Iracema

PM: In the early afternoon, we greet you at your hotel or the airport and transfer you by minibus to the Hotel Tropical, where the Iracema is moored at the pier. We welcome you on board with a welcome drink and give a briefing on the cruise and the ship.

After getting comfortable in your cabins, we will start sailing to the Meeting of the Waters while we enjoy the views of the city of Manaus and its historical buildings, such as the Opera House, Adolpho Lisboa Market, and the Custom House, and its vibrant harbor. The observation deck is the best place to enjoy the view as from up high we can appreciate more clearly the light and dark waters of the Rio Solimões and Rio Negro flowing side by side without mixing.

We continue to the Xiboreninha Channel where birds mingle with caimans among the famous Victoria Regia giant water lilies. Here we head out on a canoe excursion to get close up to the wildlife that resides in the narrow waterways the Iracema cannot navigate.

Dinner on board, followed by a night safari looking for the nocturnal creatures of the Amazon. Don't be surprised if you spot the glowing eyes of a caiman under the beam of powerful spotlights!

AM: This morning we rise early with the dawn to head out canoeing in the Anrã channels to experience the cacophony of the waking birds and other wildlife. 

After breakfast, we have the chance to come face-to-face with the infamous piranha, the most iconic fish in the area. Despite its fearsome reputation, it is easy and fun to fish for. How many can you catch?

PM: In the afternoon, a community of caboclos (Amazon riverside inhabitants), invites us to visit their village and reveal to us some of their customs and traditions, as well as explain how they live in this sometimes hostile environment.

Later, we make a trip to the Enchanted Lake, a huge region completely covered by aquatic vegetation. Get your binoculars ready to spot some of the birdlife that is abundant here.

AM: This morning we venture out in our canoes to discover the flora and fauna residing in the area known as the Ponta do Pagodão. This is also an ideal place to hike through the rainforest. You'll feel every bit the explorer as you make your way through the dense undergrowth, passing by very tall Carapanaúba trees, with their huge and unusual shaped trunks, very typical of the region.

Later we pay a visit to the baré Indian's school to meet the children and see what the education system is like for those growing up in Amazonia. We will also have the opportunity to purchase local handicrafts sold on the banks of the Cuieiras River.

PM: In the afternoon, we sail through the iconic and spectacular Anavilhanas Archipelago, a labyrinth of the flooded forest made up of some 300 islands, home to numerous species of exotic wildlife.

After dinner on board, we explore the nearby channels in our canoes to observe nocturnal animals and admire the millions of stars of the southern hemisphere constellations.

AM: In the morning we visit Novo Airão, also known as the ‘Dolphin City’, so named for the high numbers of pink dolphins found in the area. These majestic creatures are highly intelligent and inquisitive, and always seem to be smiling! Prepare yourself for an experience of a lifetime as you get to swim with them!

Next stop, relaxation time on the beautiful Praia Grande beach, with its long bars of golden sand, starkly contrasting against the dark but clear waters of the Rio Negro.

PM: After a final farewell lunch together on board, we arrive back where our adventure began and disembark at the Tropical Hotel's pier.