The Amazon basin has approx. 80,000 kilometres of navigable water making it the largest river system in the world. Much of this remote region is not connected by road and relies heavily on boat travel for transportation of goods and passengers. Its rivers are the motorways of the jungle and taking a boat trip along them is one of the most iconic and memorable journeys in South America. Six months earlier we’d had our first taste of river travel down the Peruvian Amazon from Yurimaguas to Iquitos so we were under no romantic illusions about spending 72 hours on another packed boat departing from Manaus in Brazil! But with just 10 days to go until Christmas and spirits sky high, we couldn’t help but feel excited about the riotous carnival of river life that was about to explode before our eyes.
Discover the Amazonian Megalopolis Manaus
28 Jan
Thoughts of the almighty Amazon have the power to excite and delight travellers like few other places on Earth can. In our minds eye we picture thick natural rainforest with giant trees and an abundance of wildlife, isolated indigenous communities with painted faces and fresh, clean waterways filling the World’s largest river system. So imagine our initial disappointment on arrival in Manaus, the Amazon’s largest city (approx. 1.7 million population) to find a sprawling, dirty hot and humid metropolis seemingly devoid of any natural flora and fauna. The frenetic streets were choked by traffic and its streets filled with rubbish and unsavory characters. On face value Manaus had limited touristic appeal but it frequently finds its way onto traveller’s itineraries using it as a base to arrange jungle trips or considering it a destination in its own right. We realised that perhaps we’d set ourselves up for a fall, with expectations so high, that Manaus was always fighting a losing battle. We knew there must be more to the city than its face value so we set out to discover what Manaus was all about.
Ship wrecked in Tyrona National Park
17 May
If you were fortunate enough to be ship-wrecked on one of National Park Tyrona’s gorgeous beaches, you’d probably hide the flare gun and ignore passing ships offering to carry you back to civilisation, in favour of lingering a little longer to top up your tan. This park certainly ticks all the right boxes for becoming a real life Robinson Crusoe. There’s never been a better excuse to grow your beard long, let the sand exfoliate your bare skin, bathe in crystal clear waters, drink coconut milk and sleep under the stars. So without further ado, turn off the TV, put the newspaper down, hide your mobile phone and prepare to lose yourself in nature’s playground.
Inner tubes, bamboo and string – river travel the Bolivian way!
4 Oct
Five days – drifting 250 kilometres down river – from Guanay to Rurrenabaque – on a home-made raft – with no engine…I must have got that all wrong. Was there a way such a trip could really be possible? The voice on the other end of the phone took a deep breath and repeated what they’d already explained. The ‘No noise’ jungle rafting experience through Bolivia’s chunk of Amazonas was created for people looking for unparalleled adventure. Six people, a guide and a cook, along with rucksacks, food supplies and camping equipment, would pile on top of a raft no bigger than 5 metres long and 2.5 metres wide and float to their destination using only the natural flow and currents of the river. There would be jungle walks to spot exotic animals and indigenous tribes were never far from the river banks. Home each evening would be under canvas in a rustic camp and to wash ourselves there would always be a crystal clear river or a gushing waterfall nearby. Rendered speechless as my head span with all of this information – all I could muster were the immortal words – “Sign us up!”
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