Amazon Survival Tour 12 Days Active Travel in a small group Brazil | Amazon
Experience life in the mighty Amazon Rainforest on this survival tour for true adventurers. On this journey, you should not expect a fancy hotel with breakfast in bed, and definitely no Jacuzzi or SPA treatments. This adventure is about experiencing and exploring the Amazon jungle in its most authentic form. Your English-speaking guide will show you and teach you the techniques that are essential for survival in the rainforest, and then you will practice these new skills directly on site in the forest. The exact itinerary of the tour will always be adapted to the weather conditions and the water levels, and the various day trips will be either on foot or by canoe. The day trips are mostly routes from one base camp to another where participants have to carry all of their luggage, or they will start and end at the same camp.
Highlights
- Orientation in unknown terrain
- Setting up camp in the rainforest
- Overnight stays in hammocks in the rainforest
- Search for edible fruits and plants
- Recognition and use of medicinal plants
- Starting a bonfire without matches or a lighter
- Crossing rivers
- Nature hikes and wildlife observation
- Dealing with wild or poisonous animals
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Manaus
Included: Airport Transfer (in-group)
After you arrive in Manaus you will be picked up and taken to your accommodation, Hotel St. Paul. The Hotel is located in the city center of Manaus. All of the city’s main attractions are easy to reach on foot. The famous Teatro Amazonas, the harbor with indoor markets, and the Indian Museum (Museu do Índio) are just minutes away.
Afterwards, you can end the day by relaxing in one of the restaurants or pubs located around the theater.
Overnight: Hotel Saint Paul, Standard room
Day 2: Transfer into the Wild
Included: Transfer with a Stop at the "Meeting of the Waters" (in-group, 3.5h) | Boat Excursion (in-group) | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast, you and the other group members will be picked up by an English-speaking guide and head off to Manaus’ river harbor. From there you will take a speedboat to the “Meeting of the Waters” river crossing where the Rio Negro and Rio Solimões meet and form the Amazon River. The river starts here and flows all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.
All together, the Amazon region is about 4.35 million square miles (7 million square kilometers) and stretches from the Andes to the Atlantic. There is nowhere else on the planet with a greater amount of animal and plant species than the Amazon Rainforest. To this day, there are still places that have been untouched by the modern world.
Once the boat has reached the other side, you will continue in the direction of the Mamori River by a van or minibus. There you will cover the last leg of you trip in a speedboat. During your journey to the lodge, you will move further and further away from the big city of Manaus, and you will start to observe how the towns and villages get smaller and smaller, and how the dense green tropical rainforest grows thicker and closer.
Shortly before midday, you will arrive at Turtle Lodge where you can put your feet up for a bit while lunch is prepared in the lodge's restaurant.
In the afternoon, you will go on an excursion in a motorized canoe to get to know the surrounding area and get a first impression of the flora and fauna. In the evening, you will get a briefing from your guide where all important aspects of the survival tour will be discussed. After dinner, you can enjoy the comfort of your bungalow before the “real” adventure begins the next morning.
[i]Overnight: Amazon Turtle Lodge, Bungalow or Chale comfort
Day 3: The Survival Tour Begins
Included: Survival Tour (in-group) | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Early in the morning you can enjoy breakfast at Turtle Lodge. Afterwards, you will check your equipment once again before you and the group set off in a motorized canoe together with your English-speaking guide to an even more remote area, where you will start your rainforest survival tour. The group will also be accompanied by a local guide who will steer the motorized canoe.
You and the group will spend the next seven nights in the Amazon Rainforest. Depending on the weather conditions and water levels, the guide will determine the route for the survival tour. Participants will be involved in activities such as foraging, cooking, and setting up camp. Over the next few days, you will go on unique hikes and boat trips through the Amazon Rainforest and learn how to navigate and get around in unfamiliar terrain. You will also get survival tips for dealing with wild or dangerous animals and learn which plants are edible or can be used as medicine.
Before nightfall, the first night's camp will be set up, the hammocks will be hung into position, and dinner will be prepared over an open fire for you to enjoy by the light of the campfire. After this first eventful day, you will fall asleep to the sounds of the jungle at night.
Overnight: Jungle Camp, Hammock with mosquito net
Day 4: Foraging in the Rainforest
Included: Survival Tour (in-group) | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In the morning you will wake up to the sounds of the awakening rainforest. After breakfast, you will pack up your gear and head out on a hiking adventure where your guide will show you some survival techniques, and you will gather plants and fruits for the upcoming meals. Also, the guide will try to introduce to you and show you the local wildlife whenever the opportunity arises. With a little luck, you may see and observe monkeys, sloths, iguanas, snakes, macaws, toucans, or caimans during hikes through the rainforest.
