Brownsberg Nature Park
Rainforest plateau with waterfalls, howler monkeys and a jaw-dropping lake view
Why Go
Standing at Mazaroni Top with the Brokopondo Reservoir spread out 500 metres below and howler monkeys roaring in the canopy is one of those Suriname moments that makes the sweaty jeep ride up feel completely worth it.
The Experience
Brownsberg is a 12,000-hectare rainforest plateau rising sharply above the Brokopondo Reservoir in central Suriname, managed by nature conservation foundation STINASU. Getting there is half the adventure: it's roughly a three-hour drive south from Paramaribo to Brownsweg village, followed by a steep, rutted climb up the mountain that genuinely requires a high-clearance 4x4. Once on top you're in cloud-forest territory, cooler and greener than the coastal lowlands, threaded with hiking trails that drop off the plateau to a series of waterfalls hidden in the jungle below. Most visitors come as a day trip or, better, stay a night in the basic STINASU cabins or hammock shelters near the ranger station so they can catch dawn, when the mist rolls off the lake and the red howlers start their otherworldly chorus. It feels remote, undeveloped and genuinely wild in the way a lot of South American 'nature parks' no longer do.
What to Try
The classic hike is down to Leo Val (Leo Falls) ΓÇö a steep two-hour scramble each way through primary rainforest to a wide curtain waterfall with a swimming pool at the base, and it's usually the trail that delivers the best wildlife sightings. If you're shorter on time or energy, Mazaroni Val is closer and gentler, while Irene Val is the tallest and most dramatic drop but a serious day hike. Even if you skip the falls entirely, walk the ten minutes from the ranger station to Mazaroni Top viewpoint for the postcard shot over Brokopondostuwmeer, and hang around at dusk when bats stream out and the forest orchestra kicks in.
Insider Tip
Come midweek in the dry season (roughly August to November, or February) and stay overnight ΓÇö day-trippers all pile in around 11am and leave by 3pm, so early morning and late afternoon on the trails are when the monkeys, toucans and (if you're very lucky) tapirs actually show themselves. Book cabins directly with STINASU in Paramaribo well in advance, bring your own bedsheet or hammock, and pack a torch, sturdy shoes with grip, and more drinking water than you think you need; the humidity on the Leo trail is brutal.
The Practical Stuff
Location: central Suriname, roughly 130 km south of Paramaribo via Brownsweg; the park entrance is up a steep 4x4-only track from the village. Getting there: easiest as an organised tour from Paramaribo (many operators run 2-day/1-night trips including transport, guide and basic lodging), otherwise self-drive in a rented 4x4. Park fee and accommodation are handled by STINASU. Facilities on top are basic ΓÇö simple cabins and hammock huts, a shared kitchen area, cold showers, no reliable phone signal and limited electricity. Cash (SRD or USD) is essential; there's nowhere to pay by card. Bring insect repellent, long sleeves for evenings, and rain gear year-round.
Pair It With
- Brokopondo Reservoir — The vast man-made lake you spend all day staring down at from the plateau ΓÇö boat trips from villages like Atjoni or Balingsoela let you see the ghostly drowned forest up close.
- Upper Suriname River (Saamaka villages) — A natural next stop after Brownsberg for travellers heading deeper into the interior to experience Maroon culture, river life and jungle lodges around Botopasi or Pikin Slee.
- Paramaribo historic centre — Bookend the jungle trip with a night in the UNESCO-listed Dutch colonial capital for wooden architecture, Javanese warungs and a cold Parbo on the waterfront.