Attractions

Boat Trips

On a boat-tour package, the experience is similar to that of a lodge; there are excursions on the small side channels, a sunset and sunrise tour, caiman spotting, piranha fishing, and a visit to a caboclo (river peasant) settlement. The difference is that in the time you're not on an excursion, you're moving on the river. There is always something to see, even if it's just the vastness of the river itself.

Viverde, Rua dos Cardeiros 26, Manaus (tel./fax 092/3248-9988; www.viverde.com.br), can arrange boat voyages or charters. Their website has photos and descriptions of the better Manaus-based touring boats.

Amazon Clipper Cruises (tel. 092/3656-1246; www.amazonastravel.com.br/amazon_clipper_i.html) has three old-style Amazon riverboats -- the Amazon Angler, Selly Clipper, and Selly Clipper II -- that make regular 3- and 4-day trips departing from the Tropical Manaus. The boats have cabins with bunk beds and private bathrooms, and in the evening the cabins have air-conditioning. The 3-day tour stays on the Solimões River; the 4-day tour goes up the Rio Negro. Both tours include a visit to Janauary Park and The Meeting of the Waters. The price for the 3-day Solimões tour is US$42), and the 4-day Rio Negro tour costs US$580. Children up to 12 receive a 20% discount. A newer and more luxurious boat has recently been launched, the Amazon Clipper Premium. The main differences are that the boat has a number of pleasant common rooms and the cabins come with real beds, not bunk beds. Rates, however, are at a premium; the 3-day Solimões package costs US$595, and the 4-day Rio Negro tour US$790.

If you want to set your own agenda, Amazon Nut Safaris (tel. 092/3248-9988; www.viverde.com.br/amazon_nut_safaris_i.html) has a small Amazon riverboat available for charter, complete with guide and crew. The Cassiquiari has 10 cabins and six motor canoes, and charters for US$1,120 per day for up to eight people, plus an extra US$135 for each person over eight. The price includes food and bottled water, and activities such as piranha fishing and forest walks.

Cruising the Amazon in Style

For the ultimate Amazon river experience, travelers now have the option of taking a luxury cruise ship, the Iberostar. For those whose first reaction is God No! Not a cruise! think again. The Iberostar does an excellent job getting guests off the boat and out into nature (in addition, of course to pampering them silly). This 75-cabin pocket cruiser started operating in June 2005. The boat offers two programs, a 3-night Solimões cruise or a 4-night Rio Negro cruise. Both are worth taking; for most people it's just a matter of which one fits better into their travel plans. The ship itself is so new that everything shines and sparkles. Cabins are beautifully appointed and feature king-size beds, large-screen TVs, a private veranda, and a luxurious bathroom. All the luxury aside, however, the cruise is actually well set up (better than many of the lodges we have visited) for making the most out of your Amazon experience. There is a well-stocked library with interesting and rare books on the environment and the region, and staff are very knowledgeable (some even have bird books to help identify species, an unheard-of thing in Brazil) and give daily presentations on the fauna and flora of the region. Excursions are made in aluminum launches with twin 240-horsepower motors, allowing you to quickly get to any place of interest. As the boat is constantly moving, you move into far more diverse territory than at a lodge. A cruise is even a luxurious way of experiencing the mosquito-ridden Solimões. The increased presence of insect life on this white-water river (they don't bother you in the daytime when you are out exploring, only around dusk) also attracts more birds and other animals. We have seen some of our best wildlife on and around the Solimões. And it's a lot easier to put up with mosquitoes if you can do so from a fancy cabin, sipping a glass of complimentary champagne.

Iberostar Grand Amazon -- Rua Marquês de Santa Cruz 25, Hidroviária do Amazonas, AM 69005-050. tel. 092/2126-9900; www.iberostar.com. 75 cabins (showers only). Packages start at R$715 (US$357/£175) per person, per day, including all meals, beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), guides, excursions, and entertainment. AE, DC, MC, V. Amenities: 2 restaurants; 2 bars; 2 outdoor pools; 2 cardio machines; Jacuzzi; 24-hr. room service; laundry service; nonsmoking rooms. In room: A/C, TV, fridge, hair dryer, safe.

Riding the Riverboats

The old-style wood or steel-hull riverboats that ply the Amazon basin are about transport, not seeing wildlife. They stick to deeper channels, taking passengers and goods up and down the Amazon. The most popular routes are Manaus-Belém and Manaus-Santarém. Most boats have small cabins, though it's more fun just to sling your hammock on deck. Good, simple meals and filtered water are supplied on the boat at no extra cost.

Boats depart from the new Hidroviaria do Amazonas (Riverboat Terminal) (tel. 092/3621-4310) in the middle of downtown at Rua Marquês de Santa Cruz 25. There is an information desk inside the front door where you can find out about arrival and departure times, and numerous kiosks where you buy tickets. By purchasing here, you can be sure you will not be cheated. Boats for Belém normally depart Wednesday and Saturday at noon. The trip downstream takes 4 days. Delays are not uncommon. Cost of a first-class hammock spot (on the upper deck) is R$275 (US$138/£74). Hammocks are not supplied. Buy one in Manaus. Cabins cost R$750 to R$850 (US$375-US$425/£202-£230). Boats for Santarém normally depart Tuesday and Thursday. The cost is R$125 (US$63/£34) for a first-class hammock, R$98 (US$49/£27) for a second-class hammock, and R$325 (US$362/£88) for a cabin. The trip takes about 40 hours.