Amazon Adventures

Brazil

The Riverboat Adventure Cruise

"The trip, speaking for all three of us, was the single most best week of all of our lives. The trip could not have been any more phenomenal. Sandero in Manaus was great and Conrado our guide was unreal. He made the trip for us. He was so knowledgeable and so skilled at everything, it was such a delight. We already sent 3 colleagues to them as a referral. They had an equally great time. I think at first both guys were a bit unnerved as I guess most people doing these types of trips aren't women with polished fingernails, but after the first few hours, we were whacking things with machetes and catching piranas like pros. We slept in hammocks etc etc. I would recommend this trip to anyone." Dana

This is our classic Riverboat tour which introduces travelers to the Amazon River, the Lower Negro River, and the Anavilhanas Archipelago (an ecological reserve) which begins near our rustic 6 bedroom Lodge. Daily canoeing excursions, rainforest walks and full home-cooked meals are included. Other attractions include sport fishing, wildlife photography, swimming, beach barbqs and visit with local Amazonian river people.

This tour takes in as much river and jungle action as possible. Our boats are traditional regional riverboats, which are two-decked, with dining/ living/ sleeping area, toilet, engine room, kitchen, shower/wash area and sun deck. On board is your captain, cook and guide. Guides are local, registered and knowledgeable. Food includes fresh river fish, tropical fruits and regional vegetables. Accommodations on tour include: 3 nights sleeping in hammocks on boat, 1 night jungle camping (optional), 1 night with a traditional "Caboclo" river family and accomodated in the "Over Look Lodge", a rustic Amazon jungle lodge operated by the Vianas family. 2 nights hotel in Manaus, 1wonderful dinner, 1 lunch and a city tour are also included.

DAY 1 Arrival and Transfer IN to Hotel. Welcome dinner at Bufalo BarBQ restaurant
Overnight at Saint Paul Hotel

DAY 2 After breakfast we depart from the floating port in our boat, a classic Amazon riverboat, fully outfitted with food, drink, and crew. From Manaus we travel an hour to the stunning meeting of the waters where the Negro River flows into the mighty Amazon River but the two do not mix due to differences in velocity, density and temperature. At the meeting of the waters we often see grey and pink river dolphins, and plenty of local fishermen.
Second stop is Lake Janauari, a vast area of floodplain (varzea) receiving water from both the Amazon and Negro rivers. We will visit a restaurant run by local "caboclo" river people and walk through the treetops on a walkway to view giant Amazon waterlilies in a quiet lagoon. Here we might also see monkeys, hawks, alligators, iguanas and morpho butterflies. After lunch in the boat we will travel a short distance on to the Amazon river, here called the Solimoes. to a group of islands called the Parana (inlet) of Iranduba, an area full of birdlife, alligators and monkeys. We will visit some local familes, see how they live, and have a look at some rubber trees, brazil nut trees and guava trees full of parrots and parakeets. Later we take to the canoes and go fishing for piranha in the nearby creeks ("igarapes") which ring the area. We will have dinner on the boat and then take to the canoes once more in the evening to go "alligator hunting", though only to see and photograph them. We will spend the night at Iranduba in our boat sleeping in hammocks under mosquito nets.

DAY 3 Early in the morning we will make our way up the Solimoes (Amazon) River to Lake Janauca, a lake famous for their herons and egrets. We will spend the better part of the day in this region boating and canoeing before returning to the Negro River for a second night sleeping aboard our boat in hammocks.

DAY 4-5 Now on the Negro River we make our way up river to the homestead of Tania's family near the river and village of Arara, and to our simple lodge, The Over Look Lodge. In this area you will see how typical "caboclo" river families live. We will spend at least one night at our lodge in the company of Tania's family. Our lodge features 6 private rooms (with single or double beds), electric light, 2 large bathrooms w/ showers and sunset views of the Rio Negro River and the first of the Anavilhanas islands. During our stay we will go for a long trek deep into the jungle to study medicine plants with Tania's father (a local medicine man). We will go canoeing in the igarapes near our lodge and on the opposite side of the Negro River, across "Anaconda Bay". At night we will search for tarantulas, bats, alligators, night birds and other creatures. Beyond the lodge we will visit the first islands of the vast Anavilhanas Archipelago, one of the largest groups of freshwater islands in the world. In the dry season we will go walking and canoeing amidst the islands to see monkeys, toucans, iguanas and dolphins. In the rainy season we will explore the flooded forest ("igapo"), and the unique treetop world hidden above the flooded islands.

