Let's Talk About The Amazon
Off-the-grid & into the Amazon…
Spanning over a billion acres across nine countries (about two-thirds of the South American continent), the Amazon Rainforest is considered as one of the last great wildernesses on earth. Due to its vastness, to simply say, ‘I went to the Amazon’ wouldn’t be much help for anyone trying to plan a similar trip. Thus, before I go any further, I’ll let you know that I boarded my Amazon river cruise with Amazon Nature Tours in Manaus, Brazil, the exact location of which you can see below:
Manaus is the largest city in Brazil’s Amazonas with two million residents. Though it’s in the middle of the jungle, and after boarding the ship you lose service within an hour, logistically speaking, it’s not as difficult to access as one might imagine. A flight from Boston to Miami, Miami to Manaus totalled just under 12 hours of travel, with the longest duration spent in the airport as I got stuck with a 5-hour layover. Since you no longer need to obtain a Visa for travel into Brazil, this port is one of the most accessible gateways to the Amazon.
In terms of other housekeeping items, i.e. vaccinations: because I ensured my vaccines were up-to-date with my trip to Africa last summer, I was set this time around. With that said, there are a bundle of recommended vaccines for a trip into this great wilderness, including:
Hepatitis A
Typhoid
Yellow Fever
I’d also recommend (so does the CDC) obtaining a malaria preventative prescription and packing medicine for traveler’s tummy because once you’ve sailed into the heart of the Amazon, access to modern medicine isn’t accessible and it’s a slow boat back to treatment—better safe than sorry.
Now, onto the fun stuff…
Highlights
The opportunity to disconnect for an entire week was a luxury. I understand and appreciate not everyone may feel the same way, but if you have the opportunity to take any trip that allows you to get offline for even a few days, I highly encourage it. In today’s world, we’re all way too connected and while it’s a necessity for many of our jobs, it’s also a necessity to take time for yourself, to look inward and evaluate your relationship with technology. Though I was offline, I still had my phone to take photos and notes, but as the week progressed, I gradually left my phone in my cabin more and more, allowing the nature to consume me.
The daily schedule
I felt like this cruise was a floating safari, meaning the excursions and daily schedule were fixed and it wasn’t so much of a vacation as an entire experience, with early wake-ups and all.
5.30am: Wake-up knock and up to the dining room for a light breakfast of porridge or pastries and a cup of coffee.
6.00am: As the sun illuminates the dark waters of the Rio Negro, you board the launch (smaller boat used for excursions) for the first outing of the day. Spend about two hours searching the canopies and waters in front of you for wildlife, from the dozens of bird sightings and sloths on land to caimans and pink river dolphins alongside the launch.
8:00am: A full breakfast is served featuring western staples of eggs, cheese and meats, as well as a daily rotating Brazilian favorite, from tapioca pancakes to corn cake.
10:00am: After spending some time digesting, perhaps on the sundeck, it’s time for excursion two of the day. Depending on the time of year, and location of the boat, this could include a jungle trek, a kayak tour, or simply another launch experience. Regardless of the experience, don’t let the time of day fool you, the sun is strong and the bugs are out so lather up in sunscreen and layer up in clothing.
12:00pm: Refuel with lunch before an afternoon of free time as the ship moves up river. I loved spending time at the bow of the boat where the breeze kept me cool, or when the rain squalls rolled in, I read in the dining room—there’s an entire library of jungle-appropriate books so you don’t even need to pack a good read!
4:00pm: Get ready for another excursion. This could be another launch to spot wildlife as the temperatures cool and dusk approaches, a trip to a local village, an opportunity to swim in the Amazon, or to fish for piranhas. Again, it’s dependent on the location of the ship at that time—and don’t worry, the guides know the best spots for fishing versus swimming with the piranhas!
6:00pm: As the sun sets, grab a cold beer and head up to the top deck to enjoy sunset, a transformative experience as the colors reflect in the dark river and paint the scenery into a watercolor.
7:00pm: Dinner is served. The ship serves meals buffet-style in its intimate dining room. Since you’re on the river, there will always be a local fish dish, prepared in different ways but always served alongside its typical pairings of rice and beans. The ship is accommodating to dietary requests and allergies, so be sure to let them know in advance if you require special needs. In addition to fish, typically a soup and roast veggie dish are served, sometimes with beef or chicken. Oh, and there’s always dessert, usually an ice cream or pudding with a seasonal fruit base (we had lots of passion fruit and papaya)!
