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Amazon Kayaking Tours

You will find below a day-by-day approximate itinerary of each trip where all listed activities are placed in a certain order. This order can change according to weather conditions, client's physical conditions and preferences.
Prices are subject to currency fluctuations.

KAYAKING/CAMPING Urubu River

The Urubu River is a tributary of the great Amazon River located East of Manaus. It is almost 500 km /310 miles long and is the narrowest river we travel- making it the perfect width for spotting animals on both sides. Few people live on this exciting river and you’ll enjoy many peaceful days without seeing another person or hearing a single motorboat. As the current carries you downstream, some days you’ll encounter mild rapids. Kayaking is the perfect way to experience this beautiful, mystic river before mass tourism discovers it!

Day 1 - 08:00 am. Pick up in the lobby. A van with our staff, all gear, food and kayaks will transfer clients from hotel to the Urubu river's shore by road for 1½ hour drive. On arrival the guide will brief on first practical steps like adjusting pedals, where to store gear and swim to loose fear of this 24ºC (75ºF) black water.
11:00 am. Let's go! Time for kayaking for some hours and pass through a high luxuriant rainforest where yellow & blue macaws belong. The first camp is situated in front of a 25 meters (80 feet) cliff where tiny orchid plants grip the vertical rocky wall. If clients wake up at sunrise they could see a giant otter family living around this spot…

Day 2 - From the river shore clients can give their first try fishing for Matrichã between 6:00 and 8:00 am. Have breakfast, pack and go! The scenery is changing today as clients will go through some rapids and leave behind the last local inhabitants. Very nice day with relaxing time in the shallow warm water up your knees along some flat rock parts of the river mixed with the excitement of the "tip or not tip over" rapid spots. Camp today can be on the shore of the river or by a 2 steps heaven-like virgin waterfall that can be climbed and at 30 minutes trekking inside the rainforest from the river shore.

Day 3 - The Lua waterfall that clients visited yesterday is a great area for trekking in the higher land rainforest. After breakfast two guides will take clients for some hours trek opening the way with machetes and stopping here and there when are found interesting medicinal plants, resins to make torches, water-vines in between their vast resourceful knowledge. After lunch it will be time for packing then after these hottest hours of the day everybody will be leaving for some hours kayaking through some rapids and flat water stretches until dawn (18:30) to get to our rock shore camp.

Day 4 - Today is a the day of many different emotions…Before sunrise a quick breakfast will be served while guides pack up to get ready to go at 6:00 am. Leaving at this hour and in this area is the best to get the chance of seeing rare animals like tapirs, electric fruit's eater eels and/or the magnificent harpy eagle. After canoeing for about 4 hours clients will be delighted with the lunch spot : a 3 meters (10 feet) high cascade of the main river where kayaks will be transported by portage to a white sand beach. Afternoon is dedicated to relax (sleep) in hammocks to get ready later on for night kayaking. Best spot to dry clothes and everything else that got wet or too humid…17:00 is the hour to go for kayaking for some hours at night with stops looking for caimans (kind of south American alligators) and other nocturnal wildlife. Camp by a beach.

Day 05 & 06 - Very late morning deserved sleep… Clients will wake up in a different rainforest ecosystem's subdivision where the river is getting larger with some few small lakes entrances on the sides, no more rapids but very quiet stream and chances to see sweet water dolphins, white herons and catch piranhas. During these 2 days clients can choose for how long they want to be in deep rainforest. A visit to a local rainforest tracker's house is a must to discover how natives live, visiting their agriculture fields and their manioc roots transformation "kitchen".

The rainforest tracker will guide clients for a trek, for as far as they wish to overnight in deep rainforest. Already prepared food and basic camping stuff is packed in back packs and carried by everyone to an improvised camp. This is a lifetime experience even if usually…animals are not seen during the night, they are heard and sometimes from very close to camp spot as we do not make a campfire. Next morning a trek deeper allows encounters with rare Spider Monkeys, find rosewood between other surprises.

