Think of Brazil, and the first thing to accompany that one word that evokes a sense of wonder and intrigue is the biodiverse region of the mighty Amazon River. Born in the north of South America and flowing through numerous countries to the Atlantic Ocean, this revered waterway induces magical connotations of sleeping cocooned in luxury under the stars, listening to the operatic chorus of the sounds of the rainforest—frogs, cicadas, and scratchy crickets to the backdrop tunes of scurrying mammals through the undergrowth and rustling branches, that forever entice the intrepid traveler. The largest rainforest in the world, it's where myths and legends abound to thrill and seduce the curious traveler.
Many of us love the idea of being new-age explorers of the dare-devil persuasion, and the Amazon Rainforest is the crème de la crème destination. Movies such as The Mission (starring Robert DeNiro) about Jesuit priests, Embrace of the Serpent, telling the tale of two scientists and an Amazonian shaman in a quest for a sacred healing plant, Medicine Man (Sean Connery) a love slash search for a miracle cure movie, or the trashy horror flick Anaconda with its main character a legendary giant snake, that involves a snake hunter and Jennifer Lopez as his hostage; all fuel the passion to explore one of the last untamed places on earth.
Going to the Amazon is up there on bucket lists with other adventurous trips such as camping with seals in Antarctica, riding a horse over a Mongolian steppe, hiking in Finland’s Hossa National Park or maybe Spain’s Garajonay National Park—all places that require a certain amount of romanticism of the unknown and create a flurry in the pit of your belly merely contemplating a remote adventure. But today, we want it all with more than a touch of civilization, actually plush luxury, at the end of the day.
Brazil’s Amazon is an adventure playground for the wanderlusters chasing an elusive adventure. The best entry point to the Amazon is from the city of Manaus, once a river port in the northwest of Brazil, sitting on the riverbank of the Negro River tributary that flows into the Amazon River. The town is cradled in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest that smothers virtually 40% of Brazil's country and is home to millions of different species of plants, birds, insects, and other life forms, some of which are yet to be scientifically recorded. Trees—laurel, palm, acacia, myrtle, rubber, rosewood, mahogany, cedar, and Brazil nut—cloak the wild ground where red deer, tapir, monkeys, and jaguar live while ferocious piranha patrol the waterways.
To satisfy the lust to swing through jungle vines like Tarzan, the lodges below will give you an eco-friendly taste in the wild with plush luxury befitting an explorer’s dream.
Uakari Floating Lodge
Sitting in the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve, Uakari Lodge has only five gorgeous bungalows (2 rooms in each bungalow), offering guests an intimate and personal experience in this untamed wilderness. The bungalows wallow serenely in the amazing floodplain of the Central Corridor of the Amazon, with the water ebbing and rising depending on the season—the low and high-water levels vary by about 10 to 12 meters, creating a dramatic change to the panoramic scenery and generating a water-world for its inhabitants amidst a flooded forest. Knowledgeable guides will weave your stay around boating the waterways, piranha fishing, and moonlight walks in the jungle to peer at the numerous nocturnal creatures. The activities are for the fit and inquisitive wildlife lovers wishing to connect to the true community spirit of the Amazon.
Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge
It’s an adventure merely traveling to the award winning Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge—from Manaus, it's 3 hours sitting in a van or an incredible 35-minute seaplane ride. Various styles of guest accommodation meld with the jungle, immersing you in the surroundings, albeit in air-conditioned comfort. Massive windows give you mesmerizing views over the rainforest, and stylish indoor/outdoor spaces will make you sigh in appreciation of the luxury offered in a wilderness where sloths lurk in trees, the first rays of morning light are never missed, and adventures from boating to hiking in style await. It's where time-out while snoozing in a hammock listening to the sounds of the forest is a happy place for afternoon naps.
Cristalino Lodge
One of the top 25 eco-lodges in the world, Cristalino Lodge is unpretentious luxury integrated into the natural environment in the lap of a big forest reserve near the River Cristalino. Offering guests an experience unlike any other in the Amazon in terms of luxury accommodation, a gourmet treat at each meal, and the ultimate adventure trip. Complete with a stunning swimming pool for lazy afternoons recovering from the morning excursions, Cristalino Lodge is a once-in-a-lifetime Amazon dream that leaves no small detail to chance—apart from what nature has in store to show you—color-drenched sunrises and chattering monkeys while birds and butterflies dance in the air.
Gail Palethorpe, a self proclaimed Australian gypsy, is a freelance writer, photographer and eternal traveller. Check out her website Gail Palethorpe Photography and her Shutterstock profile.