In the late afternoon, you will then set up your next camp and of course help with dinner preparations.
Overnight: Jungle Camp, Hammock with mosquito net
Day 5: Bird Watching, Jungle Trekking, and River Crossing
Included: Survival Tour (in-group) | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Early in the morning, you will set out to observe exotic birds of the Amazon Rainforest as the early hours are best for this activity. Occasionally, butterflies up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) in size flutter through the semi-darkness.
This day’s trek through the jungle will be adventurous, as some small rivers have to be crossed – which is not an easy task. At this point procuring food and setting up camp for the night are already part of your daily routine in the Amazon Rainforest.
Overnight: Jungle Camp, Hammock with mosquito net
Day 6: Spearfishing and Tracking Nocturnal Animals
Included: Survival Tour (in-group) | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today, if the water levels allows, you will travel by motorized canoe into one of the many small branches of the river which cross the Amazon Rainforest.
This day you will also complete important tasks to satisfy the basic needs of every human being – getting food. After all, your survival in the rainforest is at stake. The group will try to collect edible fruits, plants, and fish to be able to prepare a nutritious lunch and dinner later in the day. During this activity, you might also have the chance to try your hand at spearfishing. After setting up camp for the night, you will set out again by canoe in order to observe nocturnal animals.
Overnight: Jungle Camp, Hammock with mosquito net
Day 7: Piranha and Tucunaré Fishing in the Flooded Amazon Rainforest
Included: Survival Tour (in-group) | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today you will go by canoe to explore the igapós, the flooded areas of the forest, and paddle through small channels known as igarapés. These flooded areas are excellent for wildlife observation in the rainforest. With a little luck, you will get to see some extraordinary species such as howler monkeys or sloths. In the afternoon, you will try to fish for piranhas as well as tucunarés, one of the tastiest edible fish in Brazil. After all, you want to eat healthy and tasty food, even in the jungle.
Overnight: Jungle Camp, Hammock with mosquito net
Day 8: Black Howler Monkeys and Red Macaws
Included: Survival Tour (in-group) | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
You will set out at sunrise today to observe animals like black howler monkeys and red macaws, which are native to this region. Howler monkey usually remain in the canopy of the rainforest the entirety of their lives. They are rather skilled climbers, and in case of danger, they can move through the branches much faster than a human being would be able to follow it on the forest ground.
Macaws are sociable birds that are found almost exclusively in groups. They do not have a fixed territory and regularly roam a wide area. The abundance of plants and fruits means that there is no competition for food, so much that you might see various groups of macaws gather in the same tree. It is quite an impressive sight.
Overnight: Jungle Camp, Hammock with mosquito net
Day 9: Spotting River Dolphins
Included: Survival Tour (in-group) | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Believe it or not, it’s already your last day of camping in the rainforest. Your morning routine of preparing breakfast and making coffee has already become habit, just like using the natural bathroom in the forest. After a hike through the rainforest in the morning, you will try to find and observe river dolphins in the afternoon, and then you will spend your last night in your hammock dreaming of these impressive, wonderful creatures.
Overnight: Jungle Camp, Hammock with mosquito net
Day 10: Rainforest Farming and Return to the Lodge
Included: Survival Tour (in-group) | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After your final breakfast in the jungle, you will head back towards civilization. On your way to Turtle Lodge, you will stop and visit a rubber and cassava plantation to get a firsthand look at life in the Amazon Rainforest from people who live and work directly in the jungle. After these final impressions of the Amazon, you will go back to the lodge where a small farewell party will be organized in the evening, and at night, you will sleep in a real bed with a cozy mattress.
Overnight: Amazon Turtle Lodge, Bungalow or Chale comfort
Day 11: Leisure time at Turtle Lodge and Return to Manaus
Included: Transfer (in-group) | Breakfast, Lunch
Today it is time to say goodbye to life in the wild. After breakfast, you will have leisure time in the morning to relax at the lodge or participate in an excursion. Afterwards, you will enjoy lunch and be transferred back to your hotel in Manaus, arriving around 17:00 p.m.
Overnight: Hotel Saint Paul, Standard room
Day 12: Departure from the Amazon Rainforest
Included: Airport Transfer (private) | Breakfast
In accordance with your flight time, you will be picked up by your English speaking guide and brought to the airport. With many new experiences and memories in your luggage, you will start your journey home or on to the next destination.
