Lodges and excursions

Many people coming to stay with us are interested in visiting a jungle lodge or doing some other activity in the rainforest. Fortunately or unfortunately there are now lots of lodges throughout the Amazon, and choosing one can be a daunting prospect. If you have found this page before you've selected one, then it may be of some help, although we only comment on the ones we or our guests have some experience of.

First of all, a disclaimer - the operations mentioned in detail on this page we have some knowledge of (i.e. we have stayed there, visited the lodge and/or some of our guests have given us feedback on it). We have no commercial arrangement with any of them, and obviously we cannot guarantee either that the operation will be as it was when we or our guests visited it, nor that you will experience the same level of service we or our guests did. That said, these are at least unbiased comments which may help you make some sort of choice.

Secondly, advice - some guests arrive hoping to "do" Manaus and the rainforest in two or three nights, without having pre-booked anything and with no clear idea of what they want to do.  It is of course possible to book something when you arrive, but finding and organising it will not only eat into your available time in Manaus, but also potentially limit your choices. More importantly, you'll find that a 1-night tour/lodge/package is both expensive (many operators don't do them) and potentially disappointing - when you consider that it can take 6 hours of travelling time just to get to and from some lodges, you can see what the problem is, I hope.  We recommend that you allow for a minimum 2-night excursion (although guests report that 3 nights seems to be the optimum length) plus 2 nights in Manaus, to give you 1 night in Manaus after your arrival, 2-3 nights in the jungle and a further night in Manaus to recover before you fly out.  This  works for most people, although of course you may have specific requirements or constraints which will affect this. 

Location, location, location

Generally speaking, the further away you get from Manaus, the more chance you have of being in or near primary rainforest. There is a Lodge (Amazon Eco-Park) which we have had good reports on, and which is very close to Manaus (around 10km, as the crow flies, from where we are), but which is not particularly isolated from the 'big smoke'; while at the other extreme, there is a lodge in Peru (Explorama - also good feedback) which is particularly remote and definitely slap in the middle of primary forest. And all the others fall somewhere in the middle.

Another consideration is whether the lodge is on black or 'white' (muddy brown) water - this directly affects your chances of seeing wildlife, and, at the same time, being eaten alive by mosquitoes (remember - black water = acid water = less wildlife, including mosquitoes).

Our direct experience is limited to black water lodges (except for Explorama in Peru). This is probably because on balance they provide the best compromise between wildlife and comfort. So if you want a balls-out mosquito-lined remote station, you may need to look elsewhere.

Service with a snarl

Apart from deciding on preferred location/service, you obviously want an operator who caters for you, and for our purposes you means the "standard" North American or European (or indeed Antipodean) English-speaking gringo like myself. Most of the operators will have one or more people who speak English, and there are also French (French-Canadian at least) German, Dutch and Swiss. But of course an ability in your chosen language doesn't necessarily mean you'll get good service. Again, all of the operators we suggest below we have had good feedback on in this respect (apart from Ariau - see below).

Guides

Most operators have some sort of system where you are assigned a guide for the duration of your visit. Again, just because your guide speaks your language, doesn't mean he can tell a turtle from a turd. In theory, guides are supposed to be qualified (but here, even a qualification doesn't necessarily mean a great deal), and you might ask your prospective hosts who your guide would be and what qualification(s) they have to do the job.

Transfers

You will want a pick-up from your hotel (or hopefully Maguire's Guesthouse) and a drop-off your stay. Most operators offer this service for free, and it is always worth confirming this with them, but if your chosen operator doesn't offer this, then they should at least specify a location for pick up - and of course your hotel should be able to get you a taxi there.

Size matters

If you want something with that personal touch, you probably won't want one of the big lodges, for whom the business is simply a numbers game. And this is where I have to mention Ariau Towers specifically. Yes, it is the most famous lodge, and yes it is the largest lodge, and it has air-conditioning and electric golf-carts to ride around on and you can even fly in there with your chartered helicopter. But honestly, if that's what you want, you don't really want to be in the jungle at all, do you? (There are exceptions - it may be a good bet if you're elderly or infirm, for example, if your time is very limited or if you have children). But don't think you're getting exclusive service for your money at Ariau either - they can cater for up to 400 people at a time, and potentially you'll be just one of the crowd there.

Floating or non-floating, sir?

