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The Amazon

The Amazon is itself a place of near-mythical status. What traveler drawn to the wild places of the planet hasn't imagined a trip to the Amazon, not only to admire the towering trees, secretive wildlife and awesome river, but to enter, in a real sense, the very life spring of the planet? Expecting a Discovery Channel–like experience (jaguars in every tree, anacondas on every shore) is a recipe for disappointment. In fact, the Amazon’s quintessential experiences are more sublime than superlative: canoeing through a flooded forest, dozing in a hammock on a boat chugging upriver, waking to the otherworldly cry of howler monkeys. On a river whose size is legendary, it’s actually the little things that make it special. Give it some time, and the Amazon is all this and more.

Explore The Amazon

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout The Amazon.

  • Forest

    Floresta Nacional do Tapajós

    If you came to the Amazon to see primary rainforest, look no further than the Floresta Nacional do Tapajós. Wildlife is a possibility – from birds to…

  • Park

    Jardim Botânico Adolpho Ducke

    Spanning over 100 sq km, this 'garden' is actually the world’s largest urban forest. There's a network of five short trails (guides and closed shoes…

  • Waterfall

    Serra do Aracá State Park

    Although this state park was established in 1990 to preserve the unique canyons carved out by the Rio Aracá, it wasn't until recently that the massive…

  • Lake

    Lago Maicá

    The floodplains east and southeast of Santarém are among the Amazon's most rewarding excursions. Flooded for much of the year, the plains are home to…

  • Theater

    Teatro Amazonas

    This gorgeous theater was built at the height of the rubber boom, using European designers, decorators and even raw materials. The original driveway was…

  • Market

    Mercado Ver-o-Peso

    The name of this waterfront market, with its iconic four-turreted structure at its southwestern end, comes from colonial times, when the Portuguese would…

  • River

    Encontro das Águas

    Just beyond Manaus, the warm dark Rio Negro pours into the cool creamy Rio Solimões, but because of differences in temperature, speed and density, their…

  • Market

    Estação das Docas

    An ambitious renovation project converted three down-at-heel riverfront warehouses into a popular gathering spot, with restaurants, bars, shops and even…

  • Historic Building

    Casa Chico Mendes

    This simple wood house is where Chico Mendes lived with his family until his murder on the back steps in 1988. Tours include a graphic description of the…

  • Market

    Mercado Velho

    Not only a great place for a meal or late-afternoon beer, Rio Branco’s refurbished riverside Mercado Velho is a favorite spot for city-sponsored cultural…

  • Nature Reserve

    Reserva Natural Palmarí

    About 105km by river from Leticia, eco-fierce Palmarí's rambling lodge and research center sits on the south (Brazilian) bank of the river, overlooking a…

  • National Park

    Parque Nacional do Jaú

    Spanning nearly 23,000 sq km, Jaú is Brazil’s second-biggest national park, and one of the largest tracts of protected tropical rainforest on earth. It…

  • National Park

    Parque Nacional de Anavilhanas

    Stretching along the Rio Negro for almost 130km and with 400 islands, this national park, centered on the Anavilhanas Archipelago, is one of the most…

  • Fort

    Forte Príncipe da Beira

    Remote Forte Príncipe da Beira, beside the Rio Guaporé, 210km south of Guajará-Mirim, was constructed by the Portuguese between 1776 and 1783 to…

  • Nature Reserve

    Reserva Natural Zacambú

    Zacambú is one of the closest reserves to Leticia, about 70km away by boat. Its lodge is on Laguna Zacambú, just off Río Yavarí, on the Peruvian side of…

  • Historic Site

    Belterra

    Henry Ford briefly moved his Fordlândia operations to this tidy little town in the 1940s and this site, 40km from Santarém, makes for an easy day trip…

  • Forest

    Floresta Nacional de Tefé

    Spanning over a 10,000 sq km, Floresta Nacional de Tefé can be visited through various community-based tours. Most begin with a long boat ride across Tefé…

  • National Park

    Parque Nacional da Amazônia

    This large (9940 sq km) Amazonian rain-forest national park lies west of the town of Itaituba (population 65,000), which is 250km southwest of Santarém…

  • Museum

    Museu do Seringal Vila Paraíso

    Located on the grounds of a former rubber-baron estate, this museum includes tours of the historic townhouse, a replica rubber-tapper shack and smokehouse…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in The Amazon.

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