I had booked the 3D/2N Macaw tour offered by Amazon Backpackers with office in Manaus. Costing US$60 per person, per day, all meals, water and transportation are included in the tour, EXCEPT the meals for the last day. You will be dropped at the office in Manaus by noon on the third day and you’ll have to manage your own meals since then.
Starting early on day one, I was picked up by the driver from my hotel (Sombra Palace) in Manaus at 8am and taken to their office. After completing the formalities (payment, forms, briefing), we (driver and another traveler in the group) headed to the Ceasa port, which is about 30 minute drive from the office.
[Ceasa Port, Manaus]
On arriving at the port, our speed boat was ready to cross the Amazon river over to the rainforest on the other side. It’s a 45 minute smooth ride across the river, with a brief 10-minute stop to see the ‘meeting of the rivers,’ the point where Rio Negro and Rio Solimões meet. It’s a wonderful experience to see the distinct colors of the two rivers – black/grey water of Rio Negro and brown/muddy water of Rio Solimões.
[Speed boat across the Amazon river]
[‘Meeting of rivers’ – Rio Negro (black) and Rio Solimões (brown)]
[‘Meeting of rivers’ – Rio Negro (black) and Rio Solimões (brown)]
The boat stops at the meeting of rivers for 10-minutes for pictures, and onward to Careiro Village on the other side of the Solimões river.
[The port on the other side of Amazon river leading to Careiro Village]
[A typical house in Careiro Village]
The next guide was waiting for us at the village, from where the journey continues by car or by van for about an hour to the Paraná do Mamori River. Our van driver decided to take a detour to drop a local woman to her house in the middle-of-nowhere, which added additional 30 minutes to the road-trip.
Upon reaching the Paraná do Mamori river, we got a break for 10-minutes before leaping on to another speed-boat taking about an hour to reach the lodge arriving there at about 12:30pm.
[Beginning of speed-boat on Paraná do Mamori River]
[Beginning of speed-boat on Paraná do Mamori River]
[Paraná do Mamori River]
[Speed boat on Paraná do Mamori River]
[Paraná do Mamori River]
[This is how far you’ll be (blue dot) in the Amazon rainforest from the city of Manaus]
The lodge is pretty basic – a huge kitchen-cum-dining area which is in the center of the lodge, from where the path leads to the rooms on one side and the home of the residents on the other side (where you can lay on the 6 hammocks).
There are 6 rooms in all, each having either a double bed or two twin beds with a creaky door and a netted-window. Every room has a power plug and a fan. Note that the electricity runs on a generator and will not be available 24/7, but usually it’s available for 2, hours in morning, 2 hours in afternoon and 3-4 hours in night with everything shutting down at 9:30-10:00pm. The beds are comfortable with a thin sheet to be used as blanket (which you will never need it because of the high temperatures!)
There are two bathrooms (that includes toilets) with running hot water available in the mornings & evenings only.
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 IMPORTANT NOTE on Mosquitoes in Amazon RainforestThe first tip anyone will give you about mosquitoes in Amazon Rainforest is to carry mosquito nets and repellents. This is mandatory and precaution is necessary. Having said that, note that neither the tour company nor the locals in the lodge DO NOT provide mosquito nets or repellents. You must carry your own. We didn’t find the need to use repellents, nor any mosquito nets in our rooms in the lodge. After the lights are turned off, the mosquitoes don’t enter the room via cracks in the door, forget bothering you. |
[The lodge for two nights]
[Bedrooms]
[Bedrooms in the lodge]
[The central hut where meals are served]
After reaching the lodge, lunch was served – rice, beans, juice, coffee, frilled fish, fish curry, chips, water. And after which it was siesta time where you’re allowed to take a nap, or just walk around the forest. With daytime temperatures about 43°C (~ 110°F) and a 98% humidity, you are better off staying inside and taking a nap rather than walking around in the sun.
Come evening, we hopped into a small boat and a short ride for about 30 minutes brought us to middle of nowhere for some fishing and watch the sunset from the boat.
Arriving back to the lodge at around 7:30pm, the dinner was served, which is mostly the same as lunch, but served fresh! Remember that when you’re eating fish for a meal, it has been caught the night before by the locals living in the lodge; or by tourists like you who will be heading out every night for hunting for fish in the river or swamps nearby. And that is exactly what we did.
After dinner, we walked around to see some tarantulas that come out in the dark. These hairy spiders can be 5 to 12 inches long and remain static when light is exposed on them. Being mindful of snakes luring in the dark ground, we returned to the lodge and played cards until 10pm, when our guide, Eduardo, made us hop in to small kayaks for fish hunting! We were four of us, so two passengers each in one kayak, along with the guides to navigate around.
[Tarantula on the roof of the dining hut]
[Tarantula on a tree right outside the dining hut]
[Catch of the night – two fishes by 11pm]
[Catch of the night – about 12 fishes by the end of day!]
It’s quite a challenge to catch the fishes in the night, but the best time to hunt as they swim to the surface of the water on the banks of the swamps or river. The guides use traditional methods to hunt fish by searching them with headlights and spearing them with full force!
The whole fish hunting can last for about 2-3 hours and can be quite enduring for someone with back problems or any physical challenges that arises from sitting without a back support. The kayak is very small and can low, so you cannot stand in the boat, not even for a bit. Movements in the boat will fill in water that needs to be emptied out often.
Returning back to the lodge after a 3-hour hunt will tire you out, just in time for a good nights sleep.
Costs
Note: All values in USD, unless otherwise mentioned, are approximate and based on the exchange rate of USD 1 = BRL 3.73 at the time of publishing. Each cost is for one adult.
| What | Cost | Notes |
| Amazon Tour | $180 | Three day tour including meals & transportation. |
| Water | $1.34 | BRL 5 |
| Total Costs | $181.34 | Per person |
| Overall Costs | $825.52 | Per person |
Day 7
Amazon Rainforest (Day One)
Beginning of a three-day trip into Amazon Rainforest.