A TRIP TO SAUL

Discovering Saül and the Amazonian primary forest

Historically, gold panning was one of the main factors driving population settlements in Guiana. The small town of Saül was thus founded at the beginning of the 19th century by migrants from Saint Lucia looking for gold and its very name is that of a famous gold digger among them. Located in the heart of Guiana, Saül now has only a few hundred inhabitants for a vast territory covering ten thousands of acres.

Local residents are mainly Creoles, Hmongs and metropolitan French. Still wild, this wonderful natural site is ideal for forest treks. Marked trails and footpaths allow for fully safe wandering to discover the ruins of early encampments and immerse yourself in the lush flora and fauna of the Amazonian primary forest.

Your departure meeting point is at Cayenne airport to board a flight to Saül (lasting from 35 to 50 minutes depending on stopovers). On arrival at the local airfield, a bus service (return-trip tickets costing €10.00) can take you to Saül town, i.e. some 1.2 mile further off. If you prefer to walk, a marked trail to the town is also available (ca. 20 minutes on foot).

Depending on the length of your stay, you may then visit the local church and medicinal herb garden, follow an initiation to gold panning with a specialist guide or set off immediately to explore the many forest trails (with a guide or on your own).

Main forest trails to discover:

Roche Bateau” trail – 9.3 miles involving 6 hours of trekking (includes a creek, polishing rocks and spots where you can swim or fish);
Monts La Fumée” trail – 6.2 miles involving 5 hours;
Grand Boeuf Mort” trail – 7.4 miles involving 5 and a half hours;
Gros Arbre” trail – 3.1 miles involving 2 hours;
Belvédère” trail – much shorter and involving only 1 hour.

ROOMS AT “GITE AKENOU”
“Gîte Akenou” offers 6 rooms (5 rooms with double beds and 1 room with 2 double beds).
Each room has its own private terrace but showers and toilets are shared.
Snacks will be served on arrival.
A 60-seat restaurant is available, offering a mix of Creole and French cuisine.

CARBETS AT “LE TI KAZ”
Only two “carbets“ (traditional forest lodges on piles) but located near the main monument of the town—St Anthony of Padua’s church, first founded by gold-rush pioneers and rebuilt in 1952.
Le Ti Kaz allows you to taste “back to nature” simplicity while enjoying a fully equipped bungalow.
2 rooms are available (380 square feet each, both with a private terrace).
The family carbet can accommodate a couple and up to three kids and a baby while the second carbet can take in 4 people (2 double beds).

“LES CARBETS DU BORD”
“Les carbets du bord” offer a large carbet located in a forest clearing on the outskirts of Saül town.
It can provide hammock bunks for up to a dozen people (only 1 room with a double bed).
Guests share the equipped kitchen, shower and toilets.
No meals are served—only self-catering. Breakfasts depending on requests/availability.

You may also rent your own hammock and mosquito net and opt for the experience of sleeping in the surrounding forest…