The Amazon

The Amazon is the world's longest and widest river, with by far the greatest volume of water. Brazil’s mighty Amazon basin is formed from the water collected from 8 different countries, from as far south as Bolivia to as far north as Venezuela. From its source in the Peruvian Andes, it makes a journey of some 6,762 km to the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean, where fresh water can still be tasted 100 km out to sea!

The flight across the jungle is a geography lesson in itself, giving fine examples of ox-bow lakes, deltas, confluences and floodplains. At its centre lies Manaus, an unexpected urban heart of the Amazon. The city experienced sudden wealth and exponential growth due to the rubber boom of the 19th century, reflected in its fine buildings particularly the Opera house constructed using British cast iron railings, French chandeliers and Italian marble. Today it is a bustling city with excellent fish and spice local markets along the river bank.

Manaus is the gateway for an in depth exploration into the Amazon proper. Famous for its animal and bird life, a large part of the experience is actually the feeling of being so far from anywhere. The area is an untouched wilderness with some of the best wildlife viewing in the Amazon basin; there are over 1000 species of bird, while you may be lucky enough to see giant river otters and the elusive jaguar.

AMAZONIAN LODGES

Accommodation is in basic, yet comfortable eco-friendly lodges, which provide walking trails, nocturnal trips and indigenous encounters. Please find below a small write up on our favourite lodge, though more are available.

Amazonat lodge

The lodge is located 150 km east of Manaus and is one of the very few genuine eco lodges in Brazil. The lodge offers adventure and educational activities whilst providing educational and economic support to several small communities in the surrounding area. Amazonat’s principle attraction is the diverse vegetation in the area. Situated on 3 rivers, each containing a different eco system; The Rio Urubu, a typical black water river known for her Igapo’s (forest growing in the water), Rio Preto da Eva, another, larger, scenic black water contributor and The Rio Amazonas, or the mighty Amazon river.

The lodge contains 9 chalets, or 18 apartments. All chalets are identical, come fully furnished with a comfortable queen size bed and en-suite bathroom.

The lodge is on a full board basis and includes all transfers and excursions whilst at the lodge. Due to the travelling time it takes to get to the lodge we would suggest a minimum of 3 nights and ideally 4 or more.