1

What kind of trip do you want to take--houseboat, lodge-based, or camping? What are you looking for out of the trip? And what's your approximate budget range?

2

Hello John
After arrive in Manaus, take a immediate plane to TEFÉ, a city upriver .
Their you will find a lot of Boats, big, safe and cheaps, like a BUS.
Take one, with a special seat and sleep (will a be a rede), and go back down river to Manaus.
This boats will stop along de River in small citys, when you can eat or find a Hotel do Sleep, if you i tired to sleep in the rede.
I am a brazilian , and i do this trip with my wife years ago.
Its unforgetable... and you could write a book.......
About the money.... i believe you will spend around U$75, per day.......
One dollar equal R$ 2.15 today.

3

You have an itinerary. What is it? I know two people who took a boat from Manaus to Belem and found it, shall we say, interesting. They had a cabin, so didn't have to sleep in a hammock, but were right above the wheelhouse and always heard the captain. Bathroom facilities may be rudimentary. Some boats have to stick to the middle of the river to navigate so you may not have great scenery until you dock. You could also look at shorter trips from Manaus on the Rio Negro and Amazon, which may include both sleeping on the boat and staying on shore (either pousada or even an upscale jungle lodge). Be sure to take anti-malarial prophylaxis!

4

I don't think #2 is good advice. Flying to Tefe is expensive, and the boat trip, while it can be fun, isn't particularly interesting. You can't hop on and off as #2 suggests. And small towns along the main river aren't going to be the most interesting places, anyway.

5

Hello Wendy......
If somebody like to know the life of Amazon River........... must go to the interior.
You said is not interesting........ perhaps you don't know this
Ok, if Tefe, by plane its expensive, you can go to Manacapuru, and Parintins...... even by car.... but where you will find the real Amazon River life........

6

Piquity, maybe you don't fully understand what either the original poster or I am saying, due to a language barrier. Of course you have to go to the interior--but the interior includes the area away from the Amazon River. Along the main river there are simply not as many animals, birds, plants, or, for that matter, interesting settlements. The "real Amazon life" is away from the main river--the majority of caboclos don't live on the river itself. Flying to Tefe in order to take the riverboat down is a poor use of money for anyone unless they specifically want the riverboat experience (rather than to see the Amazon rainforest) and would be unlikely to result in a satisfying trip. Now, flying to Tefe in order to visit Mamiraua, if one has the money, is something I absolutely suggest.

7

To experience the real Amazon Jungle you don´t have to go that far, I recommend the Juma River about 60 miles south of Manaus or the Tupana river, about 120 miles south, there is lot of wild life to see, the river is black and few moskitoes, actually none on my visit to the Camu Camu Lodge on the Tupana River. don't book with a travel agency just make a search for lodges on Juma or Tupana river.

8

I agree with Dynamo1000,you dont have to go so far,such lodges as Camu Camu,Arowana they are located in the south of the Amazon where most of wild life can be seen.