Amazon Travel
The Amazon is the name of both the world’s largest rain forest and the world’s largest river by discharge. The state of Amazonas is Brazil’s largest by area. Manaus is the capital of Amazonas state.
Rainforest stretches over seven Brazilian states and goes into many other South American countries. The Amazon River is in many places so wide, that it is impossible to see the land on the other side. Even 1000 KM in from the coast, the river is more than 70 metres deep.
Responsible Travel, Intrepid Adventures, Isango and Great Adventure People are good sites to find out more about holidays and overland tours to The Amazon.
Manaus, Amazonia
Manaus is a suitable starting point for a visit to the Amazon. Manaus itself is a modern city with the famous Teatro Amazonas opera house built during the rubber barons heyday in the late 1800′s.
In addition to the opera house, the the biggest tourist attraction in Manaus is ‘Meeting of waters’, where the black Rio Negro water flowsalong with the Rio Solimoes brown waters for many miles without mixing, depending on the particular water – the different speed, weight and acidity.
Click Here to book a full day excursion to the meeting of the rivers and see the gigantic Victoria Regia water lilies in the January Ecological Reserve.
Amazon Jungle Lodge
To experience the rain forest properly you need to come out of the city of Manaus to a jungle lodge. A jungle lodge is a form of simple living far out in the jungle. Often it takes several hours to get there by river boat. Most lodges are ecological and constructed according to nature. Lodges often lack electricity, but otherwise there is most amenities there. We recommend the lodges that are away from the city and believe that several lodges in the market is too near the city of Manaus.
Click Here to find prices and availability of Jungle Lodge Tours, Eco Tours and Amazon cruise trips including the Tree Top Tower Lodge.
Amazon makes a lasting impression for all the senses. The feeling of the first swim in the hot black river water, all the sounds are heard continuously from the jungle and the strange smells from the rich jungle vegetation enriches our journey.
The many tours from the lodge makes life interesting and exciting. A real treat is the night tour, where the guide captures a caiman (reptile like a crocodile). The canoe glides silently through the darkness while the guide searches caimans eyes with the flashlight. He dazzles caimans by flashlight and catches it then by taking a firm grip around its jaws before he lifts it up. You get yourself the opportunity to feel how strong caimans are before the caiman is allowed into the water again.
Other interesting excursion from a jungle lodge is a jungle walk, where guides show jungle and indigenous Indians’ secrets, home visits to the local people called the Caboclo.
Best month to travel to The Amazon?
It’s fine to go to the Amazon year-round, even when it is rainy season. Rainy season begins in late November and goes on until June. During the rainy season it rains often violently for an hour and then clears up again with fresh oxygen-rich air.
For flights to Manaus check Opodo and / or ebookers who will compare all flights for you. It’s normally a flight from Sau Paulo, Brasilia or Recife. The airport code for Manaus is MAO and the airport name is Manaus Eduardo Gomes International Airport.