The day 06 consist in doing some kayaking for some three hours to get to the final destination by the dirt road of the agriculture research center EMBRAPA where stuff will be packed & stored in the Van that came to meet everybody. A ride of 3 hours through experimental plantations to get to the asphalt road. Cold beers / soft drinks stop to celebrate the 190 km (120 miles) kayaking journey before arriving one hour later in Manaus.

Price per person (minimum of 2 people): (prices subject to currency fluctuations)
6days/5nights US$1467
5days/4nights US$1419
4days/3nights US$1335

The Urubu River normally takes 6 days because you go down the river from point A to B, it's a one way expedition, not a loop like on the Manacapuru. The idea of making it possible in as little as 4 days is to be towed by motorboat for the last stretch, for about 3 hours, if you have up to 5 days, then you'll get closer to the ending point and have less towing.

how wild is this area –if current is too strong, a motorized canoe ride is planned to go upstream the tributary until the cool headwaters and where the giant otters like to live.

Also, Macaws, otters, tapirs, sloth and/or monkeys are possible encounters. After the reconnaissance excursion, participants will have dinner and get ready in the evening to go after the nocturnal wildlife. Guides will try to catch a caiman so one can see and touch it and then learn from the guide their way of living. With the spotlight guides will also search the shining eyes of a snake, an owl or a giant frog.

We had a fantastic time and really felt we got to witness the jungle first hand, in a way that other tours wouldn´t have done, and would definately recommend to others. James Tate

8-10 DAYS KAYAKING ALONG THE JATAPU RIVER
The most biodiversity: from Birds to Cats

On this 8-10 day kayaking trip, you’ll have the most intimate Amazon jungle experience we can offer. The Jatapu River is a little known sub tributary of the Amazon River. As a brown water river, it represents a rare ecosystem that encompasses species from two different types of rivers including the silt, white water (similar to the Amazon River) and the black, acidic water (like the Rio Negro) species. It is THE region to see the most wildlife in terms of quantity and biodiversity.

Day 1) 08:00 am. Participants will be picked-up in their hotel lobby. You’ll ride on a half asphalted and half dirt road with the kayaks and gear some 360 km/225 miles away from the city center of Manaus. After riding on the dirt road, you’ll feel like explorers in a Dakar off-road rally. A riverboat will be waiting for you to travel to the Jatapu River via the black water ecosystem of the Uatumã River. While on the boat, you’ll sleep in a hammock and travel all night in order to reach your secluded destination far upstream. This will be the only night you won’t be camping. The nice thing about going upstream at night is that you won’t see the same sites twice when you kayak back down the river.

Day 2) You’ll wake up along a tributary of the Jatapu River at a place called Capu Capu. This tributary is completely uninhabited upstream of the first rapids and contains an exclusive mixture of ecosystems including big caverns where jaguars and bats live in harmony. This is the type of forest hills and small streams that make people say, “Wow, this is how I imagined the Amazon jungle”. You’ll see the rare Campinas, area of low vegetation, growing on the flat rock mountains that are as old as the Guyana Shield (much older than the Andes or the Alps mountains). This area will be explored with our forest tracker, Paraná, a man that has fought to preserve the Capu Capu tributary. He has been successful in preventing hunting, fishing, and logging in this area. Although in reality it’s a private reserve, it does not yet have official status. Today’s trek is one of the longest (approximately 6 hours) in order to reach the remote caverns, but most treks will be about 3 hours depending on your preference. We’ll camp overnight near some rapids.

