Amazon Dream

AM: On arrival in Santarem, we welcome you at the airport/hotel of your choice, and transfer you by air-conditioned coach to the Alter do Chao, where the Amazon Dream is moored. It is a fascinating journey and an initial introduction to Amazonia.

Once we have settled into our cabins, the Amazon Dream casts off and we have a welcome fruit cocktail, as we meet the guides and crew and learn more about the boat and her itinerary.

PM: Lunch on board, followed by a visit to the beach and relaxation. Navigation towards the mouth of the Jari. This small tributary linking the Amazon to the Tapajos River is bursting with dolphins, birds, and caimans. This evening the guide gives a brief outline of the next day’s program and the region where the boat has dropped anchor. Dinner on board. Night at the river mouth of the Jari River.

AM: Breakfast in the sunshine. Outing in motorboats for a full-scale expedition, going down the Jari River. You visit the community living on the banks of the Jari and observe the fauna and flora. Return to the boat

PM: Lunch on board. By late afternoon, navigation toward Maguari, a village on the shore of the Tapajos National Forest. The boat weighs anchor and navigates on the blue waters of the Tapajos which, at that point, is over 20 kilometers wide. 

A new ecosystem, new riverscapes, and landscapes: here begins a new cruise into the heart of the Amazon as you have never imagined it, where white sand beaches (from August to January) and lakes make up a magnificent setting. A short presentation by the guide, the next day and the area where the boat has made its moorings. Dinner on board and overnight at the Maguari Village.

AM: Breakfast. Then you leave for a hike in the primeval forest with native guides from the community of Maguari, looking for gigantic trees. You observe birds, kings of the canopy, blue butterflies, and you may be able to glimpse agile monkeys and sloths.

PM: After the long walk, swimming and relaxation. Lunch on board. Coasting on the right bank of the river to Lake Marai. We are on the trail of the expedition Langsdorff, close to one of the villages of the Munduruku Indians, painted by Florence in 1828. Their descendants, anxious to preserve and make known their traditions, receive visitors under ecotourism programs.

In the later evening, we head out with the motorboat on the Bragança lake for bird watching at the sunset. A short presentation by the guide about the next day and the area where the boat has made its moorings. Dinner on board. Night on the Bragança Lake.

AM: Light coffee. Wildlife observation, shipping on canoes accompanied by Indian guides. Breakfast. Discover the Munduruku village in Marituba and enjoy a forest walk with Indian guides.

PM: Lunch on board. Navigation towards Anuma Lake and Vista Alegre Village. Anchor in the lake at sunset. In the Amazon, the preferred time of the Indians is that of the end of the day. It's always an event, a celebration: the water changes color becomes golden.

A short presentation by your guide, about the next day and the area where the boat has made its moorings. Meeting with representatives of the community of Vista Alegre and traditional dances. Dinner on board. Night on the lake Anuma.

AM: Breakfast on board. You leave for an expedition into the heart of the Extrativist Tapajoara Reserve, a territory where the inhabitants live off the resources which are “extracted” from the forest – hence the name. 

You visit the village and observe the daily life activities of the caboclos: preparing the manioc (cassava) flour, a basic ingredient in all local dishes, harvesting the latex on the trunks of the rubber trees by the “seringueiros” and gathering medicinal plants. You observe the fauna and flora while canoeing down an iguarapé, a little river that meanders through the forest.

PM: Return to the boat and lunch. Navigation towards Alter do Chao for the last night in the heart of the Amazonian forest. Traditional dancing and music on one of the beaches of Alter do Chao.

AM: Breakfast on board.

Disembarkation at Alter do Chao and transfer to the Santarem airport/your selected hotel, depending on the return flight schedule.

PM: Early afternoon, you arrive in Santarém and you are welcomed at the airport and transferred by air-conditioned coach to the landing stage. The trip to the quay where the boat is moored allows you to discover the city, located at the confluence of the Amazon and the Tapajos rivers. On arrival, the cruise director welcomes you on board the Amazon Dream. You settle into your cabin. 

Drinking fruit juices with amazing flavors, you meet the crew. Your guide presents the cruise itinerary and gives a few explanations concerning the logbook and security rules on board. The Amazon Dream casts off and glides gently towards the confluence. For miles, the blue waters of the Tapajos interlace with the yellow waters of the Amazon without merging, as in a vast piece of lace. It’s one of the favourite playgrounds of the pink dolphins (boto) and the grey dolphins (tucuxi). One last glance at this amazing scene and you cruise towards the mouth of the Jari River. This small tributary linking the Amazon to the Tapajos River is bursting with dolphins, birds, and caimans.

