Tour Description

The Commewijne River Plantation & Dolphin Tour offers a unique journey through Suriname’s rich colonial history, river landscapes, and wildlife. Traveling by boat along the Suriname and Commewijne rivers, this tour combines cultural heritage, historic plantations, and the opportunity to encounter wildlife in the country’s brackish river ecosystems.

The tour begins with a scenic boat trip from Leonsberg across the Suriname River to Fort Nieuw-Amsterdam, located at the confluence of the Suriname and Commewijne rivers. Built in the 18th century, this historic defensive post once protected the colony from foreign invasions by the English and French. Today, the site functions as an open-air museum where visitors can explore well-preserved structures such as the gunpowder house, the former prison, and various historical artifacts including cannons and weighing scales. During the Second World War, the fort also played a role in protecting Suriname’s strategic bauxite mines.

Continuing along the river, the tour explores the brackish waters that are home to the Guiana River Dolphin, a unique dolphin species recognizable by its pinkish belly and social behavior. These dolphins can grow up to two meters in length and are often seen swimming and hunting in small groups. Researchers from the Green Heritage Fund Suriname have identified around sixty individual dolphins in this river system.

The journey then continues to Plantage Rust en Werk, an 18th-century plantation founded by Governor Wigbold Crommelin. By the late 19th century, the plantation operated the largest sugar factory in the southern hemisphere. Today, the plantation is privately owned and primarily used for cattle breeding, but it still offers a glimpse into Suriname’s plantation history and rural river life.

The final stop of the tour is Plantage Frederiksdorp, one of the most well-preserved historic plantations in the Commewijne district. Founded by the brothers Friedrich and Theodoor Knoffel, the plantation once produced coffee, sugar, and cocoa and even served as a police post in the late 19th century. Today, Frederiksdorp has been carefully restored and functions as an open-air heritage site where visitors can explore historic buildings and learn about plantation life. Nearby lies Johanna Margaretha, another plantation connected to the Knoffel family and the history of Suriname’s Lutheran community.

This tour offers a fascinating combination of history, culture, nature, and river scenery, providing visitors with a deeper understanding of Suriname’s colonial past and vibrant river ecosystems.