An Amazonian Adventure in Brazil
15 days / May - October
Pricing: Pricing is based on group size and seasonality, please check with us to secure the best pricing.
Highlights:
• Travel down one of the great waterways in the world – The Amazon – at a leisurely pace. Fish for piranhas, spot river dolphins, swim in the water, and soak up the color and beauty of this remarkable place.
• Spend three days at Jericoacoara, Brazil’s kitesurfing and seaside dune paradise, considered by many one of the most beautiful beaches in the country, if not the world!
• Explore the pristine dunes and crystalline lagoons of the Lençóis, an unparalleled vista.
Start Map
Day 01: SÃO PAULO
You will enter Brazil through São Paulo, the most important economic centre in Latin America. This megalopolis is one of the world’s greatest gastronomy and shopping destinations, and the Jardins neighbourhood, where you will be staying, is filled with great options within walking distance. A car and driver will meet you at the airport and take you to the hotel. We suggest spending time exploring the neighbourhood upon your arrival and perhaps having dinner at the Fasano Restaurant; as one of the city’s most distinguished eateries, it will give you a good welcome to São Paulo.
Day 02: BELÉM
After breakfast, drive out to the International Airport for your flight to Belém, located by the Amazonian delta, 150 kilometers from the ocean. Belém is a historic city dating back to the early 19th century rubber boom. Upon arrival in the early afternoon, a car and driver will meet you at the airport and drive you to the hotel. We suggest spending the end of the day at Estação das Docas (Docks Station), the gourmet food and shopping complex by the water with our local guide who will be able to enlighten you on the city’s history and socio-political context.
Day 03: RIO TAPAJÓS CRUISE BEGINS
Spend the morning exploring the iconic Ver-o-Peso covered market. Dating back to 1901, this market is Belém’s most famous monument. The diversity of colors, textures, scents and produce is fascinating. Apart from a wonderful place to pick up mementoes, this market epitomizes the Amazonian way of life in its large cities. At lunchtime, fly deeper into the Amazon to Santarém, where you will embark on your four-night cruise in the Tapajós region. Enjoy a twilight swim and watch the sun tint the larger-than-life sky, where the horizon is lined with rainforest, before evening drinks onboard.
Day 04: FLONA & ALTER DO CHÃO
Eat a good breakfast before you head off into the jungle. Your first stop will be at the Jamaraquá community. From here, go on a 4-hour trek through the National Tapajós Forest (FLONA). This should work up your appetite for lunch aboard the boat while you navigate towards Alter do Chão. Enjoy the afternoon wandering around a local community and getting to know their way of life. The evening will be spent on a deserted beach, where dinner and drinks will be served in true style – under the stars.
Day 05: URUCUEÁ & PONTA GRANDE
Start off the day with a hike up Serra da Piroca from where you will have an incredible 360-degree view of the region. Back at Alter do Chão, visit an experimental school in the local community before leaving for Urucureá on the Rio Arapiuns – a village known for the handicrafts produced by the women in the community. After a busy morning and early afternoon, take the time to enjoy Ponta Grande – one of the most beautiful beaches in the region.
Day 06: JARÍ CHANNEL & TAPARI LAKE
Set sail early from Ponta Grande towards Canal do Jarí – a narrow canal that joins the Tapajós and the Amazon Rivers. Sailing down this canal is a unique and intimate experience of the jungle. For those who enjoy fishing, this spot is ideal for piranhas.
A visit to the community of Laranjal is followed by lunch at the home of local resident Dona Sinamor, the best cook in the region. Back onboard, sail the Tapari Lake, a great spot to see river dolphins, for your last night in the Amazon.
Day 07: AMAZON to SÃO LUIZ
Take the opportunity to go for a last swim and enjoy the cruise back to Santarém, where you will arrive at the end of the morning. Transfer to the airport in time for your onward flight to São Luiz, the gateway to your next adventure, this time in the dunes. Arrive in the historic city of São Luiz at the end of the day and relax at the
hotel for the rest of the evening.
Day 08: LENÇÓIS MARANHENSES
After an early breakfast, you will drive to Humberto de Campos. From here, cruise down the narrow tributaries (igarapés) to the point where the dense vegetation opens up to reveal majestic white sand dunes at Ponta América; this is where the National Park begins. After a light picnic by the river, navigate across the Lagoa Grande, one of the many lagoons in the region, until you reach Santo Amaro; a great opportunity to contemplate the stark contrasts between the exuberant landscapes.
In Santo Amaro, make the most of the peaceful night and get to bed early in order to wake up rested and ready for walks across the dunes and lagoons in the region.
Day 09: STO AMARO
This day is totally dedicated to exploring the unique offerings of the Lençóis – pristine dune landscape and crystalline lagoons. Explore as much or as little as you like. Enjoy swimming in the bracing clear water and rolling down the dunes into the lagoons. We suggest visiting the striking Lagoa da Emendadas (lagoon) and after lunch at the hotel, walking through the area by Lagoa da Gaivota. Spend the end of the afternoon on the dunes; an ideal setting for a toast.
Day 10: BARREIRINHAS
This is a day filled with adventure. Leave early and head to the Santo Amaro landing strip where you will board a single-engine plane and fly over the national park. This is a beautiful panoramic flight and the perfect way of contextualizing the dramatic landscape of the Lençóis. Upon arrival in Barreirinhas, board the quad bikes and ride over the dunes by the Rio Preguiças, the small Lençóis, Caburé, and Paulino Neves. Notice how the landscape changes as you reach the sea.
Day 11: LENÇÓIS to PIAUI
Today is a day on the road. Be prepared to spend the best part of the day in the car, crossing the territory between Maranhão and Piauí states. Hit the road in the morning to Piauí, move through changing landscapes until Barra Grande, an excellent location for kite-surfing. The drive is about four hours long and takes you through scenic beachscapes.
Days 12-15: JERICOACOARA
During low tide, you can drive across to Camocim where there’s a ferry crossing that gets you to a stretch of beach leading to Jericoacoara, Brazil’s kitesurfing and seaside dune paradise, considered by many one of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Relax and enjoy three full days here. The day you leave, you’ll be driven to Fortaleza where you can catch your flight out.
• Our partner is locally based in Brazil, despite our team’s multi-national background. This helps keep your money in the Brazilian economy.
• Purchasing handicrafts made by local woman at Urucureá on the Rio Arapiuns not only improves the local economy, it empowers the local women.
• We support Escola Cajueiro, an experimental school in Alter do Chao village in the Amazon. Many of our travelers who visit the Amazon are touched by the intelligence and importance of such a modern educational project in such a small community.
• We also support Projeto Bagagem, a Brazilian NGO aimed at improving the livelihoods of low-income Brazilian communities by developing local alternatives founded on community-based tourism. We can arrange for our guests to have a special experience in one of the communities supported by Projeto Bagagem.