Things to see and do East Road

The museum features an ever-expanding collection of live specimens of tarantulas, matutous and other beauties. The impressive butterfly collection includes rare specimens. In addition to insects endemic to French Guiana, you can see Amerindian pottery, stamped bricks from the four corners of French Guiana and, last but not least, blown bottles found on gold-panning sites (the oldest dates back to the ^17th century). A word of advice: arrive early, as tours fill up fast. And this is an astonishing visit, not to be missed!

The Morpho team welcomes you to the Kaw marshes, aboard this boat with removable beds and a capacity of 12 people at night and 16 during the day. The Morpho has a roof for shelter and observation of the flora and fauna. there are 3 tours to discover the marshes. Discovery (9.30am-3pm): trip up the Kaw River and lunch.Caimans and Birds (3.30pm-9am): sunset and ti'punch, lunch at a restaurant in the village of Kaw, search for caimans, overnight on the boat and breakfast. The Immersion package combines the two above.

This magnificent gîte is located 1h30/2h from Régina by pirogue. Several hammock carbets, a sanitary carbet (shower, WC, washbasin), a restaurant carbet and a palaver carbet for evening aperitifs. The camp is bordered by a creek where you can try your hand at gold panning. Amerindian or Saramaka guides will take you swimming down part of the river, and a botanical trail has been laid out. The site is family-friendly, allowing you to discover the Approuague in complete safety, and to go upstream to the Grand-Machicou or Grand-Canori jumps.

The Kaw marshes are part of the Kaw-Roura nature reserve, which extends over 94,700 ha between the communes of Régina (on which the village of Kaw depends) and Roura. Management was first entrusted to the Arataï association (ministerial decree of March 13, 1998), then in February 2008 to the Association de gestion des espaces protégés (AGEP). Today, management of the reserve has been entrusted to the Parc Naturel Régional de Guyane (PNRG) since February 27, 2014.

In a grandiose setting, the Kaw River winds its way through magnificent flooded savannahs, amidst moucou-moucou, arums with large heart-shaped leaves. Zebus, a kind of humped oxen, move heavily through the water. In the air or underwater, life is everywhere, teeming and mysterious. As the boat glides gently over the surface of the water, your eyes and ears are alerted to the diversity of the still rich fauna, so protected and yet so threatened... Musk ducks and piprites cast you a sidelong glance, motionless, perched on the grasses, while numerous jacanas delight you with the unexpected yellow that unfolds in their lively, mischievous flight.

Manatees used to accompany the pirogues, but are now rare. Occasionally, the eye catches a hoazin, recognizable by the glorious crest on its head. All in all, a spectacle full of surprises for the attentive and curious visitor.

The "Marshes and the village of Kaw" tour includes a visit to the village, a trip up the marshes and an encounter with the caimans..." Red Ibis and Caimans " includes a trip down the river and wildlife observation. The "24-hour immersion in the heart of the marshes" combines one of the first two tours with a night in a carbet and piranha fishing, while"Kaw and its mountain "condenses into 3 days hiking, Wapou creek, Fourgassié waterfalls and an introduction to traditional gold panning.

On Sunday mornings, the small market is the village's main attraction! Agricultural produce and handicrafts - such as these extremely fine embroideries in shimmering colors, as well as butterflies and tarantulas under glass - are displayed in a festival of colors. Nearby, women prepare salads, bamis, egg rolls and Asian soups, whose subtle scents waft through the air and excite, even whet the appetite!

This creek is often described as the most beautiful in the country and the closest to Cayenne. Gabriel Creek flows into the Mahury at the Roura bridge in Stoupan. It's best to go during the week, as you'll be almost alone.

After a few hundred meters, you'll reach the landing stage for the village of Dacca. A little further on, the vegetation changes, the cove becomes narrower and the water takes on an amber color. If the time and season are right, many morphos (large metallic blue butterflies, symbols of French Guiana) will come to greet you. A word of advice: make sure you don't make any noise, and keep your eyes peeled for monkeys and lazy sheep.

Further on, after passing under the old wooden bridge of Dégrad-Eskol, the creek leaves the forest for the swampy savannah, where the scenery is superb. Then it becomes narrower and it's time to turn back. The only precaution to take on this lovely pirogue ride is to check the tide. At low tide, the level of the creek won't allow you to go far, making it impossible to cross Dégrad-Eskol.

