants that have grown here for millennia, animals few people ever see up close, air that smells different from anywhere else. In the afternoon it's the turn of the sula. At high water the rapids churn around you. At low water you walk through the dried-out riverbed and feel how big the river really is. Both are worth it.

Day 3 — Waterfalls, rock carvings and the view

Today you head for the Avanavero falls themselves. The walk through the forest to get there is already something. At the falls you understand why this area stayed unknown for so long: it feels as though you're the first person ever to stand here. Walk a little further and you'll find the historic rock carvings left by Indigenous peoples, which nobody has been able to date precisely. That only makes them more fascinating.

Day 4 — One more morning on the river

The morning is yours. Swim, fish, sit still and listen to what the rainforest has to say. After lunch you start the long drive back to Paramaribo. You come home with mud on your shoes and stories you'll be telling for years.

Included: Transport both ways, boat, all meals (breakfast from departure onwards, lunch and dinner), accommodation at the resort and all activities.

Not included: Alcoholic drinks and personal expenses.

The order and content of the activities may vary depending on weather, water levels or other conditions on the day. Your guide adjusts the programme where needed, always with your safety and experience in mind.