Tucano Cruise Itinerary
Our expedition cruises take small groups of visitors far into the wilderness of the Amazon Rainforest. The Motor Yacht Tucano is specifically designed to offer a comfortable voyage enroute to the most untouched areas. Although we have an active programme, there is also time to relax while we voyage up the Amazon to the next destination to explore.
Day 1
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 cannot predict 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. (LD)
Day 2
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 the flora and fauna of the tall rainforest. 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 again explore the forest in our launches and listen to the sunset chorus of birds and frogs. (BLD)
Day 3
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. 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. (BLD)
Day 4
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 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. (BLD)
Day 5
Today we depart the Rio Jauaperi and head downstream on the Rio Negro exploring a new collection of rainforest habitats. In the daytime we will continue to scout in our launches and walk in the forest, and at night we will continue our hunts for nocturnal wildlife. (BLD)
Day 6
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 the M/Y Tucano goes downstream to arrive by morning 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” and perhaps try a Samba on the top deck. (BLD)
Day 7
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 two of the world’s 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. (BLD)
Day 8
In the morning, after a hearty breakfast, all guests disembark from the M/Y Tucano. (B)
Meal Codes: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Please note
the day to day schedule must be considered approximate. The exact order of the days and specific features may be altered due to navigational and other scheduling considerations. Degree of Difficulty: Good health is necessary. While guests can have a quite enjoyable trip by simply staying on board the M/Y Tucano and participating in launch excursions, participants in our walks in the forest must be able to comfortably walk for two or more hours at a time. There are several daily excursions off the vessel, and many guests will choose to participate in some but not all of them. The vessel is air-conditioned in the middle of the day and during the night.
Where the Trip Begins and Ends
Embark: On Day 1, passengers meet our guide at 07:00am in the reception area of the Hotel Tropical, Manaus, Brazil.
Disembark: On Day 8, passengers disembark at the Hotel Tropical at 08:00am. It is possible by prearrangement for guests to disembark the evening prior to the last day to catch early morning flights.
