Leave in the dark, stand at five hundred metres by ten.
Brownsberg and the Brokopondo reservoir: five hundred metres up, past a drowned forest
Minimum 4 people per departure. Fewer of you? Ask whether you can join another group on the same date.
You leave at 05:30 in the dark, by half seven you are standing at a reservoir where the dead trunks of a drowned forest still break the surface, and by ten you are looking down on that same water from a plateau five hundred metres up. In between we walk to a waterfall, and the red howler monkeys reach you kilometres before they come into view.
The Brokopondo reservoir was created in 1964 when the Afobaka dam closed the Suriname River to power the bauxite industry. Roughly 1,560 square kilometres of forest went under water and six thousand people, mostly Saramaccan Maroons, had to leave their villages. The dead trunks of the drowned forest still stand out of the water. That image is why people come, and the story behind it comes with it.
Brownsberg Nature Park sits on a plateau of about five hundred metres on the western side of the reservoir. It is cooler up there, and it is one of the best wildlife places in Suriname: red howler monkeys (which you will almost certainly hear), squirrel monkeys, capuchins, toucans and with luck an armadillo.
We walk to at least one of the waterfalls, usually Leo Val or Irene Val, depending on water level and trail condition. That is a proper walk with roots, mud and climbing. Not mountaineering, but not a boulevard either.
Allow eleven to twelve hours door to door, four to five of them in the car on partly unpaved road. If that does not appeal, do not book this one.
What happens on the day
Brownsberg Natuurpark Brokopondostuwmeer 8 stops
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05:30
Pick-up in Paramaribo, in the dark.
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07:30
Stop at the reservoir: drowned forest, the Afobaka dam explained.
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09:30
Arrive at Brownsberg, up the last unpaved stretch.
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10:00
Viewpoint over the Brokopondo reservoir.
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11:00
Walk to one of the waterfalls. Swim if conditions allow.
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13:30
Lunch in the park.
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15:00
Drive back to Paramaribo.
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17:30
Back at your hotel between roughly 17:30 and 18:00.
Times are indicative. Weather, traffic and how long you want to stay somewhere decide the rest.
Included
- 4x4 transport all day
- Brownsberg Nature Park entry
- Lunch, water and fruit
- Guide in English or Dutch
Not included
- Extra drinks
- Tips
- Overnight stay in the park (possible on request)
Bring
- Walking shoes with grip, not flip-flops
- Rain jacket, even in the dry season
- Insect repellent with DEET
- Swimwear for the waterfall
- A layer: it is cool up there in the morning
This is for you if…
People who want to get properly into the interior without staying overnight, and who accept eleven hours, four of them in a vehicle, as the price of it.
Do not book this if…
Not for small children, not for anyone with back or knee trouble, and not if four hours of shaking along partly unpaved road would ruin your day. Take Colakreek or Peperpot instead.
What you meet along the way
Frequently asked questions
What does a day trip to Brownsberg cost?
Ours is €125 per person for eleven hours, including 4x4 transport, park entry and lunch. On Viator a Brownsberg day trip costs $233, and a standalone Brownsberg tour starts around $85 without the reservoir stop. Local operators in Paramaribo charge roughly €80 to €99.
Will you see monkeys at Brownsberg?
You will almost always hear red howler monkeys, the call carries for kilometres, and often see them. Squirrel monkeys and brown capuchins are regular too. Early morning is best, which is one reason we leave at 05:30.
Why are there dead trees standing in the Brokopondo reservoir?
When the Afobaka dam closed the Suriname River in 1964, about 1,560 km² of rainforest was flooded without being logged first. The trunks were never removed and still break the surface. Around six thousand people, largely Saramaccan Maroons, lost their villages.
How hard is the walk at Brownsberg?
Expect 1 to 2 hours on forest paths with tree roots, mud and elevation, plus a descent to the waterfall that you then have to climb back up. The plateau sits at about 500 metres. Not technical, but genuinely strenuous; good shoes are a requirement, not a suggestion.
What if there are fewer than 4 of us?
This tour departs from 4 people, because only then are the guide and the tour costs covered. With fewer, ask whether you can join another group on the same date; we confirm per enquiry whether that works.
What do children pay?
Every child has their own seat and, on the water, their own life jacket, never a lap. Children under 3 come free, from 3 to 11 €100 per person, 20% off. Tell us the ages when you enquire; we confirm in advance whether a child seat is available.
Other tours
- Colakreek: swimming in blackwater
Black water, white sand, and you can see your feet on the bottom.
€85 per person 8 hours
- Sunset and dolphins
The profosu rides the incoming tide upriver, following the shrimp.
on request
- Peperpot Nature Park
A plantation that became forest again, with flat tracks and sloths overhead.
on request
- Commewijne and dolphins
Plantation banks first, then back on the tide behind the profosu.
on request
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