Journey into the Amazon’s Secret World

5 – 18 October 2026, Apetina, Suriname (fully booked)

22 February – 5 March 2027, Apetina, Suriname (open for registration)

Price: € 4,100 

Come with us to a remote corner of the Suriname rainforest – and help conserve it for its people

On this expedition, we are invited guests of the Wayana, an Indigenous People who have lived in the rainforest of the Guyanas for centuries. As pressures on their land increase, the Wayana have asked for our help in documenting the biodiversity of their territory—knowledge that is essential for protecting it and governing it sustainably.

Our objective: To set up a mixed team of local community members, motivated travellers, and international biodiversity experts to carry out the first comprehensive biodiversity inventory of the Wayana rainforest. You will work in the forest and in an improvised lab with both local people and scientists to document a wide variety of organisms, including fish, mammals, insects, snails, birds, frogs, reptiles, and spiders.

Together with the local NGO Mulokot Foundation, we have designed an efficient workflow that brings Indigenous ecological knowledge and cutting-edge biodiversity science together. Join us to help give the Wayana the tools to govern their own natural resources better.

Background: The rainforest of the Wayana is one of the richest on the planet. The dense, low-lying forests, the barren granitic rocky outcrops, and the broad meandering rivers full of rapids, host a crazy diversity of birds, mammals, frogs, reptiles, and insects. The iconic two-meter-long giant otter is seen on the shores of the river while toucans, macaws, and large colorful butterflies glide across the treetops. But the small community of Indigenous people is having a hard time protecting this paradise against outside forces. There is illegal gold mining and logging, and enforcement from the authorities is insufficient. That is why the Wayana are reaching out to Taxon Expeditions to help document their biodiversity to give them the data that are needed to argue for conservation and for more sustainable revenues, like ecotourism.

On this unique trip you will:

• Help Indigenous people and scientists document the unknown biodiversity of the rainforest of the Wayana

• Go on night jungle walks where you will train your eyes to spot fascinating animals that lurk in the dark

•  Learn about the secret lives of frogs, spiders, insects, and other lesser-known animals 

• Climb granitic outcrops and use entomological sampling techniques to find species that may occur nowhere else on Earth

•  Team up with our herpetologists and entomologists to install sound recorders and document the forest’s nocturnal soundscape of frogs and crickets

• Work in our mobile DNA laboratory to extract DNA and do PCR tests to document species also in a genetic way

• Discover and publish new species of wildlife

• Enjoy evening lectures by the expedition experts on the ecology and biodiversity of the Amazon

• Learn the techniques for setting, pinning, and identifying insects

The Expedition fee:

€ 4,100 per person for a spot in a shared 2-person bedroom or in a hammock

Included in the price:

• learning and working alongside a team of scientists and Wayana Indigenous People
• basic accommodation (a bed or a hammock) in Apetina village and 3 meals per day
• domestic travel from Paramaribo to Apetina by a chartered plane and longboat
• hands-on field research & lab work, including equipment and research materials
• lectures and study materials, including a book

 Please keep in mind that a hotel in Paramaribo and international travel are not included.