To reach the banks of Gabriel Creek, you have two options: you can launch your boat just after the Mahury bridge, to the left of the landing stage. This will allow you to sail up the entire creek. Alternatively, continue on to the village of Roura in the direction of Dacca (turn left past the town hall).

In this little corner of paradise, overlooking the jump, you'll have the chance to swim in the Approuague River, take pirogue rides, fish and try your hand at traditional gold panning. The 5 recently renovated bungalows are very comfortable! There are plenty of fun activities on offer, as well as a chance to explore the forest. From the camp, you can follow a trail for around 3 hours to the Angèle Creek waterfall. A warm welcome and professional service, not to mention exceptional meals!

For a complete discovery of the Kaw marshes, the nature reserve and the surrounding forest, take advantage of the expertise of this excellent agency. For the record, "Tigdilo" means "water tiger", ready to hunt the area with you! The guides know the area like the back of their hand, and will take you further than other service providers. The proposed tours are as follows: Caimans (2:30-9:30 p.m.): visit the village and marshes, meet the caimans at nightfall. Ti-punch stop by the creek. Bring your own picnic!

This Ecomuseum traces the history of the Approuague, from the Amerindians to the region's current challenges. The vast Aubin-Laigné Creole house reveals the local history and natural environments that make up the entire Approuague-Kaw territory. Outside the house, the old sawmill offers an insight into woodworking, alongside a range of machinery linked to the sugar, rum and cocoa industries. An ideal stop-off to familiarize yourself with Régina's heritage.

Created in 1987, this military camp covers an area of 150 ha, but exercises take place in an area of around 900 ha to train commanders for extreme missions, among other things. The camp regularly welcomes units from other countries.

While not spectacular, these falls are an opportunity to dip your feet in pure, white water. Take care when moving around, as the humidity makes the rocks very slippery. The area is pleasant, but lacks maintenance. The wooden installations have deteriorated and some unscrupulous visitors "forget" to pick up their garbage. What a shame! To get there, a difficult, steep laterite path on the right leaves the road on the left. 3 km further on, a clearing invites you to leave your vehicle and head for the waterfalls below.

This waterway had its heyday in the days of gold panning. Today, Cayenne Islanders have built their weekend cabins here. Despite the noise of the outboard motors, the calm of the forest is soon restored as you pass the village of Cacao and the Saut Bief. Shortly afterwards, Bagot Creek can be climbed for a few kilometers. The river's often low water level means you'll have to be careful and pull your canoe along the creek's sandy bottom. Several bivouac sites are available.

The main attraction of Régina is the Approuague, a wild, deserted river, the fourth longest in French Guiana (270 km). It rises in the Massif Central south of Saül. Among its magnificent jumps, the most famous are the Grand-Machicou and the Grand-Canori, the most spectacular in the region with its 19 m vertical drop. This road, or rather liquid trail, was used in the last century by the adventurers of El Dorado. Today, only the names of Impératrice, Titine, Boeuf-Mort, Dardanelles... still sing the epic tale of these adventurers of days gone by. The ascent can be very difficult during the dry season. The Approuague has a notorious reputation for breaking equipment. The rocks hidden just a few centimetres under the water are much harder than the motor's propeller. The ascent from Régina should be made with the tide in mind: pushed by the tide, you'll save a lot of time and fuel.

A few kilometers from Régina, on the right bank of the Approuague, lies the hamlet of Saint-Esprit. The discovery of this tiny, timeless village, populated by just a few souls, will come as a surprise. Every year on June 24, followers of the Colombe d'Or (Golden Dove) engage in a number of ritual practices, including walking barefoot across a bed of embers: a mystical atmosphere and guaranteed thrills!

Still on the right bank of the Approuague, we come across the Mataroni River. The flora and fauna here are quite rich, with the exception of the first few kilometers where the Legion has set up camp. After crossing the Yapoura, Bois, Dagomelle and Magasin jumps, and finally the Lavillette jump, the pirogue has to be pulled up onto the rocks after a long walk. At the foot of the jump, there's a very pleasant bivouac and swimming area.

Continuing up the Approuague, we arrive at the Tourépé jump, the first and, for some, the last, as the "Tourépé wave" can be difficult. After passing Saut Mapaou, where the tide finally stops, you reach the magnificent site of Saut Athanase, dominated by the village of the same name on the heights of the right bank, then Cisame.

