TUCANO:  HEART OF AMAZONIA

CRUBRTUHA - 9 days / 8 nights

CRUBRTUHA - 8 days / 7 nights  - 2006 itinerary
Departure Day: SET DEPARTURE Dates as per below schedule
with 2 participants MINIMUM

SET DATES Departures: The dates below are the actual cruise dates. It is advised that passengers arrive in Manaus, Brazil the day previous to be beginning of the cruise.
2005 Trip Dates (8 Nights)
Jun 10-18, Jul 1-9, Jul 22-30, Aug 5-13, Aug 19-27, Sep 10-18, Oct 7-15, Oct 28-Nov 5, Nov 18-26, Dec 2-10, Dec 23-31
2006 Trip Dates (7 Nights):
Jan 08-15, Jan 29-Feb 05, Feb 12-19, Mar 05-12, Mar 26-Apr 02, April 23-30, May 21-28, Jun 04-11, Jul 02-09 (Family Departure), Jul 16-23 (Family Departure), Aug 06-13, Aug 20-27, Sep 03-10, Sep 17-24, Oct 01-08, Oct 22-29, Nov 05-12, Nov 19-26, Dec 17-24, Dec 24-311

*Embarkation: Passengers board the M/V Tucano in Manaus, Brazil at 07:00am 
*Disembarkation: passengers disembark at 08:30 at Manaus Brazil at 0830  

Heart of Amazonia explores some of the most untouched rainforest in all of the Amazon. On the Motor Yacht Tucano we venture on a nine day trip far up the Rio Negro to an area very rarely visited, exploring the mysterious life of the wilderness that stirs in the forest and in the heart of wild nature. We visit quite remote forest that has very few settles so the flora and fauna is very little disturbed. Near the end of the trip we enter the Amazon River itself. We see amazingly colorful birds, magnificent trees draped with vines and covered with orchids and occasional monkeys chattering and cavorting in the branches.

Our basic plan will be to first explore the Rio Negro upstream as far as the Rio Branco, a very interesting tributary coming in from the north. We end the trip with a visit on the Amazon River itself. It is important to explore the tributaries of the Amazon, since the main river has many settlers along its banks. Over several days we will gradually explore the rainforests for up to 200 miles away from our starting point. This region has some of the most untouched rainforest in all of the Amazon and is the least inhabited place on the planet. We will visit several kinds of forest including the strange and beautiful flooded forest known by Amazon Indians as the Igapó [ee-gah-poh]. In the Igapó, the dark water seasonally floods into the forest, at times for several miles. Orchids and bromeliads cling to the limbs of overhanging trees, which are home also to many fishing birds and iguanas. We will also explore the other two kinds of rainforest of the Amazon: the tall terre firme forest and the fantastically rich varzea forest. We will see amazingly colorful birds, magnificent rainforest trees draped with vines and carpeted with orchids, and occasional monkeys chattering and cavorting in the tree branches.

The rainforest in this area has very unique plants and animals and our aim is to both observe them and describe their astonishing habits. We will get out into the forest and explore----not simply watch the river banks from the deck of the boat. We will walk in the forest and scout in our launches the small streams that radiate off the main river. We will swim off deserted beaches in water as pure and clean as rainwater and be treated to vistas of wild rainforest stretching as far as the eye can see. On our walks in the rainforest we will observe magnificent plants of every imaginable shape and size. We will listen to the exotic calls of birds and mammals and watch them from the shaded forest trail. In the evenings we will have a brief discussion on creatures that we observed during the day and about the extraordinary ways in which these plants and animals have evolved to live in this ancient rainforest. Some nights we will explore the river's edge with flashlights and we will see caiman, close relatives of crocodiles. Their eyes have a reddish glow in reflected light.

Amazon Highlights Information    Tucano Information

Your Itinerary

Day 1 Amazon Cruising
Early this morning all guests board the vessel the Motor Yacht TUCANO and depart upstream on the Rio Negro. Through the morning we will cruise through the world’s largest river island system, the Anavilhanas Archipelago. From the observation deck we scan the magnificent tangle of vegetation at the water’s edge. By mid-afternoon the vessel has gone beyond the frontier of settlement and entered a wilderness area. Both shores are covered by dense rainforest. Though we never know what we will see, we have a good chance of observing pink river dolphins and a large collection of exotic birds. Most certainly we will be treated to magnificent forest vistas and the spectacular trees themselves. In the late afternoon we embark in the launches and hunt for wildlife. We may also go for a swim in some of the world’s most clean and refreshing water. (L, D)

Day 2 Amazon Cruising
Early this morning we explore the rainforest along the waters edge in our launches. We should hear and perhaps see howler monkeys along with a morning serenade of toucans. After breakfast we go for a walk in the forest where we will get a good start on understanding Amazon ecology. Around midday we return for lunch and the vessel will get underway, perhaps stopping at a place to swim. In the late afternoon we will explore the forest in our launches and listen to the sunset chorus of birds and frogs. (B,L,D)

Day 3 Amazon Cruising
This morning there will be an early exploration of the waking forest. We will keep our eyes open for monkeys--on most trips we see them often. We return for breakfast followed by either a walk in the forest or an excursion in the launches. TUCANO will travel during the middle of the day and we stop in the afternoon for an excursion. Tonight the vessel may travel a bit more as we marvel at the night sky crowded with stars. (B,L,D)

Day 4 Amazon Cruising
After our two morning excursions TUCANO will navigate along the heavily forested shore, scouting for wildlife. We may stop for a visit at a settler’s home carved out of the forest. In the early afternoon we will be near an extraordinary river called the Rio Branco. Here we will see a kind of forest known as the varzea. We will scout along the shoreline for some of the extraordinary creatures found only in this unique environment. Weather permitting we will do a night excursion to observe nocturnal creatures. (B,L,D)

