Amazon tour Manaus: Dolphins, village, 4-day adventure

Wake at 5:30 am to watch the jungle come alive, then fish for piranha and hunt caimans by spotlight the same day.

A 4-day jungle tour from Manaus based at Amazon Peacock Paradise Ecolodge, where you travel by speedboat and canoe with a local guide, hike through the forest learning about medicinal plants, fish for piranha, spot pink river dolphins, and visit the Tatuyos indigenous village. Groups stay small, no more than six per guide, so the pace stays unhurried and the focus stays on what the forest and its people have to teach. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Manaus are included, along with all meals and lodging in private suites with air conditioning and hot water.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and river exploration

• Pick up in Manaus
• Board speedboat at Ceasa Port
• Visit meeting of the waters
• Explore floating village of Catalão
• Stop at Careiro village
• Boat ride to Maçarico Lake
• Arrive at Amazon Peacock Paradise Ecolodge
• Lunch at lodge
• Afternoon canoe trip to see dolphins and birds

Day 2: Jungle trek and night wildlife

• Early morning motorized boat trip
• Breakfast at lodge
• Morning jungle trek with guide
• Lunch at lodge
• Afternoon fishing for piranhas
• Return to lodge for dinner
• Night boat trip to spot caimans
• Overnight at lodge

Day 3: Várzea forest and paddling

• Breakfast at lodge
• Visit Várzea forest by foot or boat
• Lunch at lodge
• Afternoon paddling among channels and igarapes
• Return to lodge for dinner

Day 4: Indigenous village and return

• Breakfast at lodge
• Travel to small village by car
• Boat to Indigenous Tatuyos village
• Visit floating deck and swim with pink dolphins
• Lunch at local floating restaurant
• Return to Manaus
• Drop off at hotel or airport

The experience

The tour starts with a speedboat ride from Ceasa Port on the Rio Negro, where you'll see the meeting of the waters: the black Rio Negro and brown Solimões flowing side by side without mixing. You stop at the floating village of Catalão to see a fish farm and the Giant Arapaima Gigas, then continue to Maçarico Lake and arrive at the ecolodge by mid-morning. After lunch, a canoe trip gives you your first chance to spot pink river dolphins and the colorful birds that fill the canopy.

The second and third days follow the rhythm of the jungle itself. Before dawn on day two, a motorized boat takes you out to watch the forest wake up, then you return for breakfast and a morning trek where the guide points out medicinal plants and the insects and monkeys that live here. Afternoon brings piranha fishing from a boat, and at 8:30 pm you head back out with a spotlight to hunt for caimans. Day three shifts to the Várzea forest, a flooded area of small channels and waterways where you paddle among the igarapés in a regional boat, watching for sloths and monkeys in their natural habitat.

On the final day, you visit the Tatuyos indigenous village to learn about their culture, then stop at a floating deck to swim with the pink river dolphins before lunch at a local floating restaurant. The boat returns you to Manaus by mid-afternoon, with drop-off at your hotel or the airport.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Manaus.
• all meals at the ecolodge and a lunch stop at a floating restaurant on day four.
• lodging in private suites with air conditioning and hot showers.
• speedboat and canoe rides.
• a guide who speaks English and knows the forest and its wildlife.
• mineral water throughout the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

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

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 8 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Moderate 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?Book this tour if you want to move through the jungle at a pace that lets you absorb it (early mornings, afternoon activities, and time to rest between them) rather than racing through highlights. The small group size (no more than six per guide) means the guide can stop when something worth watching appears, and you're not competing for the guide's attention or the best spot in the boat.

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Top questions

Can children come?

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

What's the meeting of the waters, and do you really see it on this tour?

The meeting of the waters is where the Rio Negro and the Solimões river flow together without mixing, creating a visible line between black and brown water. It's your first stop on day one, reached by speedboat from Ceasa Port in Manaus.

How often do you actually see pink river dolphins on this tour?

Pink river dolphins appear on two separate outings: a canoe trip on the afternoon of day one and a swim stop at a floating deck on day four after visiting the Tatuyos village. Sightings depend on the season and the dolphins' movement, but the guide knows where they're most likely to be.

Is the piranha fishing safe, and what happens if you catch one?

Piranha fishing happens on day two in the afternoon from a motorized boat at a designated fishing spot. The guide handles the catch and provides information about the different species you're fishing for. You're fishing with the guide's instruction and equipment.

What's included in the price, and what costs extra?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Manaus, all meals, lodging in private suites with air conditioning and hot showers, and mineral water are included. Tips for the guide and staff, drinks at the bar, and any extra transportation beyond what's scheduled are not included.

Can you choose to stay in town instead of at the ecolodge?

Accommodation at the ecolodge is part of the standard tour. If you prefer to stay in Manaus, that's an option you can arrange at checkout, though it changes the itinerary and the experience of the jungle itself.

What's the Tatuyos village like, and how much time do you spend there?

The Tatuyos are an indigenous group living in the Amazon. On day four, you visit their village to learn about their culture and way of life. After the village visit, you stop at a floating deck to swim with pink river dolphins before heading to lunch and returning to Manaus.