Experience the unique blend of French sophistication and South American wilderness with our expertly guided French Guiana tours and holiday packages.
French Guiana is South America's most extraordinary anomaly — a fully fledged département of France sitting deep in the Amazon basin. It is a place of remarkable contrasts: colonial streets and French cafés in Cayenne, the haunting ruins of the Devil's Island penal colony off the Atlantic coast, and one of the world's most advanced space launch facilities at the Guiana Space Centre near Kourou. The interior is dense, largely untouched Amazonian rainforest, home to Creole, Amerindian, Maroon, and Hmong communities living alongside extraordinary wildlife.
Our small group French Guiana tours weave this territory into a broader Guianas journey, combining Devil's Island and Cayenne with Suriname's Maroon river culture and Guyana's world-class wildlife lodges. These 15-day French Guiana travel packages visit three countries in one itinerary — giving you a rare and genuinely off-the-beaten-track slice of the continent. Groups are capped at 12, and both escorted and unescorted options are available.
French Guiana
Small-group departures led by local experts, plus private tailor-made itineraries shaped around your interests, pace and dates.
No other territory on Earth offers this combination: French language, cuisine, and infrastructure set inside the Amazon rainforest. French Guiana is genuinely unlike anywhere else — an overseas département of France where croissants and cassava share the same table.
The Îles du Salut penal colony — and Devil's Island in particular — is one of South America's most compelling historical sites. Few places carry such weight of story against such a vivid natural backdrop.
Our French Guiana trips combine Suriname's river culture and Maroon heritage with French Guiana's space-age and colonial contrasts and Guyana's unrivalled wildlife. Three distinct countries, three different characters — all in a single 15-day itinerary.
The Guianas sit within one of the most biodiverse corridors on the planet. Giant river otters, tapirs, jaguars, caimans, giant anteaters, and hundreds of bird species are accessible across the three countries — without the crowds found elsewhere in South America.
See itinerariesFrench Guiana rewards travellers who slow down — the best stories are found off the tour-bus route.
From the field
French Guiana has a humid equatorial climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. The driest and most comfortable period is generally from August to November, with warmer temperatures, lower rainfall and better conditions for exploring. A shorter dry season occurs between February and April. Rain can be heavier from May to July and December to January, particularly in remote rainforest areas. Suriname and Guyana follow similar seasonal patterns, although conditions vary locally across the region.
Our French Guiana tour packages depart in September, October, November, January, February, and April, with our escorted departure in March — covering both dry seasons and the cusp of seasonal transitions when the landscape is at its most dramatic.
Looking to travel outside the typical windows? Our French Guiana tailor-made team can advise on the best time for you.
Dispatches, field notes and practical advice from our specialists.
Reviews from across our small-group programme. Independently rated 4.9 Excellent on AITO by 250+ travellers.
“An amazing trip! We had the most amazing holiday — over two weeks we had a taste of the cities, the culture, the mountains, a safari, and time at the beach. Our driver/guide made the whole trip very relaxing, and we were welcomed warmly by everyone we met, enjoying fabulous food and drink along the way. Undiscovered Destinations planned a really amazing itinerary for us with great hotels, a fabulous guide/driver, and interesting places to visit — they took great care to ensure we had an excellent holiday. We look forward to booking another holiday with them in the future. Thank you, Mark!”
Anna
“This adventure was always going to be very full-on, which is how we like our trips. I didn't count on getting bronchitis and ending up in hospital, however. The itinerary was quickly amended to avoid high-altitude destinations as much as possible while still making sure we had a chance to enjoy interesting experiences. While obviously sad to have missed some of the original sites, the revised itinerary was the only sensible option under the circumstances. I was extremely impressed with how Undiscovered Destinations and their local team handled the situation — taking the stress out of it, smoothing the way, rearranging the itinerary and booking new hotels, translating for me with the medical staff, and making sure I always had transport, medicines and anything else I needed. Nothing was too much trouble, and they kept in touch with me, each other, and the insurance company throughout. I can't recommend them enough!”
Grete
“My wife and I had a wonderful tour with Undiscovered Destinations. We had a different guide at each stop, and all of them were friendly, cheerful and knowledgeable. The local people were welcoming, and we always felt safe and comfortable. The beaches were spectacularly beautiful and empty of people, with warm, clear water, and each stop had its own character — some we loved for their unspoiled scenery, others for their history and the warmth of the welcome. We took the opportunity to snorkel on one of the most pristine reefs we've experienced, swimming with sea turtles and enormous manta rays that came right up to us out of curiosity. A wonderful destination for nature lovers.”
Frank
“Excellent. Action packed. Our local agent was excellent, and a good choice by Undiscovered Destinations. Because there were only two of us on the holiday, we had different guides at each stop, each one making sure we were handed over safely. All manner of transport was used, and we appreciated the different guiding strategies, the wealth of information given, the high level of English, and the genuine wish to show off their country at its best. Excellent.”
Cathy
“Far exceeding my expectations, this was one of the best trips I've ever done. A beautiful destination, with interesting history, lively ceremonies, lovely people and — surprisingly, for somewhere that sees so few tourists — absolutely no hassle on the streets. Excellent service from start to finish, with a first-class tour leader.”
Lynn
“We had a two-week trip with Undiscovered Destinations, flying in for two days first to break up the journey. It was a great trip, because we managed to see so much more than just the capital cities. This was the fourth trip we've taken with Undiscovered Destinations, and each one has been wonderful. Our guides were lovely — very professional and helpful. We rate UD very highly.”
Andy
“We had a fabulous trip with an excellent local guide, who took great care of us and enthusiastically shared his knowledge of both ancient and recent history, with lots of fascinating personal stories of his own life. We highly recommend this trip — Undiscovered Destinations were great to work with, and we hope to use them again.”
