This two-day, one-night program offers cultural immersion in Jaw Jaw Atela, a Maroon village on the Upper Suriname River. Maroon communities are descendants of Africans who escaped Dutch plantations in the 17th and 18th centuries, establishing autonomous settlements in Suriname's interior and maintaining African-derived languages, spiritual practices and subsistence traditions.
The program is community-run: hosted and managed by Maroon families, with tourism income directly supporting the village. Accommodation is in a basic but well-maintained guest house with shared facilities. Activities are led by community members with deep local knowledge.
Full itinerary
9:00 AM departure from Paramaribo. Three- to four-hour drive to Atjoni, then 45-minute pirogue journey upriver to Jaw Jaw Atela. Arrival around midday. Welcome by host family and communal lunch.
Afternoon: choice of two activities from the menu (see below). Dinner with host family. Optional evening activity (night canoe excursion for caimans, traditional storytelling) depending on group interest and weather.
Breakfast with host family. Morning: choice of two activities from the menu. Lunch in the village. Afternoon: pirogue downstream to Atjoni, then road transfer to Paramaribo. Arrival between 5:00 and 7:00 PM depending on logistics.
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- Round-trip shared transportation: Paramaribo to Atjoni by vehicle, Atjoni to Jaw Jaw Atela by motorized pirogue
- One night accommodation in community guesthouse
- All meals: Day 1 lunch and dinner, Day 2 breakfast and lunch
- Choice of two activities per day from village menu
- Local guide and host family hospitality
- All village fees and contributions
- Alcoholic beverages
- Personal purchases (crafts, etc.)
- Gratuities for guide and host family
- Travel insurance
- Private transportation (shared transport included; private vehicle/boat charter available at additional cost)
Can be extended to three or four days for deeper engagement, or combined with the 3-Day Upper Suriname River resort experience for a contrast between community-run hospitality and resort-style accommodation. Private departures available.
What makes this tour
Community-run hospitality, hosted and managed by Maroon families; tourism income supports village directly
Cultural immersion, daily life in a working Maroon settlement, not staged for visitors
Saramaccan language and traditions, Maroon villages in this area maintain Saramaccan, an African-derived creole, plus spiritual practices and craft traditions rooted in 18th-century resistance
Choice of activities, two activities per day from menu including jungle walks, river swims, traditional cooking, craft demonstrations, fishing
Upper Suriname River setting, accessible only by motorized pirogue, river-defined village life with daily fishing, transport and gathering on the water
Practical information
- Available activities (choose two per day): jungle walk with medicinal plant interpretation; village walking tour with elder host; traditional cooking demonstration; craft workshop (basket weaving, wood carving); fishing with locals; river swimming at rapids; canoe paddling on the river; traditional drumming and dance demonstration (subject to community availability).
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