A popular tour for nature lovers wishing to visit the still relatively unknown Maratakka River. Ultimate tranquility reigns here, and you can dream away under a dazzling starry sky. Manatees (sea cows) and giant otters live in the river. It is a true fishing paradise. Moreover, thanks to the many Mauritian palms, the area is the perfect location to spot yellow-blue macaws .
MARATAKKA RIVER
Travel information
Maratakka
The Maratakka River is a narrow, winding river in West Suriname. This area is still relatively unknown to tourists. The Maratakka flows into the Nickerie River near Wageningen. We collaborate with a local operator who knows the river inside and out and has built a camp on the river, about an hour's boat ride from Wageningen. Transportation from Paramaribo is provided by a permanent team of drivers, and you will be welcomed on site by a very friendly family from Nickerie with extensive experience in tourism.
The Maratakka River is a narrow, winding river in West Suriname. This area is still relatively unknown to tourists. The Maratakka flows into the Nickerie River near Wageningen. We collaborate with a local operator who knows the river inside and out and has built a camp on the river, about an hour's boat ride from Wageningen. Transportation from Paramaribo is provided by a permanent team of drivers, and you will be welcomed on site by a very friendly family from Nickerie with extensive experience in tourism.
West Suriname
The boat departs from Wageningen for the riverside camp. During your stay, you can enjoy river cruises or go fishing. Everything can be arranged according to your wishes. You have a good chance of spotting animals here. At low tide, there's a real chance of seeing giant otters and manatees. Macaws are also regularly spotted in this area. They nest in—and feed on—the fruits and seeds of—the Mauritius palm.
Jungle camp
The camp is located in the heart of the jungle, on the Maratakka River. Beds are available in the shared dormitory, complete with mosquito nets. For a more adventurous experience, choose a hammock. There is also a kitchen with a dining area and shared bathroom facilities with running (cold) water.
Bigi Pan Nature Reserve
You can choose from 2- or 3-day tours for this area. We recommend combining this trip with an overnight stay at Bigi Pan. You will then sleep in the lodge of the same family that accompanies you during the trip.
| Departure days | on request |
| Amount of days | 2 to 4 |
| Min. number of people | 2 |
| Transportation | bus and boat |
| Accommodation | basic camp with a shared dormitory and shared sanitary facilities |
| Choose from | Beds with mosquito nets or hammocks |
| Dog Care | full board (excl. lunch day 1) |
| Activities | catered |
Program
A trip to the Maratakka can be carried out in many variations. You can spend 1 or 2 nights in the jungle camp and you can combine a trip to the Maratakka with an overnight stay on Bigi Pan or go straight back to Paramaribo. Depending on this, the program is compiled and program parts cannot be recorded or changed in order. However, a visit to the Maratakka is always adventurous and varied.
Day 1
Departure from Paramaribo with one of our regular drivers. He will take you to Wageningen. From Ingi Broki, which is the place where the boat is waiting for us, we sail to the camp. The boat trip is sometimes longer, sometimes shorter, depending on whether we see animals.
We arrive towards the end of the afternoon, then there is time to settle in the camp and swim in the river. After dinner there is still time to chat on the deck on the water while enjoying a drink. Enjoy the deafening silence and the fireflies in clear weather.
Day 2
The next morning after breakfast we sail up the river. We look for birds and animals. After lunch at camp we take a walk in the woods. Along the way we hope to spot various animals and meet impressive forest giants and special plants in the jungle.
Of course, after our return we will go for a lovely swim in the river or, for enthusiasts, you can cast out a fishing line. After our extensive evening meal, the last evening at the camp is a fact. When the weather is clear, the starry sky here is breathtaking and who knows, you might even see shooting stars!
Day 3
The next morning it is time to pack everything and after breakfast we take another walk through the bamboo forest. After lunch we leave by boat for Wageningen and from there we drive to the jetty where the boat will pick us up and take us to the accommodation on Bigi Pan Lake. We will arrive there towards the end of the afternoon. At sunset we take a boat trip to the roosts of the birds that return every evening to spend the night in this place. It is a fantastic spectacle. If the weather is clear, after dinner there is an opportunity to set sail and look for the nocturnal animals that are active here. These are mainly reptiles/snakes.
Day 4
After spending the night on the lake, in the morning we sail a bit further towards the dike (only at high water levels) and we can take a mud bath near the coast. After lunch we leave by boat for the jetty and from there the driver is waiting for us to take us to Paramaribo.
Note:
Due to logistical planning, the trip can also be carried out in reverse order: first a night on Bigi Pan and then 2 nights at the camp on the Maratakka River
Customer review:
We recently visited Suriname, a country that has left many impressions on us. The first area we visited was the Maratakka, a river south of Wageningen. The camp was an hour's boat ride from Wageningen. It is located in the middle of the jungle. Don't expect a luxury resort. It is a basic camp, a large space enclosed with a kind of metal chicken wire. On a large deck in the river, you will feel like you are in the middle of the jungle in the evening. We took beautiful walks through the jungle and a bamboo forest. Life on the Maratakka is really back to nature: sailing, swimming, showering with river water. Saw many birds, birds of prey, parrots, even macaws. Howler monkeys surprised us at a real concert at night. In the morning 6 giant otters came swimming by. In short: if you want to experience nature in a pure but basic way, the Maratakka is a unique opportunity.
Greetings: Mieke and Theo
Accommodation
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