ANAVILHANAS ARCHIPELAGO – 4 days
Sitting in the middle of the world’s second largest fresh water river archipelago (Anavilhanas), lies Novo Airão, a cozy small town with several tourism attractions, in a region blessed by Nature and protected by IBAMA.

Peculiarities of the Region
The Upper Amazon, mainly the Rio Negro region, home of the Anavilhanas Archipelago and the town of Novo Airão, is an ideal region for ecotourism. Unlike other regions of the Amazon, the Rio Negro is almost mosquito free, due to a natural insecticide in its waters. It is also the Amazon’s most wild and preserved region. In the municipality of Novo Airão you will find the Anavilhanas National Park and the Jaú National Park, the world’s second largest ecological reserve.

1st day: Manaus / Novo Airão
• Hotel transport – Manaus to Novo Airao
• Boarding at 9:00 a.m. in a Van with air-conditioning.
• Amazonian briefing: quick explanation on the animals, plant
• life, water basins, local customs, study of maps to set a
• route, handing out of the Ecotourism Booklet for
• Anavilhanas Archipelago, and of the customized maps in
• pdf format.
• Arrival at Novo Airão close to lunch-time.
• Beginning of the Katerre Expedition through Anavilhanas
• Archipelago.
• Lunch on board.
• Anchorage for quick speedboat ride through islands and lakes nearby.
• Probable sighting of Tucuxi River Dolphins (Sotalia Fluviatilis), Pink River Dolphin (Inia Geoffrensis)
• and of birds of the season: Cocoi Heron (Ardea Cocoi), Great Egret (Casmerodius Albus), Blue-Yellow
• Macaw (Ara Ararauna), Festive Parrot (Amazona Festiva), Rufescent Tiger-herons (Tigrisoma Lineatum),
• Yellow-rumped Caciques (Cacicus Cela), Crested Oropendola (Psarocolius Decumanus) and Jacamars
• (Galbulidae), among others.
• Swimming with water floats in the Negro river.
• Return to the boat, and proceed to the

Madadá Observatory.
Light dinner is served on the boat.
Overnight stay in the boat’s cabin or in hammocks in the observatory, (a bungalow with washrooms), in the middle of the jungle, with a beautiful view of the Negro river.

2nd day: Anavilhanas / Madadá
• Dawn in Madadá.
• Regional breakfast – fruits, jams, tapioca, “tucumã”, etc.
• 3 hour hike (round trip) through virgin forest to the Madadá
• Caves, with a jungle survival mini-course.
• Upon return, visit to a native ranch, practice of local customs
• and a fruit garden with fruits of the season, etc.
• Swimming with water floats in the Negro river.
• Lunch on board.
• Speedboat trip to a Native Community. Exchange in the native
• language of the native peoples, Yanomami and Tukano.
• Traditional customs display.
• Canoe ride for alligator flash light-spotting and other
• nocturnal animals.
• Overnight stay onboard, anchored by the beach.
Madadá Jungle Bungalow

3rd day: Anavilhanas / Novo Airão
• Dawn, with breakfast served at the beach.
• Navigation back to Novo Airão.
• Arrival in town, swimming with Pink River Dolphin.
• Lunch on board.
• City-tour by motor-taxi through the attractions of Novo Airão.
• Visit to a wood working workshop,basket-making, purchase local arts and crafts,
• shipyards (dry docks)
• Visit to the Aramboia Serpentry.
• Return to the boat, departure to the Tiririca community, for and exchange with the inhabitants.
• Mini-camping at Tiririca beach. Dinner with a bonfire and grilled snacks.