The guide gives a briefing of the next day’s program and the region where the boat has dropped anchor. Dinner will be served on board. Night at the river mouth of the Jari.

AM: Breakfast. Outing in motorboats for a full-scale expedition, going down the Jari River. You visit the community living on the banks of the Jari and observe the fauna and flora. Return to the boat for lunch.

PM: After lunch, navigate on to the Arapiuns River the d'Urucureá cove (approximately 2 hours). Dinner on board. Night in the Urucurea Cove.

AM: Breakfast in the sunshine. Outing in motorboats for a full-scale expedition in the Urucurea forest. You visit the community and observe the fauna and flora. Hike in the forest with monkeys observation. Return to the ship for lunch. 

PM: In the afternoon, navigate towards Ponta Grande and Coroca Village. Mooring anchor at the tip of Ponta Grande. Then, enjoy a short presentation by your guide, about the next day and the area where the boat has made its moorings. Dinner on board. Overnight in Ponta Grande.

AM: After breakfast on board, an outing to visit the Coroca community. You visit the village and observe the daily activities of the cabocles: preparing the manioc (cassava) flour, the basic ingredient in all local dishes.

PM: Lunch on board, beach, and relaxation. Navigate toward Maguari, a village on the shore of the Tapajos National Forest. The boat weighs anchor and navigates on the blue waters of the Tapajos that, at that point, is over 20 kilometers (12 miles) wide. A new ecosystem, new rivers, and landscapes: here begins another voyage into the heart of the Amazon as you have never imagined, where white sand beaches (from August to January) and lakes make up a magnificent setting. Short presentation by your guide, regarding next day activities. Dinner on board. Overnight at Maguari.

AM: Breakfast, then you leave for a hike in the primary forest with native guides from the community of Maguari or Jamaraqua, looking for gigantic trees. You may observe birds, kings of the canopy, and blue butterflies, and you may be able to glimpse agile monkeys and sloths. After the long walk, swimming and relaxation. Lunch on board

PM: In the afternoon, coasting on the right bank of the river to Lake Marai (approximately 2 hours). We are on the trail of the expedition Langsdorff, close to one of the villages of the Munduruku Indians, painted by Florence in 1828. Their descendants, anxious to preserve and make known their traditions, reinvested places and receive visitors under ecotourism programs. Output with the motor boat on the Bragança lake for bird watching at the sunset. At night, a short presentation by the guide about the next day. Dinner on board. Night on the Bragança Lake.

AM: After breakfast, go out for wildlife observation, shipping on the lake accompanied by local guide. Lunch on board and navigation towards Alter do Chao for the last night in the heart of the Amazonian forest. 

PM: In the afternoon, departure in motorboats to discover Alter do Chao. Then, enjoy traditional dances and music on one of the beaches of Alter do Chao. (depending on the weather conditions). At night, navigation to Santarém.

AM: Breakfast and morning visit to the fish market (depending on the opening day) or direct transfer to the airport for those whose plane is very early that day.

PM: Lunch on board or in a local restaurant for those who only leave in the afternoon and transfer to the airport. End of the cruise.

AM: In Santarem, you are welcomed at the airport/the hotel of your choice, and transferred by air-conditioned coach to the landing stage. The trip to the quay where the boat is moored allows you to discover the city, located at the confluence of the Amazon and the Tapajos rivers. On arrival, the cruise director welcomes you on board the Amazon Dream. You settle into your cabin. The smiles and music everywhere let you know you are in Amazonia.

PM: Drinking fruit juices with amazing flavors, you meet the crew. Your guide presents the cruise itinerary and gives a few explanations concerning the logbook. The Amazon Dream casts off and glides gently towards the confluence. For miles, the blue waters of the Tapajos interlace with the yellow waters of the Amazon without merging, as in a vast piece of lace. It’s one of the favorite playgrounds of the pink dolphins (boto) and the grey dolphins (tucuxi).

One last glance at this amazing scene and you cruise towards the mouth of the Ituqui river, a channel parallel to Amazon. (3 hours). Sunset and drinks on the third bridge (do not forget the mosquito repellent, you are on the Amazon). A short presentation by the guide about the next day and the area where the boat has made its moorings. Dinner on board. First contact with the noises, cries, and murmurs of the Amazon Rain Forest. Night at the mouth of the Ituqui River.

AM: Breakfast. At sunrise, the forest awakens a noisy and multicolored ballet of parrots, toucans, and other birds … the birds take possession of their realm again. You’re in Amazonia. Outing in motorboats to observe birds and flora with your guide on the Maica Lake. It’s a sanctuary for observing numerous birds, crocodiles some time and dolphins.

Piranha fishing. Everyone receives a fishing rod, bait, and follows the sailors’ advice to try their hands at one of the main activities in this place: fishing.

