In the district of Sipaliwini in Suriname (South America), the Airstrip Kayser (SMKE) is located at the Zuid river which is the southern border of the Central Suriname Nature Reserve (Centraal Suriname Natuur Reservaat). Kayser who led various of expeditions to discover and unfold the many treasures that Suriname has to offer. Airstrip Kayser is located near the Kayser Mountain at app 288 meters a
bove sea level and is surrounded by other mountain chains such as Eilerts de Haan Mountain and the Wilhelmina Mountain with her Juliana top as highest point of Suriname (app 1257 meter above sea level). There have never been any ingenious villages in this area and therefore one can experience the true Amazone Rainforest at its best. For many years now the Non Profit Foundation Friends of Kayser (Stichting Vrienden Van Kayser) have taken it up them to preserve this unique place in the world and to safeguard it for our future generations. This is realized through sponsors but also by offering several of trips for sport fishers, kayakers, bird watchers and all persons that like to enjoy nature at its best. At the Kayser Airstrip there are 4 small houses that were constructed during operation Grashopper. One of these houses has been converted into a guesthouse with nice dining area, kitchen, showers, toilets with running water and app 8 beds for guests. It is also possible to use hammocks for larger groups. All other camps at the South river are all basic camping sites (Baboen jari) where hammocks or tents are used for sleeping. Solar energy is available at the airstrip. Due to the very limited presence of humans in this area, it is possible to experience the wild life in its purest form. It is normal that you see many kinds of wild life such as Kon koni (rabbits) and many types of birds at the guest house. This only gets better once you are on the river with a kayak or boat. It’s common to see Tapirs and Pakira’s at the river side and if one is lucky you will see a Jaguar sunning in on a big rock or crossing the South river. It is also common to see birds like the Guianan Cock-of-the-rock (rupicola rupicola) red- and green macaw or green winged macaw (ara chloroptera), scarlet macaw (ara macao) and blue and yellow macaw (ara ararauna)
In the past years Kayser has been visited by some of the best Sport fishers in the world and has gained the reputation of being the world’s number 1 location to catch big Anjoemara (Hoplias aimara) on top water lures but also Tukunarie (Cichla ocellaris), Redtail catfish (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus) and big Piranhas. This year the American Larry Dahlberg from “The Hunt for Big Fish” and the Brazilian J***y Hoffmann known from “momemto da pesca” on Fish TV visited Kayser. Finally Kayser has been often used as the ideal location to start expeditions to the Juliana Top (highest point of Suriname) and kayak trips to the Temper falls or even further to the Lucie river. In order to maintain the beauty of this area as it is, there are some rules that apply:
- Limited opening season (September through January)
- Hunting is prohibited
- Fishing is based on catch and release principal
- Catching birds is prohibited