Day 3 & 4) Sunrise is the best time for giant Black piranha fishing…So let’s have a guarana, powdered berry mix with 3X more caffeine than coffee, and go! Back at camp, the guides will prepare 2 options for breakfast: toasts/cereals or grilled piranha… then it’s time to pack up and go kayaking. This will bring you downstream to the main Jatapu River. Depending on the month you come, scenery will vary with the water level. During the low water season around December, we’ll be able to see beaches and very narrow streams and you’ll camp on the forest shores. However, in the high season around June, the shores will be flooded, creating lakes and we’ll be camping along the creeks further inside. While kayaking you may see the following: Capuchin, Squirrel, and Saki monkeys, special birds like toucans, macaws, and hoatzins-a prehistoric bird, and some larger mammals crossing the river like dears and Capybaras. Once in awhile, some fresh water dolphins will come around the kayaks, as they are curious to see how similar their nose shape is compared with the kayak beaks. On the 4th day, you’ll kayak in the early morning while the temperature is still fresh and when the Tapirs, large mammals up to 250 kg/550 lbs, go to sleep. After stopping for lunch in a scenic place, we’ll head back to kayaking to enjoy the view as we float down the river, keeping our eyes open for any surprises along the way.

Day 5, 6 & 7) These days you’ll be in a mountain chain region called Serra do Bacabau. Your new local forest tracker, Naldo, is an expert in finding and identifying animals and plants. This area is perfect for kayaking into the igarapes or creeks. The silence you’ll experience while paddling into the tunnel-like creeks is so deep that you can hear howler monkeys shouting from kilometers away and spot nocturnal mammals like a paca. We’ll trek into the rainforest in search of the 60 meter/200 foot tall trees like the Brazil Nut. Some things special to this forest ecosystem, the Terra Firme de Serra, include the endangered and feared Harpy Eagle that feeds on monkeys and sloth, Spider Monkeys found only in the high pristine forests, wild boars, ocelots, and jaguars. However, bigger animals are not everything; we’ll also see many tiny creatures, some of which are quite tasty. The leaf cutter ants have a delicious ginger flavor and tiny nuts from the Babaçu and Inaja palm trees hide nutritional, white worms that taste like coconut. Don’t want to try these insect appetizers? Try the slender Abacaba or Acai palm tree’s heart. On the evening of the 6th day, we’ll get ready for a nocturnal adventure of huge Caiman/Alligator (up to 6 meters/20 feet long) hunting! As per our ecotourism creed, we’ll not be hunting the Caiman to kill them, but just to catch a small one so you can see and touch it and then we’ll release it. The guide will explain the Caiman’s way of living and with a spotlight point out other nocturnal animals like spiders, snakes, owls or giant frogs.

On the 7th day, we have a very special day planned! We’ll begin with a trek into the rainforest. During this time, we’ll open a trail with machetes and stop frequently when we find interesting medicinal plants, resins to make torches, water-vines and the many other fascinating floras within our guide’s vast knowledge. Marks will be left on the way so that we can return in late afternoon with our camping gear and prepared food. Tonight camp will be made in the deep rainforest! This is a once in a lifetime experience to listen to and try to view nocturnal animals that are not seen during the day (80% of the animals in the rainforest are nocturnal). Sometimes animals may come very close to the camping spot, as we won’t make a fire. This is usually one of our most thrilling nights

Day 8, 9 & 10) The itinerary during the last 3 days is to travel downstream the Jatapu River for two days to get to the river’s mouth, which is still quite far downstream, and the third day will be used to return to Manaus.

On the 8th day, we’ll travel to the headwaters of a lake where there is a gorgeous waterfall and some giant otters (1.75 m. or almost 6 feet from head to tail) live – mostly seen during low water season -. We’ll also camp in this area.
The 9th day, you’ll kayak and stop to visit a local family, view their manioc plantations, listen to their stories and, of course, interact with the laughing children. They love to see themselves on a digital camera screen! In exchange for the visit, sometimes clients like to give gifts of school supplies like colorful crayons, perfume, soccer balls and/or tobacco.

After our visit, a boat will meet us to tow us to the Uatuma River. In the afternoon, participants are usually tired and like to spend a day relaxing on the white sand beaches (in season), walking around, drying clothes, or playing cards or Brazilian dominos with a Caipirinha cocktail. Camping will be overnight on the beach. After packing up on the last day, the motorboat will tow us to a dirt road where our ground transportation will be waiting for us. Then a 30-minute drive will bring us to the town of Itapiranga where you’ll have the chance to get a cold beer/soft drinks to celebrate this once in a lifetime kayak journey before arriving in Manaus in the late afternoon.

