Amazon Family Small Boat Cruise

Welcome to Manaus, Brazil – a 5-hour direct flight from Miami places you in the heart of the Amazon. A driver will pick you up and take you to your hotel. The next morning, you can visit Amazon Theater just around the corner and the Fish Market, which is a short drive away. The Amazon Theater was built in the late 1800s during the rubber boom in Brazil.

You may also take an optional excursion to the Meeting of the Waters and Janauari Ecological Park.

After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be driven to the riverside town of Novo Airao (approximately 2 1/2 hours west of Manaus). Local taxis from Novo Airao will be used in an effort to boost and preserve the local economy. Upon arrival in the early afternoon, lunch will be served at a floating restaurant where you can also enjoy the first splash in the Rio Negro. After lunch, you’ll board the Jacare-Acu and receive a briefing about the expedition, Amazon’s biology, history and things you may see along the way. This afternoon, you’ll sail through the spectacular Anavilhanas Archipelago towards Madada observatory, which is a lookout over the Rio Negro with basic bungalow facilities in the middle of the jungle. After dinner onboard, you can choose if you want to spend the night in your cabin or in a hammock at the observatory.

After breakfast, you’ll sail to Casa Rosa (pink house), which is a small Amazon farmhouse museum where you can learn about local customs, farming techniques, and crops. From the farmhouse, you’ll take a 3-hour hike through virgin rainforest to the Madada Caves. Along the way, you’ll discover the secrets of the jungle and learn basic survival skills with your guide. After the hike, you’ll be able to cool off a bit with a dip in the Rio Negro before lunch. Afterward, you’ll set sail toward Jau National Park and try your hand at piranha fishing before sunset. Once back on the boat, you’ll sail to Sleepy Beach where we’ll anchor for the night and enjoy dinner before dozing off to the sounds of nature.

After breakfast, you’ll stop at Airao Velho to witness the vestiges of the rubber cycle in Brazil. Then, you’ll sail through Igarape de Santo Domingo for a splash in one of its waterfalls / rapids. You’ll enjoy lunch aboard as you sail to the Jau National Park Ranger Station, and then along the Rio Jau, a river of mirror-like waters with likely sightings of aquatic mammals and birds. The Park consists of three major rivers – Unini to the North, Carabinani to the South, and Jau in the middle – along with countless smaller black water tributaries. The water level varies drastically during the course of the year and the igapo forest found near the waterways can be flooded for up to eight months of the year. This type of forest is tropical and humid, with as many as 200 species per hectare. In the afternoon, you’ll get to the Cachoeira river community where you’ll dock for the evening. After dinner, we’ll set out on canoes looking for caiman and other nocturnal animals.

Early this morning, you’ll canoe to Ilha dos Macacos (Monkey Island) in search of these fun and friendly creatures. After breakfast aboard, we’ll visit the Cachoeira community where you’ll experience life in this corner of the world. You’ll learn about the yucca flour making process, visit a traditional cabocio home and spend some time at the local school. The children of the village are always happy to interact with visitors, so be prepared to get involved in a game of soccer or swimming or some impromptu arts and crafts. You’ll learn about their current challenges and find out about their existing projects. Activities today also include a short hike to the Samauma, which is the biggest tree on the Rio Negro, growing to more than 165 feet tal. For many children, a face to face meeting with this “Queen of the Forest” is among the highlights of the trip.

You’ll arrive in Novo Airao early this morning and dock at the Mirante do Gaviao Lodge. After breakfast, you’ll visit the Almerinda Malaquias Foundation (FAM) which provides after-school ecology education in addition to carpentry skills. You can enjoy the rest of your day lounging around this eco-lodge before meeting up for a farewell dinner.

Depending on your departure time from Manaus, a local air-conditioned taxi will take you to the airport.