Jennie
“Everything was great — we got to witness a wonderful variety of wildlife, and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and the hospitality of the people. A fabulous trip from start to finish.”
Debbie
“Excellent all-round trip. Drivers were conscientious and careful, accommodation was better than expected, and the scenery was stunning throughout.”
Alexis
“Fabulous, unusual destination, and great people. A private tour of somewhere little-visited, with great service from start to finish and excellent knowledge and advice from Undiscovered Destinations throughout.”
Steve
“An amazing trip! We had the most amazing holiday — over two weeks we had a taste of the cities, the culture, the mountains, a safari, and time at the beach. Our driver/guide made the whole trip very relaxing, and we were welcomed warmly by everyone we met, enjoying fabulous food and drink along the way. Undiscovered Destinations planned a really amazing itinerary for us with great hotels, a fabulous guide/driver, and interesting places to visit — they took great care to ensure we had an excellent holiday. We look forward to booking another holiday with them in the future. Thank you, Mark!”
Anna
“This adventure was always going to be very full-on, which is how we like our trips. I didn't count on getting bronchitis and ending up in hospital, however. The itinerary was quickly amended to avoid high-altitude destinations as much as possible while still making sure we had a chance to enjoy interesting experiences. While obviously sad to have missed some of the original sites, the revised itinerary was the only sensible option under the circumstances. I was extremely impressed with how Undiscovered Destinations and their local team handled the situation — taking the stress out of it, smoothing the way, rearranging the itinerary and booking new hotels, translating for me with the medical staff, and making sure I always had transport, medicines and anything else I needed. Nothing was too much trouble, and they kept in touch with me, each other, and the insurance company throughout. I can't recommend them enough!”
Grete
“My wife and I had a wonderful tour with Undiscovered Destinations. We had a different guide at each stop, and all of them were friendly, cheerful and knowledgeable. The local people were welcoming, and we always felt safe and comfortable. The beaches were spectacularly beautiful and empty of people, with warm, clear water, and each stop had its own character — some we loved for their unspoiled scenery, others for their history and the warmth of the welcome. We took the opportunity to snorkel on one of the most pristine reefs we've experienced, swimming with sea turtles and enormous manta rays that came right up to us out of curiosity. A wonderful destination for nature lovers.”
Frank
“Excellent. Action packed. Our local agent was excellent, and a good choice by Undiscovered Destinations. Because there were only two of us on the holiday, we had different guides at each stop, each one making sure we were handed over safely. All manner of transport was used, and we appreciated the different guiding strategies, the wealth of information given, the high level of English, and the genuine wish to show off their country at its best. Excellent.”
Cathy
“Far exceeding my expectations, this was one of the best trips I've ever done. A beautiful destination, with interesting history, lively ceremonies, lovely people and — surprisingly, for somewhere that sees so few tourists — absolutely no hassle on the streets. Excellent service from start to finish, with a first-class tour leader.”
Lynn
“We had a two-week trip with Undiscovered Destinations, flying in for two days first to break up the journey. It was a great trip, because we managed to see so much more than just the capital cities. This was the fourth trip we've taken with Undiscovered Destinations, and each one has been wonderful. Our guides were lovely — very professional and helpful. We rate UD very highly.”
Andy
“We had a fabulous trip with an excellent local guide, who took great care of us and enthusiastically shared his knowledge of both ancient and recent history, with lots of fascinating personal stories of his own life. We highly recommend this trip — Undiscovered Destinations were great to work with, and we hope to use them again.”
Jennie
“Everything was great — we got to witness a wonderful variety of wildlife, and thoroughly enjoyed the scenery and the hospitality of the people. A fabulous trip from start to finish.”
Debbie
“Excellent all-round trip. Drivers were conscientious and careful, accommodation was better than expected, and the scenery was stunning throughout.”
Alexis
“Fabulous, unusual destination, and great people. A private tour of somewhere little-visited, with great service from start to finish and excellent knowledge and advice from Undiscovered Destinations throughout.”
Steve
Every one of our French Guiana journeys can be rebuilt around your dates, pace and interests — or we’ll design something entirely new.
We’ll build one around you.
French Guiana's compact size and excellent French infrastructure make it well suited to a private itinerary — you can move between Cayenne, the Space Centre, and the Îles du Salut efficiently, then cross into Suriname or Guyana at your own pace. A private traveller might choose to spend longer in Iwokrama for serious wildlife watching, add extra nights on the Suriname River at Danpaati Lodge, or time a visit to coincide with an actual rocket launch from Kourou. Undiscovered Destinations arranges private French Guiana travel packages with dedicated transport, local expert guides, and a range of accommodation across all three countries. Speak to our team and we will design the journey around you.
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Our French Guiana tour packages start from £7,995 per person for the 15-day Hidden Guianas unescorted itinerary, with the escorted departure from £8,995. Prices include accommodation throughout, regional and domestic flights, overland transport with a professional driver, English-speaking local guides, and most meals. International flights are not included but our team can advise.
Shared across all tours that visit this destination. Read alongside your individual tour dossier for trip-specific details.
We constantly monitor official travel advice, including the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) French Guiana Travel Advice and the related FCDO pages for Suriname and Guyana, and will always advise clients of any warnings before departure. At the time of writing, there are no specific warnings against travel to the parts of French Guiana, Suriname, and Guyana that we visit on our tours.
Please contact us if you have any specific concerns or would like to understand what measures are in place to ensure your trip remains safe and trouble-free.
Join a small-group departure, or let our French Guiana specialists craft a private journey shaped around your dates and interests.
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