4th day – Community / Manaus
• Regional breakfast at Tiririca beach.
• Visit to flour mill and fish-breeding pond.
• Optional soccer match: tourists vs. locals.
• Return to Novo Airão
• Return to Manaus in an air conditioned van


JAU National Park – 05 DAYS
Declared by UNESCO a “Natural World Heritage Site”
Introduction
The greatest fresh water forest park in the world still guards enigmas to be unmasked. Because it has relatively complicated access, its paths, waterfalls and creeks are not heavily explored by tourists. Monkeys, sloths, dolphins, pacas and birds can be observed on jungle nights, or in the river, close to sunset. Communities with Banks, and genuine northern Brasilian charm, give the human touch to a region where nature still runs the show. The Parks’ aquatic system is composed of 3 big rivers (Unini to the north, Carabinani to the south and Jau at the center) and an infinity of small black water rivers. The water level of varies drastically during the year. The forest found at the margins of the rivers are called Igapó forests, and and are submitted to periods of 6 to 8 months of flooding during the year. The parts of the forest that do not flood are known as “Terra Firme”. This type of forest is tropical and humid, with trees that can be up to 40 meters high, like the Samaúma. In this very diverse climate there can be up to 200 species per hectare.

Peculiarities of the Region
The Upper Amazon, specially the Negro River region, where Jau National Park is located, is ideal for Ecotourism. Unlike other regions of the Amazon, the Negro River is almost mosquito-free, due to a natural insecticide in its waters. Besides, it is the most wild and preserved region of the jungle.
The Park is in the municipality of Novo Airão, where our expedition stops for a day. The Park was created in 1980, and now the difference it made for the wildlife in the region is clear, in comparison with non-protection areas. In 2003, Jau National Park was nominated by UNESCO as a “Natural World Heritage Site.”

Day-by-day 5 days
1st day: Manaus / Novo Airão / Anavilhanas
• Hotel transport Manaus > Novo Airao boarding at 9:00 a.m. in a Van with air conditioning.
• Amazonian briefing: quick explanation on the animal life, plant life, water basins, local customs, study of maps to set a route, handing of Ecotourism Booklet for Anavilhanas and customized maps in pdf format.
• Arrival at Novo Airão close to lunch time. Beginning of the Katerre Expedition through the Anavilhanas Archipelago. Lunch on board.
• Anchorage for a quick speedboat ride through islands and lakes nearby.
• Probable sighting of Tucuxi River Dolphins (Sotalia Fluviatilis), Pink River Dolphin (Inia Geoffrensis) and the birds that are typical for the season: The Cocoi Heron (Ardea Cocoi), the Great Egret (Casmerodius Albus), the Blue-Yellow Macaw (Ara Ararauna), Festive Parrot (Amazona Festiva), the Rufescent Tiger-heron (Tigrisoma Lineatum), the Yellow-rumped Cacique (Cacicus Cela), the Crested Oropendola (Psarocolius Decumanus) and the Jacamar (Galbulidae), among others.Swim with water floats in the Rio Negro.
• Return to the boat, after which we will proceed to the Madadá Observatory. A light dinner is served on the boat.
• Overnight in the boat’s cabin or in hammocks in the Observatory, a bungalow for 2 with washroom in the middle of the jungle, with a nice view of the Negro River.

2nd day: Anavilhanas / Madadá
• Dawn at Madadá. Regional breakfast at morning.3 hour hike (round trip) through virgin forest to the Madadá Caves, with a jungle survival mini-course.Upon return, visitation to native ranch, practice of local customs, fruit garden with fruits of the season, etc. Swimming with floats at Negro River. Lunch on board. Speedboat trip to a Native Community. Exchange in the native language of the Yanomami and Tukano. Traditional customs’ display. Return to the boat, we set sail to the “Sleepy Beach”. Dinner, bonfire, native folklore storytelling. Overnight stay anchored by the beach.

3rd day: Jau National Park
• Dawn at “Praia do Sono” (“Sleepy Beach”). Set sail to the IBAMA base, on the Park’s entrance Navigation by the Jaú River, a river of mirrorlike waters, with probable sighting of water mammals and birds.

• Rainy Season: anchorage and speedboat ride through the Park’s creeks, in an attempt to find the packs of Giant Otters.

