This
is a classic Riverboat tour by Swallows & Amazons.
It introduces travelers to the Amazon River, the Lower
Rio Negro River, and the Anavilhanas Archipelago (an
ecological reserve) which begins near their rustic 8
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.
2005 Rate per person US$850 ( Base
on double occupancy).
Departure date: the7 Day Riverboat
starts any day.
Include: transfers IN/OUT, 2 nights
hotel, welcome dinner, city tour + 6 days/5 nights river
& rainforest tour (Riverboat/ hammocks).
DAY
00 Arrival and Transfer IN to Hotel
Welcome dinner at Bufalo BarBQ restaurant. Overnight
at Lider Hotel or similar.
DAY 01
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 02-03
Back 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 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 04
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 05-06
Finally we will 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. Overnight at Lider Hotel
DAY 07
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 & Cultural Center.
Transfer OUT to Airport for Departure.
Please
take note that the sequence of visits can change to
meet climatic and/or operational reasons at time of
cruise.