Whilst my personal preference is for a floating lodge (I just like it), there are some excellent dry-land lodges around, and you may feel that it's better not to sleep on a piece of 2 by 4 surrounded by piranhas. But do check what sort of lodge it is - dry land, walkway (built amongst the trees, and raised off the ground) or floating. Obviously if you're off on an expedition, you'll be prepared to rough it anyway.

Prices

Most operators take their bookings through agents. In exchange for the agents' services, the operators will give the agent a commission, and undertake not to discount prices on direct enquiries. To be competitive, most agents will split the commission with the client, so that you will probably pay LESS by booking through an agent. One of our guests was kind enough to send me the following e-mail, which shows you how it works in your favour:

The website for BROL is www.brol.com. They don't represent all the operators, but you may be able to find other agents by searching the internet. As usual, please note that we have no commercial arrangement with any of the operators or agents, and don't guarantee the services of any of them.

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Okay. Down to business. Based on what I've written above, you won't be surprised to  know that we are not able to recommend Ariau Towers - our guests tell us it's too big, too impersonal, too expensive, and feedback on service is poor.  But if you have a specific reason for wanting to stay there, their website is www.ariautowers.com.

Amazonat Jungle Lodge is a floating lodge based in and around the Rio Urubu (east of Manaus). We have had positive feedback on the lodge from two couples who visited in the wet season. Unfortunately I no longer have details of the feedback (sorry!), but you can find their website at www.amazonat.org. Will try to do better in the future! 

Amazon Eco Lodge (www.naturesafaris.com/gateway.php) is a floating lodge, and is well established. The location, just off the Juma River, is very picturesque and tranquil. It is a small lodge, and the staff are friendly. It provides a good transfer service from Manaus, which takes somewhere around 4 hours via the Careiro ferry, the BR319, the town of Araça and by boat along the Juma. A bonus with this lodge is that the ferry to Careiro passes across the famous Meeting of the Waters, affording a good view of the phenomenon. Feedback on food, ambience and accommodation is very good for a floating lodge.

Amazon Eco-Park (www.amazonecopark.com.br) is a largish complex situated just the other side of the river  Tarumã from Manaus. Although it is close enough to perhaps suffer a little from the urban degredation which affects the upper reaches of the Tarumã River, unless you're a purist, you may find it fine. Feedback so far has been good - friendly guides, good transfer service, good food, interesting side trips, pleasant location, comfortable accommodation. We also know that they can cope with a wheelchair (although not specifically geared up for it). And of course the fact that it's close, means that you can get there in around 30-40 minutes, which is a real advantage for some.

The Amazon Tupana Lodge (www.amazontupana.com). We have now had feedback that this lodge provides an interesting jungle experience for the more adventurous. We have been through the area (on the River Tupana, which is a very beautiful black-water river), and the lodge is as remote as any we know. There have been some poor reviews of the operation, however these reviews refer to previous owner/operators.  You should note that in the wet season getting to the River Tupana by road may take somewhat longer than the 2.5 hours currently mentioned on the site (a dry season estimate, perhaps).

Anavilhanas Lodge (www.anavilhanaslodge.com) is a new operation, situated near the little town of Novo Airão (2° 37.6'S 60° 56.7'W).  It is quite small, on dry land, and has a good transfer service from Manaus (expect it to take around 3  - 4 hours, via the Cacau Pireira ferry and by road through the town of Manacapuru). Feedback on the service is very good, and it has been described as friendly and personal. The Lodge offers the normal side trips and is also able to show you some of the Anavilhanas, and to take you to swim with the dolphins, which are bonuses. The location is very pleasant and quiet, and they have their own version of the Hotel Tropical's horizonless swimming pool. Food is good and their communal area is a pleasant place to be. The comfortable accommodation is in private chalet-style huts. Our own personal experience is that all the staff are very friendly and helpful.

Juma Lodge (www.jumalodge.com.br), like Ariau Towers, is built as a series of walkways and individual buildings raised above the forest. It is bigger than its near-neighbour Amazon Lodge, and when we visited it we felt there was 'something missing' in terms of ambience - however I must point out that the lodge had not yet been completed at that time, and the feedback we've since had from guests has been satisfactory, if not glowing. The lodge has a transfer service, and the journey is roughly the same as for the Amazon Lodge - with the same advantage of crossing the Meeting of the Waters.

