Papillon Tour

Day 1

Arrive in Cayenne

Arrive in Cayenne (international flights not included) and transfer to your chosen beachfront hotel. Spend the afternoon at leisure, enjoying the palm fringed shore.

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Day 2

Visit Cayenne and drive to Kourou

The following day you will receive your self-drive car, maps and be fully briefed. Visit the colonial city of Cayenne visiting the museum and sampling the local food drawn from French, Caribbean and Asian influences before driving to Kourou.

Day 3

Guided tour of the European Space Centre

Kourou is a town with a modern French atmosphere, strangely incongruous in the tropical haze. It is famed for the European Space Centre, encompassing a vast area of coastline and a guided tour of the Space Centre centre is included. We will visit the fascinating museum and assembly rooms. Lying opposite Kourou, in the Atlantic Ocean, are the infamous Iles du Salut, including " Devil's Island", where the penal colony functioned from 1852 to 1953. We visit the Ile Royale, where the prison cells remain, partly entangled by the lush vegetation and the children's graveyard at tiny church housing an interesting collection of paintings of prison life.

Day 4

In search of leatherback turtles

Depart in your self-drive car for Saint Laurent du Maroni, situated on the Suriname border, formerly the penal transportation camp and now a tranquil colonial town. Drive to Les Hattes, via Mana, to witness the beautiful leatherback turtles struggling up the beach to lay their eggs (April-August).

 

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Day 5

Explore Saint Laurent

Return to Saint Laurent where we explore the abandoned penal centre. In the evening, enjoy an included dinner overlooking the Maroni River on an old sailing boat, converted into a restaurant, its candlelit atmosphere making a perfect relaxing end to the day.

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Day 6

Travel to Cayenne

Leave for Cayenne to return your car and overnight.

Day 7

Amazon jungle lodge

More discoveries in the rainforest today, in the company of your expert local guide.

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Day 8

Exploring the Amazon rainforest

Today we take guided treks into the rainforest with knowledgable guides.

Day 9

Relax in Cayenne or visit Amerindian Villages

Today you can choose to enjoy the ambiance of French Guiana capital city, or join an excursion to the nearby Amerindian villages. 

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Day 10

Transfer to the airport

Transfer to the airport for your onward connection.