Attractions in Kourou (Space Centre)
Where rockets launch from the rainforest edge 🛰️
Showing 15 attractions · Sorted by importance
Guiana Space Centre (CSG)
📍 Kourou
🔬 ScienceThe primary European launch site offers guided tours of launch pads and an extensive Space Museum documenting the history of aerospace.
Îles du Salut (Salvation Islands)
📍 Kourou
⛱ BeachA stunning volcanic archipelago featuring palm-fringed paths, historic ruins of the French penal colony, and clear waters for swimming and turtle spotting.
Montagne des Singes Trail
📍 Kourou
🥾 Hiking & Cycling3.8km moderate loop trail with 160m elevation gain, taking approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. This is the most iconic hike in Kourou, leading through dense primary rainforest to a wooden observation deck with views over the Guiana Space Centre and the coastal savannah.
Route de l'Espace (RN1 Scenic Corridor)
📍 Cayenne
🚗 Road Trip61km paved highway (approx. 1 hour). The RN1 is the primary highway connecting Cayenne to Kourou. The route traverses vast tropical savannahs and secondary rainforests. Key highlights include the Macouria marshes, views of the Cayenne River bridge, and the dramatic approach to the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) where rocket assembly buildings become visible on the horizon.
Île Royale Loop Trail
📍 Kourou (Îles du Salut)
🥾 Hiking & Cycling3.2km easy loop trail with approximately 40m elevation gain, taking 1 hour. The route circles the largest of the Salvation Islands, passing through the ruins of the infamous penal colony, coconut groves, and offering clear views of Devil's Island. Access is via catamaran from Kourou.
Route du Barrage de Petit-Saut
📍 Kourou
🚗 Road Trip50km paved forest road (approx. 1 hour each way). Branching off the RN1 near Gare Tigre, this dead-end route is famous among international eco-tourists as a premier wildlife-watching drive. The road cuts through a protected primary rainforest zone leading to the Petit-Saut Dam. It is common to spot sloths, toucans, and monkeys directly from the vehicle.
Salvation Islands Penal Colony (Île Saint-Joseph)
📍 Kourou
🏰 CastleA historic site where tourists can walk through the haunting, vine-covered ruins of the solitary confinement cells once used by the penal system.
Camp Canopée
📍 Kourou
🧗 AdventureAn immersive rainforest eco-adventure center offering high-altitude canopy walks and zip-lines for a unique view of the Amazonian wilderness.
Plage de la Cocoteraie
📍 Kourou
⛱ BeachThe primary resort beach in Kourou, known for its extensive grove of coconut palms and views of the Salvation Islands on the horizon.
Dreyfus Tower
📍 Kourou
🏰 CastleA historic stone telegraph tower used to communicate signals between the mainland and the offshore prison islands.
Plage des Roches
📍 Kourou
⛱ BeachA scenic coastal area featuring the historic Dreyfus Tower and a peaceful shoreline popular for watching sunset and rocket launches from the Space Centre.
Pointe des Roches
📍 Kourou
🏔 Scenic ViewA rocky headland featuring the historic Dreyfus Tower, providing panoramic views of the Kourou River mouth and the distant islands.
Saramaca Village
📍 Kourou
🏘 Town / VillageA cultural quarter known for its traditional wooden architecture and the unique wood-carving heritage of the Saramaccan people.
Sentier de l'Anse
📍 Kourou
🥾 Hiking & Cycling3.4km easy out-and-back coastal trail with 20m elevation gain, taking about 1 hour. This route follows the Atlantic shoreline near the 'Roches de Kourou', navigating through coastal shrubland and providing views of the offshore islands and the Kourou river mouth.