NOTE:we are no longer recommending this lodge (26th October 2009)

The Malocas. We have just had positive feedback about this lodge. It is also one of the more remote lodges, 150km or 3-4 hours from Manaus, and offers a more authentic (read 'basic', if you wish) jungle experience than most. If you don't mind doing without the luxuries for a few days, it could be worth a look. The owners are French & Brazilian, and the guides reportedly speak good English. Our guests who stayed there were lucky enough to see an ocelot in the wild, which is a very rare thing (of course there are no guarantees that you will see anything), and this indicates that the area (on the Rio Preto, northeast of Manaus) is as yet little disturbed by human activity. The website is at www.malocas.com. 

The Uakari Lodge. I mention this lodge here because of the excellent reviews our guests have given it, however it's a heck of a long way away, and expensive -  especially as it involves a flight (or boat trip) to Tefe, nearly 700km away up the Rio Solimões, from where the Reserve guide(s) will collect you. If you want to know more about this, I recommend their website, which also has information in English and Portuguese about the Reserve and the Mamiraua  Institute, of which it is part. Impressive stuff.

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Amazon Clipper is a boat tour, as opposed to a lodge. Feedback suggests this format works quite well, and the tour takes you up to and around the Anavilhanas area of the Rio Negro, departing from the Hotel Tropical. Our guests enjoyed the comfort and convenience of the boat (with air-con cabins) and thought the excursions by canoe/speedboat were very good. They were particularly full of praise for their guide Hugo (note: a lot of guides freelance, so Hugo could pop up at any of the lodges or tours). This could be an option for anyone looking for maximum convenience. Website is www.amazonclipper.com.br. Please note that this feedback refers to the Amazon Clipper PREMIUM service, which costs more. We have no feedback on the 'traditional' service. 

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Organised Excursions and Expeditions

Amazon Mystery Tours.  This operation, headed by French Canadians, purports to be all things to all men - offering a wide range of kayaking, cruise-based and customised excursions and expeditions. Because of this, it's difficult for us to give them a 'label' as such - best to view their (excellent) website www.amazon-outdoor.com  and read any reviews - including those here.  The feedback we have had so far has been good. Jean Claude is their  friendly face in Manaus - contactable via the website and fluent in French, English and Portuguese.

Amazon Riders. It's a bit difficult to categorise Amazon Riders, too - they are basically lodge-based, but offer fairly customised excursions/expeditions around these - hence inclusion in the "Excursions" category. Feedback on Amazon Riders has been good - unfortunately it pre-dates our review procedure, so we don't have the details. Their website is www.amazonriders.com.

That's all the lodges, cruises and excursions we have any experience of now, but as we encounter more of them, we'll add to the page. In the meantime, if you're still wanting to research the internet, make sure you consider the important factors listed above - language(s) available, distance from Manaus, qualification of guide(s), type of water, type of lodge, location, size, and transfers. And it is always a good idea to e-mail your potential lodge with a query and see what sort of response you get - this may, indeed, tell you all you need to know...!

Local Excursions

So you're coming to Manaus, the oddly-placed city in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. Apart from the jungle, what are you going to see? Well, it depends on how long you're going to be here of course - but here are some suggestions. The list is not exhaustive, but includes the places that have so far proved most popular with our guests.

The Teatro Amazonas (Amazonas Theatre).  This is the first thing on nearly everyone's list. The famous theatre built at the height of the rubber boom, when Manaus was - very, very briefly - one of the richest cities in the world (it had electric light and a tram system before many European cities). To show off all this wealth, some bright spark decided to build a magnificent opera theatre in the middle of the jungle, and since its inauguration at the turn of the 19th century it has been reasonably well maintained and/or restored to this day. Even if you're not into theatre, it's well worth a visit, and you can get guided tours in English during the day, and if you're lucky see a performance (some free) in the evening, of dance, music, theatre or opera. A tour takes around 30 minutes, but you may have to wait a while before an English-speaking guide is available. Ask at reception and try not to let the hopelessly inept service frustrate you too much. The theatre is in the city centre.

The Floating Docks.  Built with all sorts of stuff shipped over from Europe, and in particular England and Scotland, the floating docks were designed to cope with the average 10m rise and fall of the Rio Negro, and thus allow ships to dock at any time of the year. It is a working docks, renovated fairly recently, and is an interesting place to see the locals getting drunk, playing loud music, and getting on and off the boats that ply the river between Manaus and Tabatinga. Amazingly, few people fall into the river. Depending on the time of year, you may also see a major cruiseliner moored there, which is quite startling given where you are.