• Dry Season: Trip through Pauini River, exploring this tributary filled with boulders and waterfalls. Return to boat, navigation to the Aturia community. Canoe night ride in the river, with light-spotting of alligators and nocturnal animals.

4th day: Jaú National Park
• Anchorage at the Aturia community. Visit the community, and exchange with the inhabitants, practice of local customs, fruit garden with fruits of the season, flour mill, Playing with the children, football, arts and crafts, river swimming, etc. Lunch on board.
• Tree climbing in the Great Chestnut Tree
optional by request). Hiking through virgin forest to Itaubal waterfall, in order to see ground mammals. Waterfall shower at the end of the track. Return to the IBAMA base, exit from the Park.

5th day: Novo Airão / Manaus
• Return trip Jaú-Novo Airão.
• Swimming with Pink River Dolphins.
• City-tour of Novo Airão, arts and crafts, shipyards (dry docks) and city attractions.
• Farewell lunch on board. Transport Novo Airão - Manaus, Arrival scheduled at 6:00 p.m.

Middle RIO NEGRO Expedition (Barcelos) - 8 days
1) Introduction
Our destination is Barcelos city, passing through Mariuá, the worlds’ largest fresh water archipelago, with approximately 700 islands. An environmental sanctuary that is better preserved than the Anavilhanas Archipelago, thanks to the fact it is farther away from the State capital, Manaus. Our tour is filled with genuine riverside communities which receive us as their only visitors of the year, as well parrots, alligators, river dolphins and, macaws - sounds and images that seem to float in the green and blue landscapes around The Rio Negro. It’s dark waters and, during the dry season, white beaches, complete this wild rainbow. But, before that, there is the Anavilhanas Archipelago, the Jaú National Park, and the mouth of
The Rio Branco. Only then will we see the Mariuá. Departing from Novo Airão, there are 500 km of river navigation through villages, communities, ranches, and attractions of a region where Nature still reigns.

Peculiarities of the Region
The upper and middle Rio Negro region is ideal for Ecotourism, since it is almost mosquito-free, thanks to “cauxi”, a natural insecticide in its waters. This is also the wildest, most preserved region of the Amazon. Mariuá is located in the municipality of Barcelos, former capital of the State of Amazonas, and final destination of our expedition. In addition to the communities and ranches of the local people along the way, where an intense exchange of culture will take place, we will visit the historic ruins of Velho Airão, the town from which the Bizerra family ruled the region as a dynasty of “Coronéis de Barranco” (“Riverbank Colonels”), the veritable feudal lords who controlled the Amazon until the 1950s.

Day-by-day 8 days
1st day: Manaus / Novo Airão
• Hotel transport Manaus > Novo Airão boarding at 9:00 a.m into an air conditioned Van.
• Amazonian briefing, quick explanation of the animal and plant life, water basins, local costums, study of maps to set a route, handing out the Ecotourism Booklet for Anavilhanas Archipelago and the customized maps in pdf format.
• Arrive in Novo Airao close to lunch time
• Beginning of the Katerre Expedition to the
• Anavilhanas Archipelago.
• Lunch on board.
• Anchorage for a quick speedboat ride among the islands and lakes nearby
• Probable sighting of Tucuxi river dolphins (Sotalia Fluviatilis), Pink River Dolphin (Inia Geoffrensis) and of birds of the season: Cocoi Heron (Ardea Cocoi), Great Egret (Casmerodius Albus), Blue-Yellow Macaw (Ara Ararauna), Festive Parrot (Amazona Festiva), Rufescent Tiger-herons (Tigrisoma Lineatum), Yellow-rumped Caciques (Cacicus Cela), Crested Oropendola (Psarocolius Decumanus) and Jacamars (Galbulidae), among others.
• Swimming with water floats in the Rio Negro
• Return to the boat, to proceed to the Madada Observatory, Light dinner served on the boat.
• Overnight at the boat’s cabin or in hammocks in the Observatory, a bungalow for 2 with a washroom in the middle of the jungle, and a nice view of the Rio Negro.

