Day 1
Tefé to Mamirauá
After reception in Tefé, continue by boat to Uakari Lodge. After lunch and rest, take a first trail walk or boat outing.
In the evening, learn about the reserve’s history, research and local tourism model.
In-depth stay
Uakari Lodge – 8 days
A deeper week in Mamirauá’s forest, communities and river landscapes
8 days / 7 nights Moderate Full board
Seven nights provide the time for Mamirauá to become more than a sequence of excursions. Landscape, research and local life begin to form a coherent whole.
Compared with the four-night stay, the programme adds more forest habitats, camera traps, sunrise on the Japurá, a full day in a second community and a night in the simple Casa da Mata inside the forest.
The extra time does more than increase the activity count. It also allows returns to interesting places and gives guides more room to adapt the week to nature’s rhythm.
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Highlights
- Floating lodge inside the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve
- One of Brazil’s leading examples of locally rooted, community-managed tourism
- Várzea forest that changes completely between high and low water
- Local guides with detailed knowledge of the rivers, forest and reserve wildlife
- Meetings with researchers and insight into the Mamirauá Institute’s conservation work
- Riverside community visits without turning everyday life into a performance
- Possibility of seeing white uakari, river dolphins, black caiman, monkeys and exceptionally rich birdlife
- A stay that directly supports local income and long-term conservation of the reserve
- One hammock night in elevated Casa da Mata inside the forest
- Setting and checking camera traps
- Sunrise and breakfast on the Japurá River
- A full day in a second riverside community
8 days / 7 nights
Day by day
Day 2
Camera traps, river dolphins and night excursion
Set motion-triggered cameras on a suitable trail in the morning so they can record passing wildlife during the week.
After lunch, piranha fishing or dolphin observation may be included. Finish with a night excursion on foot or by boat.
Day 3
Different levels of the várzea forest
A new trail or paddle route reveals another section of flooded forest. At high water, travel near the tree crowns; at low water, walk on ground that was metres underwater only months before.
Head towards Lago Mamirauá in the afternoon and turn the after-dark return into a night safari.
Day 4
Community visit and research
Spend the morning in a riverside community learning how daily life is shaped by fishing, forest resources and large seasonal water changes.
Paddling or traditional fishing may follow after lunch. In the evening, meet a researcher and ask questions about species and conservation.
Day 5
Sunrise on the Japurá and night at Casa da Mata
Leave before dawn for the Japurá River. A simple breakfast is served on board as the sun rises and guides look for boto and tucuxi dolphins.
After lunch, take another trail or canoe outing. In the evening, continue to Casa da Mata, a simple raised structure inside the forest where you sleep in a hammock with a local guide.
Day 6
A full day in a second community
After the morning in the forest, continue to another riverside community and spend the day there, including lunch with the hosts.
Return to the lodge in the afternoon. The evening may include another meeting with a researcher or adviser.
Day 7
Paddling, Japurá sunset and camera traps
Make a final longer paddle outing through quiet reserve waterways in the morning. After lunch and rest, head towards the Japurá for sunset.
In the evening, review the camera-trap material and see which animals used the trail during the week.
Day 8
Return to Tefé
After an early breakfast, check out and return by boat to Tefé. The programme ends according to the transfer confirmed for the departure.
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Accommodation and facilities
Uakari Lodge
Uakari Lodge is a small floating lodge that rises and falls with the reserve’s water level. Bungalows have private verandas, large screened openings for natural ventilation and en-suite bathrooms. Electricity is mainly solar-powered.
This is not a conventional resort hotel. Its strengths are the setting, local guiding, direct connection with research and community-based operating model.
Meals are served communally and rely heavily on regional ingredients. The common areas make it easy to talk with guides, researchers and other travellers between excursions.
Casa da Mata
A simple raised forest base used for one guided hammock night. Facilities are basic and exact operation depends on water level and current lodge planning.
Moderate
Physical level
The longer stay includes more outings, an early Japurá departure and one simple forest overnight. Walking difficulty varies strongly with water level.
Participants should be comfortable with small boats, hammocks and a week of heat and humidity, even though individual walks are not necessarily long.
Included
- Scheduled transport from Tefé airport or a Tefé hotel to Uakari Lodge and back according to the selected programme
- Accommodation in a private floating bungalow with en-suite bathroom
- Full board with breakfast, lunch and dinner during the stay
- Group activities included in the selected programme
- Local guides on included excursions
- Boat and canoe transport plus necessary equipment for programme activities
- Presentations and meetings included in the programme
- One guided overnight at Casa da Mata according to the confirmed programme
- Camera-trap activity and additional community visit as scheduled
Not included
- Alcoholic drinks and other refreshments not explicitly stated as included
- Private boat or private specialist guide in the standard programmes
- Transport between Tefé and the lodge outside the lodge’s regular arrival and departure days
- Laundry, purchases, tips and personal expenses
- Activities and special arrangements outside the confirmed programme
- Travel insurance
Good to know
Uakari Lodge is reached via Tefé, not by road from Manaus. The lodge team meets guests in Tefé and the boat journey to the reserve normally takes about ninety minutes.
Standard programmes use fixed arrival and departure days. Dates and transfers must be matched to current flight schedules and always reconfirmed.
Mamirauá is várzea forest. During high water, boats travel among the tree crowns in flooded forest; during low water, more walking trails open.
Programme order can change according to water level, weather, research activity and local conditions.
Wildlife moves freely in the reserve and sightings of particular species can never be guaranteed.
The lodge uses solar energy and natural ventilation. The accommodation is thoughtfully designed but simple, with environmental considerations taking priority.
The programme can be booked separately or combined with flights, hotels and other parts of a tailor-made journey. Exact inclusions and price are stated in SambaTravel’s proposal.
The Casa da Mata overnight and exact extended-stay sequence depend on current reserve conditions and must be reconfirmed for the selected dates.
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What to bring
Lightweight, breathable and quick-drying clothing is best. Long sleeves and trousers protect from sun, vegetation and insects, while light but sturdy footwear is useful on trails during low water.
Water level determines how excursions are carried out. At high water many outings use boats or paddle canoes; at low water more forest trails are accessible. Cameras, binoculars and electronics should therefore always be protected from rain and spray.
- Light T-shirts and long-sleeved shirts
- Long trousers in quick-drying fabric
- Comfortable walking or hiking shoes
- Sandals or light shoes for the lodge
- Swimwear
- Sun hat or cap
- Light rain jacket or poncho
- Sun protection and unscented insect repellent
- Personal medication and toiletries
- Binoculars
- Camera, spare batteries and waterproof protection for electronics
- Small daypack
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Images from the destination and tour
Would you like a full week to understand Mamirauá?
We help you connect the eight-day programme with flights to Tefé and the rest of your Brazil journey.