PM: Back onboard the Amazon Dream, lunch and relaxation. Cruise by Ituqui River and the Amazon River toward the mouth of the Curua-Una River. Navigation towards the village of Pacoval on the Curua-Una River. This little village provides a singular example of everyday life in Amazonia.

You visit the community “Quilombolas” (descendant of African slaves in the 18th century, refugees in the Amazon) and meet the inhabitants. Sunset and drinks on the third bridge. A short presentation by the guide, the next day and the area where the boat has made its moorings. Dinner on board. Night at the mouth of the Curua-Una River.

AM: At sunrise, we have breakfast and head out on our first excursion walking in the primary forest to observe wildlife and flora with your guide. Expedition on the Curua-Una River with motorboats. Many pink dolphins are generally present in these waters, monkeys in the threes, and always birds in one of the most beautiful landscapes.

PM: Back on the boat and lunch on board. Navigation of the Amazon River in the direction of Santarem. On the river banks, you can see the houses on stilts of the caboclos, the “water people”, a population descended from the mix of Indians and their Portuguese conquerors in the 16th and 17th centuries. A short presentation by the guide about the next day and the area where the boat has made its moorings. Arrival and overnight in Sao Joao do Tapara, near Monte Alegre Lake.

AM: Breakfast. Outing in motorboats to observe the fauna and flora on the small tributaries, which link the Amazon to the Monte Alegre Lake.

PM: Lunch on board. You arrive at the Santarém river terminal. You visit the town and discover its herbalists, harbor bazaars, stalls selling multicolored hammocks, and its inhabitants’ hectic life. Back onboard the Amazon Dream and towards the Mouth of the Jari; this small tributary river linking the Amazon to the Tapajos River is bursting with dolphins, birds, and caimans… The guide gives a brief outline of the next day’s program and the region where the boat has dropped anchor. Dinner on board. Night at the river mouth of the Jari River.

AM: Breakfast. Exploration around the area of the Jari River with a motorboat. Late in the morning, visit a village living in the banks of the Jari and observe the fauna and flora.

PM: Lunch on board. Beach and relaxation. Navigation on the Arapiuns River the d'Urucureá cove. Dinner on board. Night in the Urucurea cove.

AM: Outing in motorboats for a full-scale expedition in the Urucurea River. You visit the community and observe the fauna and flora. Trek to the forest with Monkeys Observation. Return to the boat

PM: Lunch on board. In the afternoon, navigation towards Alter do Chao, the “Caribbean in the heart of Amazonia”. Dropping anchor at the tip of Cururu or near the green lake; an Indian legend has it that a magic stone hidden at the bottom of the lake gives it this extraordinary blue-green luminescence. A short presentation by the guide, the next day and the area where the boat has made its moorings... Dinner on board. Overnight in Alter do Chao.

AM: Breakfast. Outing to visit the Coroca community. You visit the village and observe the daily life activities of the cabocles: preparing the manioc (cassava) flour, a basic ingredient in all local dishes.

PM: Lunch on board. In the afternoon, navigation toward Maguari, a village on the shore of the Tapajos National Forest. The boat weighs anchor and navigates on the blue waters of the Tapajos which, at that point, is over 20 kilometers wide. 

A new ecosystem, new riverscapes, and landscapes: here begins a new cruise into the heart of the Amazon as you have never imagined it, where white sand beaches (from August to January) and lakes make up a magnificent setting. A short presentation by the guide, the next day and the area where the boat has made its moorings. Dinner on board and overnight at the Maguari.

AM: Breakast, then you leave for a hike in the primeval forest with native guides from the community of Maguari, looking for gigantic trees. You observe birds, kings of the canopy, blue butterflies, and you may be able to glimpse agile monkeys and sloths.

PM: After the long walk, swimming and relaxation. Lunch on board. Coasting on the right bank of the river to Lake Marai. We are on the trail of the expedition Langsdorff, close to one of the villages of the Munduruku Indians, painted by Florence in 1828. Their descendants, anxious to preserve and make known their traditions, receive visitors under ecotourism programs. We head out with the motorboat on the Bragança lake for bird watching at the sunset. A short presentation by the guide about the next day and the area where the boat has made its moorings. Dinner on board. Night on the Bragança Lake.

AM: Breakfast on board. Wildlife observation, shipping on the lake accompanied by local guides.

PM: Return to the boat and lunch. Navigation towards Alter do Chao for the last night in the heart of the Amazonian forest. Traditional dancing and music on one of the beaches of Alter do Chao.

AM: Breakfast on board. Visit to the fish market (depending on the opening day) or transfer to the hotel of your choice/Santarem airport, depending on your return flight schedule.