Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
5
Around Manaus
he area
AROUND MANAUS
is the obvious place in the Brazilian Amazon to find a
jungle
river trip to suit most people's needs. Although located in the heart of the
world's biggest rainforest, you have to be prepared to travel for at least a few days out
of Manaus if you are serious about spotting a wide range of wildlife. The city does,
however, offer a range of
organized tours
(see box below) bringing visitors into close
contact with the world's largest tropical rainforest. Unfortunately, though, since
Manaus has been a big city for a long time, the forest in the immediate vicinity is
far from virgin. Over the last millennia it has been explored by indigenous peoples,
missionaries, rubber gatherers, colonizing extractors, settlers, urban folk from Manaus
and, more recently, quite a steady flow of eco-minded tourists.
The amount and kind of
wildlife
you get to see on a standard jungle tour depends
mainly on how far away from Manaus you go and how long you can devote to the
JUNGLE TOUR OPERATORS AND LODGES IN MANAUS
Jungle lodges
offer travellers the opportunity to experience the rainforest while maintaining
high levels of comfort, even elegance; there are scores of lodges in and around the Manaus
area, most operated by tour companies. There are plenty of phony agencies and touts at the
airport and in the city centre ready to rip off naïve tourists, so be careful. Make sure you
personally visit a tour agency (never hand over money to anyone on the street or at the
airport, even if they claim they work for a given agency). You can also check with Amazonastur
(
W
visitamazonas.am.gov.br) for reports on complaints that might have been made against a
particular tour operator in the past. If you can, it's much better to book in advance on the
internet, although make sure the company actually exists - touts have even set up fake
websites and scammed tourists online.
The most dependable and comfortable way to visit the rainforest is to take a
package tour
that involves a number of nights in a jungle lodge - though for the more adventurous traveller
the experience can be a little tame. The lodges invariably offer hotel-standard accommodation,
full board and a range of activities including alligator spotting, piranha fishing, trips by canoe
and transport to and from Manaus. Some lodge-based tours integrate the opportunity to
spend a night or two camping out in the forest. The least expensive jungle-tour options are
those offering hammock-space accommodation, perhaps combined with a night in the forest;
the most expensive should see visitors in at least four-star comfort.
TOUR OPERATORS
Amazon Antonio Jungle Tours
Rua lauro
Cavalcante 231, Centro
T
92 3234 1294,
T
92 9961
8314,
Tours. He only works with small groups, which means
that you'll be zooming along the river in his very own
speedboat to see the meeting of the waters, as opposed
to sitting in a large boat with dozens of other tourists. As
a result, his tours are slightly more expensive, but well
worth it. Pedro also organizes panoramic flights and
day-trips to Presidente Figueireido (see p.376).
Amazon Explorers
Porto do Manaus, Estação
Hidroviária
antonio-jungletours.com.
Run by native
tour guide Antonio Gomes, this experienced operator
organizes jungle tours with stays at a pleasant eco-
lodge powered by solar panels 200km from Manaus
along the Rio Urubu. Accommodation is in native-style
chalets, bungalows and dorms; there's a canopy tower
with wonderful views over the river and rainforest, and
a floating sundeck with loungers perfect to while away
an afternoon or two. Plenty of exciting activities
including alligator spotting, piranha fishing, paddle
canoeing and camping in the jungle.
Amazon Eco Adventures
Rua 10 de Julho 695
T
W
92 3232 3052,
W
amazonexplorers
.tur.br.
This reputable operator runs a reservations
service for smart jungle lodges and luxury boat rental,
and organizes jungle tours with boat accommodation
(from around R$250/person/day, minimum two people
for two days) and a six-hour trip to the meeting of the
waters and Parque Janauary.
As a travel agency, it
offers a ticketing service for day-trips as well as air and
boat travel.
T
92 8831 1011,
W
amazonecoadventures.com.
This one-man outfit is run by experienced Pedro Neto
whose o
ce is in the same building as Amazon Gero