If – after your adventures in the rainforest – you would like to relax on a beach in Brazil, we are happy to make some suggestions.
Included
- All transfers detailed above
- 1 lodge excursion (in-group with an English-speaking guide)
- 8-day survival tour (with a private English-speaking guide)
- 2 nights at Hotel Saint Paul, Standard room
- 2 nights at Amazon Turtle Lodge, Bungalow or Chale comfort
- 7 nights in a Jungle Camp, Hammock
- 11 breakfasts + 10 lunches + 9 dinners
Not included are airfare, insurance, single room supplement, beverages, meals not indicated in the itinerary, tips, and personal expenses.
Info
- The above itinerary is to be understood as a sample itinerary. Depending on the weather, animal occurrence, and water levels, the itinerary can be changed or adapted accordingly.
- Animal sightings cannot be guaranteed.
- The Amazon region can be visited anytime throughout the year. However, it should be noted that the water levels between October and December can get so low that it might not be possible to canoe through the small inlets of the river. It will also be more difficult to find drinking water during this time of the year.
- Please note that those who choose to participate in this trip should be healthy and in good shape. There will be long, strenuous hikes and each guest must carry their own luggage, enough water, and a hammock.
- Guests at the Amazon Turtle Lodge are allowed to bring 44 pounds (20 kilogram) of luggage per person. Luggage exceeding this amount can be stored in Manaus.
- Food while camping in the rainforest: A few basic food items will be carried by the guide, which are supplemented by fresh fish and, depending on the season, other rainforest fruits. Also, if there are no fresh water sources, treated drinking water is brought from the well of the lodge. Since most guests are not accustomed to this type of water, we recommend bringing water treatment tablets.
Number of Participants:
- 4 – 8
- The tour can also take place with 2 – 3 participants for an additional cost of USD 200 per person.
Items to bring
- Large backpack for your equipment. Additionally, there must be space for a hammock (7x5.9 feet) (220x180 cm) which will be provided.
- Small backpack for day trips (ca. 20-35 liters)
- T-shirts and long-sleeve shirts that dry quickly (avoid dark-colored clothing as it attracts mosquitoes)
- Camouflage clothing (for observing animals)
- Long pants that dry quickly
- A minimum of 2 pairs of socks that dry quickly
- Hiking shoes (ankle high) or army boots
- Knife
- Water bottle(s)
- Soap, toothbrush, toothpaste
- Hat, sunglasses
- Belt
- Flip flops or sandals
- Swim trunks/swim suit
- Towel
- Rain coat or poncho
- Flashlight
- Waterproof pack (for important documents)
- Sunscreen
- Strong Insect repellent (i.e. NoBite or OFF!)
- Medication and a first-aid kit
- Rope (35 ft.)
- Water purification tablets
- Machete (optional, can be purchased on site)
- Binoculars and camera (optional)
- Mosquito net for your hammock
Please avoid dark-colored clothing as it attracts mosquitoes. Camouflage clothing is ideal for wildlife observation in the Amazon.
This journey will take you to the most beautiful places in Brazil: the tropical metropolis of Rio de Janeiro, the spectacular waterfalls of Foz do Iguacu and the exceptional nature of the Amazon Rainforest. Many different and individual day trips and excursions are on the program. You will gain distinct impressions of Brazil's diversity, visit the most famous sights, and get to know the breathtaking variety of animals and plants of the jungle. Our local English-speaking guides will make sure that you have a great time and show you the best of Brazil.
Experience the unique and breathtaking nature and amazing variety of flora and fauna in the Amazon and the Pantanal in Brazil. On many different excursions you will explore the equatorial rainforest and one of the largest wetlands on earth by boat, jeep, and on foot. On this tour, wildlife observation and the experience of nature are in the foreground. Apart from exotic plants and giant trees, you will have the chance to see countless bird species, different monkeys, caimans, anteaters, tapirs, and even jaguars. Immerse yourself in the dense foliage of the Amazon Rainforest, explore the waterways of the Pantanal, and let yourself be enchanted by the wonders of Brazil's nature.
This journey will expose you to the wide diversity of Bahia: the famous historical center of Salvador, adventurous tours in Chapada Diamantina National Park, and palm-lined dream beaches. Colorful little streets, waterfalls, caves, table mountains, tropical culinary specialties, and much more await you on this tour to the most beautiful places in Bahia.