After Saut Colonis, the river becomes narrower, more beautiful and wilder. Saut Aïkoupaï offers you the chance to bivouac on the islet on the left bank. You leave the Arataï River on your right.

After crossing the Kalawéli jump, you arrive at Grand-Machicou. The site is equipped with several carbets, some of which are covered. The site is truly beautiful. Allow 3 days for the round trip from Régina. Climbing Machicou is another matter... Machicou has five steps, so you have to find the passes, and that's where the problem lies. The best solution is to wait for a supply boat of gold miners to show up. Follow it, but be careful... you'll first have to motor up the first four steps. The fifth step is impassable, and you'll have to carry the canoe 250 m through the forest. Many canoes, overloaded or hesitant, or lacking sufficient power, end up at the bottom of the river. A veritable Ali Baba's cave is thus found at a depth of 7 m to 8 m: canoes, motors, guns and even, it seems, gold. After all that effort, a punch will be welcome to savor the victory over the Grand-Machicou. The ascent continues, easily over the Petit-Machicou jump, followed by the barely perceptible Ménado, Bois-Blanc, Bouchard and Petit-Canori jumps.

The Petit-Canori can be motorized via a small bistoury on the left bank. Beware, the current is quite strong and there are a lot of stones at water level. It is therefore advisable, if you have an aluminum hull, to cross the jump directly in the middle by pulling the boat with a rope, a fairly easy and safer method. Once you've cleared the jump, it's just 5 minutes to the splendid Grand-Canori jump, which creates Guyana's highest waterfall, 19 m high and 400 m long. At the foot of the jump, you'll find a superb bivouac site. To protect the site, the trail does not go as far as the falls.

Grand-Canori often represents the end of the climb up the Approuague. The rest is more of an expedition: first, you have to carry the boat over the jump. A wide, 2 km-long layon on the right bank takes you there. It takes a good day to complete this portage. Be aware that gold miners pull 200-litre drums of petrol up the slopes of this layon, carry engines weighing over 80 kg, and above all pull, push and carry long, heavy wooden canoes weighing several hundred kilos. The course of the Approuague above Grand-Canori is wilder, and jumps are more dangerous due to the stronger current. If before Grand-Canori you saw few birds and game, now you'll see plenty. The Petit-Japigny and Grand-Japigny jumps provide good bivouacs. A natural grotto beneath Grand-Japigny is a great photo opportunity. There are several more or less legal gold-panning sites in the upper Approuague. It takes 2 days to reach Grand-Machicou and another day to reach Grand-Canori.

Molokoï, which means "earth tortoise" in Creole, is the longest signposted trail in French Guiana: you'll cover around 20 km of the Sentier Molokoï in around 9 hours of walking, over 2 days. It's best to start from the former Auberge des Orpailleurs, as you'll finish the second day with a gentle, long descent. Just 8.5 km from the Auberge, you'll find a camp with 3 carbets on the banks of Boulanger Creek. With a capacity of 15 hammocks, there's a place for everyone, provided you book (and pay in advance).

The Trésor trail passes through a rather well-preserved primary forest and takes its name from the Placer Trésor, which was mined for gold for many years, then abandoned (the remains are outside the reserve). As this is a regional nature reserve, the plant species you'll find are clearly described. The botanical trail (1.7 km, loop) takes about 1.30 hours to complete. Alternatively, follow the Carbone trail (1.4 km).

Harvested in French Guiana from the drowned lands of the Approuague River, from ^18th-century plantations that have been abandoned, Cacao d'Amazonie combines ancestral Amerindian know-how with wood-fired roasting and European chocolate-making techniques, making it unique. On-site production of pure organic cocoa paste sticks, multi-flavored bars and chocolate bonbons filled with touka praline, coconut-cinnamon flavor, palm tarpaulin, ganache or wassai. Discover them for yourself!

This trail was inaugurated by the ONF in 2014. A sign hidden behind the foliage indicates the entrance to a narrow path that follows the course of a stream before emptying into a cave, a nesting area for the "coq-de-roche" bird. After less than 30 minutes' walk, you reach the observatory site. From March to April, you'll find magnificent birds with bright orange plumage (males) topped by a rounded crest, looking to mate with discreet, brown-plumaged females. Don't forget your binoculars... and be quiet!