Price per person (minimum of 2 people): (prices subject to currency fluctuations)
10days/9nights = USD 3180 per person
9days/8nights = USD 3096 per person
8days/7nights = USD 2982 per person

NOTES:
-Unfortunately, young children are not allowed on this tour
-Luggage’s limits: luggage must fit on/in your kayak and although we do not have a weight limit, you’ll need to be able to carry it all within your kayak. We also offer a secure storage area for our client’s extra luggage while on expedition.
- For the 8-day trip, we’ll kayak less distance and have shorter excursions.

3-4 DAYS ADVENTURE SPORTS ON THE URUBU RIVER

Summary of activities:
Scenic kayaking
Rappel down a cliff
Tree climbing to the canopy of the rainforest
Trek through virgin, uninhabited jungle
Traverse a high rope bridge
Black piranha fishing
Zip line down to a gorgeous waterfall
View rare vegetation
Nocturnal animal spotting
Information about ecotourism
Crash course in jungle survival
Learn about tropical medicinal plants
Overnight in native family’s home (By request)

Day 1) 08:00 am. Pick up in the lobby. A van with our staff, gear, food and kayaks will transfer you from your hotel to the Urubu River shore (approximately 1 1/2 hour drive). On arrival, the guides will give you a brief introduction to the kayaks and the planned descent. A first swim is a must in this 24ºC (75ºF) black water. Let’s go! It’s time for a 3 hour or so kayak through a luxuriant rainforest where yellow & blue macaws live. The first camp is situated in front of a 25 meters/80 feet cliff where tiny orchid plants grip the vertical rocky wall. After a BBQ lunch, take a little rest in your hammocks and then get ready to climb the cliff. Rappelling is the fastest and most exciting way to get back down. If you still have energy to burn, you can hike back up the cliff. In late afternoon, a happy hour Caipirinha cocktail will be served followed by dinner. In the evening guides like to tell stories while playing Brazilian games. You’ll camp overnight in front of the cliff. If participants wake up at sunrise the next day, they could see a giant otter family that lives around this spot…

Day 2) After breakfast, the native guide, Naldo, will meet you and tow the kayaks upstream for 30 minutes to get to his place. Participants will be taken in this primary forest for a 45 minute trek. There is lots of high energy activities planned for the day! First, you’ll traverse across a high bridge made of rope, then tree-climb to the forest canopy, and finally glide down a zip line to end up by a gorgeous waterfall. Lunch and dinner are served inside the forest and camp for the night will be set up there.

Day 3) Have breakfast, pack and go to get back to the river’s shore for a kayak descent of some 2 hours. The scenery is changing this morning as adventurers will go through some rapids and leave behind the last local inhabitants. The morning will be spent kayaking through a variety of waters. Some will be shallow, relaxing areas with flat rocks and others will be mixed with the excitement of the tip or don’t tip over rapid spots. Lunch can be on the river shore or by a 2 steps heaven-like virgin waterfall. The waterfall is located by trekking 30 minutes inside the forest and can also be climbed.
After lunch, you’ll pack your day backpack for a 4 hours trek in the direction of the deep forest. During this time, we’ll open a trail with machetes and stop frequently when we find interesting medicinal plants, resins to make torches, water-vines and the many other fascinating floras within our guide’s vast knowledge. For those who dare, a nocturnal animal spotting trek will be organized.

Day 4) Before sunrise at 6am, a quick breakfast will be served and then it’s time to trek deeper to for another 4-5 hours. Leaving at this hour and in this area is the best time to get the chance of seeing rare animals like tapirs, wild boars, monkeys etc. The trek will end back at the local guide’s place. Lunch will be served and afterwards you’ll travel by boat and car to return to Manaus. You’ll arrive back at your hotel in the late afternoon.