2nd day: Anavilhanas / Madadá
• Dawn at Madada.
• Regional breakfast, served in the observatory – fruits, jams, tapioca, “tucumã”, etc.
• 3 hour hike (round trip) through virgin forest to the Madadá Caves
• Jungle survival mini-course
• Visit to a native ranch, with practice of local customs, and a fruit garden with fruits of the season,
• Swimming with the water floats of the Rio Negro.
• Lunch on Board
• Trip to a Native Community. Exchange in the native language of the Tukano and Yanomami peoples. Traditional customs display.
• Navigation to “Praia do Sono” (“Sleepy Beach”), where local folklore stories will be
• told, and fish, and meat will be roasted over the bonfire.

3rd day: Jaú National Park
• Sunrise at Praia do Sono. from there, we set sail to IBAMA base, on the Park’s entrance.
• Navigating on the Jaú River, a river of mirror-like waters, with probable sighting of
• water mammals and birds.
• Rainy Season: anchorage and a speedboat ride in the Park’s temporary
• creeks, in an attempt to find the Giant Otters (Pteronura Brasiliensis) that usually
• live in such places.
• Dry Season: Trip through Pauini River, exploring this large tributary of the Jaú River filled with boulders and waterfalls.
• Canoe night ride on the river, with Alligator light-spottings, and nocturnal animals.
• Nocturnal navigation to Vila de Moura.

4th day: Mouth of the Rio Branco
• Bom Jesus village, free-tour and local re-supplying. Navigation through the “Encosta dos Pássaros” (“Hillside of the Birds”), the living ground of birds such as the Cocoi Heron, Rufescent Tiger-herons, and Grebes.
• We will then depart to the Mouth of Rio Branco
• Visitation to see a Samaúma, the largest species of tree in the region.
• Make a stop at Seu Elias’ ranch, for a swim in the river beaches, with fish grilled native style, some leisure and sports, and some rest in the hammocks
• Pass through Guariba’s boulder garden, the river’s narrowestpoint.
• Cross border between the State of Amazonas and the State of Roraima, to see the meeting of the dark waters of The Rio Negro and the clear waters of The Rio Branco.
• Anchorage at the entrance of the Mariuá Archipelago, for some nocturnal activities: fishing with zagaia spears and alligator light-spotting.

5th day: Mariuá / Carvoeiro
• Onboard breakfast.
• Arrival at Taperera village, disembarking, cultural exchange with the inhabitants and some fun activities, soccer, volleyball, and guaraná soda
• Lunch on Board
• Return to Mariuá. Canoeing in the inner lake, going through narrow passages, and swimming with water floats, in addition to piranha fishing
• Overnight stay anchored by the Archipelago

6th day: Mariuá / Parrot Sanctuary
• By morning, we will navigate on the Mariuá Archipelago, with a stop in the native
• community of Caburis and exchange with native people, chat, play soccer, volleyball.
• Swimming with water floats at the “Barge Beach”.
• Lunch on board, and then we set sail to the “Parrot Sanctuary”: an overnight resting place for hundreds of parrots and dozens of macaw couples, making with their high pitch singing a spectacle of rare beauty that your ears won’t soon forget.
• Camping in the beach for some bird watching at sunset.
• Navigation to the town of Barcelos. Free-tour in the town, with beer in it’s historical square, and forró dancing.
• Overnight in the boat anchored by the town.

7th day: Medium – Lower Rio Negro
• Return trip, with stops for swimming in the Rio Negro.

8th day: Novo Airão - Manaus
• Arrival by morning in Novo Airão
• Swimming with Pink River Dolphin
• Shopping, arts and crafts made of straw, vines and wood, artisanal art workshop,
• shipyards (dry docks) and city attractions.
• Visit Arambóia Serpentry
• Return to Manaus