Tucano – the well-balanced programme with a giant samaúma and night walk
Tucano is our first recommendation for most travellers. The extra day creates a better rhythm and adds two experiences that clearly distinguish it from a shorter lodge stay.
Alongside Mutum’s paddling, forest walks, fishing and local encounters, walk to a giant samaúma tree and learn more about how the lodge is built and operated in this sensitive forest environment.
In the evening, take a night walk on foot, offering a different experience from the boat excursion on the first evening.
Day 1
You are collected in Manaus and travel by boat across the Rio Negro. The route passes Encontro das Águas before continuing by road and additional boat stages to the Juma River.
After arrival, welcome and lunch, take a first paddle excursion through igarapés and, depending on water level, flooded igapó forest.
After dinner, head out again to listen to the night forest and search for caimans, frogs, nocturnal birds and other wildlife.
Day 2
The day begins before breakfast with an excursion on the Juma River as daylight arrives and birdlife becomes active.
After breakfast, take a guided walk in terra firme forest. The guide explains trees, insects, animal tracks, ecological relationships and practical knowledge used in the forest.
In the afternoon, try piranha or recreational fishing. After dinner there is normally a short talk about the Amazon, the lodge or the region’s nature.
Day 3
Take a longer but unhurried forest walk. Lunch is prepared over an open fire and served outdoors, followed by time to rest in a hammock.
During the day, visit a family living along the river. Conversation may cover cultivation, manioc flour, traditional plant knowledge and how everyday life adapts to changing water levels.
When programme and conditions allow, the 31-metre observation tower is also included, with views over the forest canopy and Juma River.
Day 4
After breakfast, walk through the forest to a giant samaúma. The species is among the rainforest’s tallest and most powerful trees, with huge buttress roots creating a distinctive landscape around the trunk.
In the afternoon, take a guided look at the lodge’s stilt construction and sustainability measures, including solar power, solar-heated water, waste management and biological treatment of organic material.
After dinner, take a night walk on foot. Torches are used sparingly to spot insects, frogs, tracks and movement in the vegetation.
Day 5
After breakfast, leave the lodge. The return journey normally includes a stop at a pirarucu floating platform, where you can see the giant Amazon fish at close range.
Continue by boat and road to Manaus, with drop-off at the agreed hotel or airport.
Juma Amazon Lodge is built on stilts and walkways directly beside the rainforest and river. Between activities there is a restaurant, bar, hammock house, river pool, museum and a 31-metre observation tower.
Bungalow categories include Forest View, River View, Family, Panoramic and the larger Juma Bungalow. Forest View and River View are cooled by fans, while higher categories also have air conditioning. The exact category is stated in SambaTravel’s proposal.
Moderate
The programme includes several forest walks, including an evening walk. The ground is natural and can be slippery, while heat and humidity add to the effort.
Average basic fitness is sufficient for most travellers. Tell SambaTravel about knee, balance or mobility problems before booking.
Activities may take place in a different order from the one shown here. Weather, water level, group size and wildlife movements determine the final schedule.
Forest View and River View bungalows have fans, while higher bungalow categories also have air conditioning. Hot water is solar-heated.
Juma is in a remote area. Connectivity and electrical capacity are more limited than at a city hotel.
Water levels change both views and excursions. High water gives access to flooded forest; at low water, beaches and longer stretches of dry land emerge.
Wildlife observations take place in the animals’ natural environment and cannot be guaranteed.
The programme can be booked on its own or combined with flights, a Manaus hotel and other parts of a tailor-made journey. Exact inclusions and price are stated in SambaTravel’s proposal.
Five days / four nights is the programme SambaTravel normally recommends for a well-balanced stay at Juma.
Luggage on the scheduled transfer is limited to 10 kg per person. Larger bags can normally be left in Manaus according to the lodge’s instructions.
Bring lightweight clothing for the lodge, long trousers and closed shoes for walks, plus protection from sun, rain and insects. Electronics should be protected from water during boat trips.
We help choose the right bungalow and length of stay and combine Juma with Manaus, flights and other parts of your journey.