Into the Jungle: Brazilian Amazon Tour | Sumak (Sustainable) Travel

NOTE/June 2020: Travel restrictions from Canada are still in place as of this date; however, if lifted in the near future, due to the spread of COVID-19 and its prevalence in Brazil in particular, this trip is not recommended at this time.

A spectacular Amazon Rainforest experience, taking you into one of the planet’s great bio-diverse habitats. Learn why the Amazon is worth protecting and preserving, and meet the people on the front line of its defense, the people who call it home. A private tour, operated by Sumak (Sustainable) Travel, which is a self-described “sustainable tourism platform [and] social enterprise working with local, ethical tour operators in Latin America.” Here’s details, from Sumak:

Itinerary Overview

Day 1:  Arrival in the city of Manaus. Spend the day acclimatizing to this jungle city: tour the city or just relax at your hotel.

Days 2 &3:  River boat journey down the Rio Negro, a tributary of the Amazon River, as you travel into the rainforest. Overnight on board, arrive at Xixuau Eco-lodge the next day. Get to know your hosts and the environment for the rest of the day; accommodation is in round wooden malocas, comfortable palm-thatched huts built on stilts in the style of the neighbouring Waimiri-Atroari indigenous people.

The Rio Negro of Brazil’s Amazon region. (Hannai Hai-Pixabay)

Days 4 to 8:  The Xixuau Nature Reserve. Various activities to choose from at the lodge—on this tour you can build your itinerary on arrival, working with your hosts and guides. For example: guided canoe trips or self-propelled paddles through flooded forest for wildlife viewing; guided walks through the forest with Xixuau locals; ride alongs with local fisherman as you fish for lunch; birdwatching! There’s more to choose from, depending on season and weather. Contact Sumak for more info.

Day 9:  Return river boat journey to Manaus. Spend the day on the Amazon River taking in the life of the famed forest.

Day 10:  Manaus, fly to airport for your flight home.

Highlights

• Aerial view of the spectacular rainforest, as you fly to Manaus.
• Boat trip along Rio Negro, one of the biggest tributaries of the Amazon River.
• Relaxing (and/or sleeping) in hammocks under the canopy of the world’s greatest forest.
• Canoeing and paddling along the Amazon, while keeping an eye out for tapirs, sloths and other wildlife.
• Sunbathing on river beaches, cooling off in natural river pools.
• Interacting and learning from the local indigenous people: for example, how they track animals, read signs of the forest, and make handicrafts (which you can too).
• This is a private tour (with some shared excursions), but accompanied by local guides throughout. All tours can be tailor-made. Ask Sumak for details.