Day 5 & 6 Amazon Cruising
Today we depart the Rio Branco and for the next two days proceed downstream on the Rio Negro exploring a new collection of rainforest habitats. In the daytime we will continue to scout in our launches, walk in the forest, and at night hunt for nocturnal wildlife. (B,L,D)

Day 7 Amazon Cruising
After a walk in the forest we cross to the West bank of the Rio Negro, exploring as we go. We will stop at the substantial boat building village of Novo Airão. As we walk through the streets we'll marvel at how the 19th Century thrives in this remote corner of the globe. Tonight TUCANO goes downstream to arrive at daybreak near the confluence with the Amazon River. As we glide through the starry darkness this is a good night to sip the national drink of Brazil, the "Caipirinha". (B,L,D)

Day 8 Amazon Cruising
This morning we explore the Lago Janauari Ecological Park where seasonally the thick brown water of the Amazon flows swiftly through the forest. This area is usually a very good place to observe wildlife. Around midday the vessel will travel to the “Encontra das Aguas” a stark several mile long line where the world’s two largest rivers, the Amazon and the Negro, join in a turbulent maelstrom. Here the dark water of the Negro runs beside the opaque brown water of the Amazon. In the afternoon we scout one of the hidden streams in the area to try to see more of the Amazon’s beautiful and bizarre creatures. Tonight there will be one last excursion looking for nocturnal life. (B,L,D)

Day 9 Amazon Cruising/Depart
In the morning all guests disembark from TUCANO. Some guests will participate in an optional tour of the city of Manaus before transferring to the airport. (B)

2006 Itinerary: Voyage to the Heart of the Amazon, 7 Nights

Day 1     Amazon Cruising
This morning all guests board the vessel the Motor Yacht Tucano and depart upstream on the Rio Negro. Through the morning we will cruise through the world’s largest river island system, the Anavilhanas Archipelago. From the observation deck we scan the magnificent tangle of
vegetation at the water’s edge. By mid-afternoon the vessel has gone beyond the frontier of settlement and entered a wilderness area. Both shores are covered by dense rainforest. Though we never know what we will see, we have a good chance of observing pink river dolphins and a large collection of exotic birds. Most certainly we will be treated to magnificent forest vistas and the spectacular trees themselves. In the late afternoon we embark in the launches and hunt for wildlife. We may also go for a swim in some of the world’s most clean and refreshing water. (L,D)

Day 2     Amazon Cruising
Early this morning we explore the rainforest along the waters edge in our launches. We should hear and perhaps see howler monkeys along with a morning serenade of toucans. After breakfast we go for a walk in the forest where we will get a good start on understanding Amazon ecology.
Around midday we return for lunch and the vessel will get underway, perhaps stopping at a place to swim. In the late afternoon we will explore the forest in our launches and listen to the sunset chorus of birds and frogs. (B,L,D)

Day 3     Amazon Cruising
This morning there will be an early exploration of the waking forest. We will keep our eyes open for monkeys—on most trips we see them often. We return for breakfast followed by either a walk in the forest or an excursion in the launches. The M/Y Tucano will travel during the middle of the day and we stop in the afternoon for an excursion. Tonight the vessel may travel a bit more as we marvel at the night sky crowded with stars. (B,L,D)

Day 4     Amazon Cruising
After our two morning excursions M/Y Tucano will navigate along the heavily forested shore, scouting for wildlife. We may stop for a visit at a settler’s home carved out of the forest. In the early afternoon we will be near an extraordinary river called the Rio Jauaperi. We will scout along the shoreline for some of the extraordinary creatures found only in this unique environment. Weather permitting we will do a night excursion to observe nocturnal creatures. (B,L,D)

Days 5     Amazon Cruising
Today we depart the Rio Jauaperi and for the next two days proceed downstream on the Rio Negro exploring a new collection of rainforest habitats. In the daytime we will continue to scout in our launches, walk in the forest, and at night hunt for nocturnal wildlife. (B,L,D)

Day 6     Amazon Cruising
After a walk in the forest we cross to the West bank of the Rio Negro, exploring as we go. We will stop at the substantial boat building village of Novo Airão. As we walk through the streets we’ll marvel at how the 19th Century thrives in this remote corner of the globe. Tonight Tucano goes downstream to arrive at daybreak near the confluence with the Amazon River. As we glide through the starry darkness this is a good night to sip the national drink of Brazil, the “Caipirinha”. (B,L,D)

Day 7     Amazon Cruising
This morning we explore the Lago Janauari Ecological Park where seasonally the thick brown water of the Amazon flows swiftly through the forest. This area is usually a very good place to observe wildlife. Around midday the vessel will travel to the “Encontra das Aguas” a stark several mile long line where the world’s two largest rivers, the Amazon and the Negro, join in a turbulent maelstrom. Here the dark water of the Negro runs beside the opaque brown water of the Amazon. In the afternoon we scout one of the hidden streams in the area to try to see more of the Amazon’s beautiful and bizarre creatures. Tonight there may be one last excursion looking for nocturnal life. (B,L,D)

Day 8     Amazon Cruising
In the morning all guests disembark from the M/Y Tucano. Some guests will participate in an optional tour of the city of Manaus before transferring to the airport. (B) 

Please note that the day to day schedule must be considered approximate. The exact order of the days and specific features may be altered due to navigational considerations. Passengers must be able to get in and out of small boats and walk comfortably for up to two hours at a time in the forest.

Included Services:

Not Included: