Brazil, Amazonia – To the Rain Forest

A trip to the Amazon forest is not the cheapest thing to do if you want to spend a few days there. There are many tourist agencies in Manaus, and we chose one agency in advance with which we were in contact. The owner picked us up at the airport and brought them to the office. We agreed that the next day we set out for a total of 3 nights in the jungle. If you want, the hotel will also provide you that as well.

At the beginning of December there is little season of rains and tourists, so we have joined together with another group. A two-hour delay and the waiting did not surprise us. They brought us to the port where we set out on the first attraction - "Encontro das Águas" or Rio Negro and Rio Solimões. From this confluence, the river in Brazil is called Amazon.

The confluence of the Rio Negro and the Rio Solimões rivers are among the major tourist attractions. Rivers have different speeds, temperatures, and also density and pH. While the dark Rio Negro reaches 2 km / h at 28 ° C, the Rio Solimões is brown and flows at the speed of 4 to 6 km / h and 22 ° C. As a result, river water does not migrate immediately, but creates a clear border of up to 6 km from the confluence.

From the confluence we go on, after Rio Solimões. The boat was replaced by a minibus and then a small boat again when we got there. On the way across the river, when we crossed our shoulders, we could see a lot of cries and caymen, as well as cabins of local people living here.

The evening is much more fun here. Once dark, we board the boat and go out with Peter and a local guide named Zeus to see caiman crocodilles. Zeus appears to be a very experienced guide, unfortunately he does not speak English, so Peter is more like a translator. Zeus first grabs a small caiman that we can take in our hand. The larger (about a meter) does not give us anymore.

Most  travel agencies have quite a similar plan of activities. The next day we have a planned boat trip behind a huge tree, and we will also see freshwater dolphins. In the Amazon there are pink dolphins, the official name of the Amazonian dolphins. We stop in the middle of the river and see these pink-gray creatures as they emerge above the surface. In the afternoon, we're a little more actionable, we're hunting for piranhas. Everybody gets the catching gear, we put a piece of meat on the hook, we throw it in the water and we immediately feel the piranha pulling and biting the meat. And when we're lucky, some of us will grab a hook. The hooked piranas prepare us as a delicacy for dinner.

The next day is a large walk through the jungle where Zeus grabs a big tarantula, so we can look at it from up close. Also, he shows us various healing trees and plants to make an ant repellent and we can eat a worm that has been peeled out of a nut that has a coconut flavor. Evening in the jungle is still waiting in the hammock, but no adrenaline is possible. The place looks more like a little wood, even in the Czech Republic, we hear more animal sounds than sleeping here.

On the last day, we just go and see how the local people live here, pack up things and go back to Manaus. Seeing the Amazon forest was our dream, it could all be a little more action-packed.

GPS: 1°34'51.0"S 61°31'47.3"W

Text and photos: Tomáš Novák