8:00pm: On some nights, this is when the last excursion of the day occurs—a night swim! Do I have your attention still? It’s actually a night launch, so you pile into the small boat and glide under the starry reflection in search of the nocturnal animals (also the most dangerous) like the caiman, boas hanging from trees, as well as species of night birds like the Potoo. There are only a handful of night excursions and the rest of the evenings are spent at leisure, usually an excuse to head to sleep early since that early morning sneaks up on you.
Weather
My trip fell at the beginning of the rainy season (December) which lasts until mid-May. This is when roughly 86 million acres of jungle will flood, giving way to the phenomenon of the flooded forest. Since I was on the cusp of the seasons, we had mostly hot, humid weather, with the occasional shower and on our last day a storm. Being in the rainforest, it’s almost guaranteed to rain daily, even if it’s just a quick shower in the dry season. If I were to visit in June, I would experience a completely different landscape, thus the trip’s excursions are tailored to the seasons. The ship runs year round (and has been for the last 30 years) so you’re guaranteed a fabulous time no matter the time of year you visit.
Attire
Okay, wow! I thought I was perfectly prepared with my Amazon wardrobe but for the first time ever, I think I under-packed. Since you’re on a ship, logistically you don’t want to bring a large bag, yet you also need enough clothing to wear for either 4 or 6 days (depending on the itinerary you book). I took the 6-night trip, but this wasn’t 6 days in a city where you can perhaps re-wear an outfit. This is 6 days of bug spray, sunscreen and sweat—rewearing is not only inadvisable in my opinion, but very unenjoyable.
So what do I advise?
Though I don’t advise re-wearing shirts, I think it’s okay to rewear pants. I’d suggest a cargo, khaki style to protect your legs from the brush on jungle hikes and mosquito bites. NOTE: I found out the hard way that mosquitoes can in fact bite through leggings, actually I think they enjoy it more. I’d say 3 pairs of cargo pants, 4-6 light-weight tops (best if UV proof and slightly climate controlling to keep cool on long hikes), 2 sports bras for women (can wash these in the sinks), 3 casual outfits for wearing around the boat as these don’t get dirty, a good pair of rubber boots or hiking boots for the treks, 6 pairs of socks, a bathing suit, a pair of flip flops for the boat, a hat, a bandana for your neck to protect against mosquitoes and the sun, sunglasses and of course, a raincoat. The company will give you a complete packing suggestion list but from my experience, these are the necessities.
Miscellaneous Items
Aside from the packing list above, I’d recommend—actually, I insist—that you pack binoculars. They are necessary for viewing the wildlife from launch excursions and a way to pass time while cruising up the river and searching the riverbanks for jaguars and sloths from afar.
Sunscreen and bug spray are necessary too. I’d recommend a bug lotion you can spread on for full coverage (put it under your clothes, these mosquitoes are no joke!) then a little spray bottle to bring on treks for reapplying.
If you have a large camera lens, this is the place to bring it, just like a safari, the zoom lens can be used instead of binoculars, while allowing you to snap beautiful stills of the vast wildlife. Yes, small cameras are great for capturing the scenery, but you won’t be able to snag many close shots of wildlife so a zoom lens is advised. If you prefer to take-in the nature without a camera, that’s okay too, and by the end of the trip, you may just be doing this.
Key phrases
Aside from the English-speaking guides, the ship’s crew speaks Portugese, so it’s helpful and respectful to at least learn how to say the basics in their language since you spend many hours with them.
Thank you — obrigada/o (women say obrigada, men say obrigado)
Good morning — bom dia
Pricing
There are a couple ways to book this trip, including a variety of different room categories, as well as the time of year, and of course, length of your journey. 4-day trips start at $1,750 all-inclusive, while 6-day trips start at $3,150 all-inclusive (I did the 6-day). The main difference, aside from pricing, is the distance into the Amazon as you get to travel deeper into the jungle the more time you have.
As always, any questions about this trip, shoot me an email.
Happy New Year: here’s to a healthy and adventurous 2020 for you all!
Xo,
J