The Brazilian Amazon holidays
The Brazilian Amazon holidays at a glance
At Manaus, 1,000km from the sea, the black waters of the Rio Negro meet the sludgy brown Solimões to form a waterway over six miles wide – the Amazon River Brazil is famous for, at its most dramatic.
Most journeys begin in this city, once a scruffy river port grown wealthy on the rubber boom and now restoring its old elegance: refurbished markets, a pedestrianised central square full of cafés and galleries, and the extraordinary Manaus Opera House at its heart.
From here, it’s a short hop by speedboat to comfortable lodges where you can get a proper taste of jungle life, or a longer river cruise for those wanting to travel deeper into this world. Guided jungle walks, canoe trips and wildlife encounters reveal an astonishing range of birds, mammals, reptiles and plant life, while riverside communities offer a glimpse of a way of life still shaped by the water.
Amazon jungle lodges range from simple eco-retreats to more comfortable riverside properties, most positioned to get you into the forest and onto the water as quickly as possible.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday to The Brazilian Amazon
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
The Brazilian Amazon, a rainforest experience, where wildlife-rich waterways, remote jungle lodges and untouched forest create an unforgettable adventure.
When to visit The Brazilian Amazon
The Amazon experiences a tropical climate throughout the year, with warm temperatures and seasonal variations in rainfall and river levels. Wildlife can be observed year-round, although experiences vary depending on seasonal river levels.
The Amazon is always humid and its temperature does not vary greatly. At this time it will be around 28°C, with rainfall on the majority of days and water levels steadily rising. Most jungle trails will be walkable. Manaus celebrates a glittering Carnival in its Sambodromo in February or March.
As April draws to a close most of the jungle trails will be flooded, with the rainfall easing throughout May. Music lovers who wish to catch a performance at the opulent Opera House of Manaus can visit during this time as their season runs from April – May.
By June the copious rainfall will have reduced and you can expect more reliable sunshine, which makes the climate feel much hotter. In June the water levels in the rivers and creeks are high, opening up the possibility of intrepid canoe trips through flooded forests, although wildlife shelters from the rain and is harder to spot. In Manaus, the cultural Festival do Amazonas is held in June.
From July there are days which are sunny, hot and much clearer, with rainfall slowly increasing each month.
Rainfall steadily increases during these months and November marks the transition into the rainier season. Water levels are lower which brings many advantages: you can access jungle trails, spot wildlife more easily and there are fewer mosquitoes.
Top Things to do in The Brazilian Amazon
Manaus holidays rarely stop at the city limits – from dawn wildlife-spotting to exploring the opera house and markets, there’s no shortage of things to do in the Amazon.
Discover Belem, a regenerating Amazonian city bustling with riverport life, brimming markets and a chaos of river craft.
Witness one of South America’s most captivating natural phenomena as the dark waters of the Rio Negro collide with the paler Solimões.
Stay at a secluded lodge where you can head out into the rainforest wilderness on foot and on water to spot wildlife and breathe in the sights and sounds of the jungle.
Charming and authentic wooden vessel built to a traditional Amazonian design and renovated in 2018, with great food, exceptional guides and an informal atmosphere shared with just a handful of like-minded guests.
Explore the unique metropolis of Manaus, an Amazonian powerhouse with a fascinating past and plenty of architectural riches to show for it.
Accommodation in The Brazilian Amazon
Accommodation ranges from comfortable rainforest lodges and eco-retreats to expedition-style river vessels and luxury jungle properties. Many lodges are designed to minimise environmental impact while maximising access to wildlife and rainforest experiences.
Floating eco-lodge on a black-water lagoon in the Brazilian Amazon with a magical atmosphere surrounded by wildlife.
Jungle lodge with beautiful gardens and a white-sand beach on the river, within easy reach of Manaus.
This rustic Amazonian lodge offers a taste of the jungle within easy reach of Manaus.
Enchanting accommodation in the Brazilian Amazon, more like a small boutique hotel than a traditional jungle lodge.
Comfortable jungle lodge offering very good chances of sighting wildlife in the Brazilian Amazon.
A lakeside property in a remote part of the Brazilian Amazon offering wildlife watching activities.
An evocative and charming hotel just steps from the Opera House in historic central Manaus.
Villa Amazonia is a contemporary, upscale hotel with colonial features and good facilities in the centre of Manaus in the Brazilian Amazon.
A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.
Tailor-Made The Brazilian Amazon Tours
Prefer to travel on your own terms? We’ll build a trip around your dates, your pace and the things you most want to see – whether that’s a first run at Machu Picchu, a family adventure mixing history and wildlife, or a food-focused journey through Lima and the Sacred Valley. Our Travel Experts can help shape it with you.
Brazil Wildlife: Iguazu, Pantanal and Amazon Cruise
Places visited: Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · The Pantanal · The Brazilian Amazon
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Signature Brazil: Brazil at a glance
Places visited: Rio de Janeiro · The Brazilian Amazon · Iguazu Falls – Brazilian Side · Salvador, Lencois and the beaches of Bahia
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FAQs about visiting The Brazilian Amazon
The Brazilian Amazon is one of the most popular destinations, and there’s plenty to think about before you go. Here, our specialists share their best advice.
- When's the best time to visit Brazilian Amazon?
Amazonas is a year round destination with temperatures ranging from 25-40°C. Most rain falls Mar-May but it rains all the year round. When you go has more to do with the height of the water level in the river than the weather. At the maximum height (Jun), the river waters are 14-17m higher than at the lowest. The river floods the surrounding forest and you can navigate all these new creeks and lakes by canoe. When the river is high you can reach your lodge by boat more quickly. In the low water season the many trails through the forest are walk-able.
For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.
- What;s the official language of Brazilian Amazon?
Brazilian Portuguese, a more languid and musical version of Portugal’s mother tongue; indigenous tribes’ languages.
- How do I get local currency in Brazilian Amazon?
Brazilian Real. Notes can be withdrawn from the many ATMs in Manaus but the amount you can withdraw may be lower than at home. There are also money exchanges where you can exchange cash.
- What's the time difference between Brazilian Amazon and UK?
GMT -4 hours. There is daylight saving in Brazil Oct- end Feb (approx) when clocks are put forward one hour but frequently Amazonas sets its own agenda.
- What places combine well with Brazilian Amazon?
The Pantanal, Brazil’s other wildlife-spotting and nature wilderness (flights via São Paulo); region the waterfalls at Iguazú (most flights via São Paulo).
- How do I get to Brazilian Amazon?
Regular flights from Rio and São Paulo (each about 4 hours) to Manaus.
- What are the festivals, cultural and sport events in Brazilian Amazon?
Carnival: Manaus; 5 days in Feb/Mar, variable. Parades in the purpose-built sambadrome, modelled on Rio’s.
Festival do Amazonas: Manaus, Jun, with events and exhibitions of aspects of the region’s cultural life.
Festival de Opera, Manaus Opera House, annually Apr-May. The theatre also has other musical and theatrical events throughout the year.
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