The (Fish) Market.  I cannot for the life of me imagine why anyone wants to look at dead fish, but apparently lots of people do. The market is one of the oldest in Manaus and is supposed to be hosted in the interesting municipal market building - but apparently this is (still) closed for refurbishment (at December 2008). Still worth going to see if you like dead fish, and conveniently located near to the floating docks. 

Bosque da Ciencia (Science Park).  Run by the National Amazon research institute (INPA), the science park is located some distance from the city. It may not be run along "western" lines, but it is sufficiently well laid out to permit you to wander around the purpose-built trails on your own to see the plants and animals hosted there. These include various monkeys, sloths, pacas, caiman, manatee and giant river otters. The monkeys are generally free to roam around and are reasonably well-behaved, the sloths and paca are wild (I mean literally, as opposed to figuratively), and happily the caiman are kept in enclosures, as are the manatee and the otters. But don't think this is some sort of zoo - the institute have these animals because they were rescued, and they are normally released back into the wild. There is an exhibition room with some interesting (badly labelled) stuff in it, and you can even get a coffee or an ice cream. Although you can stay there as long as you like, a two hour visit is the norm.

Jardim Botanico Adolpho Ducke (Botanic Gardens).  Situated at the northernmost margins of the city, the botanic gardens are worth a visit if you want a leisurely introduction to the rainforest eco-systems. There are some interesting public trails (but you need to take a guide with you - supplied when you get there) and the flora and fauna is interesting (particularly the birdlife, I'm told). The public trails border the much more extensive INPA reserve at the back (no public access), which serves to protect the whole area quite well. It's a long trek from the city centre, and you should allow at least a couple of hours to walk one of the trails. Rumour has it that some of the guides speak English.

More Manaus attractions as and when we have visited them and can report back!

Further Afield

Presidente Figueredo.  One area which is becoming increasingly popular is the area around the town of Presidente Figueredo. Approximately 100km north of Manaus on the BR174 (to Boa Vista), Presidente Figueredo lies next to the vast Balbina Reservoir system and hydroelectric dam. Although the reservoir is well known as a good fishing area, there is only a limited tourist infrastructure.  The main attraction of the town and surrounding area results from the fact that they lie at a  higher elevation than the Amazon and Negro rivers, and the water which flows through the region forms waterfalls and caverns as it descends (something you won't generally see along the 2,000 - 3,000km extension of the main Amazon/Solimoes/Rio Negro system). There are some excellent trails in the area and some great bathing in the rock pools of the rivers and streams.  Its wildlife - particularly birdlife - is quite distinct from that of the Amazon basin itself, and one of its claims to fame is that it is home to the McCaw and the Cock of the Rock. There is quite a good (but small) tourist office and organisation in the the heart of the small town, near the bus station, and an increasing number of hotels and pousadas.

Presidente Figueredo is approximately 2 hours away by road (buses leave regularly from the main bus station in  Manaus, the Rodoviaria).

An increasing number of small agencies are leading tours through the area north of Presidente Figueredo. In some cases this can be for just 1 night, or as long as 7 nights if you have a real taste for jungle adventure - see Amazon Riders and Amazon Mystery Tours above.

Up the Rio Negro. If you choose, you can get a boat up the Negro river to Novo Airão, Barcelos, or even São Gabriel da Cachoeira (also flights to these latter two).

At Novo Airão there isn't much in the way of creature comforts, but it is right within the Anavilhanas nature reserve, which you can probably persuade someone to take you into or at least across (technically you're not allowed "into" it). You will also be able to swim with and feed the pink dolphins at the little port, which is an interesting experience. Novo Airão is about 3-4 hours away by bus or 2-3 hours by fast boat.

Further upstream, you get to Barcelos, once the capital of the State of Amazonas, and now the centre of the tropical fish trade here. Depending on the season, the fishing is excellent and there is some beautiful rainforest nearby and wonderful white beaches at low water. There is a weekly fast boat to Barcelos (12 hours), as well as the more relaxed regional boat service (2 nights) and a plane service (about an hour).

São Gabriel is the same distance again as Barcelos, and is as far up the river as the commercial boats will take you.  Being so far away from Manaus, it is a small and relatively undeveloped town with a large percentage of native indians making up the population. It is also the gateway to the Pico da Neblina, Brazil's highest mountain and a week or more long expedition for those who want to attempt it. The surrounding forest is still largely untouched, if you decide to brave it!

Good luck!

Note: if you are a Lodge/cruise/expedition operator and you have (factual) information which may affect what we've written, or which you think should be added, please let us know.

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