Day 1: Arrival in Paramaribo On arrival at Zanderij, Suriname’s international airport, a member of staff will be on hand to escort you to the Royal Breeze Hotel on the Waterfront in Paramaribo, where your first few nights’ accommodation has been booked.Day 2: City tour of Paramaribo To help you settle in and get a feel for the atmosphere, surroundings and climate, we’ll start the trip with a city tour of the capital. Highlights include Fort Zeelandia, the wooden cathedral, the Jewish synagogue next to the mosque, Independence Square and the market with its exotic fruit and vegetables. The afternoon is free to spend as you wish. Overnight stay in Paramaribo, including breakfast.Day 3: – Jodensavanne/Stone Island After breakfast, we head south to visit Jodensavanne. This is the former settlement of Sephardic Jews and their slaves in Suriname, about 50 km south of Paramaribo. The site is situated in the Para district near the Cassipora Creek, a tributary of the Suriname River. Around 1640, the first Jews arrived in Suriname from Europe and settled on the banks of the Suriname River. They established sugar cane plantations and kept slaves, and the community grew exponentially until it eventually numbered more than 700 people. In its heyday, there were a total of around 115 Jewish plantations in Suriname, where thousands of slaves worked. After this visit, we’ll drive to the dam, where you’ll have a lovely view of the dam and the reservoir. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included today.Day 4: - Stone Island/Lake Brokopondo Today we’ll take a trip on the lake, sailing amongst the submerged trees. You’re also free to take a canoe out onto the lake. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included today.Day 5: - African culture in the bush: Anaula Anaula is an island in the Suriname River. It is situated in the Upper Suriname region, approximately 170 km from Paramaribo and about an hour’s boat ride from a departure point south of the Brokopondo Reservoir. The island is a nature reserve, but a small part has been developed as a resort. We set off at the end of the morning by bus to Atjoni, where we transfer to a korjaal to take us to Anaula. We’ll take a motorised dugout canoe for about 50 minutes to the comfortable Anaula Nature Resort, situated at the foot of the Ferullasi Falls, where you’ll also be staying overnight. During this boat trip, we’ll encounter breathtaking scenery and various Maroon villages. We’ll also pass the turbulent Jaw-Jaw rapids. After a light buffet lunch in the beautiful dining room, you’ll check in. You’ll then have a chance to explore the resort. In the morning, we’ll travel by dugout canoe to a nearby swimming spot in the Ferullasi rapids, where we can relax, swim and enjoy a natural whirlpool. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included today.Day 6: - Various activities in Anaula After breakfast, we’ll travel by korjaal to the village of Nieuw-Aurora for a village walk. During the guided tour of the village, you’ll meet the local people and learn about their unique way of life and their traditional customs and practices. We’ll visit the mission station, which includes a church, a primary school and a medical centre. At around 4.30 pm, we’ll go for a walk in the forest on the island where the resort is situated. During this walk, you’ll learn about the local medicinal uses of plants. During the civil war in 1986, Ronnie Brunswijk’s Jungle Commandos visited the island to perform their rituals of immortality. The remnants of these rituals on the island serve as a reminder of this unique piece of history. In the evening, you can enjoy a delicious dinner. After dinner, we will be treated to a cultural dance performance. Traditional dances such as the Seketi, Awasa and Bandamba will be performed for us. Our guide will explain the content and significance of these dances. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included today.