Amazon plays an important role in the world
No doubt the Amazon plays an important role in the world, being the largest tropical rainforest regulating the world’s climate through humidity.
And one thing is for sure: the Amazon is immensely important to its people, who depend on the forest resources.
Responsible tourism has proven to be an economic activity that helps protecting the Brazilian Amazon environment, the local indigenous communities and their culture. We take sustainable and responsible tourism very seriously, partnering with suppliers who have the same vision.
Jungle Lodge
One way of getting to know the Amazon is staying in jungle lodges that are accessible by car or boat (or both) in a short trip from the city of Manaus or, some of the most remote lodges will require a longer (but worthwhile) trip that, eventually, can be shortened by taking a hydroplane flight (a great way of seeing the forest and the waters from above).
Jungle lodges such as Anavilhanas (operating with minimum impact in the environment and engaging the local community) offer daily activities that varies according to the length of stay: canoeing through the igapós (type of vegetation of flooded areas) and igarapés (river channels), interaction with the local community, guided trails in the middle of giant and centenary trees, boat tours in search of the Amazon river dolphins (pink dolphins) and other animals, visit to caves and waterfalls, feeling the forest at night on a nocturnal sightseeing… But it is not only that – the fresh typical gastronomy is also in the list of any Amazon experience: freshwater fish, fruits you have never heard of before, plants and flours.
Community-based experience
If you are looking for an authentic community-based experience, then Uakari lodge is your choice. With a shared management between Mamirauá Institute and local communities, Uakari is nestled in a Sustainable Development Reserve and it is literally floating on a river. This is also home to the bald-head uakari monkey, a threatened species only found in the Amazon River basin, especially in the Mamirauá Reserve.
Another way of exploring the forest in its depth is aboard small cruises like the EcoBoat. Designed to accommodate up to six guests, the cruise enables an extraordinary immersion in the vastness of the Negro River and the wild nature of its banks. It is a private and cozy houseboat, perfectly and intentionally planned for travelers willing to have a true immersion, seeking peace of mind, connection and flexibility.
In another distant region of the Amazon (flying into Alta Floresta) is Cristalino lodge, creating a different experience to guests from those of the Manaus gateway. Surrounded by the Cristalino River, there are plenty of opportunities for canoeing, swimming, nature walks, and wildlife viewing—from the rare giant otters to Brazil’s endemic red-nosed bearded saki monkeys. And because it is located in a more elevated part of the Amazon, the river does not flood the forest, allowing walks at any time of the year.