DAY 6 Our boat will carry us farther up the Negro River to visit smaller tributaries such as the Jaraqui and Tucuma. We will explore these rivers beneath the rainforest canopy and, conditions permitting, trek to their source waterfalls deep in the jungle. We will visit the Indian settlement of Terra Preta above the next tributary of the Negro River, the Tucuman. Here live an assortment of Upper Negro River Indian families. And while they do not live as traditionally as before they do inhabit a beautiful and unique settlement high above the Negro River facing the Anavilhanas islands. Overnight accommodations on the boat or in a rainforest camp (optional).

DAY 7 Finally- time & river conditions permitting- we will have time to trek and canoe on the Cuieiras River, a longer tributary of the Negro River where we own our own rainforest property and work with several local families. Return to Manaus. Walk or taxi ride with guide to overnight at Saint Paul Hotel.

DAY 8 After breakfast the group will be taken on a guided/driven city tour to see the Amazonas Opera House, the Municipal Market, and the Rio Negro Palace. Transfer OUT to Airport for Departure

Price per person is $1434. Minimum of 2 people required to operate tour. Can start on any day. Students aged 13-19 pay 25% less with 2 adults. Children 12 and under pay 50% less with 2 adults. 20% discount for groups of 4 or more reserving together.

Includes all meals, except last dinner, tours, drinks (except for beer), transfers, 2 hotel nights at Hotel.

See Shorter Versions of This Tour

"We had a GREAT time at the Amazon river, it definitely was an experience to remember. All the others who participated in the trip were also very pleased with it. Our guide, Conrad, obviously had great knowledge of the area, and he was also very good at sharing this knowledge with us all the time. I think that those who didn't join us on the Amazon became quite envious when they heard of everything that we had experienced over there. We are extremely thankful for all the help and service we got from you, and I can't really remember anything that wasn't satisfying. We were also very happy with the boat, the size of it was perfect in my opinion. The food we got was also very nice, very different from what we are used to. Thanks a lot." Morten Lauritzen

How does this cruise and the Dona Tania cruise (under "Moderate Cruises")
differ from the other moderate cruises? Here's what the owner says:

My boat may not be so big or have such nice cabins, as the Clipper, but we more than make up for that with excellent guides, an excellent program for small groups only (2-8 persons), excellent food, and an excellent program of sustainable development we have been nurturing over the years amongst the local river communities. If a client wants something more authentic, and that really gives back to the locals, and that really contributes to the preservation of the Amazon then he should have no problem paying to tour with us. For me it's about quality not quantity...the price is not the point...Despite the fall of the dollar I still believe our tours are well priced when you consider everything the client receives.

I think you might consider lining us up alongside the Clipper (head-to-head) and list the pluses and minuses...cabin size, locations visited, guide experience, safety record, ecoprojects sponsored etcetera. Another PLUS regarding our tours versus the Clipper...they start at 2:30pm the first day and end at 11:30am the last day; we start at 830am and end at 6pm. From what I know people want to have a real Amazon experience and they want to contribute towards saving the rainforest. And that's what I offer. I'm Director of Incoming Touirsm for the Brazilian Association of Travel Agents-Amazonas, Board of Directors of the Amazonas Convention & Vistors Bureau, Founding Member of the United States Chamber of Commerce in Amazonas, Trade Consultant to the Instuitute of Ecological Research (IPE), Columnist and Contributing Writer-Brazilmax.com, Member-Latin American Travel Association (UK), Adventure Trade & Travel Association, International Ecotourism Society, Ecoclub, Cousteau Society, WWF, National Geographic Society etc etc. Well, I am these things and more!

I'm an extremely commited person who has dedicated already 15 years of my life to doing something constructive here to save the Amazon. Principally I do that through what I consider to be the best tours operated here, but I am also extremely active outside of my job working on conservation projects and writing about the region. I think people want to support a company that is truly working to save the Amazon. I'm here doing what milliions only think about doing. I'm out there every day tyring to save the Amazon and save the World in the process.

recommended in numerous international guidebooks:
Bradt's Brazil (ENG)
The South American Handbook (ENG)
Le Guide du Routard (FRA)
Hunter's Amazon Up Close (USA)
Lonely Planet (AUST)
Quatro Rodas (BRA)
The Rough Guide (ENG)
Gio Globetrotter (JAP)
British Automobile Association (ENG)
Cadogan Guide (ENG)
Fodor's (USA)
Frommer's (USA)
Insight Guide to Amazon Wildlife (ENG)
Let's GO (USA)

featured in a number of magazines and newspapers:
Outside Magazine (USA)
Terra Magazine (BRA)
Cape Cod Times Newspaper (USA)
Bennington College Magazine-Quadrille (USA)
Travel Smart (USA)
International Travel News (USA)
Folha Sao Paulo (BRA)
Latin American Travel Advisor (ECU)
Washington Post (USA)
Familia Aventuras (BRA)
Houston Chronicle (USA)
New York Times (USA)
A Critica (BRA)
Jornal do Comercio (BRA)
Newsweek International