French Guiana is France in South America, an overseas department of the European Union on Suriname's eastern border. It is the land of the Papillon story, the Devil's Island penal colony and Europe's spaceport at Kourou, and because it is French, of the euro, the baguette and the patisserie.

When you are already in Suriname it makes an easy three-day add-on. This overland tour runs from Paramaribo across the Marowijne River into French Guiana for the territory's three headline sights, the penal colony at Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, the Salvation Islands by catamaran and the Guiana Space Centre at Kourou, with a Cayenne city tour along the way. We handle the border crossing and all formalities.

Departures run on Mondays and Wednesdays, set so the Space Centre visit falls on an open day. The standard tour uses shared touring and a 3-star hotel in Kourou for both nights. A private version, a 4-star hotel upgrade and a Suriname entry voucher service are available as add-ons.

Day 1: Suriname to Saint-Laurent, Cayenne and Kourou
Pickup from your Paramaribo accommodation around 7:00 AM. The drive east to Albina on the Marowijne River takes about 2.5 to 3 hours. Your guide handles the border formalities and you cross to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni by ferry or pirogue, whichever is running. In Saint-Laurent you tour the Camp de la Transportation, the penal colony's central transit prison, which received roughly 70,000 convicts between 1852 and 1953. From there you continue along the coast to Cayenne for a city tour of the capital, then transfer to Kourou for the night. Overnight in Kourou at Hotel Atlantis or similar, breakfast included.

Day 2: Îles du Salut by catamaran
Depart your Kourou hotel around 7:30 AM for the pier. The catamaran crosses to Îles du Salut in about an hour. On Île Royale you explore on foot at your own pace, the cell blocks, the chapel, the former director's house and the coastal paths looking across to Devil's Island. Lunch is available at the Auberge des Îles du Salut (euros, not included). In the early afternoon a tender takes you to Île Saint-Joseph and its solitary confinement cells. The catamaran then sails around Devil's Island itself, which cannot be landed on because of its currents, with commentary on Alfred Dreyfus and the Papillon story. There is time to swim at Île Royale's beach where conditions allow. Return to Kourou by late afternoon. Second night in Kourou, breakfast included.

Day 3: Guiana Space Centre and return to Suriname
After breakfast you visit the Guiana Space Centre, Europe's primary spaceport, on a guided tour of about 2.5 to 3 hours by coach. The route depends on the day's launch schedule and typically covers the Jupiter mission control room, the Ariane 6 and Vega-C launch pads (viewed from designated areas) and the Space Museum. After the tour there is time to buy lunch (not included) before the overland drive back to Suriname. You are dropped at your Paramaribo accommodation around 5:00 PM. Please note the Space Centre needs your passport details at least two weeks before departure for security clearance.

• Return overland transfers, Paramaribo to French Guiana

• English or French speaking guide throughout

• All guided tours and excursions in the itinerary

• Two nights hotel in Kourou (3-star or similar) with breakfast

• Border crossing logistics and assistance

• Local fees and city taxes

• Lunches and dinners

• French Guiana visa (a Schengen visa is not valid for French Guiana, a French overseas territories visa is required where applicable, we advise by nationality)

• Suriname re-entry voucher or multiple-entry permission (needed to return to Suriname, we can assist, see add-on)

• Îles du Salut lunch (available at the Auberge des Îles du Salut, euros)

• Travel insurance

• Gratuities