Price per person (minimum of 2 people): (prices subject to currency fluctuations) - 4 days = US$1545 per person, 3 days = US$1365 per person

Our Wilderness Camping :

Camps are set up by our staff at a different place about everyday as they go further into deep rainforest by the water streams. Clients do not need set up camps, make food or carry stuff, as we want them to enjoy their stay, so while our staff is preparing it their guide can go do activities with clients. Toilet facilities are in the rainforest and until no there's been no problems with this. Bathing/Showering is in the rivers/creeks as camps are set up by the water during all the journey with the exception of 1 overnight in deep rainforest we offer during the trip -some clients are willing to go for this and others not - where there is usually no water stream. Camps are with hammocks as tents are too risky for termite attacks and snakes attracted by the heat. Sleeping in a hammock is very comfortable if the person knows how to lean so the back is straight. The first night clients should learn it from our staff. Hammocks are covered by mosquito net and tarps for rain protection. Drinking water is also from the river and clients must bring their own filter pump and/or water purifying pills. There is no need to boil water. Participants need a basic level of physical ability -- for example, they should be able to hike and paddle a small boat -- but no special skills. Road & dirt road transfers are by 4X4 Pickup, Kombi and Vans and are private for our clients.

What you will need to bring:

TIP: Clothing should be the drip-dry type.

* Suggested items ** Necessary items *** Really important
1 headlight or torch***
Malaria prevention pills***
Filter pump and/Water purifying pills ***
Light blanket or sheet for cool nights ***
Back pack for all stuff**
A Day-back Pack**
Cheap Tennis shoes for walking in rainforest** (usually thrown away after the trip) or washable ones
Water shoes/sandals**
1 long sleeved shirt**
Swim suit **
Multiple t-shirts**
Good raincoat **
Mosquito repellent**
2 pair socks for walking in rainforest*
1 long pair pants (zip off legs) *
2 pair shorts *
Hat shading shoulders*
Towel/ person *
Sunscreen*
Sunglasses *
1 Pullover *
Antibiotic ointment*
Band-Aids *
Bath powder *
Antiseptic hand wipes *
"Pepto bismol" tablets *
Anti-diarrhea medicine*

Kayaking/Camping

Our journeys are operated with Ocean kayaks made to meet the needs of a self sufficient journey where gear like folding chairs, fishing gear, first aid kit, camping equipment, and food can be stored inside them and/or tied up on top. We provide a small drybag to the clients for their objects like electronics and others. An open fiberglass Canadian Canoe is going along with one of our staff so a big icebox can fit and last for 7 days.
The 3 rivers we are operating on are Urubu at 100 km (60 miles), the Manacapuru at 120 km (75 miles) and the Jatapu at 360km (225 miles)by asphalt & dirt roads from Manaus . Manaus is surrounded by the Amazon river and the Rio Negro river but for several reasons we do not operate there - these rivers are kilometers/miles wide and during the rainy and windy storms waves get really dangerous. Also we would not be fair to tourists by going less than in a radius of 100 km (60 miles) from Manaus while promising wilderness camping in a non-touristy area.

FOOD / BEVERAGES
We received many compliments about our high quality international & local cuisine and our staff do their best to serve food cooked/grilled/boiled on fire camps to please guest's taste bud. They even know how to prepare it under the rain. Our food is first frozen in Manaus and kept in Icebox during the trip. You can understand that carbonated drinks and beer become logistically impossible to handle as it takes too much place and weight too much. At night alcoholic cocktail made of lime, sugar and Cachaça (Brazilian rum less distilled) is served at will. Vegetarians welcome.

RIVER CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
Degrees of Difficulty; an International System
" Class I : Waves small, passages clear; no serious obstacles. Barely moving water with hardly any rapids. Great for families and for people looking for an introduction to kayaking.
" Class II : Rapids of moderate difficulty with small waves and few obstacles. Good for introduction and experienced kayakers.

Packages include: airport transfers to/from hotels in Manaus, transfers between hotel and port facilities, storage for extra luggage in office, all meals, all camping and fishing equipment, first aid kit, bilingual guide, indian or native guide, local rainforest tracker, Oceanic Cabo Horn kayaks (1 double, others singles), drybags, life jaclets, helmets, skirt and covers