Travel The Guianas: Your Gateway to South America's Wildest Frontier
The specialist DMC unlocking the rainforest, rivers, and cross-border adventures of Suriname, Guyana, and French Guiana
Why Go
For nearly two decades, this Paramaribo-based outfit has been quietly stitching together the region's most complicated logistics ΓÇö border crossings, dugout transfers, Maroon village stays, and space-center visits ΓÇö into itineraries that most travelers assume aren't possible in the Guianas.
The Experience
Walking into the Parijsstraat office feels less like booking a tour and more like sitting down with a friend who has spent 20 years crisscrossing the least-visited corner of South America. The team (originally known as Oetsi Tours) doesn't just sell trips ΓÇö they design routes that thread the three Guianas together, which is genuinely difficult given the language shifts (Dutch, English, French), border formalities, and the fact that many of the region's best experiences sit hours upriver from the nearest paved road. Expect small-group or private itineraries with English-speaking guides, transparent handoffs between local partners, and a clear focus on rainforest ecology, colonial-history sites, and Indigenous and Maroon cultural exchanges rather than mass-market sightseeing.
What to Try
The 9-day Upper Suriname River immersion is their signature ΓÇö dugout canoe journeys to Saramaccan Maroon villages, jungle lodges deep in the Central Suriname Nature Reserve, and evenings around the fire with drumming and cassava bread. If you have more time, the 7-day Three Guianas Explorer bundles Paramaribo's UNESCO-listed wooden center, Guyana's thundering Kaieteur Falls, and the surreal Ariane rocket launchpad at Kourou in French Guiana. Birders should ask about custom itineraries built around cock-of-the-rock leks and harpy eagle territory.
Insider Tip
Book a scoping call before you commit to dates ΓÇö the team will quietly reroute you around weather windows, ferry schedules on the Maroni and Corantijn rivers, and Kaieteur's small-plane availability, all of which can silently break a self-planned Guianas trip. Also ask about combining a launch-viewing date at Kourou; European Space Agency schedules are published months out and can be built into the French Guiana leg.
The Practical Stuff
Office at Parijsstraat 40 in central Paramaribo, walkable from the historic waterfront. Packages start around USD 3,561 for a 7-day tour and climb to USD 4,810 for extensions into Trinidad. Contact via +597 850-0724 or info@traveltheguianas.com. Best travel windows are the long dry season (mid-August to early December) and the short dry season (February to April). Bring yellow-fever proof if you're crossing into Guyana or French Guiana, and pack for high humidity year-round.
Pair It With
- 'T Vat Sidewalk Cafe Guide — The unofficial post-tour debrief spot in Paramaribo ΓÇö pull up a Parbo beer on the terrace after a day upriver and swap notes with expats and returning travelers.
- 101 Suites Guide — A convenient, centrally located stay for the night before or after your expedition, minutes from the Travel The Guianas office and the historic inner city.
- 88 Car Rental Suriname Guide — Useful if you want to add a self-drive day around greater Paramaribo or Commewijne's plantation loop on either end of your guided itinerary.