Amazon tour Manaus: Dolphins & jungle camp 4-day

Four days sleeping in the Amazon, learning it from people who live there

A 4-day Amazon tour from Manaus based at Amazon Tapiri Floating Lodge, combining canoe trips on the Rio Negro to see pink river dolphins and the Meeting of Waters, jungle treks with a guide, a night camping in a remote part of the forest with hammocks and mosquito nets, and time spent with local families. Pickup from your hotel or airport is included. The guide speaks English or Portuguese.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and river exploration

• Pick up from Manaus hotel at 7am
• Travel to Ceasa Port and board speedboat
• Visit floating village of Catalão and fish farm
• See Meeting of the Waters
• Travel to Careiro village and Maçarico lake
• Arrive at Amazon Tapiri Floating Lodge by 11:30am
• Enjoy local cuisine lunch at noon
• Take canoe trip at 3pm to see dolphins and birds
• Try piranha fishing and watch sunset
• Return to lodge for dinner at 7pm
• Night boat trip to see Cayman at 8:30pm

Day 2: Morning trek and canoe trip

• Depart lodge at 5:30am for sunrise jungle viewing
• Return to lodge for breakfast
• Morning jungle trek with guide
• Lunch at the lodge
• Afternoon canoe trip to Várzea forest at 3pm
• Return to lodge for dinner

Day 3: Local family visit and jungle camping

• Breakfast at 7am
• Visit local family along the river at 8am
• Swim in the river on return to lodge
• Lunch at the lodge
• Depart lodge at 3pm to set up jungle camp
• Prepare and eat dinner at camp
• Spearfishing and overnight in hammock

Day 4: Final jungle activities and return

• Explore Amazon by trekking or canoeing
• Learn survival techniques from guide
• Breakfast at jungle camp
• Boat trip back to lodge for lunch
• Depart lodge at 1pm for Manaus
• Arrive at Manaus hotel or airport by 4pm

The experience

The tour starts at 7 am with pickup from your hotel in Manaus and a speedboat ride down the Rio Negro to Catalão floating village, where you feed giant arapaima fish before heading to the Meeting of Waters: the place where the Rio Negro and Solimões River flow side by side without mixing. From there it's an hour by road to Maçarico Lake and then by speedboat to the lodge, arriving around 11:30 am. That afternoon you canoe for pink river dolphins and birds, then return at sunset. At 8:30 pm the guide takes you back out on the water to spot and handle a cayman before it's released back into the river.

Day two starts at 5 am to watch the jungle wake up from the water, followed by a guided trek through the forest where you learn about medicinal plants and see monkeys. The afternoon takes you by canoe into Várzea forest, a flooded area with narrow channels where sloths and birds are easier to spot (or on foot during the dry season when the water recedes). Day three brings a visit to a local family's home along the river. You see how they grow food and taste local fruits, then swim in the river the way Amazonian people do. That afternoon you leave the lodge to camp in a remote part of the jungle with hammocks and mosquito nets, and try spearfishing before sleeping out.

On the final morning you trek or canoe deeper into the forest while your guide teaches survival techniques and local knowledge. After breakfast at camp you boat back to the lodge for lunch, then depart at 1 pm for Manaus, arriving at your hotel or airport by 4 pm. Accommodations are private air-conditioned cabins at the floating lodge for nights one and two. Mineral water is provided throughout.

What’s included

• Accommodations in private air-conditioned cabins at Amazon Tapiri Floating Lodge for nights one and two, and a hammock with mosquito net for the jungle camp on night three.
• all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
• speedboat and canoe transport to the Meeting of Waters, Catalão village, Várzea forest and jungle sites.
• guide services.
• mineral water throughout the tour.
• pickup from and return to your hotel or airport in Manaus.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (12 to 85 years) · Child (6 to 11 years): free · Infant (under 6)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Joshua's Amazon Expeditions

Is this one for you?The tour runs early starts (5 am on day two, 7 am on days one and three) and mixes canoe time with jungle trekking, so you're active most of each day. A night camping in the forest with hammocks and mosquito nets is part of the itinerary, not an optional add-on. Book this if sleeping out and learning survival skills from the guide appeals to you, and if you're comfortable with the pace of a guided group moving through the jungle.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Portuguese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years): free; Infant (under 6).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Meeting of Waters and why does it matter?

The Meeting of Waters is where the Rio Negro and Solimões River converge but do not mix: the waters stay visibly separate because of differences in temperature, density and speed. It's one of the most recognizable natural phenomena in the Amazon and you see it on the first afternoon from the speedboat.

Will I actually see pink river dolphins on this tour?

Pink river dolphins are spotted on the afternoon canoe trips from the lodge, though sightings depend on water conditions and the season. The guide takes you out specifically to look for them, and the canoe moves slowly enough to give you time to watch if they appear.

What is the jungle camp like on night three?

You sleep in a hammock with a mosquito net in a remote part of the forest. The guide helps you set up camp and prepares dinner there. After eating you can try spearfishing, then you stay overnight in the camp before trekking or canoeing the next morning and returning to the lodge for lunch.

How much walking or physical activity is involved each day?

Day two includes a morning jungle trek and an afternoon canoe trip into Várzea forest. Day three involves visiting a local family's home and swimming in the river, then setting up camp. Day four is a trek or canoe trip before returning to the lodge. The pace is set by the guide and the activities mix water travel with walking, but there's no extreme exertion required.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to and from the lodge?

No. Pickup from your hotel or airport in Manaus is included, and you're dropped back at your hotel or airport on the final day at 4 pm. The speedboat and canoe travel between the lodge and the jungle sites are all part of the tour.