Tour Overview
| Duration | 11 Days / 10 Nights |
|---|---|
| Countries | Guyana — Suriname — French Guiana |
| Price From | $3,795 per person (twin share) |
| Tour Style | Adventure / Wildlife Expedition |
| Data Source | Wilderness Explorers — 2026 |
Itinerary Highlights
Day 1: Arrive Georgetown — Guyana’s Garden City
Arrive at Cheddi Jagan International Airport. Transfer to Cara Lodge, a beautifully restored 1840s colonial mansion that has hosted King Edward VIII, President Jimmy Carter, and Prince Charles. Afternoon at leisure — explore the botanical gardens and see the magnificent Victoria amazonica water lilies. Overnight at Cara Lodge.
Day 2: Kaieteur Falls — The World’s Tallest Single-Drop Falls
Early morning flight over pristine rainforest to Kaieteur Falls — one of Earth’s greatest natural wonders. At 741 feet (226 meters), Kaieteur is five times the height of Niagara Falls, with a single drop of water thundering into a gorge surrounded by virgin rainforest. Walk to multiple viewpoints. Spot the endemic golden frog that lives in giant bromeliads and the brilliant Guianan cock-of-the-rock bird. This is a place of such raw power and beauty that it stays with you forever. Return flight to Georgetown. Overnight at Cara Lodge.
Day 3: Georgetown — Colonial Guyana
Full-day Georgetown tour. Visit St. George’s Cathedral, the world’s tallest wooden building. Walk through the incredible Stabroek Market, a cast-iron masterpiece that feels like stepping into the 19th century. Visit the Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology, the National Museum, and the Demerara Harbour Bridge. Afternoon visit to the Demerara Distillers for a tour of the world-famous El Dorado rum distillery — tasting included. Overnight at Cara Lodge.
Day 4: Mahaica River & Paramaribo
Dawn excursion on the Mahaica River — search for Guyana’s national bird, the prehistoric-looking hoatzin (Canje pheasant), the only bird that digests leaves like a cow. Spot blood-colored woodpeckers and scarlet ibis in the mangroves. Breakfast at a riverside farm. Afternoon flight to Paramaribo, Suriname. Overnight in Paramaribo.
Day 5: Paramaribo — UNESCO Heritage & Diversity
Full-day walking tour of Paramaribo’s historic center. Fort Zeelandia, Independence Square, the Presidential Palace, the stunning wooden cathedral, and the iconic synagogue beside the mosque. Visit the Central Market for a sensory explosion of Suriname’s incredible cultural mix — Javanese, Hindustani, Creole, Chinese, Dutch, Indigenous, and Maroon all in one country of just 600,000 people. Afternoon at the Commewijne River for dolphin watching. Overnight in Paramaribo.
Day 6: Commewijne Plantations & Javanese Suriname
Full day in the Commewijne District. Visit Peperpot Nature Park — walk among wild monkeys in a former coffee and cocoa plantation that nature has reclaimed. Explore Fort Nieuw Amsterdam (1740) and its museum with the original gunpowder store and colonial-era carriages. Visit a Javanese village — the Sana Budaya community has preserved the traditions of Java for over 100 years in the heart of South America. Traditional Javanese lunch and gamelan performance. Overnight in Paramaribo.
Day 7: Brownsberg — Into the Jungle
Full day at Brownsberg Nature Park. Hike through the 6,000 hectares of pristine rainforest atop a plateau. Your guide points out the extraordinary biodiversity — howler and spider monkeys, toucans, macaws, giant morpho butterflies. From the viewpoint: the vast Brokopondo Reservoir with its famous skeleton forest where dead trees stand like ghosts in the water. Swim beneath a waterfall in the jungle. Overnight near Brownsberg.
Day 8: Into French Guiana — Saint-Laurent Penal Colony
Cross the Maroni River to French Guiana. Visit the Camp de la Transportation — walk through the cells where over 70,000 prisoners passed through between 1852 and 1953. The solitary confinement wing, the guillotine platform, the hospital — this is the complete story of one of history’s most brutal prison systems. Overnight at Hotel Atlantis.
Day 9: Devil’s Island & Space Centre
Catamaran to the Îles du Salut. Explore Devil’s Island — the prison that held political prisoners including Captain Dreyfus. The crumbling buildings set against a paradise of palm trees and turquoise water create one of the most surreal experiences in travel. Afternoon: Guiana Space Centre — stand where European rockets launch into space from South America. Overnight in Kourou.
Day 10: Cayenne — Spice & Color
Drive to Cayenne. Explore the colorful Creole capital — the palm-lined squares, the bustling markets with Amazonian crafts and spices, the Musée Départemental, and the atmospheric Chinese quarter. Visit the Marché de Cayenne for the last of the Guianas’ incredible foods — accras (cod fritters), colombo (curry), and fresh tropical fruits you’ve never heard of. Farewell dinner. Overnight in Cayenne.
Day 11: Depart Cayenne
Morning at leisure. Transfer to Félix Eboué Airport.
Inclusions
- 10 nights (colonial lodge + city hotels + jungle lodge)
- Daily breakfast + 5 dinners
- Kaieteur Falls flight and guided tour
- Georgetown city tour (incl. rum distillery)
- Paramaribo UNESCO walking tour
- Brownsberg Nature Park full-day hike
- Devil’s Island catamaran excursion
- Guiana Space Centre tour
- All ground and water transfers
- Border crossing assistance
- English-speaking guide throughout
- Airport transfers
Why The Wild Coast
- Kaieteur Falls — five times taller than Niagara, in pristine jungle
- Devil’s Island — the world’s most infamous prison, now hauntingly beautiful
- Paramaribo — a synagogue sharing a parking lot with a mosque (UNESCO)
- Brownsberg — primary rainforest accessible in a day with monkeys, toucans, and skeleton forests
- Three countries in eleven days — South America’s least-traveled corner
