Access Suriname Travel: The Local Fixer for Rainforest, River & Plantation Adventures
A 23-year-old Paramaribo DMC that turns Suriname's wild interior into a bookable itinerary.
Why Go
Suriname is one of the least-visited countries in South America, and most of it is roadless jungle. Access Suriname Travel is the family-run operator locals point outsiders to when they actually want to get out there ΓÇö the Maroon villages up the Upper Suriname River, the sea-turtle beaches of Galibi, the granite dome of Kasikasima ΓÇö without gambling on logistics that Google can't help you with.
The Experience
The office sits in a colonial wooden building on Prinsessestraat, a two-minute walk from the Presidential Palace and the Waterkant riverfront. Walk in and you're dealing with a proper Destination Management Company rather than a hostel desk: they run their own flagship jungle lodge (Danpaati River Lodge, deep in the Saramaccan rainforest), plus scheduled boat cruises, tailor-made expeditions, and 4x4 crossings into the roadless west. Staff move fluidly between Dutch, English, and Sranan Tongo, and the vibe is efficient rather than salesy ΓÇö you tell them how many days you have and what your knees can handle, and they build the route.
What to Try
For a half-day taster, do the Commewijne plantation boat tour (around Γé¼65), which ties together colonial history and dolphin-spotting on the river. If you only have one big-ticket day, join the Mi Gudu Sunset Cruise on Sunday. With three to four days, book into Danpaati River Lodge for river swimming, forest walks with Saramaccan guides, and cassava-bread village visits. Adventurers should ask about Kasikasima (granite mountain trek), Raleighvallen (rainforest rapids), Galibi (leatherback nesting, seasonal), or the Kwamalasamutu expedition into deep Trio territory.
Insider Tip
Book the interior lodges ΓÇö especially Danpaati and Palumeu ΓÇö at least a few weeks out; they're small-plane or long-boat access only, and Dutch school-holiday windows (May, October, Christmas) sell out first. If you're on a tight timeline, ask specifically for their scheduled group departures rather than a private charter ΓÇö you'll pay a fraction of the cost and still get the same guides and lodges.
The Practical Stuff
Office at Prinsessestraat 37 in the historic UNESCO center of Paramaribo. Walk-ins welcome MondayΓÇôFriday 8:00ΓÇô16:00; closed weekends (do your booking on Friday or by email over the weekend). Payment in euros is standard for tours; carry cash SRD for meals in town. Bring a dry bag, long sleeves, and DEET for any interior trip, and note that most jungle lodges include meals but no alcohol.
Pair It With
- 101 Suites Guide — Comfortable Paramaribo base a short walk from the AST office ΓÇö ideal for the night before and after a jungle trip when you need hot water and laundry.
- 'T VAT Sidewalk Cafe Guide — Classic post-tour debrief spot on the Waterkant strip ΓÇö cold Parbo beer and a plate of bakkeljauw after a day on the river.
- 168 Restaurant Guide — Solid Chinese-Surinamese meal to load up on before an early-morning jungle transfer, or to celebrate getting back to the city.